ARCHIVED – College and Community Innovation program - Innovation Enhancement grants

This information has been archived. Visit the new College and Community Innovation program page for current information.

The College and Community Innovation (CCI) program is no longer accepting Innovation Enhancement (IE) grant applications. The suite of funding opportunities that have been offered over the last decade have transitioned into new grant types. The new Mobilize grants and Applied Research and Development grants are now available.

NSERC will honour commitments to previously awarded IE grants, and the information detailed below is still pertinent for active IE grants. However, the new CCI program partnership guidelines now apply to all active IE grants.

Federal granting agencies/Canada Foundation for Innovation joint initiative for colleges

The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is pleased to participate in the IE grants in order to foster partnerships between colleges and the private sector that will lead to business innovation at the local, regional and national levels.

This joint initiative allows colleges to apply for a comprehensive funding package supporting both research costs and research infrastructure (through the CFI’s College-Industry Innovation Fund: Stream 2). A call for proposals for the CFI College-Industry Innovation Fund (CIIF) is available on the  CFI website.

All information submitted to the joint initiative by researchers, company and college employees, community members, reviewers and other individuals will be used to review applications and to administer and monitor awards. The three participating agencies—the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)—and the CFI share the submitted information among themselves as required to manage the College and Community Innovation (CCI) program IE grants. By signing and submitting their CCI-IE and CIIF applications to CFI and NSERC, researchers agree to this use and disclosure of their personal information.

Important information

• College and Community Innovation program
• College and Community Innovation program tri-agency financial administration guide
• College and Community Innovation program – frequently asked questions

The CCI program is managed by NSERC in collaboration with CIHR and SSHRC. The IE grants can be across the spectrum of natural and social sciences, engineering, humanities and/or health. All applications must be submitted to NSERC. Grants are funded by NSERC, with the exception of proposals exclusively in the social sciences, humanities and/or health sciences, which will be funded by SSHRC or CIHR, as appropriate.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion.

Applicants are encouraged to consider sex, gender and diversity in the project’s research design. Diversity and gender equity should also be considered when developing the research team and considering how to promote and support a variety of forms of mentoring to ensure trainees’ equitable participation and growth. Applicants should refer to the Guide for applicants: Considering equity, diversity and inclusion in your application for more information.

Objective

The objective of the IE grants is to increase innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The grants support the growth of applied research capacity, leading to increased business collaborations that facilitate commercialization, as well as technology transfer, adaptation and adoption of new technologies.

Description

IE grants stimulate applied research that brings together necessary expertise from diverse fields such as natural sciences and engineering, social sciences and humanities and/or health sciences to address business-driven challenges and opportunities. IE grants provide funding to colleges on a competitive basis to support the growth of their applied research capacity leading to collaborative applied research and technology transfer activities with and to the benefit of companies—SMEs in particular. They thus increase company engagements and contributions throughout the term of the grant. These grants will focus on an area where the college has recognized expertise, which meets local or regional needs, and where there is the potential to increase the economic development of the community.

Do IE grants fit with your college’s need?

Build IE grants are intended to support colleges in establishing novel and innovative applied research capacities and expertise in industry sectors active in their region, particularly in areas not yet supported by Build IE or Technology Access Centre (TAC) grants. They are meant as an introductory support to launch a new applied research direction, and not as long-term support for an applied research area.

Entry-level IE grants are available to those colleges that have not previously been awarded an IE, Industrial Research Chair for Colleges (IRCC) or TAC grant. See the Eligibility section below. Colleges that have not yet been awarded these grant types are encouraged to seek out an Entry-level IE grant to begin their applied research program. Colleges can apply for a Build IE grant in the same applied research area as a previously awarded Entry-level IE grant.

Colleges with a previously awarded Build IE grant (or its predecessor, the five-year IE grant) may include one additional page in their letter of intent to apply (LOI) for each previously awarded IE grant. In this page, colleges are requested to demonstrate that the new proposal, in comparison to the previous grant, focuses on different applied research disciplines, technical expertise and facilities, and that it supports a different and significant industry sector.

Colleges with a well-established expertise in an applied research area that have already received support from a five-year IE grant in a similar applied research discipline or have collaborated with a similar industry sector are encouraged to consider applying for an Extend IE grant.

At the conclusion of their Build IE grant, colleges should have increased their applied research capacities and developed the necessary strong partnerships with their regional company partners to sustain parts of their applied research activities through other granting opportunities such as the Extend IE grants, TAC grants or Applied Research and Development (ARD) grants.

Funding level and duration

Entry-level IE grant

Funding years 1 and 2: up to $100,000 per year. No minimum company commitment.

Build and Extend IE grants

The NSERC funding levels and minimum required contributions by eligible companies are described below for both new and renewal applications.

Build IE grants

 

The five-year Build IE grant (or its predecessor the five-year IE grant) can be renewed once for an additional three years (through the Extend IE grants) in the same applied research area. To be eligible for the Extend IE grant, the original five-year IE grant must have been completed in good standing or, for active IE grants, have received its fifth-year grant instalment.

Extend IE grants

 

Each grant will be administered by an eligible college and will be composed of a portfolio of fixed applied research projects and technology and knowledge transfer/outreach activities. Funds will go to individuals and/or teams of faculty members, working with their students on specified collaborative projects with businesses. The grants are intended to be flexible, to accommodate a variety of activities and to address the needs of a range of colleges (from small to large, rural to urban, etc.). All proposals must include a plan to involve faculty and students enrolled in programs at the college and indicate how they will work with the local companies and, possibly, other relevant partners.

Eligibility

Canadian colleges that have been declared eligible to administer grants according to the eligibility requirements for colleges of at least one of the three federal granting agencies (NSERC, CIHR and/or SSHRC) may submit a grant application.

Entry-level IE grant

• Colleges can be awarded only one Entry-level IE grant
• Colleges that have already received an IE, TAC or IRCC grant are not eligible for an Entry-level IE grant
• If a college obtains a Build IE grant while holding an Entry-level IE grant, no further annual Entry-level IE grant funds will be released
• Colleges are not eligible to submit an Entry-level IE grant proposal to the same competition to which they are submitting an application for a Build IE grant

Participation of businesses and other organizations

Businesses

Companies must participate in the IE grant and must be engaged at the application stage, as well as throughout the grant period. Colleges have to demonstrate that they have leveraged the minimum required cash and in-kind support for the IE proposal from business partners who could benefit from the activities (see Funding level and duration). Cash contributions from companies are not required for the Entry-level IE grants. However, for the Build IE grants, there is a requirement for progressively increasing company cash and in-kind contributions as the college builds its applied research capacity over the course of the grant. At the LOI and application stages, NSERC will require letters of support from companies.

The purpose of the IE grant is to build and enhance applied research capabilities in response to the needs of the community and local companies. Proposals may be anchored by a single (large) company, but they must include other company partners to demonstrate that the grant is effectively building the capacity needed to significantly benefit a broader group of companies within the industry sector. Past and future contributions (in-kind and cash) from eligible companies involved in the IE grant are required to be reported on an annual basis to NSERC. To be considered eligible by NSERC, private sector contributions must

• relate directly to the activities proposed by the college
• be for a collaborative applied research project and not a contract for services rendered
• be cash contributed by the private sector partner paid to the college (deposited in a grant account) for the purposes of the grant activities

Progress reports for the Build (18- and 30-month) and Extend (18-month) IE grants will be requested. The progress reports must include information on budget expenses, partner contributions and associated forms 183A. NSERC requests that a form 183A be provided when additional partners have joined the project.

Other organizations

The active participation and contributions (cash and in-kind) from governments (provincial, municipal, federal) and other organizations are encouraged, as they strengthen the application by broadening the impact of the applied research activities on the local or regional community. Please note that cash and in-kind contributions from such public-sector sources will strengthen the proposal but will not count toward the minimum company contribution levels (see Funding level and duration).

To demonstrate the importance of the economic area identified in the IE grant application, colleges will be encouraged to submit, as part of the application, letter(s) of support confirming the need for more applied research and technology transfer activities from local or regional business associations, chambers of commerce and/or provincial and federal government offices.

Application and review procedures

Entry-level IE grant

There is a one-stage evaluation process for Entry-level IE grants. Proposals are peer-reviewed through a competitive process against the established IE grant selection criteria.

The Entry-level IE grant application must include

• an application for a CCI-IE grant (form 103), pages 1 to 3
• a description of the proposed initiative (up to five pages, not including literature references, plus one additional page for literature references) focusing on one thematic element of the college’s applied research capabilities or plans describing
  • the applied research to be carried out (describing at least three projects to be undertaken with company partners)
  • the involvement of company, faculty, students and other relevant partners
• a CCI personal data form (form 103CV) from the applicant and key personnel involved in the project (up to five, including the applicant)
• a budget justification (one page only)
• a letter of support from at least one potential partner (maximum of three letters)
• a letter of support from the college president

Note: Colleges that submit an LOI for a Build IE grant who are not invited to submit a full application may, however, submit an Entry-level grant application in the fall competition if they are eligible.

Build and Extend IE grants

There is a two-stage evaluation process for the Build IE grants. Both stages are peer-reviewed through a competitive process using the selection criteria defined below.

Stage I: Letter of intent (for Build IE grants only)

Colleges must submit an LOI that describes

• a plan for increasing the applied research capacity of the college in the area of the proposal and for facilitating its transfer to business
• the applied research to be carried out
• the involvement of companies, faculty, students and other relevant partners
• the fit of the proposal to the needs of local companies and the college’s strategic plan
• the key personnel involved in the project
• the gaps in applied research capacity that need to be filled, the expected outcomes and the benefits to local companies
• if applicable, a one-page description of the novelty of the targeted applied research area for each previously awarded five-year IE grant

Build IE grant applicants who intend to apply to the NSERC-CFI joint initiative should add a paragraph that includes a brief description of the applied research and technology development infrastructure (e.g., equipment, renovations, etc.) for which funding is being requested and the projected amount requested from CFI in the budget justification section of the IE LOI. The IE LOI form must be submitted directly to NSERC. LOIs must

• be prepared according to the detailed instructions provided for the IE grants
• be accompanied by a letter from the president of the college (one page only), outlining the institutional support for the application and the relation to the college’s strategic plan
• include two letters (one page only for each letter) from local companies, outlining their support of the need for applied research in the area of the application and describing how the initiative will benefit them and contribute to local and/or regional innovation

LOIs will be evaluated based on the selection criteria listed below, by the CCI review committee, consisting of members who understand the role of colleges in economic development and their link with SMEs, and who have experience in the private sector and with innovation activities at the community level. This committee will recommend to NSERC the colleges to be invited to submit applications.

Applicants will be advised of the results of the LOI competition by the dates indicated in the table above. A confidential evaluation report, including the comments of the multidisciplinary CCI review committee, will be made available to each applicant. Based on the review, successful applicants will be invited by NSERC to submit an application.

Stage II: Application (for Build IE LOIs invited to Stage II and Extend IE grants)

Applications must include

• a description of the proposed initiative, including information on the involvement of students, faculty, local businesses and other relevant organizations
• a work plan for the duration of the proposed initiative, including performance measures
• a summary of the college’s overall strategy and research strategy
• a CCI personal data form (form 103CV) from the applicant and key personnel involved in the project (up to five, including the applicant)
• a budget detailing the planned use of the funds
• a letter from the president of the college confirming the institutional support for the application and the relation to the college’s strategic plan
• letters of support from all supporting organizations providing cash or in-kind contributions (no page limit)
• letters of support from local companies and other relevant stakeholders not providing cash or in-kind contributions (up to 10 letters; no page limit)
• a form 183A (Information required from organizations participating in research partnerships programs) for each company making a cash and/or in-kind contribution to the projects
• a list of five possible external reviewers to be suggested by the college from different sectors (e.g., academia, industry, government); these suggested reviewers must not be in a conflict of interest

Note: Those invited to submit an application to the NSERC-CFI joint initiative should complete an abbreviated CFI application form on CFI’s website to request funding for  infrastructure.

The onus is on the applicant to provide sufficient information to enable the external reviewers and/or the CCI review committee to evaluate the relationship with other sources of support (held or applied for). The consequence of not providing adequate information is that the CCI review committee may recommend reduced or no funding.

All applications undergo peer review. Each Build and Extend IE grant application will be reviewed by external reviewers. The evaluation of the external reviewers will be taken under consideration by the multidisciplinary CCI review committee. This committee will provide advice and comments on each application and will recommend to NSERC the colleges to receive grants.

Selection criteria

LOIs and applications are expected to explain the context of the environment in which the college operates, including its available resources and opportunities, and the commitment of the college to undertake this initiative. Contributions to local innovation will be of primary importance. Applications in an IE competition will be compared on their relative potential to build applied research capacity at their college.

Applications are evaluated on the following criteria. In order to be considered for funding, LOIs and applications must receive a passing grade for each of the criteria:

Novel applied research area (10 points)*

• the extent to which the proposed initiative launches a novel applied research direction for the college
• the potential of the initiative to support an industry sector previously unserved by the college

*Does not apply to Entry-level and Extend IE grants.

Potential to contribute to local or regional innovation (10 points)

• the extent to which the proposal addresses the unmet innovation needs of the local community or region
• the potential to substantially enhance the college’s capacity to collaborate with local or regional businesses, contributing to significant and sustainable impacts on local and/or regional innovation
• the effectiveness of the plan for transferring knowledge and technology to local or regional companies
• the total resources available for this initiative, and the involvement of various partners in the community, specifically from private sector companies (especially SMEs), other relevant stakeholders from the public sector and non-governmental organizations, and the college; also prospects for increasing partner organization commitments and contributions as the work progresses
• the track record of the college in contributing to local or regional innovation
• the quality and volume of student training, and the need for these enhanced skills in the local community or region

Excellence of the proposal (10 points)

• focus, clarity, quality and feasibility of the specific objectives of the proposal and of the work plan
• the quality of the team and the availability of the skills to accomplish the work plan
• the appropriateness of the plan for involving faculty and students in the applied research program
• the quality and appropriateness of the administration and management of the initiative
• the extent to which the proposal supports the college’s strategic plan
• the overall budget and the justification of the individual budget items

Specific rules for the use of grant funds

The CCI program will use the 2017 College and Community Innovation program tri-agency financial administration guide as its general guideline for the acceptable use of grant funds until March 31, 2022. On April 1, 2022, the CCI program will transition to the 2019 tri-agency guide on financial administration. However, colleges that are ready may optionally begin using the 2019 tri-agency guide on financial administration as of April 1, 2021.

Exceptions to the Use of grant funds section of the 2017 College and Community Innovation program tri-agency financial administration guide and the 2019 tri-agency guide on financial administration are listed below.

The following expenditures are eligible:

• overhead and administration costs up to 20% of the annual grant amount
• course load reduction costs to cover the salary of a replacement faculty hired to backfill a faculty member’s involvement in an applied research project and expenditures associated with recruitment-related activities
• salaries and non-discretionary benefits for non-faculty researchers and part-time faculty
• salaries associated with project management activities leading to the optimal use of project resources to meet the objectives of the research in a timely and budget-efficient manner
• equipment, operating supplies and consultant fees up to 20% of project costs

The following applies to student salaries following the award of the grant:

Actual expenditure reductions of greater than 20% on student salaries must be approved in advance by NSERC and are generally not accepted; NSERC may reduce future year grant instalments to reclaim unused student salary expenditures.

Announcement of the competition results for applications

Applicants will be advised of the results of the competition at the approximate dates indicated in the table above, and funding will commence shortly after. A confidential evaluation report including the comments of the external reviewers (for Build and Extend grants only) and the CCI review committee will be made available to each applicant.

Reporting

IE grants are closely monitored annually. The college is required to provide annual financial reports on expenditures and past and future contributions from businesses and other partners. Reporting requirements will be as follows:

Entry-level IE grant

Grant funding for the second year is dependent on satisfactory progress demonstrated by

• ongoing partnership and progress in the research
• appropriate use of grant funds
• need for funds

Build IE grant

Grant funding for the second and subsequent years is dependent on satisfactory progress demonstrated by

• ongoing partnerships and progress in the research
• company partner contributions received in line with the original budget in the funded proposal, and also meeting the minimum requirements of the program
• appropriate use of grant funds
• need for funds

A progress report must be submitted after 30 months (prior to the release of the fourth-year funding).

Extend IE grant

Grant funding for the second and subsequent years is dependent on satisfactory progress demonstrated by

• ongoing partnership and progress in the research
• company partner contributions received in line with the original budget in the funded proposal, and also meeting the minimum requirements of the program
• appropriate use of grant funds
• need for funds

Performance will be assessed based on the degree to which the objectives of the original proposal have been achieved and a demonstration of the short-term impacts. Release of subsequent instalments of the grant depends on satisfactory progress and ongoing business partner participation in line with the funded proposal. In addition, applicants will be required to report on performance targets, as set forth in the original application, during the tenure of the IE grant.

The company cash and in-kind contributions for both Build and Extend IE grants will be monitored annually. If the eligible partner contributions do not meet the minimum requirements, future grant instalments may be cancelled.  

Three months after the project’s end date, IE grantees must submit a final report

• outlining the tangible and intangible outcomes of the funded activities
• disclosing all sources of funding at the end of the project