New Frontiers in Research Fund Inaugural Competition
Research
The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) is a flagship initiative of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) which will invest $275 million over the next five years, and $65 million ongoing, to support international, interdisciplinary, fast-breaking and high-risk research. It comprises three streams to support ground-breaking research:
Exploration (launched December 2018) will generate opportunities for Canada to build strength in high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research;
Transformation (to be launched in 2019) will provide large-scale support for Canada to build strength and leadership in interdisciplinary and transformative research; and
International (to be launched in 2019) will enhance opportunities for Canadian researchers to participate in research with international partners.
Inaugural Competition
New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration
The objective of this inaugural competition is to generate opportunities for early career researchers (ECRs) to conduct high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research not available through funding opportunities currently offered by the three agencies. It seeks to inspire highly innovative projects that defy current research paradigms, propose a unique scientific direction, bring disciplines together beyond the traditional disciplinary approaches, and/or use different perspectives to solve existing problems.
Value
Up to $125,000 per year over 1 or 2 years (includes $25,000/year indirect costs).
There is no budget required at the NOI Stage, but one will be required at the Full Proposal stage. The maximum budget for the direct costs of research is $100,000 per year for up to two years, plus 25 percent in indirect costs per year.
All proposals from UofT must include the maximum indirect cost rate of 25 percent.
Eligibility
Nominated principal investigator (NPI) and co-principal investigators must be early career researchers (individuals who have five years or less experience since their first academic appointment as of the NOI deadline, with the exception of career interruptions); co-applicants can be individuals not affiliated with government or for-profit organizations. Note: a researcher can only participate in one Exploration grant as NPI, co-PI or co-applicant.
Subject
Projects must include elements from at least two different disciplines, and may involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for funding across the tri-agencies. Team members can be from any discipline and projects may be at any stage of development, must be innovative in nature and use unconventional approaches or ideas to achieve high-risk and high-reward interdisciplinary research.
Projects must meaningfully engage members of underrepresented groups within the research team, and are expected to integrate sex and gender in their research designs, when appropriate. For full details on project requirements, please see the funding opportunity description.
Application Process and Deadlines
Notice of Intent - Sponsor deadline January 11, 2019
Full application - Sponsor deadline February 7, 2019
Results announced - late March 2019
Grant start date - March 29, 2019
The Convergence Portal is now open and available for researchers to create NOIs.
An MRA is not required at the NOI stage.
Accessing the Convergence Portal
If you already have an active login for the NSERC or SSHRC Research Portal you should be able to access the Convergence Portal using those same credentials. If you do not have a SSHRC or NSERC portal login, you will need to create a Convergence account. (Note some users with SSHRC or NSERC logins have had to reset their password on the Convergence system.)
A Tips document is available for UofT applicants
Research Services has prepared a "Tips & Checklist" guide available in our funding opportunities database, which you can access under the "ADDITIONAL RESOURCES" section towards the bottom of the program description.
Let us know that you are applying
The Convergence portal has not provided UofT's Research Services' Offices with the ability to view NOI applicants from their respective institutions. If you are submitting an NOI through UofT, please let RSO know by sending an email to Drew Gyorke .
