Funding Opportunities: Researchers

Welcome to the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy Researcher Funding Opportunities Index. We have included a number of relevant opportunities for our Faculty based on current research programs. This list is not exhaustive, and we recommend using the comprehensive funding opportunity resources below.

All Applicants submitting through the University of Toronto MUST have submitted their application information online via the My Research Applications (MRA) portal.

Additional comprehensive funding opportunities are available here:

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Internal Opportunities

LDFP BMS Small Equipment Award (Internal Only)

The purpose of the Small Equipment Award is to support the purchase and repair of necessary research equipment for the research and training of Highly Qualified Personnel. The Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy will provide up to $5,000 for successful applications that demonstrate need and where funding for equipment is a challenge to obtain.

Deadline:
Offered 4 times per year: January 31st, April 30th, July 31st and October 31st

Value:
Up to $5,000

For more information, please review the Program Guidelines and the Application Instructions. Contact Mike Folinas (m.folinas@utoronto.ca) or Sam D'Alfonso (sam.dalfonso@utoronto.ca) with any additional questions.

LDFP CSAP Research Award (Internal Only)

The purpose of the Clinical, Social and Administrative Pharmaceutical (CSAP) Sciences Research Award competition is to support research excellence where funding is not currently held, e.g., pilot project, expand currently funded research, explore new areas of research. The objective of the program is to increase CSAP's research impact by supporting research excellence that leads to publications and externally funded research proposals. Capacity building is encouraged, yet not required.

Deadline:
Offered twice yearly: April 30th and November 30th.

Value:
Up to $10,000

External Opportunities

Acceleration Consortium: 2025 Research Funding Opportunities

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) is pleased to announce the 2025 Accelerate research grants. This program helps to drive the AC’s approach to accelerating scientific discovery, not only by expanding the scope and depth of research but also through the translation of groundbreaking discoveries into real-world applications. These grants provide funding for research across physical, life, computational, and social science domains relevant to, but not limited to the following:

the development of self-driving labs (SDLs) or the development of the artificial intelligence (AI) and automation tools required to build SDLs,
the use of SDLs for materials or molecule discovery,
policy or other frameworks to support the responsible use and uptake of SDLs, or
the implications (economic, social, etc.) of AI and automation for accelerated discovery and the community-based use of these technologies.

End-uses of the research should support advances in sustainability or human health. Applications from all disciplines are encouraged. Indigenous science and technology and community-engaged research are focus areas for the AC.

This year, the AC is collaborating with:

VALUE:

Seed Funding:

Accelerate Seed Funding: maximum $125,000 (1 year)
Joint CRAFT-AC Seed Funding: maximum $100,000 (1 year)
- Grant applications submitted to the CRAFT-AC stream will also be considered for the AC seed grant stream competition.
Joint IVADO-AC Seed Funding: maximum: $250,000 (2 years)
- Grant applications submitted to the IVADO-AC stream will also be considered for the AC seed grant stream competition. However, the AC seed grant stream will only fund year one of the application.

Moonshot Funding:

Accelerate Moonshot Funding: maximum $500,000 (2 years) Joint Institut Cortois-IVADO-AC Moonshot Funding: maximum $400,000 (2 years)

Grant applications submitted to the Institut Cortois-IVADO-AC stream will also be considered for the AC moonshot grant stream competition.

Translation Funding:

Accelerate Translation Funding: up to $500,000 (2 years) with the possible addition of $300,000 for equipment.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES:

NOI Application Deadline: August 4th, 2025
Full Application Deadline: November 17th, 2025
How to apply: Submit 2-page notice of intent (NOI) that will be assessed for project eligibility and quality, and to identify grant applications that can be merged.

ELIGIBILITY:

AC Seed, Moonshot, and Translation Grants

Lead principal investigators (PIs) must meet the University of Toronto’s eligibility guidelines and be eligible to hold tri-agency funding.

CRAFT-AC Seed Grants

The project must align with the CRAFT mission to develop novel microfluidics-based technologies including diagnostics, organ-on-a-chip and biofabrication technologies.
Proposed projects are required to utilize NRC in-kind resources, including Research Officers and/or Technical Officers.

IVADO-AC Seed Grants

Projects must be led by at least two co-investigators, including a professor from the University of Toronto and one professor from IVADO’s five partner universities (UdeM, Polytechnique, HEC, ULaval and McGill).

Institut Courtois-IVADO-AC Moonshot Grants

Projects must be led by at least three co-investigators, including a regular member of Institut Courtois, and a professor from the University of Toronto, and one professor from IVADO’s five partner universities (UdeM, Polytechnique, HEC, ULaval and McGill).

MORE INFORMATION

A hybrid information and networking event will be held:

Date: Friday July 4th, 2025
Time: 9:30AM – 10:30AM
Location: 700 University Ave. Seminar Room 10031
This is an opportunity to learn about the funding competition and find collaborators. RSVP now.
Please contact acceleration@utoronto.ca if you have any questions.

Acceleration Consortium Caregiver Research Support Grant – Call for Applications

The Acceleration Consortium is pleased to announce Caregiver Research Support Grants are now open for applications.

Value: up to $90,000 for Associate and Assistant Faculty to provide additional support to maintain the productivity of their research group while on long-term leave.
Duration: One year

Purpose: As the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted, caregiving responsibilities produce inequitable impacts on researcher productivity, especially early and mid-career researchers, threatening to widen existing gaps. Funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), the AC’s caregiving grants will provide research funding support to Associate and Assistant Professors members on leave due to caregiving responsibilities. These resources aim to mitigate the impact of caregiving duties by maintaining research group productivity during caregiving leave.

Eligibility Requirements: To be eligible for funding, applicants should be:

An Associate or Assistant professor at the University of Toronto.
On a long-term (>3 months) parental, pregnancy, or caregiving leave. Training, sabbatical, or administrative leaves are not eligible.
A full or affiliate member of the Acceleration Consortium (AC). The AC’s membership definitions, requirements and application can be found here: link.
Planning to support research relevant to the AC. This can include research across all research domains, but not limited to, the following:
1. the development of self-driving labs (SDLs) or the development of the AI and automation tools required to build SDLs;
2. the use of SDLs for materials or molecule discovery;
3. policy or other frameworks to support the ethical use and uptake of SDLs, or
4. the implications (environmental, economic, social, etc.) of AI and automation for accelerated discovery and the community-based use of these technologies.

Eligible Expenditures: Associate and Assistant Faculty can apply for up to $90,000 for one year to provide support to maintain the productivity of their research group while on long-term (>3 months) leave.

This funding is primarily intended for compensation for lab personnel and can support but is not limited to the following:

Research Associate
Post-Doctoral Fellows
Lab Manager
Other supports that facilitate research group productivity during the absence of the principal investigator

Application method: Application form

Evaluation Criteria Applications will be evaluated based on the case made for utility/benefit the funding will provide, and the relevance of the PI’s research to the AC.

Deadline: Funding applications will be accepted twice a year: July 30th, 2025 and Dec 20th, 2025

Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) - Free online training on patient engagement

Click here to start any module of the course.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s (CIHR) Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA) has developed a set of online, self-directed, free modules related to Patient Engagement (PE) in research! IMHA’s patient partners identified a need for more training in patient engagement and set to work filling the gap for practical tools and resources to help people do patient engagement in research. Modules must be completed in chronological order; after completing each module, you will receive a certificate. While the modules have been developed by IMHA, they are not disease- or condition-specific and are applicable to any research where patient partners are engaged.

Course: A How-to Guide for Patient Engagement in Research

Module 1: What is patient engagement?
Module 2: The research process: (a) Understanding the research process for patient partners and (b) Supporting patient partners throughout the research process for other members of the research team
Module 3: Setting up a research project for a successful partnership
Module 4: Patient engagement for research teams: (a) Being part of a research team for patient partners, and (b) Engaging patients on your research team for other members of the research team

If you have any questions about the training or accessing the modules, please contact imha-iala@cihr-irsc.gc.ca and follow @CIHR_IMHA for related announcements!

CIHR Project Grant: Strategies for Success

The Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation is hosting a webinar about strategies for writing a successful proposal for the upcoming Fall 2025 CIHR Project Grant competition for the University of Toronto Community.

The Project Grant program is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential to advance health-related fundamental or applied knowledge, health research, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes. It supports projects with a specific purpose and a defined endpoint. The best ideas may stem from new, incremental, innovative, and/or high-risk lines of inquiry or knowledge translation approaches.

This session will feature a faculty panel of University of Toronto researchers who have held Project Grant funds and/or participated in a Project Grant peer-review panel. Panellists will provide a window into the adjudication process and insider insights on crafting strong proposals. The session will also include a general overview of the CIHR Project Grant application process and deadlines from the Research Services Office.

Date

July 24, 2025 from 1pm to 2:30pm

Registration Website

Please register here: https://cris.eve.utoronto.ca/home/events/5631

Data Sciences Institute – Catalyst Grant

The University of Toronto Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is pleased to announce the fifth round of our Catalyst Grant Program.
OVERVIEW

Tier 1 Value: Up to $100,000

Tier 2 Value: Up to $50,000

Duration: 1-2 years

Purpose: The Catalyst Grant program is a competitive seed funding program for multidisciplinary teams forming a Collaborative Research Team (CRT). DSI will fund Catalyst Grants in two tiers. Tier 1 funding from this program supports CRTs focused primarily on the development of novel statistical or computational tools or the innovative use of existing methodology in innovative ways to drive positive social change. Tier 2 proposals can include (a) projects that require more modest budgets as well as (b) projects that foster a robust exchange of knowledge between data sciences and qualitative or applied researchers working in fields where there is an identified unmet need to implement advanced data science methods. For Tier 2, the proposed data science methodologies themselves need not be novel, but their application in a given disciplinary context must be. See the full call on our website for more details.

Catalyst Grants are expected to align with the Data Sciences Institute (DSI) mission to catalyze the transformative nature of data sciences across all disciplines. Data Sciences is defined as the science of collecting, manipulating, storing, visualizing, learning from and extracting useful information from data in a reproducible, fair, and ethical way.

Letter of Intent Deadline: July 11, 2025, 23:59 ET

Full Proposal Deadline: October 31, 2025, 23:59 ET

How to Apply: Access the complete application guidelines, online portal, and pre-recorded video information session via the DSI website.

About the Data Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto

The Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is a central hub and incubator for data science research, training, and partnerships at the University of Toronto. Its goal is to accelerate the impact of data sciences across disciplines to address pressing societal questions and to drive positive social change. DSI is focused on training the next generation of data science scholars. To learn more about the DSI, please visit our website: datasciences.utoronto.ca.

Data Sciences Institute - Research Software Development Support Program – Call for Projects

The University of Toronto Data Sciences Institute (DSI) is pleased to announce a new call for Research Software Development Support.

Purpose: The aim of the DSI Research Software Development Support Program is to help researchers to refine existing software tools to improve usability and robustness or build new tools, disseminate research software beyond the research space in which it is created, and to enhance existing functionality.

The Program provides research groups access to a professional research software developer. The research software developer will work alongside the research group on a part-time (up to a 0.5 FTE) basis for 2 to 6 months. Only open-source projects are considered for support so that we can disseminate research software beyond the research space in which it is created.

Application Deadline: October 17, 2025, 23:59 ET

How to Apply: Access the complete application guidelines, online portal, and required templates via the DSI website.

About the Data Sciences Institute
The DSI is an institutional strategic initiative for data science research, training, and partnerships at the University of Toronto. Our goal is to accelerate the impact of data sciences across disciplines to address pressing societal questions and to drive positive social change.

Department of Defence (DOD) programs - Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)

The Department of Defence has recently released the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) pre-announcements programs managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP).

The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Research Program (DMDRP) released a pre-announcement for the following funding opportunities:

Idea Development Award
Clinical/Translational Research Award

To view the pre-announcement, visit https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2025/25dmdrppreann

The Military Burn Research Program (MBRP) released a pre-announcement for the following funding opportunities:

Discovery Award (New for FY25!)
Technology/Therapeutic Development Award
Patient Centered Research Award

To view the pre-announcement, visit https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2025/25mbrppreann

The Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP) released program announcements for the following funding opportunities:

Breakthrough Award Levels 1 and 2
Breakthrough Award Level 3
Clinical Research Extension Award
Era of Hope Scholar Award

To view the program announcements and submit a pre-application visit: https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=663101

The Ovarian Cancer Research Program (OCRP) released program announcements for the following funding opportunities:

Investigator-Initiated Research Award
Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award
Pilot Award

To view the program announcements and submit a pre-application visit: https://ebrap.org/eBRAP/public/ProgramFY.htm?programFYId=663103

The Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) re-released a pre-announcement for the following funding opportunities:

Idea Award
Impact Award
Clinical Trial Award
Career Development Award- Fellow and Resident Option
Career Development Award- Scholar Option

To view the pre-announcement, visit https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2025/25prcrppreann

The Toxic Exposures Research Program (TERP) released a pre-announcement for the following funding opportunities:

Clinical Trial Partnership Award
Investigator-Initiated Research Award
Translational Research Partnership Award

To view the pre-announcemen,t visit https://cdmrp.health.mil/pubs/press/2025/25terppreann

Gates Foundation - Grand Challenges RFPs

The Gates Foundation announced five new Grand Challenges requests for proposals (RFPs).

Click on the link above for more information, including the dates of Foundation-led webinars on each RFP.

The internal deadline for all RFPs is 3 business days before the Gates Foundation deadline. By then, an MRA must be completed and submitted for institutional review and approval.

Genome Canada: Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP)

As a core delivery instrument of the Canadian Genomics Strategy, Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) funds research and development projects that support public-private innovation. Each project involves collaborations between academic researchers and industry receptors—organizations positioned to apply research outcomes to address market opportunities or operational needs that have been identified by the private sector.

These projects help leverage public investment in innovation, encourage industry investment in genomics and biotechnology research in Canada, and generate co-investment in market-driven research and development (R&D).

Key Parameters of the Program:

Available Funding: Applicants can request up to one-third of the project budget from Genome Canada. Genome Canada's total contribution to an approved project must be at least $300,000. The maximum contribution is $2 million. The structure of the funding plan follows an one to two co-funding ratio (Genome Canada to all co-funding sources) and private partner contributions that are equal to or greater than Genome Canada's contribution.
Project term: Within 2 years of the start date. No extensions will be granted. Projects must begin on or before the next March 31.
Project eligibility: To be eligible for the GAPP, a project must meet all the following criteria:
- The project focuses on an innovation need defined by a receptor. A receptor is a Canadian for-profit enterprise with an economic interest in developing an idea or research into a commercial application. The receptor must satisfy specific requirements as to ownership, control and independence.
- It is partnership between a receptor and researcher (and, optionally, additional partners), with active and necessary roles for all partners
- The receptor acts as Project Leader and is a Canadian for-profit enterprise (FPE).
- The researcher acts as Administrative Project Leader and is employed by an eligible institution
- The project supports the invention, development or commercialization of a genomics-based or -enabled, biotechnological innovation with a clearly articulated market opportunity.
- It will result in commercial and/or intellectual property (IP) outcomes that benefit the receptor.
- It has the potential to generate social and economic impacts and benefits
  
  The GAPP is not intended to fund:
  - Market research
  - Commercial launches of already-developed technology
  - Patent enforcement or litigation
  - Projects, project components or service provision (e.g., routine analyses or certain types of clinical trials) that would normally be funded solely by the receptor

Letter of Intent:

The Letter of Intent should summarize the proposed project and its value proposition and describe the innovation, market opportunity, and proposed path to commercialization. It must clearly articulate if and how genomics is involved and the proposed innovation.

Depending on the nature of the proposed innovation and its target market, applicants are urged to present a high-level business case in which teams address the following five key questions:

What is the receptor’s need or opportunity?
What is the proposed innovation and its feasibility?
What is the market opportunity and how is it validated?
What is the approach to commercialization?
Why should investors be confident that this team will deliver on project objectives?

Projects must also confirm that they meet the GAPP eligibility criteria, particularly the definition of an eligible receptor. If they do not yet meet the criteria, they must clearly demonstrate and provide an overview of how they intend to do so by the start date of the project.

Application Process:

Letter of Intent (LOI) - DUE: July 24, 2025
Full proposal - TBD
Pitch - TBD

All stages of application are administered through Ontario Genomics.

For more information, please visit: https://www.ontariogenomics.ca/funding-opportunity/gapp-genomic-applications-partnership-program/

GlycoNet 2025 Funding Competitions - Call for Proposals

The Canadian Glycomics Network (GlycoNet) mobilizes Canada’s glycomics expertise into transdisciplinary, focused research and development programs to deliver breakthrough solutions for human and animal health and sustainable agri-food systems.

GlycoNet funds projects along the following research innovation continuum: translational research and development, clinical engagement, technology development, and knowledge mobilization.

Funding Programs:

Translational Grants

These grants seek to fund multidisciplinary projects with clear endpoints to advance and de-risk them to a state at which translation is possible and could attract partners. Maximum request: $150,000 for one year, 1:1.5 matching required. Rolling Call. Review will be conducted on a quarterly basis until the funds are exhausted. For more details see RFP.

Strategic Initiatives

These grants fund partner-led or initiated projects designed to meet partners’ needs. Maximum request: $150,000 for one year, with possibility of renewal, 1:1.5 matching required. Rolling Call. Review will be conducted on a quarterly basis until the funds are exhausted. For more details see RFP.

Kickstart Program

This program seeks to support the creation of new companies (NewCo) as well as existing start-ups during their initial phase of development. Proposals may request up to $100,000 in funding. Funding terms will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Matching funds and co-investments are preferable, but may not be required. Rolling Call. Review will be conducted on a quarterly basis until the funds are exhausted. Note that this competition is in 3 steps, with the first step being to submit a business case (2-3 pages). For more details see RFP.

Important Information for Applying

Before applying, please refer to the following:

Scientific Review Criteria
Research Activities and Costs

Please note: the applicant must also upload and submit the application through the university's My Research Application (MRA) System. Please notify the Innovations & Partnerships Office of your intent to apply at least one week prior to the Sponsor's deadline. The MRA approval process should be started well in advance in parallel to ensure a successful submission since it can take several business days to complete the approval process.

Halo Science: Various Research Funding Opportunities

Halo Science provides a platform where companies seeking scientific engagement can post their research needs and offer sponsored research opportunities to address them. Halo features a growing list of partner companies across a broad spectrum of fields. These partners contribute to a dynamic list of projects that require academic involvement.

There is no cost to academic researchers to join the mailing list or to respond to opportunities presented at Halo. U of T investigators are invited to register and propose solutions to posted challenges in their respective fields by submitting a brief, non-confidential summary. Companies may then reach out directly to engage in standard sponsored research arrangements.

Since responding to an opportunity is primarily an expression of interest and not a commitment of resources, an MRA will only be required once any subsequent discussion with the sponsoring company proceeds to the stage of budgeting and contract negotiations.

Halo Science sends out periodic lists of open projects to registered investigators and institutions. However, researchers can browse the Halo website at any time for open opportunities of interest.

As the list of opportunities offered by Halo clients is constantly evolving, researchers are encouraged to use the direct link to check their marketplace for current opportunities.

Halo hosts webinars with their partners to discuss their opportunities. By signing up on their portal (which is free), you will receive invitations to register for upcoming webinars.

Horizon Europe Partnership Development Seed Grants

The Office of the Vice-President, International (OVPI), in collaboration with the Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), are hosting a call for applications for the Horizon Europe Partnership Development Seed Grants.

This program offers seed grants to support U of T Principal Investigators (PIs) to establish or enhance international partnerships leading to Horizon Europe Pillar II applications. These grants will support U of T PIs from all disciplines in collaborating with researchers from European member states and Horizon Europe associate countries.

Eligibility:

All U of T faculty members who meet the University’s definition of a Principal Investigator (PI) are eligible to apply.

Application deadlines:

August 28, 2025
November 27, 2025

Value and Duration:

Maximum seed grant: $10,000 CAD, to be spent within two years.
Can be used as matching funds for SSHRC Destination Horizon Grants (up to $15,000).
Pillar II grants typically range from €4-€15 million.

Funds from this grant must be used to support U of T PIs in building or strengthening international partnerships that are intended to build towards a Horizon Europe proposal/collaboration.

Questions? For more information on this call, including detailed instructions on how to apply, please see the? funding opportunities page.?

If you have questions, please get in touch with Elina Tulla, Research Officer, Office of the Vice-President, International at elina.tulla@utoronto.ca.??

Faculty are encouraged to review U of T’s safeguarding research resources when developing their proposals.

Do not use MRA to submit this application.

Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants

Canada’s three federal research funding agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)— have just launched the Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research (ICLR) Connection Grants, the first of three funding opportunities in the context of the federal government’s Budget 2024 commitment to support and increase Indigenous participation in research. The ICLR Connection Grants will fund activities to engage with and exchange knowledge that contribute to wholistic, interdisciplinary and distinctions-based approaches.

ICLR Connection Grants are valued at up to $50,000 each over one year. Applications may be submitted by an institution or by individual applicants. All grants for this funding opportunity are reserved for the following eligible organizations or researchers affiliated with them:

First Nations not-for-profit organizations,
Métis not-for-profit organizations,
Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction, or
Indigenous postsecondary institutions.

Further details, including application information, are available at the following link:

https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/joint-initiatives/2025/indigenous-capacity-leadership-research/competition.aspx

Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation

Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation of Vancouver, BC would like to welcome research groups to apply for funding opportunities in the field of major illnesses with a primary focus in oncology. We specialize in providing support to research projects that are novel and innovative and/or that otherwise experience difficulties in receiving support from other sources, potentially resulting from the inability to create intellectual property or from lack of peer support – in other words, high-risk, unconventional and disruptive research.

Because of that premise, the research project must be of high quality. We welcome all spectrums of experimental design initiatives, from meta-analyses and pilots to randomized controlled double-blinded trials and operational support; both pre-clinical and clinical projects are invited, with preference being given to clinical trials.

Deadlines:

Currently, applications are reviewed three times per year, and the potential for funding starts in April, August, and December for successful applicants.

Submission Guidelines:

Applicants should telephone the Foundation to discuss their project before submitting a proposal. If appropriate, a letter of intent and supporting documents will be requested.

Additional Information:

For more information, please email anakonechnaya@hecht.org or visit our website at hecht.org.

Examples of previously funded research include:

Lessening organ dysfunction/injury with vitamin C (LOVIT trial) / University of Sherbrooke / ClinicalTrials ID – NCT03680274
Phase II randomized crossover study of the efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acid supplements on lung cancer-promoting inflammatory markers in heavy smokers / BC Cancer
Histamine receptor 2 antagonists as enhancers of anti-tumour immunity / Dalhousie University, through a collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society
Fecal microbial transplantation in combination with immunotherapy in melanoma patients (MIMic trial) / Lawson Health Research Institute / ClinicalTrials ID – NCT03772899

MITACS Elevate proposals are now accepted year-round

As of today, the Mitacs Elevate program will be open all year round to provide more flexibility and unlock more opportunities for postdoc researchers across the globe!

This evolution is part of an ongoing effort to make Mitacs Elevate a more inclusive and accessible program and support academic-industry collaboration throughout the seasons. Plus, the evergreen Elevate program now offers the following benefits:

No more deadlines — apply anytime
Elevate proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis.

A more efficient and accessible application process
Proposals can now be submitted through the Registration and Application Portal (RAP) for quick and easy access.

Agile research projects, $60K/year in funding
One-year projects will now be accepted for a standard $60,000 award per year to allow more researchers to participate in training and gain valuable experience. Two-year projects are also still available as per previous guidelines.

Open to all sectors and disciplines
To simplify requirements, the thematic award will no longer be offered. This means postdocs from any sector or academic discipline can apply anytime.

For detailed program and application information, please visit: https://research.utoronto.ca/funding-opportunities/db/mitacs-elevate

Please note: the applicant must also upload and submit the application through the university's My Research Application (MRA) System. The MRA approval process should be started well in advance, in parallel, to ensure a successful submission, since it can take several business days to complete the approval process.

Mitacs Accelerate: Accepting New Applications

Applications to the Mitacs Accelerate program are now being accepted. Please note the University of Toronto will need to adhere to a maximum number of Internship Units (IUs) that can be allocated in fiscal 2025/26.

Mitacs is working closely with the University to manage the allocation of internship units. If you have a Mitacs Accelerate project in development and have not already done so, please connect with Mitacs Business Development Advisor Modupe Olufemi (molufemi@mitacs.ca) or the Mitacs Regional Director, Ontario, Laura Yu (lyu@mitacs.ca) to discuss your application.

Please note that any project may be reduced in size or deferred to next year once the institutional maximum allocation has been filled. Priority will be given to the following applications:

Projects already approved under existing, multi-year Mitacs Accelerate Grants and Umbrella Grants,
NSERC Alliance-Mitacs joint projects.

The following Mitacs programs are NOT affected by the institutional allocation of internship units:

Accelerate projects in quantum research (see definition below),
Indigenous Pathways program (see definition below),
Business Strategy Internship (BSI) program.

Please note that no changes are anticipated on allocations for the Globalink Research Awards. Those interested in the program should email globalinkaward@utoronto.ca to discuss.

NEW this year: The Mitacs Elevate program will merge into the Mitacs Accelerate program, and these units will be counted within the University's maximum allocation.

If you have any questions, please contact innovations.partnerships@utoronto.ca or Mitacs directly. Also, refer to the How To Apply section on Accelerate on the Mitacs’ website: Mitacs Accelerate Program.

Quantum Project Eligibility

“Quantum” projects refer to those in the ‘quantum’ field of science and technology which seek to predict and explain the behaviour of atoms and molecules and involve the manipulation and control of systems at the atomic and subatomic levels. Quantum science and technology projects broadly refer to projects that aim to study one or more of the following:

Quantum computers – a type of computer that exploits the behaviour of microscopic elements of the size of atoms to perform calculations;
Quantum software – software and algorithms that run on quantum computers and enable the operation and design of quantum computers and/or development and optimization of quantum applications;
Quantum communications – networks that utilize the laws of physics to protect and share data;
Quantum sensors – devices that use quantum science to perform measurements with high sensitivity and accuracy; and,
Quantum materials – materials with unusual magnetic and electrical properties resulting from quantum effects.

Indigenous Pathways Eligibility

To be eligible to the Indigenous Pathways offering, one of the following requirements must be met:

The partner organization must be a for-profit organization with self-identifying Indigenous persons (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) who hold 50% or greater ownership shares;
The partner organization must be a not-for-profit organization with board membership consisting of 50% or greater self-identifying Indigenous Persons (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit);
The student assigned to the project must be a self-identifying Indigenous person (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit).

Mitacs Accelerate Internship Unit Allocations Limits Have Been Lifted for Ontario Universities

Allocation limits on Mitacs Accelerate Internship Units (IUs) for the University of Toronto and all universities in Ontario have been lifted. The University is no longer subject to a maximum number of IUs, and researchers may now submit applications to the Mitacs Accelerate program without restriction.

On March 25, 2025 the research community was advised of the need to adhere to a maximum number of Mitacs Accelerate internship units (IUs) allocated in 2025/26, but as a result of strong delivery performance, Mitacs has advised that the institutional allocation limitations are now lifted.

Researchers who have a Mitacs Accelerate project in development, or who are interested in submitting a new application, should connect with Mitacs Business Development Advisor Modupe Olufemi (molufemi@mitacs.ca) or the Mitacs Regional Director, Ontario, Laura Yu (lyu@mitacs.ca) to discuss your application.

If you have any questions, please contact innovations.partnerships@utoronto.ca, or Mitacs directly. Also, refer to the How To Apply section on Accelerate on the Mitacs’ website: Mitacs Accelerate Program.

Updated NIH Policy on Foreign Subawards: Impact at UofT

The National Institutes of Health in the US updated its Policy on Foreign Subawards effective May 1st, 2025. Further information on Foreign Subawards was released by NIH on May 7th. Researchers who hold NIH funding at the University of Toronto, either as a subaward recipient or as a primary award holder, may be directly impacted by these new updates.

What are the updates to NIH’s Foreign Subaward policy?

There are three major changes:

NIH will implement a new awards structure by September 30th, 2025 under which NIH may issue awards to foreign recipients directly as an independent subproject rather than permitting the primary institution to issue a foreign subaward.
As of May 1st, 2025 NIH will not issue Notices of Awards for new grants, renewals, or continuations (referred to as non-competing continuations) when a foreign subaward entity is included. The Primary Institution has three options: i) find a US-based investigator who can take over the foreign sub-awardee's work, ii) complete the work themselves, or iii) if the work cannot be completed without the foreign sub-awardee's participation, NIH will terminate the primary grant.
Foreign co-applicants are no longer permitted on NIH applications until the new awards structure is in place.

Impact on NIH Subaward holders at U of T

If the Primary Institution issuing your subaward has submitted a Research Performance Progress Report for their grant ‘s continuation, and the Notice of Award was or will be issued after May 1, 2025, NIH will not approve your continued inclusion in the award. This means your budget for the subsequent year(s) will be cancelled but for certainty please reach out to your collaborator at the Primary Institution to discuss the effect of the policy and their plans for the project moving forward.
If you received or expect to receive a subaward agreement or amendment based on a Notice of Award that NIH issued prior to May 1st, 2025, your budget for the current year will remain unaffected. We expect more clarity from NIH on the impact for future years when the new award structure is released.

Impact on Foreign-based Primary Award Holders

At this time, primary awards held outside of the US will continue to be funded, however, the foreign Primary Institution must comply with the same requirements regarding foreign subawards as outlined above.
- For example, if an NIH grant is held at U of T as the Primary Institution, and the PI submits their Research Performance Progress Report in June 2025, NIH will not issue the subsequent year’s Notice of Award until the subawards to recipients in Canada or anywhere outside of the US are removed.

Next steps

taff in VPRI will be reaching out to PIs and their respective Chairs and Vice/Associate Deans or Vice-Principals, Research who are impacted by the updated policy to explain the impact of these changes and to answer any questions.
We encourage PIs to reach out to their collaborator(s) whether you are a subaward holder or the Primary award holder, to discuss any required changes to the project and funding.
We also encourage PIs to familiarize themselves with this change and to actively review their NIH funded programs to assess impact.
VPRI will continue to monitor the policy and will share any updates as they occur.
For those researchers who hold NIH subawards from other institutions, we encourage PIs and their project teams to ensure all expenses related to these subawards are charged/reallocated to their subaward fund (UTRAC) in a timely manner so that final financial reports/cost recovery invoices prepared by the Research Oversight & Compliance Office reflect total expenditures on your grant and to minimize the risk of loss of funding awarded

Questions

You can review the UTRAC for each NIH Subaward or NIH Primary award you hold by accessing the My Research online tool. The name of the Grant Officer in VPRI who is managing your award will be identified on the UTRAC and we encourage you to write to them directly.

National Research Council of Canada: The Pandemic Response Challenge Program - Call for Expression of Interest

The Pandemic Response Challenge Program is currently structured around four main research areas:

Rapid detection and diagnosis
Therapeutics and vaccine development
Digital health

Purpose: This program will build teams to address challenges requiring further research and development for solutions to meet COVID-19 related needs. The NRC will build these teams drawing on internal-to-government capacity and academic researchers who register using the button below to indicate their interest, and related areas of expertise and capabilities.

The NRC will receive $15M to form dedicated teams to address challenges in the areas of greatest research and development (R&D) need in the fight against COVID-19. The NRC Pandemic Response Challenge Program will accelerate the development of diagnostics and medical countermeasures for a rapid front-line response to protect and treat Canadians. This national vehicle will convene the best Canadian and international researchers from academia and small and medium-sized businesses to collectively accelerate R&D to address specific COVID-19 gaps and challenges as identified by Canadian health experts.

Researchers at Canadian and international universities, government departments, colleges, and highly innovative firms with relevant expertise can now register their interest to work with NRC on these challenges by Registering via the link below.

On that linked page, you will be asked to identify your primary area of interest. Please note that, as a 'radio button,' you can only select one Challenge area at a time.

Funding is available to help cover the costs of research for academic institutions, small and medium-sized businesses, and other eligible recipients participating in the challenge teams. Over the coming weeks, NRC will post the specific R&D challenges, send information to registered researchers, and invite them to indicate the expertise and capabilities they can bring to a team.

https://nrc.canada.ca/en/research-development/research-collaboration/programs/expression-interest-challenge-program-collaboration

Additional Information and Submission Guide

For more information about the different research areas for the NRC Pandemic Response Challenge, please visit the program website.

In order to manage the University's response to the COVID-19 Challenge, please confirm your registration via a courtesy email to strat.initiatives@utoronto.ca identifying the Challenge stream to which you have registered. As with other Challenges in relation to COVID-19, this is a rapidly evolving real-world situation, so please be patient as NRC finalizes program details.

New NIH "FORMS-I" Grant Application Forms and Instructions - Due Dates on or after January 25, 2025

NIH is making changes to their application forms and peer review process affecting applications for due dates on or after January 25, 2025, and on or after May 25, 2025. Applicants must use FORMS-I application packages for due dates on or after January 25, 2025.

Required for due dates on or after January 25, 2025

Simplified Review Framework for Most Research Project Grant Applications Revisions to the NIH Fellowship Application and Review Process Updates to Reference Letter Instructions for Referees Updated Application Forms (FORMS-I)

Availability of FORMS-I Application Guides
Application guides for FORMS-I application packages is posted to the How to Apply - Application Guide

Availability of FORMS-I Application Packages
FORMS-I application packages are available through NIH’s application system - ASSIST

Common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support

Required for due dates on or after May 25, 2025

New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration 2025 competition

The 2025 NFRF Exploration grants competition has launched.

The objective of the Exploration stream is to support high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. It seeks to inspire projects that bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches by research teams with the capacity to explore something new that might fail, but that has the potential for significant impact.

Exploration grants support research with a range of impacts, some of which might be social, cultural, economic, health-related or technological. This list is not exhaustive; other types of impacts are also recognized. Diversity of perspectives is important, and the fund encourages research proposals led from any discipline, from those in the social sciences and humanities, to health, the natural sciences and engineering.

Grants awarded are up to $125,000 (including indirect costs) per year for two years.

KEY DATES (for UofT led applications):

Notice of Intent

Internal Deadline: August 18, 2025 - noon

Sponsor Deadline (RSO submits): August 19, 2025

Full Application

Optional Editorial Review - September 22, 2025 - noon

Internal Deadline: October 14, 2025

MRA Deadline: October 14, 2025

Sponsor Deadline (RSO submits): October 21, 2025

NOI Webinar

Webinars will be recorded and they will be made available along with the presentation slides to the research administrators after the session.

Additional Resources

2025 Exploration competition funding opportunity - UofT Funding Opportunities Page

Research Services Contacts

Jenny Korolik (jenny.korolik@utoronto.ca)

Sponsor Contact

Email: NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca

NIH - Research Grant Program (R01)

The Research Project Grant (R01) provides support for health-related research and development based on the mission of the NIH. R01s are most often investigator initiated in response to either the R01 Parent Announcement or a Program Announcement highlighting particular scientific areas. Requests for Applications (RFAs) may also utilize the R01 mechanism.

NIH runs three open investigator intiated competitions per year for new R01 Research Grants (February, 5, June 5 and October 5). Other deadlines apply for resubmission/renewal of Research Grants, other NIH research program announcements (PA) and for Requests for Applications (RFAs). Applications in response to RFAs are managed through the University's Innovations & Partnerships Office. Internal deadlines: 4 business days in advance of the NIH deadline.

UT Information:

Resources for applications led by UofT Researchers:

University of Toronto Submission Guide found here.
For more information on Writing NIH applications click here.
NIH Tips for Preparing Your Application Using ASSIST can be found here
Please note these documents are supplemental resources only and the details and instructions for applications is found in the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement
Applicants applying to NIH applications a should access the application by signing-in to ASSIST using their eRA Commons user name and password

Resources for UofT co-applicants on proposals led by other institutions:

University of Toronto Submission Guide for Faculty Applying as a Subaward found here
Submission Process

The internal deadline for applications to be submitted to the Research Services Office is 4 business days prior to the NIH submission deadline. Applications must be submitted through My Research Application (MRA) for department and faculty approval prior to the internal deadline.

Help with Application

NIH Grant Application Basics

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices can be found here. Please consult the Parent Announcement, Program Announcement or RFA to confirm that non-US institutions are eligible to apply.
Register for NIH newsletters, funding announcements, Podcasts here.
NIH has created a series of Podcasts about Grant Writing, Early Stage Investigators and Jump Starting Your Research Program. Access them here.

Additional Information

Visit here to see the National Institutes of Health’s recently released requests for applications and program announcements. For more information on NIH application and the submission process, please visit the University’s Research Funding Opportunities found here.

*NIH is informing the applicant of changes to grant application forms and application guide instructions for due dates on or after January 25, 2022. Application guides for FORMS-G application packages will be posted to the How to Apply - Application Guide page.

NIH Small Research Grant Program (R03)

The R03 grant mechanism will support small research projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources.

The common characteristic of the small grant is the provision of limited funding for a short period of time. Examples of the types of projects that ICs support with the R03 include the following:

Pilot or feasibility studies
Secondary analysis of existing data
Small, self-contained research projects
Development of research methodology
Development of new research technology

The current R03 Parent Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for investigator-initiated R03 applications can be found at here and articulates the policies and procedures that apply to this grant mechanism.

Resources for applications led by UofT Researchers:

University of Toronto Submission Guide found here.
For more information on Writing NIH applications click here.
NIH Tips for Preparing Your Application Using ASSIST can be found here
Please note these documents are supplemental resources only and the details and instructions for applications is found in the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement
Applicants applying to NIH applications a should access the application by signing-in to ASSIST using their eRA Commons user name and password
Strategies for Success with NIH Funding Info Session (May 3, 2021)

Resources for UofT co-applicants on proposals led by other institutions:

University of Toronto Submission Guide for Faculty Applying as a Subaward found here

Submission Process

The internal deadline for applications to be submitted to the Research Services Office is 4 business days prior to the NIH submission deadline. Applications must be submitted through My Research Application (MRA) for department and faculty approval prior to the internal deadline.

Please notify the appropriate contact in Research Services Office by e-mail if you are planning to apply to an NIH funding opportunity.

Help with Application

NIH Grant Application Basics

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices can be found here. Please consult the Parent Announcement, Program Announcement or RFA to confirm that non-US institutions are eligible to apply.
Register for NIH newsletters, funding announcements, Podcasts here.
NIH has created a series of Podcasts about Grant Writing, Early Stage Investigators and Jump Starting Your Research Program. Access them here.

Additional Information

NIH Developmental Research Grants (R21)

The R21 grant mechanism is intended to encourage exploratory/developmental research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development. The NIH has standardized the Exploratory/Developmental Grant (R21) application characteristics, requirements, preparation, and review procedures in order to accommodate investigator-initiated (unsolicited) grant applications.

The R21 Parent Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for investigator-initiated R21 applications can be found at the Program Home Page and articulates the policies and procedures that apply to this grant mechanism.

Resources for applications led by UofT Researchers:

University of Toronto Submission Guide found here.
For more information on Writing NIH applications click here.
NIH Tips for Preparing Your Application Using ASSIST can be found here
Please note these documents are supplemental resources only and the details and instructions for applications is found in the specific Funding Opportunity Announcement
Applicants applying to NIH applications a should access the application by signing-in to ASSIST using their eRA Commons user name and password
Strategies for Success with NIH Funding Info Session (May 3, 2021)

Resources for UofT co-applicants on proposals led by other institutions:

University of Toronto Submission Guide for Faculty Applying as a Subaward found here

Submission Process

Help with Application

NIH Grant Application Basics

NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices can be found here. Please consult the Parent Announcement, Program Announcement or RFA to confirm that non-US institutions are eligible to apply.
Register for NIH newsletters, funding announcements, Podcasts here.
NIH has created a series of Podcasts about Grant Writing, Early Stage Investigators and Jump Starting Your Research Program. Access them here

Additional Information

NSERC Alliance Advantage - Updates on extensions with additional funds

Alliance Advantage grants support research projects conducted in collaboration with partner organizations to address organizational challenges and accelerate the application of research results.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has observed unprecedented demand for Alliance Advantage grants and is seeking to maximize opportunities to support new applications for partnered research.

NSERC is pausing the intake of requests for extensions with additional funds, as of February 27, 2025, at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Until further notice, NSERC will not consider requests for additional one-year funding for existing Alliance Advantage grants beyond this deadline.

Requests received before 8:00 p.m. (ET) on February 27, 2025, will be processed, and decisions will be subject to the availability of funds.

To request an extension with additional funding by this date, please contact your NSERC File Manager.

The Alliance Advantage literature has been updated to reflect this change. Other extension opportunities with no additional funding remain available.

NSERC Alliance Society - Funding Update

Alliance Society grants support research projects that address challenges at the intersection of natural sciences, engineering and society. These grants have supported over 80 projects, delivered in partnership with more than 600 non-academic organizations. At this time, NSERC is experiencing unprecedented interest and demand for Alliance Grants and is reviewing and refining funding opportunities in a competitive context.

NSERC is reducing the maximum annual request for Alliance Society grants to $500,000 per year as of December 1,2025 at 8:00 pm (ET).

In this context, the role of the Public Value Impact Proposition (PIVP) Selection Committee will be expanded. Along with assessing applications for their fit to the objectives of Alliance Society, the Committee will also provide funding recommendations to NSERC following the merit assessment of each proposal. This change will come into effect for proposals submitted after December 1, 2025 at 8:00pm (ET).

Please note that the maximum annual request for Alliance Advantage grants remains at $1,000,000 per year.

For detailed information about NSERC Alliance Society : https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Innovate-Innover/Alliance_society-Alliance_societe/index_eng.asp

NSERC Discovery Grants & Subatomic Physics DG: NOI and Q&A Sessions

Notification of Intent (NOI)

We would like to inform you that the mandatory NOI forms for the 2026 NSERC Discovery Grant and Subatomic Physics (SAP) DG (individual) competitions are available through the NSERC Research Portal. In order to apply for a Discovery Grant or SAP-DG in November 2025, an applicant MUST complete and submit the NOI by August 1, 2025, by 8PM (ET).

NSERC will not accept NOI submissions after the deadline.

Please note, an MRA is not required at the NOI stage and is only required at the full application stage.

NSERC Q&A Sessions

Additionally, we would like to let you know that NSERC will be hosting live Q&A sessions to further assist researchers with the NOI stage of the application process.

English sessions (1:00 to 2:30 p.m. (ET)): Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Funding Opportunity

Please see this competition's Funding Opportunity for all deadlines, application details, and links and registration details for NSERC's upcoming live Q&A sessions.

NSERC PromoScience: Call for Applications and Webinars

We would like to inform you of the call for applications and upcoming NSERC-hosted webinars (on MS Teams) for the NSERC PromoScience program.

Overview

Duration: Up to 3 years

Value: Up to $200,000 per year

MRA Deadline: September 8, 2025, 9AM (ET). MRAs must include the completed Application Summary Form. The RSO will then obtain the institutional signature for the Application Summary Form and will email the Form back to the applicant.

Full Application Deadline: September 15, 2025, before 8PM (ET). Submit full application package (single PDF) via NSERC’s ICSP secure submission site. Late applications will not be accepted.

See the Funding Opportunity for details

Webinars

English webinar: July 23, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. (ET)

French webinar: July 24, 2025, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. (ET)

To join the meeting, click on the hyperlink above.

Resources

NSERC PromoScience Website
For all application requirements, see Call for Applications
PromoScience Grants Guide
For more information, contact promoscience@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

OBIO® Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program: Call for Applications

The OBIO® Women in Health Initiative (WiHI) Seed Program is a 6-month program designed to support early-stage, women-led health science companies. Participants will receive comprehensive advisory, coaching and networking opportunities to accelerate their growth. As a crucial boost to their development, each selected company will also receive up to $10,000 CAD in grant funding. Towards the end of the program, selected companies will be invited to pitch for an equity investment.

Applications will be accepted until Friday, August 29.

Learn more and apply now: https://www.obio.ca/wihi-seed-program

Ontario Centre of Innovation: Collaborate 2 Commercialize - Call for Applications

The Ontario Centre for Innovation’s Collaborate 2 Commercialize program (C2C, formerly VIP) supports Industry/Academia collaboration solving an industry-based problem and driving the commercialization of Intellectual Property [IP]. The institution leverages the unique skills and specialized infrastructure instrumental in streamlining internal innovations and commercialization needs. Benefits include targeted training of individuals and direct engagement with Industry to work on commercially viable solutions.

Grant Program: Collaborate 2 Commercialize (C2C, formerly VIP)

C2C has two variants/options:

1: C2C R&D Standalone Grant

OCI cash contribution $20K-$150K (Industry Direct Cash $10K-$75K + in-kind, cash matched 2:1 by OCI) Project duration 6-24 months
companies of any size, but with a demonstrated receptor capacity
More info: https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/collaborate-2-commercialize/

2: C2C grant combined with NSERC Alliance Grant

OCI cash contribution $20K-$30K (Industry Direct Cash $10K-$15K + in-kind, cash matched 2:1 by OCI, and also matched 2:1 by NSERC for an additional $20K-$30K Project duration 6-12 months
Companies must be Ontario SMEs (global headcount <500 employees)
More info: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Innovate-Innover/VIP-BIP_eng.asp (NSERC website may still refer to VIP rather than C2C)

For full application information and guidelines, please visit: https://research.utoronto.ca/funding-opportunities/db/ontario-centre-innovation-collaborate-2-commercializ.e

Please note: the applicant must upload and submit the application through the university's My Research Application (MRA) System. MRA is the internal University approval system that confirms support for your application from your department/faculty.

SSHRC Aid to Scholarly Journals - Application now open and new guidelines

SSHRC has now updated the Aid to Scholarly Journals guidelines for the 2025 competition. The grants support Canadian scholarly research and dissemination by offering a contribution to enable journals to defray the costs associated with publishing open access scholarly articles and digital journal dissemination. Aid to Scholarly Journals grants are valued at:

up to $42,400 per year over three years for emerging journals and
up to $52,000 per year over three years for established journals

In addition, as part of the total grant value for both emerging and established journals, the applicant may request up to $10,000 per year to contribute to the costs related to the development and implementation of publishing best practices. Please see the “Value and Duration” section of the SSHRC ASJ webpage for more.

Duration: 3 funded years (+ an additional one-year, no-cost automatic extension year)

Results announced: March 2026

Deadlines for UofT Applicants:

Internal deadline for approved MRA – noon, Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Approved MRA must be received by Research Services (MRA may take several days for divisional approval, please submit well in advance). The MRA should include a draft proposal and finalized budget amount. For instructions on how to submit an MRA, you can look on our website here.

Internal deadline to submit online application – 9am, Monday, September 8, 2025:

Applicant must submit completed SSHRC application via SSHRC Portal.

For applications submitted on the SSHRC site by September 8, for which an MRA has been submitted as above, Research Services will give the application an administrative review, and if the application receives institutional approval, will forward it electronically to SSHRC by the sponsor's deadline of September 10, 2025.

For more information, please visit the SSHRC Aid to Scholarly Journals website and the UofT Funding Opportunities website.

SSHRC will be holding two webinars on the ASJ 2025 competition. The webinars will provide an overview of the funding opportunity, highlighting key program revisions and will include a question period. The webinars will be held via MS Teams on the following dates. Please use the links below to register.

Date	Time (ET)	Topic	Language	Webinar connection information
July 16, 2025	10:00-11:30 AM	Aide aux revues savantes	French	https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/fba510e9-51cd-4d9d-b060-b806f0abac56@fbef0798-20e3-4be7-bdc8-372032610f65
July 16, 2025	1:00-2:30 PM	Aid to Scholarly Journals	English	https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a0715d05-629e-449f-ab5d-408bc3f77c0d@fbef0798-20e3-4be7-bdc8-372032610f65

SSHRC - Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants

SSHRC has released guidelines for a new Connection Grant funding opportunity entitled, "Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants". The announcement from SSHRC about this is included below, with the link to SSHRC's website. ***PLEASE NOTE however that as per SSHRC's eligibility guidelines for this grant, these grant funds can only be administered by a Canadian, Indigenous postsecondary institution or Indigenous not-for-profit organization that holds SSHRC institutional eligibility, so these grants cannot be applied for or administered through the University of Toronto, but this funding opportunity is being shared with the Univeristy of Toronto research community for informational purposes only in case there are researchers who would like to connect with other, eligible institutions that may be interested in applying.

--------------------------

SSHRC's announcement:

First Nations not-for-profit organizations, Métis not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction, or

Further details, including application information, are available at the following link:

https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/joint-initiatives/2025/indigenous-capacity-leadership-research/competition.aspx

Indigenous postsecondary institutions.

2025 SSHRC Insight Grant competition - Application now open and Info sessions

SSHRC has now updated the Insight Grant competition guidelines for the 2025 competition. Insight Grants support long-term research initiatives in the social sciences and humanities. They offer awards from $10,000 to $500,000 over 2 to 5 years, with a maximum annual budget of $125,000. Funding is available to emerging and established scholars for projects conducted by an individual researcher or team of researchers.

For full IG guidelines, please visit the SSHRC website here (which also has the link to the online application form through the SSHRC site and the IG application instructions).

Deadlines:

Thursday, September 25, 2025 (noon) - receipt of approved MRA
- Approved MRA must be received by Research Services (MRA may take several days for divisional approval, please submit well in advance). The MRA should include at least a draft proposal and finalized budget amount (but check with your department/administrative unit if more is required, or if they have an earlier internal deadline). For instructions on how to submit an MRA, please see this webpage, and for technical assistance, please contact raise@utoronto.ca.
Monday, September 29, 2025 (9 am) - online submission of final SSHRC application via the SSHRC site
- Applicant must submit completed SSHRC application via SSHRC site (please note, submitting after this time may reduce our ability to submit your application to SSHRC by their deadline of Oct 1st, as Research Services must complete an administrative review of all applications before forwarding them to SSHRC through the SSHRC site.

For details on the submission process and institutional approval, and for links to other resources, please see the UofT Research & Innovation Funding Opportunity webpage for the SSHRC IG: https://research.utoronto.ca/funding-opportunities/db/insight-grants.

Information sessions

SSHRC will host its own webinars for applicants and research administrators to provide information concerning the upcoming IG October 2025 competition, including a question answer session. Advance registration is required. Detailed information of the webinars is below:

Date	Time (ET)	Language	Webinar connection information
August 21^st, 2025	10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m.	French	Registration and Meeting Link
August 21^st, 2025	1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m.	English	Registration and Meeting Link

If you have technical questions, please contact the SSHRC helpdesk at 613-995-4273, or webgrant@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

For any questions about the IG, please contact SSHRC by email at: insightgrants@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca or call 1-855-275-2861 option 5 . For this and any other upcoming webinars hosted by SSHRC, please go to the SSHRC webinar webpage.

The above details and other resources (including links to register for the UofT-hosted IG sessions) are available on the UofT Research and Innovation IG webpage.

For full guidelines for this funding opportunity, please see SSHRC's IG webpage.

SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grants: The Arts Transformed

SSHRC has released the guidelines and opened the application form for a new Knowledge Synthesis Grant competition, the intention of which is to mobilize, examine and synthesize social sciences and humanities research on The Arts Transformed, which (broadly) looks at the ways new and emerging technologies are impacting and transforming the arts sector. The resulting syntheses will identify roles the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors could play in promoting more inclusive and equitable societies, and could inform development of effective tools and technologies, robust policies and sustainable practices needed to support the path toward a diverse and inclusive future for all.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants support researchers in producing knowledge synthesis reports and evidence briefs that:

support the use of evidence in decision making and the application of best practices; and
assist in developing future research agendas.

Applicants must address the following three objectives in their proposals:

State of knowledge, strengths and gaps
Research data (ie, quality, accuracy and rigour or current work in the field, and identifying strengths and gaps in the data)
Knowledge mobilization (ie, engaging cross-sectoral stakeholders and/or First Nations, Inuit and Métis rights holders throughout the project to mobilize knowledge and facilitate sharing of research findings).

This Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity is guided by the following questions:

Drawing on domestic, international and/or cross-sectoral evidence, what can researchers tell us about these issues?
How might the findings guide public policy, practice and research agendas for Canada and the world in the immediate and long term?

Expected outcomes

Knowledge syntheses are comprehensive analyses of literature and other forms of knowledge on a particular question or issue. All types of knowledge synthesis approaches, tools and protocols, such as scoping reviews, systematic reviews and narrative syntheses, are encouraged under this funding opportunity. Synthesized results can include qualitative, quantitative or multimethod research.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and identify knowledge gaps. This call is particularly focused on the state of research produced over the past 10 years.

Successful applicants will (among other things) be required to complete a synthesis report (max 40 pages) and 2-page evidence brief within 10 months of receiving the grant.

The competition guidelines have a number of example thematic questions concerning relevant topics/issues, but note that this is not an exhaustive list, and other topics/issues relevant to this future challenge area are welcomed by SSHRC.

Value and Duration

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are valued at $30,000 for one year.

Knowledge mobilization activities (i.e., conference presentations and outreach activities) can take place throughout the year. All synthesis reports and evidence briefs must be completed before a virtual forum, tentatively scheduled for Spring 2027.

By applying for this funding opportunity, successful applicants consent to SSHRC sharing the resulting synthesis reports and evidence briefs with other interested organizations and individuals. This does not in any way limit how researchers may otherwise publish or use the results of their research.

A maximum of 28 grants of up to $30,000 each may be awarded.

Deadlines

SSHRC's final deadline to receive applications from the University is December 2, 2025, so the following internal deadlines for University of Toronto applicants are a response to SSHRC's final deadline:

Friday, November 21, 2025 - MRA deadline

Approved MRA must be received by Research Services as of this date (MRA may take several days for dept or divisional approval, please submit well in advance). The MRA should include a draft proposal and finalized budget amount.

9 am on Friday, November 28, 2025 - final internal deadline for submissions on SSHRC's application site

Applicant must submit completed SSHRC application via SSHRC site.

For applications submitted on the SSHRC site by Nov 28, for which an MRA has been submitted as above, Research Services will give the application an administrative review and, if the application receives institutional approval, will forward it electronically to SSHRC by the sponsor deadline.

Please note: Submitting your online application means you are ready for Research Services to give it institutional approval and forward your proposal to SSHRC. Research Services will not review the content of your application but will verify that all mandatory sections of your application are present and in good order, and that the requisite MRA is in place and approved.

Resources

SSHRC webinar: SSHRC will be holding a webinar for this KSG competition on Oct 2, 2025, from 11 am - 12 pm. The registration link will eventually be added to SSHRC's funding opportunity page for this grant.

For more information, including the application instructions, please see the complete KSG competition guidelines on SSHRC's website. Questions for SSHRC about this competition may be sent to KSG-SSC@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca.

Tri-Agency and CFI launch new STRAC Policy

As of May 1 2024, the Tri-Agency federal granting agencies (NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC) as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) implemented the Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) policy which was announced earlier this year. All applications to these agencies and programs must adhere to the STRAC Policy, as outlined on the Tri-Agency Guidance on the STRAC Policy webpage.

To be eligible to receive new research funding in any Sensitive Technology Research Area (STRA) from the CIHR, SSHRC, NSERC and the CFI, each investigator named in the application must provide an individual Attestation that they do not have any affiliation nor are in receipt of funding or in-kind support from any entity on the Named Research Organizations.

?Additionally, the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) currently implemented in the NSERC Alliance program will be expanded to multiple Tri-Agency and CFI applications that have a corporate partner.

As always, applicants are strongly encouraged to consult the federal Safeguarding Your Research portal as requirements and information may be updated.

Questions or comments directed to NSERC, CIHR, SSHRC and the CFI may be addressed to researchsecurity@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.

The CFI has launched a new webpage on research security for its programs.

For U of T specific resources and questions, please consult the internal Research Security website?and email address:

https://research.utoronto.ca/safeguarding-research/safeguarding-research

researchsecurity@utoronto.ca.

Université Paris Cité - University of Toronto Doctoral Mobility Program

Université Paris Cité (UPCité) and the University of Toronto (U of T) are launching a joint call for co-supervised PhD Mobility. The purpose of the fund is to strengthen research collaboration and doctoral training between the universities by supporting joint PhD projects across all disciplines.

Eligibility

Principal Investigators (PIs)
- U of T faculty members must meet the University’s definition of a PI
- UPCité faculty members must be from doctoral schools or laboratories and be able to supervise PhD students
Student Eligibility
- U of T PhD students who will be registered in the first or second year of their PhD program in 2025-26.
- UPCité students who have obtained or will obtain a master's degree or equivalent diploma in 2024 or 2025.

Important Dates

Application deadline – July 16, 2025
Notification date – July 23, 2025

Funding Details & Duration

12,000€ to the PhD student from UPCité for a 12-month research period at U of T
$15,000 CAD to the PhD student from U of T for a 12-month research period at UPCité
The joint call is intended to fund up to 3 years of a PhD fellowship and 12 months of travel/living expenses in Paris or Toronto, starting in September 2025.

For more information on this call, including detailed instructions on how to submit a proposal, please see the funding opportunities page.

If you have questions, please be in touch with Elina Tulla, Research Officer, Office of the Vice-President International at international@utoronto.ca.

Faculty are encouraged to review U of T’s safeguarding research resources when developing their proposals.

Do not use MRA to submit this application.

U of T Public Policy Reports Collection: Call for Submissions

The Division of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) and the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) are calling for submissions to the U of T Public Policy Reports Collection.

This collection assembles public policy-related research reports produced by University of Toronto units. It is a collection of grey literature (research not published through traditional means such as in an academic journal). It is housed in TSpace, a free and secure research repository established by the University of Toronto Libraries to disseminate and preserve the scholarly record of U of T. The collection aims to improve discoverability of U of T contributions in a variety of areas including local, provincial, national, and global public policy.

Eligibility:

We invite submissions to the Public Policy Reports Collection that meet the following criteria:

At least one report author was a faculty, fellow, student or staff at U of T when the report was issued.
Authored by U of T academic units with explicit U of T branding and affiliation of the author.
Not published in an academic journal in an identical form.

Benefits to Researchers:

The U of T Public Policy Reports Collection provides permanent URLs on a high-traffic repository, enabling timely research to be available sooner than through traditional scholarly publication channels. Many U of T faculty produce public policy reports outside of traditional publishing and dissemination channels. These reports are not easily found through standard bibliometric searches or through search engines and can be lost when department or personal websites are redesigned.

For more information and instructions on submitting public policy reports to the collection, please visit: https://research.utoronto.ca/reports-publications-metrics/public-policy-reports-collection

United States Department of Defense (DOD) - Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs - Funding Opportunities

US Department of Defense (DOD) Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) has released pre-funding announcements for the following programs:

Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP)

Focused Research Award

Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment Parkinson’s (NETP)

Early Investigator Research Award
Investigator-Initiated Research Award
Synergistic Idea Award (NEW!)

Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP)

Prostate Cancer Pathology Resource Network Award
*Descriptions of each of the funding opportunities, eligibility, key mechanism elements, and funding can be found in the respective Program pre-announcement at http://cdmrp.army.mil

Application Information:
UofT campus based applicants should select Toronto, University of for the institution and indicate the appropriate Research Services Office contact (see below) as the Business Official in their pre-application in the eBRAP System.

Contact Information:
Krista Montgomery (krista.montgomery@utoronto.ca): for UofT Faculty appointed within Dalla Lana, Applied Sci & Eng, Dentistry, Forestry, Kinesiology & PE, Nursing, Pharmacy, UTM, and Medicine (last names A-M only).

Deadlines: Individual deadlines available at http://cdmrp.army.mil

New Writing Supports for Tri-Agency Funding: Strategic Grant Writing Team (SGWT)

Are you a campus-based researcher? Do you have a grant to submit to one of the following competitions:

CIHR Project Grant (total project budget request >$1M)
SSHRC Insight Grant (total project budget request >$300K)
NSERC Alliance Grant (total project budget request >$500K)

The Division of the Vice-President, Research & Innovation (VPRI), with support from the Provost, will be launching a Strategic Grant Writing Team (SGWT) this summer. This small team will be composed of individuals with previous research experience and strong grant writing skills.

For the immediate fall competitions (CIHR Project Fall 2025 and SSHRC Insight 2025), the SGWT will be prioritizing grant re-submissions OR new proposals to support replacement of suspended US Funding. Once these deadlines have passed, the SGWT will be available to work on high $ value proposals in any of the above streams for the next/spring competitions.

If you are interested in finding out more, we will be hosting an information session for divisional research offices and interested faculty members on July 9th from 10-11am to provide an overview and answer questions. Intake process, eligibility, and communications will be discussed in the session. Please register here to attend and send questions in advance to grant.writing@utoronto.ca.

Who should attend:

Campus-based faculty members planning to submit an application to one of the Tri-Agency programs noted above in the next year
Divisional research officers

Awards

Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowships - Call for Nominations

The University of Toronto is pleased to announce the fourth call for applications for the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship, a program of Schmidt Sciences, which brings together the brightest minds who have completed a PhD in the natural sciences or engineering and who aim to pursue a research project that includes the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to their domain. The program will fund cutting-edge applications of AI in the natural sciences and engineering and creates a community of interdisciplinary leaders.

OVERVIEW

Value: $85,000 CDN/year in salary, plus an additional fixed amount of $11,000 CDN/year towards the standard benefit rate and postdoctoral levy costs incurred by the supervisor/awarded unit.

Applicants must demonstrate clear expertise and promise within their field of study. Experience with AI is not a requirement, but applicants must have a desire to learn new AI methodologies that stand to accelerate discoveries in their domain. These Fellowships will fund research and provide training in AI and related computational skills to support new directions in the application of AI.

Award Start Date: Between May 1, 2026 and January 1, 2027

Duration: 2 years of funding through the University of Toronto’s Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellowship program.

Note: there is a possibility for a 3rd year global research exchange, industry internship, and/or teaching-focused postdoctoral experience, pending the availability of funding from the host supervisor(s), Mitacs, and/or an alternate source of funding.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (5PM EST)

Adjudication Meeting: November 2025

Notifications: January 2026

Further Information: https://schmidtfellows.utoronto.ca

Questions? Please contact Amanda Mohabeer at schmidtfutures@utoronto.ca

Health Research Foundation Diversity & Equity in Research Award - Call for Nominations

The Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 Diversity and Equity in Research Award, celebrating exceptional Canadian researchers who are advancing equitable access to healthcare and inclusive participation in health research.

Now in its third year, the award honours individuals whose work is making a transformative difference for equity-deserving communities across Canada. Past recipients include Dr. Sonia Anand, a trailblazer in cardiovascular research and health equity, who was recognized in 2024 for her work addressing the social and genetic determinants of disease in diverse populations.

“The HRF Diversity and Equity in Research Award is more than recognition—it's a call to action,” said Christine Elliott, Chair of the HRF Board of Directors. “We are proud to spotlight those who are dismantling barriers in the healthcare system and ensuring no one is left behind in Canada’s research landscape.”

The recipient of the 2025 award will be honoured at the HRF Awards Reception on November 19 in Montreal, alongside the recipient of the prestigious Medal of Honour.

The HRF is eager to receive nominations of outstanding individuals whose research drives meaningful change in access, outcomes, and participation for underrepresented populations in Canada’s healthcare and research systems.

Nominations are open until July 23, 2025. For full eligibility details and to submit a nomination click here.

Health Research Foundation 2025 Medal of Honour

Now Accepting Nominations until July 15, 2025.

Since its inception in 1945, the HRF Medal of Honour has been awarded to truly outstanding individuals whose research and/or contribution to public policies supportive of research and development in Canada have achieved international recognition.

Nominees must be Canadian residents whose work/research has been performed in Canada and has made a truly notable or pivotal contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the health sciences, health policy and/or the improvement of therapeutics and healthcare. Recipients can originate from a variety of fields and sectors including patient organizations, academia, media, industry, and the public and non-profit sectors.

The $20,000 prize will be invested into innovative health research at the Canadian academic institution of the recipient's choice to promote further health and life sciences research in Canada.

More information available at this link: https://hrf-frs.com/awards/medal-of-honour/

Please contact Sam D'Alfonso if you are interested in being nominated for this award.

Materials Research Society Impact Medal

The MRS Impact Award honours outstanding individuals who have displayed excellence in areas of science communication, education, advancing diversity, mentoring, or community engagement, which reflect the Society's pursuit to advance materials science and technology to improve the quality of life.

Prize: $5,000 USD

Career Stage: Early, Mid, and Established careers.

Nomination Deadline: August 1, 2025

Award Webpage: MRS Medal.

Contact: Please contact Sam D'Alfonso for more information or if interested in being nomination for this award.

Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSC) Global Fellowship

The Marie Sklodowska-Curie (MSC) Global Fellowship opportunity is offered by the European Commission and is designed to facilitate long-term collaborations and knowledge transfer between European Member States (MS), Associated Countries (AC), and countries outside Europe (Third Countries), such as Canada.

These fellowships enable experienced European researchers (PhD or with 4 years of full-time research experience) who are national or long term residents of a MS or AC to be trained and to acquire new knowledge in a Third Country (TC) research partner organization (e.g. U of T) during an Outgoing Phase for a total duration of 12-24 months. Fellows must return to the European Host Organization for a mandatory 12-month period following their Outgoing Phase.

Submission Process

By the internal deadline, the applicant's proposed UofT Supervisor must upload & submit the following documents through the University's My Research (MR) System:

Applicant's application, editable draft letter of commitment

For further details on this funding opportunity, please click here

Internal Deadline: Thurs. September 4, 2025

Sponsor Deadline: Wed. September 10, 2025

Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity: Call for Nominations

The Division of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, invites internal nominations for the 2025 Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity. This award is intended to:

fund bold and potentially game-changing institutional-level initiatives that will address persistent systemic barriers and help create a more equitable and inclusive research ecosystem;
recognize faculty members who contribute their time, expertise, and lived experience to address inequities; and
provide opportunities for students and trainees to contribute to this work.

Awards are valued at $100,000 over one year; there will be up to three awards nationally.

Eligibility

Nominations are open to faculty members/teams of faculty members who:

are eligible to receive grant funding from the tri-agencies;
hold a full-time academic appointment at the time of nomination and for the duration of the award; and
are in good standing with the tri-agencies.

Please note that the objective of the award is not to fund research in EDI-related disciplines, but rather to fund initiatives that will be implemented within the institution to identify and/or address systemic barriers.

Nomination Process

Eligible faculty members/teams of faculty members must be nominated by their institution. Each institution may submit only one nomination per year. The University of Toronto and its affiliated hospitals will select our institutional nominee through an internal peer review process.

The internal nomination involves two steps:

Complete an online Expression of Interest by September 2, 2025
Submit an internal nomination package comprising these elements of the Robbins-Ollivier Award nomination package (see link for detailed instructions):

Part A: Description of the proposed project (4 pages maximum)
Part B: Award budget (1 page maximum) plus a description of divisional/departmental supports for the project, including financial supports, if applicable (1 page maximum)
Part C: Institutional nomination letter and rationale (3 pages maximum; a signature is not required at this stage)

Please submit the package as a single PDF to crc.edi@utoronto.ca by September 22, 2025.

Nominators are asked to review the selection criteria carefully and ensure that nominated projects are well-aligned with the program objectives.

The Division of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, will work with the selected candidate(s) and supporting staff to facilitate the development of the full nomination and ensure its submission to the sponsor by the November 5, 2025, deadline.

For more information, please see the Robbins-Ollivier Award 2025 competition website.

Schmidt Science Polymaths - Call for Nominations

Schmidt Sciences has invited the University of Toronto to submit nominations for the Schmidt Science Polymaths Program, which aims to encourage the best "polymath" scientists in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and/or engineering to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary shift after achieving tenure or equivalent status.

Awards consist of USD $500,000 per year for up to 5 years to support a research group to undertake a new line of highly creative, original, and risky research that is clearly distinct from past areas and directions. They are not intended to relieve the researcher of pursuing other grants to continue their mainstream work, nor be large enough to fully support a modern lab.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for nomination to the Schmidt Science Polymaths application process, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

Have achieved tenure or an equivalent status prior to the nomination deadline and within the past three calendar years (between January 1, 2022 and August 10, 2025),
Have a remarkable record of accomplishment in mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and/or engineering,
Have a demonstrated history of pursuing and publishing results in more than one field,
Have a desire and plan to expand their research portfolios by exploring a substantive disciplinary or methodological shift, but have not yet launched such shifts,
Demonstrate a need for additional funding to enable new experiments, explorations, or shifts in research directions.

Nomination Process

The University of Toronto may nominate up to three exceptional candidates per year. Eligible candidates may self-nominate for consideration, or be nominated by an academic Chair or Director, by completing the Schmidt Science Polymaths Internal Nomination Form by July 15, 2025.

If required, an advisory committee of representatives from across the sciences and engineering will review internal nominations to select the University's nominees for this year.

Please see the Schmidt Science Polymaths webpage for further program information.

Key Dates

Internal Deadline: July 15, 2025
Institutional Nomination Deadline: August 10, 2025

If you are interested in pursuing this nomination please contact Sam D'Alfonso

Steacie Prize for Natural Sciences

The Steacie Prize is presented annually to a scientist or engineer of 40 years of age or less for outstanding scientific research in the natural sciences carried out in Canada.

Extensions beyond the 40-year age requirement are permitted for official leaves, including parental and sick leave, and must be specified in the nomination letter.

Sponsor Deadline:

August 31, 2025

Value:

$10,000

Program Homepage:

https://steacieprize.ca/how-to-apply/

If you are interested in pursuing a Steacie Prize nomination please contact Sam D'Alfonso.

Education Awards

Access Programs University Fund (APUF)

The Access Strategy & Partnerships Office (ASPO) defines “Access Programs” as initiatives that support traditionally underrepresented groups with pathways and opportunities for post-secondary education. Currently, there are over 100 access and outreach programs at U of T. Please see our Access Programs Database for more information.

APUF funds new and enhanced programs, including transition to university, bridging programs for adults with diverse educational backgrounds, and exposure to career paths for underrepresented youth. Access also involves service-based planning and programming within university divisions, departments, learning approaches, technologies, and student services.

APUF priorities include expanding existing programs, developing new initiatives, improving current programs, fostering community partnerships, and providing experiential learning opportunities for U of T students.

Eligibility

Submissions will be accepted from University of Toronto faculty and staff with continuing appointments.

The primary beneficiary of the proposal must be domestic or permanent resident status learners from Ontario who are underrepresented at universities and who might not access or thrive in post-secondary education without the provision of supports, pathways, structured programs and/or opportunities to continue learning at the post-secondary level.

Application Timeline

Anticipated Spring 2026

Additional information

Please visit the APUF website for more information about this program. Please also visit the APUF Funded Initiatives to learn more about the past projects.

Graduate Education Innovation Fund

The Graduate Education Innovation Fund (GEIF) contributes to the mission of School of Graduate Studies, by fostering excellence in graduate education, including an exceptional student experience. The purpose the GEIF is to enrich the learning experience of graduate students in both our research-based and professional degree programmes, by supporting projects within and across academic divisions and units, that create positive, innovative changes in the design and delivery of graduate education at the University of Toronto.

Goals of the Graduate Education Innovation Fund

The goal of the GEIF program is to advance excellence and innovation in graduate education through greater exposure to innovative educational practices within and across programs and curricula, including both the classroom, practica, and field settings. Proposals that accomplish at least one of the following themes are invited. Proposals in areas outside the ones listed are encouraged to liaise with SGS to discuss suitability.

Experiential Learning: Support and enhance the transfer of learning through active learning opportunities, within and beyond traditional educational settings and methods.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Encourage collaborations among instructors across academic disciplines, units and divisions with the purpose of creating exceptional interdisciplinary learning experiences for graduate students.
Technological Innovation: Use of technology to enhance the educational experience.
Indigenous Ways of Knowing: Renewal of graduate education with specific attention to representation of Indigenous ways of knowing.
Diverse Cultural Perspectives: Renewal of graduate education with specific attention to representation of racialized perspectives, other minoritized voices, as well as intercultural experiences and civic engagement. Strengthen opportunities to learn abroad, international work, and bringing global and international experiences into our local environment.
Decolonization, Anti-oppression, and Anti-racism: Enhancing educational practices, such as teaching and curriculum renewal, to build a more just and equitable learning environment.
Professional Development: Create, strengthen and assess professional development opportunities for graduate students.
Public Scholarship: Focusing on engaging the public through a scholarly agenda. Strengthen opportunities for public dissemination of scholarly work (e.g., personal blog post, podcast interview, or op-ed) and for partnerships with a school, community organization, or cultural institution (e.g. museum, theatre, archive) in an ongoing two-way exchange of knowledge and practices.

Research Component

The GEIF is a grant for curricular, teaching, and professional development innovation; it is not a research grant. While a research component to a project may be appropriate, the sole purpose of a proposal should not be the production and dissemination of new research. The fund is for ‘creating’ something innovative that enhances the education, teaching, and curricular capabilities of the University.

If a component of a project proposal involves the production of new research through the engagement of human participants, please ensure that Research Services has been consulted for ethics guidance.

Eligibility

University of Toronto faculty members with continuing appointments are eligible to apply (i.e., assistant professor, associate professor, and professor for both the tenure and teaching streams; part-time assistant, associate, and professor that have undergone continuing review). Typically, applicants will hold Graduate Faculty Membership with SGS. Collaborators can include librarians, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows etc., as appropriate to the project.

Funding Amounts

Ten seed grants of a maximum of $5,000 each will be available on an annual basis. Applicants are encouraged to seek out contributions from their unit or division and document it in their budget.

Application Information

For details on applying, please take a look at the summary of our September 2023 GEIF information session (PDF).

Please refer to our list of previously funded applications. We encourage applicants to re-submit to a subsequent adjudication cycle if unsuccessful.

The deadline for applications is November 6, 2025, and April 2, 2026.

Apply for the Graduation Education Innovation Fund

Contact

Vina Goghari, PhD
Vice-Dean Research and Program Innovation, SGS
sgs.vdeanprograms@utoronto.ca

Angelique Plata
Executive Assistant to the Vice-Deans, SGS
sgs.vdeanea@utoronto.ca

International Student Experience Fund (ISEF)

The goal of the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) is to foster a supportive environment on U of T’s campuses by funding initiatives that enhance the experience of the university’s international students, in alignment with the U of T’s international strategy. The ISEF supports two streams of activities; Seed ($5,000-$15,000 per year) and Impact ($15,000-$75,000 per year). This two-tiered system is intended to provide opportunities for projects that explore, implement, and scale up promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation, and create a pathway for projects from their initial inception to their full potential. ISEF grants are awarded for a maximum of 2 years.

Thematic Areas

All proposals should address one or more of the following themes:

Programs, Services, and Policies

Identification and leveraging of existing forums and channels for dialogue. Addressing barriers to participation.

Intergroup interaction across biographies (multilingual speakers/unilingual speakers of English, Canadian/international, interaction amongst communities from various regions of the world, etc.).

Listening to and encouraging the voices of international students

Shift from deficit mindset/approach (international students as a problem to solve) to one of global inclusion (international students as valuable members) among faculty, staff, and students.

Interactional Diversity – Required in a learning environment at a global university

Serving all students well through institutional and operational competence. Consideration of existing programs, policies, and practices from the lens of international students (1/3 of the university’s student population) at all points of the student journey, from pre-arrival to preparing for life after U of T.

Changing Mindset – Building inclusive community and fostering belonging

Eligibility

Submissions will be accepted from U of T faculty and staff with continuing appointments only. The primary beneficiaries of the proposal must be U of T international undergraduate and/or graduate students. Projects must engage each of the U of T’s student, faculty, and staff communities, even if only in an advisory capacity. Projects must also include collaboration with other divisions, either from the start of the project, or as a means of expanding the project in its final year of funding.

Funding Streams

The International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) supports two levels of grant activities:

Seed ($5,000-$15,000) x 2 years maximum Impact ($15,000-$75,000) x 2 years maximum

Impact grants are designed to support large-scale projects with the potential to significantly enhance core elements of international student experience within or across units and divisions at the University. This can range from projects designed to scale, sustain and institutionalize high-impact initiatives that have already experienced successful experimentation in their local contexts, to the development of new mechanisms and tools for proliferating innovative practices.

These two funding streams are intended to provide opportunities for projects that explore, implement, and scale up promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation, and create a pathway from initial inception to a project’s full implementation.

Seed grants are intended to encourage experimentation, as a means of fostering small-scale innovations or pilots with the potential for future scalability. These projects should hold significant promise for scalability within their home unit/division or transferability into other University of Toronto contexts.

2025-2026 Application Deadlines

Applications for the two funding streams will be accepted according to the following timelines:

Seed grants ($5,000-$15,000 per year) will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Impact grants ($15,000-$75,000 per year). Letters of Intent due Tuesday, November 11, 2025. Only select candidates will be invited to submit full proposals, due Tuesday, January 20, 2026.
Details on the application can be found here.

Contact

The International Student Experience Fund is sponsored by the Office of the Vice-President International. For additional information regarding the Fund, please contact international@utoronto.ca.

Learning Education Advancement Fund (LEAF)

The Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) program aims to support the President’s Three Priorities:

Leverage our urban location(s) more fully, for the mutual benefit of University and City; Strengthen and deepen key international partnerships by means of a well-defined strategic focus; Reimagine and reinvent undergraduate education.

Funding:

A two-tiered system of funding, LEAF provides funding opportunities for teaching and learning projects that explore, implement and scale up promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation. Focused on projects connected to the academic curriculum, LEAF creates a pathway for projects from their initial inception to their full potential.

Seed grants are intended to encourage experimentation at the local level, either within a course or a set of courses, as a means of fostering small-scale enhancements or pilots with the potential for future scalability. These projects should have the potential for either scalability within their home unit or transferability into other undergraduate learning contexts. Grants in this category range from $5,000 to $10,000 per year for up to 3 years.

Impact grants are designed to support large-scale projects with the potential to significantly enhance core elements of undergraduate education within or across academic units and divisions at the University. This can range from scaling high-impact teaching practices that have already experienced successful experimentation in their local contexts, to the development of new pedagogical or curricular approaches and practices. Grants in this category range from $10,000 to $100,000 per year for up to 3 years.

Deadlines

Fall Cycle (Seed and Impact Grants)
Expressions of Interest due September 17, 2025
Full Application due November 25, 2025

Winter Cycle (Seed Grants only)
Expression of Interest due February 23, 2026
Full Application due April 28, 2026

Workshops

Workshop: Building an Effective LEAF Application: Assessment Strategies for a Meaningful Project
This workshop explores how you measure the effectiveness of a LEAF project. In this session, we examined building a meaningful and integrated assessment strategy from thinking about what sort of assessment tools work for your project to when and how you are assessing your project.

Participants in this session gained an introductory overview of different assessment tools and techniques and clear next steps for how to build an assessment strategy in the context of a teaching grant.
Access the Recording
Workshop: Building an Effective LEAF Application: From Idea to Submission
This workshop is designed for instructors and staff interested in applying for the LEAF program. Our workshop explored everything from designing a research question for the Expression of Interest to the basics of building an effective, integrated assessment strategy.

Participants gained insights into strategies and suggestions for successful applications, collaborating with peers on proposals and learned from a panel of former LEAF recipients.
Access the Recording
Workshop: Strategies for Writing an Effective Teaching & Learning Grant
In support of instructors and staff interested in the LEAF program as well as the Graduate Education Innovation Fund, the Instructional Technology and Innovation Fund (ITIF) and other teaching and learning funding opportunities, this workshop was jointly hosted by our office, the Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation and Academic & Collaborative Technologies.
Access the Recording

Additional Information

Additional information can be found here.