Annual Funding of Grants

New Grants

Grant notification letters are sent to applicants and relevant financial officers with a commitment for one year's funding, and indicating future annual instalments, if any.

Payment of Grants

Grant funds are sent directly to the organization's financial office. The organization may not disburse any funds on behalf of the principal applicant until all specified certification requirements, such as humans, animal care and biohazards have been met. No grant funds will be released by NSERC until all payment conditions have been met (e.g., confirmation of activity reports and an environmental assessment).

Annual instalments for grants less than $100,000 will be issued in one lump sum in January of the year following the grants competition. For grants of more than $100,000 per year, payments will be made in two different fiscal years (i.e., one payment of 50 percent in January and the second payment of 50 percent in July).

Subsequent Instalments

All subsequent instalments are subject to Parliamentary appropriations and the conditions that may be attached to them. Also, NSERC reserves the right to defer or suspend subsequent instalments if the Parliamentary appropriations are reduced or cancelled, or if the need for funds is not demonstrated.

A progress report must be received and approved by NSERC before a second- or third-year payment will be issued.

Overexpenditures

NSERC is not responsible for funding expenditures or commitments by organizations that exceed the NSERC funds credited to them for the current and prior fiscal periods.

Extension Period for Use of Funds Beyond Grant Period

PromoScience grants are awarded for one to three years, with the grant period running from January 1 to December 31, starting in the year following the grants competition. Organizations may not make any new commitments beyond the end of the grant period in the final year of the grant. Should any unexpended funds remain at this time, organizations are instructed to submit a written request to the PromoScience Program Officer before the funding expiry date of the grant, briefly stating why the extension is required and when the activities will draw to a close.

If funds remain at the end of the grant term, and an extension is neither required nor granted by NSERC, the balance should be returned to NSERC by a cheque made payable to the "Receiver General for Canada – NSERC."

No requests for extensions will be considered if the organization paid has not submitted a Form 300 for each period of the grant, ending March 31.