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General InformationApplication InstructionsSignaturesChecklist for a Complete ApplicationGENERAL INFORMATIONAbout the ProgramRead the program description in the Program Guide for Professors before you complete the application. Who Completes the ApplicationThe applicant must complete the application and include all required documentation using the On-Line System. In addition, the Personal Data Form (Form 100) must be completed by applicants and co-applicants and linked to the application form. Presentation StandardsYou are responsible for submitting a complete application that conforms to the presentation standards established by NSERC. Incomplete applications and applications that do not meet the presentation standards may be rejected, or be at a disadvantage, in comparison with those that are complete and respect the presentation standards. Where page limits are stated, pages in excess of the number permitted will be removed. For more information, read the NSERC On-line Presentation and Attachment Standards. Application DeadlinesYour application must be received at your institution’s research grants office by their internal deadline date; contact your research grants office for those deadlines. For programs with deadlines, the application must be received at NSERC by 5:00 p.m. local time (at your location) on the deadline date. If it is not received by the deadline, it will be considered late and will be rejected. Application deadlines are indicated in each of the program descriptions, as well as on the Application Deadline Table. Material or updates received under separate cover (before or after the deadline date) will not be accepted. Personal InformationThe collection, use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC is outlined in the following policy statements:
The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act. NSERC is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (ATIP).The information you provide is stored in a series of NSERC data banks described in Info Source. Help with Program Information
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APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONSAPPLICATION PROFILETitle of ProposalThe title will be used for publication purposes. It should describe the subject of the research to be supported. It should not contain a company or trade name. Spell out scientific symbols and acronyms.
Time devoted to proposed research/activityEnter the time devoted by the applicant (in hours per month) to the proposed research/activity. Evaluation Group AssignmentIn the “suggested evaluation group” selection box, select List to choose the Evaluation Group you feel should review your application. Click on the instructions icon “i” to view the topics covered by each Evaluation Group. Note: NSERC reserves the right to make the final evaluation group assignment. AREA(S) OF RESEARCHResearch Subject CodesConsult the NSERC Code Tables. All applicants are required to select a primary research code. Key WordsProvide a maximum of 10 key words that describe the proposal. CERTIFICATION/REQUIREMENTSBefore completing this page, consult the Policies and Guidelines of the Program Guide for Professors concerning the requirements for certain types of research. Research Involving Humans:If you select Yes, you must provide your institution's administration with the appropriate certification indicating that research involving humans has been reviewed and has received the required approval. Research Involving Human Pluripotent Stem Cells:If you select Yes, or if through peer review the application is found to
fall into this category and is recommended for funding, it will be forwarded, with
your consent, to the Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC) to ensure compliance
with
Research Involving the Use of Animals:If you select Yes, you must provide your institution's administration with the certification from the animal care committee at the institution that the experimental procedures proposed have been approved and that the care and treatment of animals is in accordance with the principles outlined in the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) guide. Research Involving Hazardous Substances:If you select Yes, you must provide your institution's administration with the certification from the biosafety committee at the institution that the laboratory procedures being used comply with the safety precautions necessary for the level of containment required by the research. Environmental Impact:If any activities take place outside of an office or a laboratory, and/or involve a physical work under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), you must complete Appendix A of Form 101, Environmental Impact, and Appendix B of Form 101, Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Pre-Screening Checklist. Refer to the Environmental Assessment section of these instructions. CO-APPLICANTSFor team applications, list each co-applicant's name, personal identification number (if known), organization name, as well as the time (in hours per month) each co-applicant will devote to the proposed research/activity or the use of equipment or facility. By submitting this form, the applicant certifies that the individuals listed as co-applicants have been informed of the precise uses and disclosures of their personal information by NSERC (see Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to NSERC) and have authorized the release of the information by the applicant. Co-applicants, except those from the applicant’s institution, must advise the authorized officer of their organization that the applicant, or the applicant’s institution, will be seeking their signature prior to submitting the application to NSERC, agreeing to their participation. SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONSEnter information about each co-applicant organization's signing officer (other than the applicant’s organization). For supporting organizations such as an industrial partner or a government department, enter information about the authorized representative(s). The applicant must ensure that the co-applicants from other institutions obtain the appropriate signature from the authorized officer of their organization prior to submitting the application to NSERC (see Signature Requirements within this document). SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL FOR PUBLIC RELEASEThe summary is intended to explain the proposal in language that the public can understand. Using simple terms, briefly describe the nature of the work to be done. Indicate why and to whom the research is important, the anticipated outcomes and how your field and Canada will benefit. If you wish, you may also provide a summary in the other official language in the text box identified for that purpose. PROPOSED EXPENDITURESBefore completing this page, read the instructions and consult the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for information about the eligibility of expenditures for the direct costs of research and the regulations governing the use of grant funds. Use the Budget Justification section to explain and justify each budget item. Provide a five-year budget. If your request is for a shorter duration, explain why in the Budget Justification section. Contributions from other sources (if applicable)If appropriate, enter any contributions from other sources in the space provided. The “Total amount requested from NSERC” on page 1 of your application is calculated automatically and equals the “Total proposed expenditures for direct costs of research” minus the “Total cash contributions from other sources.” Use the Budget Justification section to explain these contributions. BUDGET JUSTIFICATIONProvide a detailed explanation and justification for each budget item identified in the Proposed Expenditures page. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess whether the resources requested are appropriate. This page should only contain information pertinent to the budget. Salaries and benefitsGive the names (if known), categories of employment and proposed salaries (with explicit indication of the non-discretionary benefits) of students, postdoctoral fellows, and research staff. Briefly describe the responsibilities for each position and indicate the percentage of time they will be spending on this project over its life span. Do not include salaries of faculty in project costs. Refer to Form 100 for information regarding obtaining consent to name individuals in your proposal. Equipment or facilityGive a breakdown of the items requested, models, manufacturers, prices, and applicable taxes. Justify each item requested. Items costing more than $7,000 should be requested separately in a Research Tools and Instruments grant application. Fees to be paid for the use of equipment or a facility should be described (e.g., hours and rate). Also report the need for beam time or other special facilities, and if time has been allocated for these. Materials and suppliesProvide details and explain major items. TravelExplain briefly how each activity relates to the proposed research. DisseminationProvide details of publication costs, user workshops or other activities. Other expensesList all items not relevant to previous categories, and provide a brief explanation for major items. Contributions from other sources (if applicable)If appropriate, explain any contributions from other sources. If your request is for a shorter duration than five years, explain why. OTHER DOCUMENTSIf you need to provide a summary and budget page from other proposals or projects (see Relationship to Other Research Support), describe the document, scan as one document and attach these documents electronically. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER RESEARCH SUPPORTSee Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency and Addressing Other Sources of Funding for additional information. Any relationship and/or overlap, conceptual or financial, with work supported by NSERC or other funding sources must be explained. Other sources of support include grants and contributions from funding agencies, organizations, the private sector, institution start-up funds, research chairs, the primary place of employment (for adjunct professors), and other institutional research support. Use additional pages to provide the following information:
The onus is on the applicant to provide sufficient information to enable the reviewers to evaluate the relationship between this application and other sources of support, the incremental value of additional support from the program, and to recommend the appropriate NSERC funding level. The consequence of not providing adequate information to assess the relationship to other research support is that the reviewers may recommend a lower rating or no funding. PROPOSALUse the guidelines outlined in the NSERC On-line Presentation and Attachment Standards to provide the requested information in a document to be attached to the application. Follow the instructions and address the selection criteria for the Discovery Grants program. Using the headings below and in a maximum of five (5) single-sided pages [eight (8) pages for team applications with at least one eligible co-applicant; for SAP projects, five (5) pages with two (2) additional pages per co-applicant], describe the research to be supported. Provide details on:
Images and graphics are included in the above-mentioned page limitations. NOTE:
In addition,
REFERENCES
Letters of supportAdditional documents such as letters of support must not be submitted and will be removed. The exception to this rule is letters from users attesting to the nature and the significance of confidential technical and internal reports described in your Personal Data Form (Form 100). For additional information, refer to the Guidelines for the Review and Preparation of Applications in Engineering and the Applied Sciences. SAMPLES OF RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONSA maximum of four samples of research contributions are to be submitted electronically with your application. The samples of contributions such as reprints, preprints and/or manuscripts, excerpts from your thesis, technical reports, etc. will be used by reviewers to assess the quality of your work. These documents should be chosen to represent your most significant recent contributions, or those most relevant to the proposed work in the last 6 years (for applicants with research backgrounds in non-university settings, these documents may include contributions over the last ten years). For each sample of research contributions (reprints, pre-prints, manuscripts, excerpts from thesis, technical reports, etc.) provide a description in the appropriate modules and attach the contribution that has already been converted to a PDF file format. You should not exceed four samples of research contributions. Note that this also applies to team applications. SIGNATURESNSERC does not require original signatures on applications or other documents submitted electronically using the On-line System. The electronic submission of applications through its On-line System represents approval and replaces the traditional “physical or wet” signatures. Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions in the Program Guide for Professors for more details What do the electronic or original signatures on the application mean?The signature of the applicant confirms that the applicant:
The signature of the applicant also confirms that during tenure of a grant/award, the applicant:
The signatures of the co-applicants confirm that they:
Notes:
The signatures of the institutional authorities certify that:
The signatures of authorized officers of other supporting organizations certify that the organization:
If you are both the applicant or co-applicant and a principal of a collaborating company, another senior official must sign on behalf of the company. ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTAPPENDIX A - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTNote: If you have checked "Yes" under Certification Requirements on Form 101, both Appendix A and Appendix B must be completed. Please complete all the fields in Appendix A. Name of other participating organizations (if applicable): Please list the names of any federal or provincial government departments or agencies, industrial partners, or universities/colleges that will be participating in or contributing to the proposed research. Name of location: Give the name of the location where the proposed work will take place. An Appendix A must be completed for each location at which research is to be conducted. If your research involves more than three locations, please contact NSERC's Environmental Assessment (EA) Unit by e-mail at enviro.assess@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or by phone at 613-992-3612 or 613-995-8079. Main characteristics of the location: Provide a brief, non-technical description of the location(s) at which the work described in the proposal will be conducted. In the headings that follow, describe (in non-technical language) the activities that will be undertaken in the course of the research. This includes both the research activities themselves and the activities required for the research to take place (e.g., ground clearing or preparation, construction of access trails or roads). Principal activity(ies) and Activity components: Principal activity(ies): For each location, list the principal activity(ies) (e.g., fossil collection). Activity components: Each principal activity includes one or more activity components. Provide a short description of individual activities grouped within the principal activity. Examples of activity components are construction and clearing of access trails; construction of a boardwalk, clearing of brush from the study site, fossil excavation, cleaning of fossil; and removal of fossils. Please provide quantitative estimates if possible (e.g., in the preceding example, the construction and clearing of an access trail could involve an area 500 m long by 2.5 m wide). For each principal activity and activity component, list the environmental elements affected and a description of those effects in the space provided. Environmental elements affected: For each activity component, certain environmental elements will be affected. For the purposes of environmental assessment, environmental elements include biological and physical elements. For example, the construction and clearing of an access trail might involve the removal of all vegetation (including trees over 50 cm in diameter), or the clearing of brush up to 2 m high only. Please provide quantitative estimates, if possible. Description of effects: Environmental effects of the project are changes in the biophysical environment caused by the project, as well as certain effects that flow directly from those changes. These include effects on human health, socioeconomic conditions, physical and cultural heritage (including effects on things of archaeological, paleontological, or architectural significance), and the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes by First Nation persons. Do not describe the effects in detail; a simple statement will suffice. For instance, returning to the previous example, removal of the vegetation might entail erosion, the loss or elimination of particular avian or mammalian species, the loss of livelihood for residents, or a loss of spiritual or aesthetic value. Such loss depends on the context in which it takes place. Mitigation measures: Under this heading, you should describe the mitigation measures, if any are required, that will be undertaken to alleviate potential environmental effects. To continue with the previous example, a mitigation measure to minimize vegetation loss might be to plant tree or brush seedlings, or to avoid clearing vegetation in a known avian or mammalian habitat, or in an area that is of cultural or aesthetic value to the residents. APPENDIX B - CEAA PRE-SCREENING CHECKLISTResearch proposals that are subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) are determined in two ways. Either they involve undertakings in relation to physical works (Part 1), or they relate to a proposed activity not related to a physical work that is subject to the Act (Part 2). Part 1Determination of a Physical Work under the CEAADetermining whether or not something constitutes a physical work under the CEAA requires a consideration of what is defined as a physical work, and what is defined as an "undertaking in relation to a physical work." A physical work has the following characteristics:
Obvious examples of physical works are buildings, towers, and greenhouses. However, the following are also considered to be physical works under the CEAA:
Undertakings in relation to a physical work must be examined. The applicant must determine whether any phase of the proposal involves the "construction, operation, modification, decommissioning, abandonment or other activity" in relation to a physical work.
If in doubt as to the nature of the physical work, please contact NSERC's EA unit. Part 2Determination of Assessable Activities under the CEAAThe CEAA requires the assessment of activities not related to physical works. In many cases, these activities require a permit or authorization from a federal department or agency pursuant to other legislation. Note: Applicants are responsible for verifying whether permits are required for any of the activities. Please check with the appropriate federal authority; if you are unsure, check "Unknown."
Important If you have checked "Yes" to any item under Parts 1 or 2, a Screening is likely to be required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Please contact NSERC's EA unit for additional information. If you have checked "No" to all items under Parts 1 and 2, your proposal is not likely to be subject to assessment under the CEAA. If you have checked "Unknown" to any item under Part 2, please contact NSERC's EA unit (below) for additional information. If you have any questions or require more information, contact: Environmental Assessment Unit LIST FOR A COMPLETE APPLICATIONUse the following checklist to make sure your application is complete.
Before preparing a Discovery Grant application, you should have completed Form 180 (Notification of Intent to Apply for a Discovery Grant) and submitted it to NSERC by the designated date.
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