Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Overview of the Collaborative Research and Development Grants program:

CRD Grants support well-defined projects undertaken by university researchers and their partners. Direct project costs are shared by the partner(s) and NSERC. The Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships include a list of partner types eligible for fund matching by NSERC and describe the potential involvement of additional partners.

Benefits of the Collaborative Research and Development Grants program:

• The Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants are intended to:
• Create mutually beneficial collaborations between Canadian universities and private and/or public sector partners that lead to advancements that will result in economic, social or environmental benefits for Canada and Canadians;
• Expand the scope of research undertaken at Canadian universities, fostering dynamic interaction between discovery-based and innovative research, and allowing the research results to be translated into new knowledge, products or processes;
• Provide an enhanced experiential learning environment for graduate students and, where appropriate, postdoctoral fellows, by exposing them to research challenges unique to partnerships, and by providing them with the opportunity for significant ongoing interactions with the partnering organization(s);
• Allow partners to access the unique knowledge, expertise, infrastructure and potential highly educated and skilled future employees graduating from Canadian universities.

Eligibility criteria of the Collaborative Research and Development Grants program:

• Applications are evaluated on the following criteria:
• Scientific merit: The project must be scientifically sound, technically feasible, and promise either to generate new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an innovative manner.
• Competence of the research team: The applicant and the research team together must have all the expertise required to address the defined objectives competently and to complete the project successfully. Academic expertise may be complemented with the know-how of the partner(s).
• Training opportunities: The proposal must include a student training component. It must indicate how the knowledge and experience gained by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, or others, including partner personnel, are relevant to the advancement of the field, to developing practical applications of knowledge, or to strengthening the industrial research base. The number of undergraduate and graduate students trained must be commensurate with the size of the project. It must be shown that students and postdoctoral fellows have an opportunity to enhance their experiential learning and gain new skills through interactions with their partner(s).
• Industrial Relevance and Benefits: The anticipated impact of the research results, highlighting the relevance and potential value of the scientific or technical advances for the partner(s), must be well-explained and compelling. If appropriate, the proposal must convincingly explain how this research will address critical knowledge gaps that pose barriers to developing new and innovative products, services, processes, or technologies in Canada.
• Benefits to Canada: In addition to the benefits anticipated for the partner(s) described under the Industrial Relevance and Benefits criterion, the proposal must detail any additional economic, social, or environmental benefits for Canada and Canadians, as well as explain any advantages Canada stands to gain from the planned partnership(s).
• University support: For large or complex proposals (requesting at least $200,000 per year from NSERC), the proposal must demonstrate adequate university support for the project by detailing the specific commitments of the university regarding the provision of financial support, equipment, and/or facilities.
• Budget: The proposal must provide a detailed explanation and justification for each budget item. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess whether the resources requested and the level of cash and in-kind commitments are appropriate. A significant portion of the budget must be allocated to salaries for students and postdoctoral fellows.