Call for Applications

Complete the Form

Start by completing the Application Summary Form.

The signature of the principal applicant and of your post-secondary institution’s representative (if applicable) on the Application Summary Form means that the representative:

• certifies that the information provided in the application is correct;
• agrees to abide by NSERC regulations governing awards;
• will use the grant only for the purpose(s) for which it was awarded;
• understands the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (ATIP) as they pertain to grant application information;
• will acknowledge NSERC funding in all official communications, advertising, public events and media releases; and
• recognizes and accepts that NSERC may defer an instalment if the need for funds is not demonstrated.

Show Us How You Meet the Program Criteria

In addition to the Application Summary Form, your submission must include (up to five pages maximum):

• an executive summary of up to 150 words including the nature and goals of the program, the number of youth to be reached and an overview of how the PromoScience funding would be spent; and
• a description of how your proposed program addresses the selection criteria.

Divide your application into three sections; use the selection criteria as headings and indicators as sub-headings. Requests for core funding must include a detailed description of the organization’s main activities.

The onus is on the applicant to submit a complete application and one that conforms to the General Presentation Guidelines 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.

Tell Us About Your Organization’s Financial Picture

Your PromoScience application must also include the financial information listed below. This information is not counted in the five-page limit and must also conform to the General Presentation Guidelines.

• Your organization's most recent financial statements:
• Non-profit organization applicants must submit audited or unaudited financial statements.
• Post-secondary institution applicants must submit a detailed summary of revenues and expenses for the relevant program(s) from the previous year. Please do not submit institutional financial statements.
• A general budget forecast covering each year of the requested granting period (January to December). There are many differing styles for presenting budgetary information. This sample budget is intended as a guide for your organization to follow. Some items may not be listed or may not apply to your organization; please adapt the template according to your needs. Include:
• projected revenues of your organization. Breakdown income by source: PromoScience, federal government (indicate other funds received from NSERC and other federal granting agencies), provincial government, private sector, foundations, self-generated, university, etc.; and
• anticipated expenses of your organization (breakdown by expenditure: salaries, equipment, materials and supplies, travel costs, publicity, etc.).
• A budget justification to explain and justify each budget item.
• An explanation of any relationship and/or overlap, conceptual or financial, with other NSERC funding or support from other sources.
• Estimated in-kind contributions (salaries, equipment, space, etc.). In-kind contributions should be included in the budget as a separate category clearly indicated as in-kind.
• A detailed breakdown of how you intend to use the requested PromoScience funding. Please identify specific program(s) with their related expenses, and indicate any priorities for funding.

Note: NSERC’s contribution is generally up to one-third of a program’s funding. In past competitions, the majority of requests ranged from $10,000 to $50,000 per year.

Certification Requirements

Each organization receiving NSERC funding is responsible for ensuring whether certification is required and, if so, that requirements have been met for PromoScience-supported activities that involve human subjects, human pluripotent stem cells, animals or biohazards. Information on the specific policies is available under “Requirements for Certain Types of Research.” While these policies were written for research-related activities, in the context of PromoScience they may also apply to outreach, teaching and instructional activities. In the event of any uncertainty, applicants should contact the PromoScience Program Officer.

Upon the award of a PromoScience grant, applicants may be required to submit their program for review by a Research Ethics Board, or Animal Care Committee, administered by a local university or college. In such cases, awards would be made conditional upon a satisfactory review.

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 Environmental Impact and Appendix B Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Pre-Screening Checklist.

For Applicants with Past or Current PromoScience Funding

A one-page activity report (as an additional page) must be provided, and will be reviewed by the Selection Committee in terms of the effective use of past funding and, for renewing applicants, the ongoing effectiveness of the programming.

The report must include:

• the total amount of past or current PromoScience grant(s);
• the length of the grant term(s);
• a brief description of the activities supported with previous PromoScience funding;
• an overview of the outcomes and impacts from previous funding; and
• a justification for continued NSERC support (for renewing applicants only).

Include Letters of Support

• Up to five letters of reference; these are highly recommended, as applications without letters of reference may be at a disadvantage in the competition. Applicants that are specifically targeting an under-represented group are strongly encouraged to include a letter from an organization linked with the under-represented target audience.
• An unlimited number of letters of commitment to confirm funding agreements from the host organization and/or outside sources; please do not include copies of cheques (optional).

Append Background Documentation (optional)

You may include key material such as annual reports, promotional brochures or publications. This material will be available to the members of the Selection Committee at their November meeting; however, it will be reviewed only at the Committee’s discretion. Any information central to your application should be addressed within the description of the proposed program.

Do not include videos or CD ROMs.

Meet the Deadline

NSERC must receive applications by September 15, 2009.

Your application must be received at NSERC by the deadline date. If it is postmarked earlier, but not received at NSERC by the deadline, it is considered late and will be rejected. If the deadline falls on a weekend, or federal holiday, your application must reach NSERC by the following working day. Late applications will not be accepted.

Send one copy of the completed form and all necessary documentation to NSERC at the address shown on the Application Summary Form. Please do not bind or staple the application.

Note that all submissions and support material become the property of NSERC and will not be returned. Any documentation received after the deadline will be placed on file and will not be included in the application.

Notification of Decision

NSERC will inform all applicants (in writing) of the results of the annual PromoScience competition in late December. NSERC will not provide results by telephone. Grantees can expect to receive their first instalment by early February. A list of the successful grantees will also be posted on the PromoScience Web site.