Research activities frequently require significant investment of resources. While CUE provides some funding via the Internal Research Grants program, their amounts and availability are limited. CUE encourages its community to participate in competition for external funding opportunities. Successes in funding requests allow our members to carry out their research in an effective manner, and contribute to achieving the goals of our Strategic Research Plan.
Important deadlines for External Research Funding applications
CUE publishes and maintains a list of important deadlines on the research website. In addition, you will need to consider internal deadlines set to comply with internal requirements.
Eligibility to submit applications for External Research Funding
CUE considers research an academic activity. As a general rule, applicants and co-applicants in submissions of requests for external funding must meet eligibility criteria and be able to hold funds at the host institution. In most cases, this means that only continuing, full-time faculty members may apply for external funding related to research as Principal Investigator (Applicant) or Co-Applicants. CUE Sessional Instructors, Adjunct Academic Colleagues and other CUE Staff may not participate in these roles as a member of CUE. Importantly, CUE does not provide Post-Award Administration services for grants that are held at other institutions, unless a Transfer of Funds Agreement between CUE and the host institution is in place.
Contract research activities, where an external partner pays CUE for the use of space or resources, is not considered an academic activity. This may also include the participation of CUE staff and even students hired as staff by an external partner. If you are interested in participating in contract research, contact the BMO-CIAR for information on contracts, intellectual property, and more.
CUE staff must first contact both the Office of Research Services and the BMO-CIAR before engaging in research activities with external partners that occur at CUE, involve the use of CUE resources (e.g., lab space use, library access, etc.), or which are undertaken by an individual acting as a member of CUE.
If you are a collaborator, knowledge user or other participant in an application, there are no internal requirements or eligibility restrictions for your involvement, as long as funding is not expected to be administered at CUE. If funding will come to CUE for Post-Award administration, CUE will consider you as a Co-Applicant and full internal requirements will apply to the submission. If you have questions about eligibility to submit an application, contact the Office of Research Services.
Internal requirements to submit applications for external research grants
All applications for research-related external funding must be registered at the Office of Research Services via the External Grant Institutional Signature Page, a minimum of seven working days before the sponsor deadline. Submission of applications without this important approval is not allowed, and may result in refusal by CUE to administer an award or other administrative actions. For information on these important internal requirements, consult this webpage.
Research activities that involve Industry-Academia Agreements, Government contracts, Advancement or International funding
Funding may also come from non-conventional, or mixed sources. CUE continues to expand its reach in the community, strengthening connections with industry and other partners. If a research project or activity requires or may benefit from a partnership with external entities in Industry or Government, CUE members are asked to contact the BMO-CIAR as early as possible. If you are seeking international funding or are in the process of receiving a donation, you will need to contact the Office of the Vice-President External Affairs and International Relations.
Indirect Costs of Research (also known as overhead or administrative expenses)
Research activities imply two types of expenses: direct and indirect. Each category has significant differences in their administration.
Direct Costs of Research include all expenses related to the research activity which are incurred in a direct manner by the researcher. These may be salaries for Research Assistants, equipment and/or material purchases, publication costs, and other direct expenses. Direct Costs of Research funds are what people know as research grants or awards and are under the control of the researcher, through an account set by CUE Finance.
Indirect Costs of Research (ICR) are expenses incurred by the institution in relation to an award. Among the usual ICR are facility operating costs (e.g., power, janitorial services, water, heat, phone, repairs and renovations, furniture, etc.), services (library access, internet, computer equipment), as well as financial administration (salaries of personnel providing administration of research funds, the Office of Research Services, etc.). Funds for ICR are under the control of the Office of Research Services and the Vice-President Academic & Provost, and are not available to the researcher.
An application for external research funding must always dedicate at least 20% of their budget to ICR, unless the sponsor openly expresses that such expenses are ineligible. A relevant exception is the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC), which separately provides ICR under the Research Support Fund, calculated based on the levels of funding received by an institution in a fiscal year. For information on this important program, consult this webpage.
Tri-Agency funding (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC)
By excellence, academic research funding in Canada has been supported by the Tri-Agency. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) provide a variety of awards that is continuously evolving.
Currently, CUE is eligible to hold NSERC and SSHRC grant funds, and we are working towards the eligibility for CIHR.
To find more about this important source of research funding, visit our webpage.