Faculty external funding
Athabasca University researchers are encouraged to explore opportunities for external research funding. The Research Office can help you find funding sources and assist with grant application development.
Funding news is distributed to AU staff on a biweekly basis through the Research Newsletter. If you are not receiving our newsletter, contact us.
Before you start your external funding application, be sure to review the information on the Research Sharepoint site, as well as:
| Opportunity | Agency | Internal deadline | External deadline | Award amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Grant | Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) | Varies with program. | Varies with program. | Varies with program. |
| Accelerate | Mitacs | Anytime | Anytime | $15,000 for each 4-month internship. |
| Elevate | Mitacs | July and September | July and September | $110,000 over 2 years. |
| Globalink Research Internship | Mitacs | April | April | All funds go directly to intern. Please send questions to the Research Office. |
| Collaborative Research and Development Grants | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Anytime | Anytime | Varies. Projects may range from 1–5 years in duration. |
| Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Letter of intent: April 15 Invited full application: Sep. 7 | Letter of intent: May 1 Invited full application: Sep. 22 | Up to $150,000 in the first year. Up to $300,000 for up to 5 subsequent years. Maximum grant is $1.65 million over 6 years. |
| Discovery Frontiers | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Please contact the Research Office for competition information. | Please contact the Research Office for competition information. | Up to $1 million per year for 4 years. |
| Discovery Grants Program | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Notice of intent: Aug. 1 Full application: Oct. 15 | Notice of intent: Aug. 1 Full application: Nov. 1 | Varies. |
| Discovery Development Grants Program | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Not applicable. | Not applicable – NSERC selects recipients based on the evaluation of Discovery Grant applications. | Up to $20,000 over 2 years. |
| PromoScience | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Sep. 1 | Sep. 15 | Varies – NSERC generally contributes up to one-third of a program’s funding. |
| Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) | Oct. 11 | Oct. 25 Applicants and co-applicants must each currently hold or be applying for 1 of the following grants at the time of application:
| Up to $150,000. |
| Connection Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Jan. 15 April 15 July 15 Oct. 15 | Feb. 1 May 1 Aug. 1 Nov. 1 | $7,000 to $25,000 for events. Up to $50,000 for other outreach activities. |
| Impact Awards | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | March | April Faculty must be nominated by institution. | $100,000 (Gold Medal). $50,000 (Talent Award, Insight Award, Connection Award, Partnership Award). |
| Insight Development Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Jan. 18 | Feb. 2 | $7,000 to $75,000 over 1 to 2 years. |
| Insight Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Oct. 2 | Oct. 15 | $7,000 to $400,000 over 3 to 5 years. |
| New Frontiers in Research Fund
| Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Varies by program | Varies by program | $250,000 over 2 years |
| Partnership Development Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Nov. 1 | Nov. 15 | $75,000 to $200,000 over 1 to 3 years. |
| Partnership Engage Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Sep. 1 Dec. 1 March 1 June 1 | Sep. 15 Dec. 15 March 15 June 15 | $7,000 to $25,000. |
| Partnership Grants | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) | Letter of intent: Jan. 30 Invited full application: 3 weeks prior to submission to SSHRC | Letter of intent: Feb. 15 Invited full application: Nov. 1 | Stage 1 (letter of intent) – up to $20,000 to help prepare the formal application. Stage 2 (formal application by invitation) – up to $500,000 per year over 4 to 7 years Maximum grant is $2.5 million. |
| Societal Implications of Genomics Research | Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)/Genome Canada | Varies with SSHRC funding opportunity. | Varies with SSHRC funding opportunity. To be considered for funding under this initiative, applicants must apply to 1 of the following SSHRC funding opportunities:
| Varies. |
Get mentoring
Is this your first grant application? Do you want to revise and polish a rejected application? Or do you simply want to improve your application-writing skills? The Research Office’s Grantsmanship Mentoring program can help you develop and improve your application for external funding.
Researchers who have worked with our faculty mentors have consistently reported:
- an increase in the quality of workshopped grant applications
- an improvement in their overall proposal writing skills
In order to take advantage of this opportunity, you must submit a final draft to the Research Office at least 3 weeks before the funder’s deadline.
- Indicate you would like a grants mentor to review your application.
- Include any relevant information, including the application deadline.
- Send your draft as a Word document.
For more information about our mentorship program, please contact Jill Calliou.
Updated March 13, 2023 by Digital & Web Operations (web_services@athabascau.ca)