Engage Grants Program

Overview
Value	Up to $25,000 for up to six months
Application Deadline	No deadline
How to Apply	See below
Application Forms	Form 100 Form 101 Form 183A Apply on-line
Program Contacts	See below

Objectives

The Engage Grants (EG) Program is intended to give companies that operate from a Canadian base access to the unique knowledge and expertise available at Canadian universities (see the List of Eligible Institutions). This program is intended to foster the development of new research partnerships between academic researchers and companies that have never collaborated together before, by supporting short-term research and development projects aimed at addressing a company-specific problem.

Please note that funds dedicated to support travel and meeting activities to establish contact with new potential industrial partners may be applied for through the Interaction Grants Program.

Description

The EG Program supports well-defined projects undertaken by eligible university researchers and their private-sector partners. A maximum grant of $25,000, over a period not exceeding six months, will be awarded to the academic researcher to cover the direct project costs associated with the research activities needed to address the identified problem. Please refer to the guidelines for the use of grant funds.

Engage projects can be at any point in the R&D spectrum that is consistent with the university's research, training and technology transfer mandate. Eligible collaborations include focused projects with specific short-term objectives. All proposals require evidence of planning and sound budget justification, and must clearly spell out the underlying assumptions, intended approaches, milestones and deliverables. The project must be scientifically sound and technically feasible. It must be aimed at solving the company-specific problem through the generation of new knowledge, or the application of existing knowledge in an innovative manner.

Proposals are not eligible for the EG Program if they:

• focus on the application of existing technology;
• provide routine analysis, or routine use of university equipment;
• collect data without interpreting underlying mechanisms;
• relate to the set-up and operational management of an institute, or a formal or informal group of researchers; and
• are principally associated with the acquisition and maintenance of scientific equipment.

Industrial Participation

As the purpose of the EG Program is to foster the development of a new relationship between a company and the academic researcher, there can be no existing or past relationship between the two parties, including a previous research collaboration, consulting contract, or involvement on the part of the academic researcher in the company.

The company must operate from a Canadian base and demonstrate clear intentions to further develop and apply any technology for the benefit of the Canadian economy. Please consult your NSERC regional office for further information.

Due to the focus on a problem specific to the chosen company, and the short duration of this grant, any Intellectual Property (IP) arising from the project will belong to the company. While NSERC does not require that a research agreement be concluded between the host institution and the company, NSERC's Policy on Intellectual Property should be consulted to ensure that all parties, including any students involved, are aware of their obligations.

Application Procedures

Proposals can be submitted at any time by using a Personal Data Form (Form 100), an Application for a Grant (Form 101) and an Information Required from Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs (Form 183A). A letter of support from the company involved in the grant must be provided outlining the reason and the nature of its participation, what benefits the expected outcome of the project will bring to the organization and the measures to implement them. Full instructions for professors and their industrial sponsor(s) to complete the forms and the on-line submission are found on NSERC's On-line Services page. All proposals are reviewed by a selection committee on a monthly basis. Decisions on funding Engage Grants are usually made within four to six weeks of receiving a complete application.

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Research competence: 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 residing in the company. The applicant must be an NSERC-eligible academic researcher and must have held a research grant from a recognized federal or provincial granting agency within the past six years.
• Industrial relevance: The proposal must identify how the work will benefit the company and demonstrate how it will be exploited within a reasonable time frame.
• Creation of a new collaborative relationship: The proposal must involve an academic researcher and a company that have never collaborated before.
• Contribution to technology transfer: The proposal must identify how the university research team and the company's scientific/technical staff will work together to ensure that the knowledge/technology will be transferred effectively to the company.
• Benefit to Canada: As well as the economic benefit described under the Industrial Relevance criterion above, the proposal should outline any additional economic, social and environmental benefits that could be realized in Canada.

Reporting

Engage projects are monitored closely. A final report is required from the grantee within one month following the end of the grant. The company will be asked to provide comments on the project's outcome.

Contacts

NSERC Regional Offices
Contact the NSERC regional office in your area.

NSERC
Tel.: 613-995-1111
E-mail: rpp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca