Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
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Summary of Changes – 2009 Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide

  1. NSERC, SSHRC and CIHR have revised the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide. A summary of the most significant changes appears below.
  2. The Summary of Changes to the NSERC Program Guide for Professors is also available.
  3. The This link will take you to another Web site Summary of Changes to the CIHR This link will take you to another Web site Grants and Awards Guide is also available.
Financial Administration
Section and Sub-section Nature of Changes
Responsibilities and Accountability
Intellectual Property/Patents We invite you to read the revised NSERC policy on Intellectual Property.
Archiving of Research Data CIHR only
First paragraph removed.
Annual Funding of Grants
Extension Period for Use of Funds Beyond a Grant Period New harmonized bullet – Eighth bullet.
Use of Grant Funds
Compensation-Related Expenses Eligible Compensation-Related Expenses CIHR only
Changes to Notes section.

Other types of eligible compensation related expenses

CIHR only
Added Research Time Stipends (only when included in a particular funding opportunity).

Non-eligible expenses

CIHR only
Changes in fourth bullet.
Equipment and Supplies Eligible Expenses

First bullet – added a link to a table providing additional examples of eligible and non-eligible expenses for supplies.
Services and Miscellaneous Expenses Eligible Expenses

Added eligible expense (see last bullet).
Reporting and Supporting Evidence
Reporting and Supporting Evidence The title "Reporting" is now entitled "Reporting and Supporting Evidence."
Administrative Matters
Ownership of Items Purchased With Grant Funds The title “Ownership of Items Purchased or Collected With Grant Funds” is now entitled “Ownership of Items Purchased With Grant Funds.”
Ownership of Collections and Specimens The title “Collections or Specimens” is now entitled “Ownership of Collections and Specimens.”

Moved to Responsibilities and Accountability section below Archiving of Research Data subsection.
Paid Maternity and Parental Leave for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows The title "Paid Parental Leave For Students and Postdoctoral Fellows” is now entitled “Paid Maternity and Parental Leave for Students and Postdoctoral Fellows.”

Moved below Maternity, Parental, Medical or Family Medical Leave for Grantees section.

Removed all process-based information and added link to process document.
Relocation of a Grantee to an Eligible Canadian Institution The title “Transferring Grant(s) to an Eligible Canadian Institution” is now entitled “Relocation of a Grantee to an Eligible Canadian Institution.”

Removed all process-based information and added link to process document.
Moving Equipment or an Unexpended Equipment Grant The title “Moving Equipment, Material or an Unexpended Equipment Grant” is now entitled “Moving Equipment or an Unexpended Equipment Grant.”

Removed last sentence.

Added link to MOU schedule 12.

Moved above Deferral of Instalment/Annual Commitment Payments subsection.
Termination of a Grant The title “Termination Procedures” is now entitled “Termination of a Grant.”
Maternity, Parental, Medical or Family Medical Leave for Grantees The title “Parental, Medical or Care and Nurturing Leave” is now entitled “Maternity, Parental, Medical or Family Medical Leave for Grantees.”

Moved below Termination of a Grant.

CIHR has harmonized the extension of the term of a grant with NSERC, but only in cases where there is only one Grantee (i.e., one Principal Applicant) on the grant.

For CIHR, the Grantee may request an amount to cover the extended leave of absence for up to one year, provided that there is only one Grantee (i.e., one Principal Applicant) on the grant.

Removed all process-based information and added link to process document.

NSERC only
Section removed.

CIHR only
Section removed.
Sabbatical Leave The title “Sabbatical and Other Leaves” is now entitled “Sabbatical Leave.”

Text fully harmonized between NSERC and CIHR.

Removed all process-based information and added link to process document.
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