College and Community Innovation Program - Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges Grants

Instructions for completing an application – Form 103

• General information
• Completing the application
• Signatures
• List for a complete application

General information

About the program

Read the relevant grant description within the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program before you complete the application.

Who completes the application?

CCI grants are institutional grants. The application should therefore be submitted by a representative of the institution (normally a senior manager in the administration of the college delegated by the college president to prepare the application and manage the grant), by completing the required documentation using the On-line System. The applicant of the proposal cannot be the Chair candidate.

The Chair candidate must complete a College and Community Innovation Program Personal Data Form (Form 103CV)—a form-fillable, portable document format (PDF) document—and attach it to the application using the On-line System.

Presentation standards

You 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 deadlines

Your application must be received at your institution’s research grants office by its internal deadline date; contact your research grants office for that deadline.

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 and Notification of Decision page.

Material or updates received under separate cover (before or after the deadline date) will not be accepted.

Personal information

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC is outlined in the following policy statements:

• the the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (including the Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to NSERC);
• Data Retention Information;
• Privacy Notice.

The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act and By-Laws. 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  Information about programs and information holdings.

Help with program information

• Contact the staff responsible for the program to which you are applying.

Help with the NSERC On-line System

• Check the Frequently Asked Questions on how to use the On-line System;
• Review the instructions available in the application;
• Contact the On-line Services Helpdesk. Send an email to: webapp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or call 613-995-4273. Include your email address and telephone number.

Completing the application

Application profile

Title of proposal

The Chair title will be used for publication purposes and must adhere to the specific format. The convention to be followed for the Chair title is as follows:

<Granting Agency> Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in <research subject>

The title must begin with the name of the granting agency (i.e., NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR) under whose mandate the applied research area falls. The granting agency name must be followed by “Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in” and the subject of the applied research program to be established. Scientific symbols or acronyms in the title must be spelled out and the name of the college must not be included in the title. The following are examples of valid titles.

NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Machining Technologies

SSHRC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Addiction Care

CIHR Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Stroke Rehabilitation

Current employment

Provide your primary place of employment, the organization and department names and telephone number.

Area(s) of research

Research subject codes

Consult the NSERC Code Tables. If the applied research focus of the proposal is in the natural sciences or engineering, you are required to select a research subject code for the primary area of research from the list of Research Subject Codes. You can also select a secondary research subject code. Otherwise, leave the fields blank.

Area of application codes

Consult the NSERC Code Tables. If the applied research focus of the proposal is in the natural sciences or engineering, you are required to select a code for the primary area of application from the list of Area of Application Codes. You can also select a code for a secondary Area of Application. Otherwise, leave the fields blank.

Key words

Provide a maximum of 10 keywords that describe the proposal.

Certification/requirements

Before 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 CIHR's Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC) to ensure compliance with  Chapter 12, Section F of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2). The SCOC review is in addition to the normal review by local Research Ethics Boards (REBs). Funding will not be released until approval has been obtained from the SCOC.

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: The Impact Assessment Form (Appendix A) may be required. For more information, consult NSERC’s Guidelines on Impact Assessment.

Supporting organizations

Enter information about an authorized representative from each supporting organization's (such as a private-sector partner or a government department).

Chair candidate

Enter the name of the Chair candidate and the time to be devoted by the Chair Candidate (in hours per month) to the proposed applied research/activity. Only one Chair candidate per application will be accepted (i.e. co-chairing is not permitted).

Participants

Since all College and Community Innovation Program funds are institutional grants, faculty, research assistants, technical professionals and other staff involved with the proposal can be listed as participants. If applicable, list each participant’s name, personal identification number (if known), organization name, as well as the time (in hours per month) each participant will devote to the proposed applied research/activity or the use of equipment.

Only the main participants should be listed on the proposal. Participants need to obtain their organization's approval and must provide a complete College and Community Innovation Program Personal Data Form (Form 103CV), including a signed copy of the Terms and Conditions of Applying Form, to the applicant.

Participants, except those from the applicant's institution, must advise the authorized officer of their organization that NSERC will be seeking their signature through its secure site, agreeing to their participation.

By submitting this form, the applicant certifies that the individuals listed as participants 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.

CV – Applicant, Chair candidate and participant(s)

The curriculum vitae (CV) for the Applicant, Chair candidate and, if applicable, participants, is made up of two sections and a consent form. Part I collects specific information on the person using the NSERC form entitled College Personal Data form. Part II is free-form text limited to five pages and used to list contributions such as the person’s relevant experience and contributions to applied research and innovation. See the instructions for completing the College and Community Innovation Program Personal Data Form (Form 103CV).

When completed, the Applicant’s, Chair candidate’s and participants’ CVs, together with a signed copy of the Consent to Disclosure of Personal Information Forms, must be saved as a single PDF document and attached to the application.

Collaborators

A collaborator is a member of the research team. The collaborator will not have access to the grant funds and must be qualified to undertake applied research independently. Collaborators are expected to contribute to the overall intellectual direction of the applied research project and to bring their own resources to the collaboration. Examples of collaborators are: government scientists, academic researchers, company staff members or research scientists.

List each collaborator’s name, personal identification number (if known), organization name, and the time (in hours per month) each will devote to the proposed applied research/activity.

CV – collaborators

If necessary, a CV (maximum five pages) from each collaborator can be submitted with the application. The applicant must save all CVs from the collaborators in one PDF document and attach the PDF document to the application.

Summary of proposal

The 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 applied research is important, the anticipated outcomes and how Canada will benefit.

This plain language summary will be available to the public if your proposal is funded.

If you wish, you may also provide a summary in the other official language in the text box identified for that purpose.

In either language, your summary must not exceed 21 lines on the printed copy. To ensure that your text will fit in the limited space, save your information, select Preview, and then adjust accordingly.

Activity schedule

List the activities/steps required to achieve the objectives for each year of the grant. Indicate the start and end dates for the activities leading to the milestones, and the major results expected.

The activity schedule will be used to assess whether the successful completion of the Chair’s applied research program objectives is feasible and whether the available resources are adequate to complete it on schedule.

Proposal

Refer to the Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges (IRCC) Grants Selection Criteria for the list of criteria that will be used to evaluate the application.

There are two sections to this document. In a maximum of 14 pages (approximately four pages for Section I and approximately 10 pages for Section II), complete the following two sections.

Section I: Proposal for establishing a Chair program

In approximately four single-sided pages, use the headings below to discuss the following topics and any other aspects pertinent to the evaluation of the proposal:

Chair program rationale: Discuss the rationale for establishing the proposed Chair program; the motivation of the college, the company partners, and other supporting organizations to join forces; their long-term commitment to the area of the applied research; their respective expectations; and the need of the Chair program to the local companies and regional economy.

Description of position: Describe the nature of the position to be created; the candidate's qualifications, background and personal qualities; and how these match the requirements of the position. The onus is on the applicant to demonstrate the Chair candidate’s experience and track record in applied research. Indicate the Chair candidate's appointment level and teaching and administrative responsibilities.

Note that it is expected that the Chair candidate be fully committed to the activities of the Chair. If this is not the case, explain the Chair candidate’s other responsibilities and indicate the time to be devoted to them.

Applied research capacity: Describe the present applied research capacity (personnel and facilities) of the college and how this capacity is expected to change over the term of the Chair. List the research facilities, infrastructure and other support the college will provide to the applied research program. If the proposed Chair is building on a previously-held Innovation Enhancement (IE) Grant or a Technology Access Centre (TAC) Grant, highlight the value-added of the Chair.

Anticipated impact: Indicate how the quality and relevance of applied research offered to the local companies, in particular small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), will be enhanced by the creation of the new position. Explain the business partnerships that currently exist in the proposed area of applied research and how these partnerships are expected to be expanded and enriched. Describe the expectations for the impact on the college’s training capacity and the importance of the applied research area for the college.

Section II: Applied research program proposal

Using the headings below and a maximum of 10 single-sided pages (not including literature references), describe the proposed Chair’s applied research program.

Synopsis: Provide a concise overview of the major objectives of the Chair program. Describe the approach that will be used to create an applied research program that addresses the innovation needs and enriches the innovation capacity of an important local and/or regional business sector. Explain the types of companies that will benefit and potential or actual collaborations that will take place. If, at the time of application, firm commitments from eligible company partner(s) are insufficient for the full five years of the grant, briefly describe how the college plans to secure the remainder from existing or future eligible company partner(s). Describe the management approach and training objectives of the program. Indicate the benefits expected to accrue to the local economy, the partner organizations and the college.

Background: Describe the local or regional economic environment within which the Chair’s applied research program will be developed. Explain the major business sectors that will be served and the technical, market, or innovation attributes of the companies that will be the main beneficiaries of the proposed program. Provide detail on the innovation needs of the business sector that will be addressed and the expected enhancements to the local economy. Describe the past accomplishments upon which the new Chair program will be built and expanded.

Proposed applied research: Describe in detail the applied research program to be developed and innovation needs to be addressed, referring to the current business and market conditions. Outline the applied research areas encompassed, and the types of innovative results that are anticipated to be transferred to the local companies. Describe applied research projects to be undertaken and the research problems and technical complexities involved. Discuss the key hypotheses and methodologies proposed for their elucidation or resolution. Emphasize the innovative approaches to be taken, and/or novel results to be obtained.

Also describe the major results and accomplishments expected at key points in the five years of the Chair and relate this to the milestones schedule from the Activity Schedule. You may provide a Gantt chart to illustrate this.

Research management: Provide a plan for how the program will be managed to provide both day-to-day direction and leadership for the proposed applied research program, and to maintain and create good communication between the college research group, the private-sector partner(s), and the local private-sector community. Describe the management of the anticipated college research group (i.e., research assistants, faculty and students). You may include an Organization Chart.

Training of highly qualified personnel: Describe the significance of the opportunities the Chair offers for advanced training or other relevant experience for students, research assistants, or supporting organizations' research and development (R&D) staff in the applied research area proposed for the Chair. Provide details on how the college faculty will be involved in the Chair’s program of activities. Explain how the Chair program will be integrated within the college teaching environment to help advance the skill development of students.

Value of the research results and benefits to Canada: Describe the anticipated value of the program results, highlighting the relevance of the scientific or technical advances, or the innovative techniques, processes or products that will be developed and transferred to the local companies. Demonstrate how the outcome will address a current or future need of the local business economy and the potential impact, within a reasonable timeframe, on Canada's economy and business sector.

References

• Use this section to provide a list of literature references. Your list of references must not exceed two pages on the printed copy.
• Do not refer readers to websites for additional information on your proposal.
• Do not introduce hyperlinks in your list of references.

Performance measures

This table provides information on the expected achievements and impact that establishment of the Chair will have on the local community. Using the performance measures table provided in the form, provide baseline and projected information, in the area of the proposal, for the mandatory performance indicators and any other performance indicators you believe are appropriate for your proposal.

The “Baseline” column is intended to collect performance information for indicators in the area of the proposal at the College prior to receiving funding from the IRCC Grant. This information will be important to assess the impact of the IRCC Grant. The timeframe for the “Baseline” data column is the full calendar year prior to submitting your application to NSERC. The other columns are the projections for the 5 years of the Chair program and should only be related to the proposed Chair’s applied research and development projects. The projections should only be set on an annual basis and should not be cumulative. You may also provide up to three custom performance indicators (e.g. Contributions from large companies, revenue from non-industrial organizations, etc.) that are appropriate for the proposed Chair program. Use up to two additional pages to explain important assumptions or factors associated with performance indicators. For the custom performance indicators, please explain how these are critical to evaluating the performance of the proposed Chair program.

Mandatory performance indicators

Definition: Applied research an investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge. It is directed primarily toward a specific practical aim or objective such as facilitating commercialization, technology transfer, or adaptation or adoption of new technologies.

1. Person-hours of faculty and staff given paid release time to participate in applied research and development projects.
2. Number of faculty participating in applied research and development projects.
3. Number of college staff (excluding faculty) participating in applied research and development projects.
4. Number of students participating in applied research and development projects;
   Please indicate the number of college students (paid and unpaid) actively participating in applied research and development projects as term employees or interns. Only students enrolled in a college program that leads to a diploma or a certificate are considered students.
5. Number of students receiving support from the college, companies and other organizations to participate in applied research and development projects.
6. Total dollars invested by SMEs in R&D projects at the college under the direction of the Chair.
   Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are defined as businesses with fewer than 500 employees, a small enterprise being one with fewer than 100 employees.
   Note: Contributions made by SMEs toward another grant (such as Engage or Applied Research and Development) cannot be included.
7. Total in-kind contributions (dollar equivalents) invested by SMEs in R&D at the college under the direction of the Chair.
8. Number of partnerships between the college, companies and other organizations on applied research and development projects under the direction of the Chair
   Companies are defined as Canadian private sector for-profit organizations providing products or services which derive the majority of their revenues from the sale of these products and services and not from government aid. Such companies must be willing and able to exploit the research results for the economic benefit of Canada.
   Note: In some instances, public utilities that operate on a fee-for-service basis (e.g. electricity, water treatment, and public transportation) may be accepted with approval by NSERC. ‘Other organizations’ are defined as not-for-profit organizations, including municipal, provincial and/or federal government organizations. Include only partnerships with “other organizations” that make cash and/or in-kind contributions to the Chair program.

Optional performance indicators

9. Number of technical publications derived from CCI funded projects (e,g., technical reports to the partner, magazine or conference articles on the R&D project).
   Publications should be counted in the year of their completion.
10. Number of existing products, technologies or processes improved in each year
    

Product¹: A good or service that is significantly improved. This includes significant improvements in technical specifications, components and materials, software in the product, user friendliness or other functional characteristics. Radical or breakthrough changes result in new or fundamentally changed products that can radically alter what companies sell, and generate major gains in revenue and profit. Incremental improvements add to or sustain the value of products.

Technologies¹: Refers to the state of knowledge concerning ways of converting resources into outputs.

Processes¹: Incremental improvements enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of existing business and management processes and practices such as planning, design, manufacturing, production, marketing and administration, supply chains, and communication. Most process improvements are incremental in nature. Radical or breakthrough changes result in new or fundamentally changed business and management processes and practices. The changes can significantly improve how firms operate, as well as enhance productivity and profitability.

An improvement in a product, technology or process should be counted only in the year of its completion.

11. Number of new products, technologies or processes developed
    A new product, technology or process should be counted only in the year of its completion. Please see above for definitions of “product,” “technology,” and “processes.”
12. Number of prototypes developed

A prototype¹ is an original model constructed to include all the technical characteristics and performances of the new product. For example, if a pump for corrosive liquids is being developed, several prototypes are needed for accelerated life tests with different chemicals. Prototype testing provides a feedback loop; if the prototype tests are not successful, the results can be used for further development of the pump.

A prototype should be counted only in the year of its completion.

In the progress and final reports, the college will be expected to report the levels realized for these performance measures.

¹OECD definition

Proposed expenditures

Before completing this page, read the instructions and consult the grant description and the College and Community Innovation Program Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for information about the eligibility of expenditures for the costs of research and the regulations governing the use of grant funds.

Budget justification

Provide 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. These pages should only contain information pertinent to the budget. Refer to the College and Community Innovation Program Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for more information about the eligibility of expenditures associated with the costs of research and the regulations governing the use of grant funds.

Also, explain and justify the proposed cost-sharing ratios between NSERC and the private-sector partner. Provide sufficient detail to allow reviewers to evaluate whether the level of private-sector cash and/or in-kind commitments is appropriate. Refer to the description of Industrial Research Chairs for Colleges (IRCC) Grants and the Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnership Programs for a discussion on private sector contribution levels.

Chair candidate salaries and benefits

Provide the Chair candidate's salary, including benefits and the percentage of time that the chairholder will devote to chair-related activities (not including course teaching time). Please note that this salary must not be indexed for increases in cost of living or progression through the ranks. Any such increases are to be paid by the college outside of the Industrial Research Chair for Colleges budget.

All applications must set the percentage of time spent by the chairholder on chair-related activities to 80%, at a minimum. NSERC will only cover the chairholder’s salary up to the percentage of time spent on chair-related activities which means that the salary for any time spent on non-chair related activities, such as course teaching time, would not be covered by the IRCC grant.

Salaries and benefits

Give the names (if known), categories of employment and proposed salaries (with explicit indication of the non-discretionary benefits) of research staff (research assistants and technical professionals), students and the project manager, if applicable. Briefly describe the responsibilities for each position and indicate the percentage of time they will be spending on this project over its life span. Salary for full-time faculty is not an eligible expense and should not be included in project costs. Faculty release costs as well as salary for part-time faculty are eligible as described in the College and Community Innovation Program Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide. Salary for part-time faculty should be included under the line item “d) other” and explained in the budget justification.

Equipment or facility

The maximum allowable percentage for operating and equipment costs expenditures will not exceed 20% of the total IRCC expenditures. Give a breakdown of the items requested. Provide details on models, manufacturers, prices and applicable taxes. Justify the need for each item requested. The Quotations page allows you to describe the quotations to be sent with the proposal.

Fees to be paid for the use of equipment or a facility should be described (e.g., hours and rate).

Note: Equipment purchases from a partner organization are deducted from any contributions made by the partner to the Chair.

Materials and supplies

Provide details and explain major items.

Travel

Briefly explain how each activity relates to the proposed research. Explain how the proposed travel is important to realizing the economic innovation and applied research objectives.

Dissemination

Provide details of training workshops and other knowledge and dissemination activities.

Technology transfer activities

List the expenditure for technology transfer activities.

Overhead and administration

Provide details and explain major items with regards to overhead and administration costs attributable to the proposed Chair program. The maximum allowable percentage for overhead and administrative costs is 20% of the grant instalment per year to a recipient institution. Please refer to the College and Community Innovation Program Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for more detail.

Quotations

Provide two recent quotations for items or systems costing more than $25,000 before taxes. Provide justification if two quotations are not available.

Note: For the purposes of including the quotations in the on-line application, all quotations must be saved into a single PDF document.

Relationship to other research support

Any relationship and/or overlap (conceptual or financial) with work supported by NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR or other funding sources must be explained.

Use additional pages to provide the following information:

• Clear and concise information on the conceptual and budgetary relationship or difference between this application and all other support (currently held or applied for) at the college. Also explain perceived duplication in funding or, if applicable, indicate how this proposed application would complement applied research funded by other sources.
  
  
• For each grant currently held or applied for, clearly describe the main objective and provide a brief outline of the methodology, budget details and details on the support of highly qualified personnel. In addition, the relationships to the NSERC application must be explained. Such information may be provided, for example, in the form of a brief summary of the necessary details for each grant.

The onus is on the applicant to provide sufficient information for the reviewers to evaluate the relationship between this application and other sources of support, to evaluate the incremental value of additional support from the proposed IRCC Grant, and to recommend the appropriate funding level.

The consequence of not providing adequate information to assess the relationship to other research support is that the reviewers may recommend reduced or no funding.

Contributions from supporting organizations

Use this page to report the contributions committed by the supporting organization(s) to the Chair program. Before completing this section, read the program description and the College and Community Innovation Program Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for information about the eligibility of expenditures and the regulations governing the use of grant funds. Also review the Guidelines on Eligibility and Value of In-Kind Contributions sectionin the Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs.

Provide the requested information for each supporting organization.

List the resources the supporting organization will provide to support the proposed activities including:

• the cash contribution to direct costs of research. This amount will be transferred to the appropriate line on the Proposed Expenditures page;
• the in-kind contribution to direct costs of research (donations of services, materials and equipment). This amount will be transferred to the Proposed Expenditures page (if applicable);
• the in-kind contributions to indirect costs;
• an indication of the amount paid to the institution for overhead.

Use the Contributions from Supporting Organizations - Attachment page to provide an explanation of the cash and eligible in-kind contributions from each partner.

Note: Cash contributed by a company toward another grant (such as Engage or Applied Research and Development) cannot be applied to the IRCC grant.

Form 183A and letter of support (and attachments, as required)

A completed Form 183A, letter of support and any other required documents must be attached for each organization participating in a research project. Either the applicant or the supporting organization must complete all applicable sections of the form and provide the required documents.

To allow a supporting organization the ability to link a Form 183A to your application, use the Access Manager page of an Application for a College and Community Innovation (CCI) Grant Program form (Form 103). For details on how to use this function, refer to the Access Manager instructions.

For applicants who are filling out Form 183A on behalf of the participating organization use the Link Manager page of Form 183A to link to your application. For details on how to use this function, refer to the Link Manager instructions.

Cash contributions are those made to accounts for which the applicant has signing authority. Other contributions are considered as in-kind.

In some cases, it may be anticipated that additional partners will join the project during the granting period. If you anticipate contributions for later years in the grant for which you do not yet have firm partner commitments, you can describe these anticipated contributions in the budget explanations or in the main proposal. Limit the partner contributions and budget expenses to funds for which firm commitments have been obtained.

Letter(s) of support: Provide a letter from the appropriate representative of each participating or supporting organization, other than Canadian universities or eligible Canadian colleges (e.g., the person responsible for the organization's participation in, or support of, the project), on letterhead indicating:

• the organization's intended participation in, or support of, the collaborative activities and its agreement with the proposal;
• the nature and extent of the interaction/collaboration;
• the support/resources committed;
• the organization's reasons for its involvement in the joint undertaking;
• how the organization expects to benefit.

Contributions from supporting organizations - attachment

Provide a detailed explanation of the in-kind contributions to the direct costs of research from each partner. This information will be used to assess the level and nature of the partner involvement, the importance of their contribution to the success of the project and an appropriate cost-sharing ratio.

• Salaries for scientific and technical staff: List the name of each staff member, their role at the company and their specific expertise, details as to what they will be providing to the project (link to milestones if possible), the number of hours they will devote to the project and their hourly rate (up to a maximum of $100.00 per hour).
• Donation of equipment, software: List each item of equipment and/or software being donated to the project, explaining how it will be used and its importance to the success of the project; provide details on how the cost of the equipment/software was calculated.
• Donation of material: Describe the materials to be provided, their importance to the project and how the cost of the materials was calculated.
• Field work logistics: Describe the importance of the proposed field work to the project and provide details on how the cost of the field work was calculated.
• Provision of services: Provide details on the services to be provided, the importance of these services to the success of the project and how the cost of providing these services was calculated.
• Other: Provide sufficient details on items listed in this category, their importance to the project and the calculation of associated costs.

Cash contributions are those made to accounts for which the applicant has signing authority. Other contributions are considered as in-kind.

Other letters of support (From partners not making cash or in-kind contributions)

The letters of support from all organizations not providing cash or in-kind contributions must be compiled as a single document and included in the IRCC Grant full application (Other Letters of Support Module). Each letter of support must be no longer than two pages.

Note: For uploading purposes, all the letters of support must be saved into a single PDF document.

These letters of support should describe:

• the organization's support for, and agreement with, the submitted proposal;
• the reasons for being involved in the proposed collaboration (i.e., how the organization will take advantage of and benefit from the college’s Chair program);
• the anticipated interaction of the organization with respect to the proposed Chair program (i.e., how the organization will help to make the college's Chair program a success);
• the potential for benefit to the regional and Canadian economy.

Intellectual property

Describe the anticipated plans to protect and dispose of intellectual property (IP) arising in the project.

Colleges need to develop and sign an agreement with each company partner on the ownership and disposition of IP arising from the CCI-funded applied research before initiating any CCI activities (intellectual property agreements do not need to be complete before submitting the proposal).

Any agreements made regarding the ownership of the IP resulting from the IRCC-funded research must take into account the objective of creating partnerships. This implies a sharing of eventual benefits between the partners commensurate with their respective contributions.

Given the purpose of the projects and the fact that they are company-driven, the college must have the right to use the new knowledge or technology in future teaching and research; and faculty and students must have the right to describe the project on their CVs.

Cover letter

The cover letter is optional and should only be used if:

• you would like to submit up to three reference letters for the proposed Chair candidate. If that is the case, provide the name (mandatory) and the organization and country (optional) of each individual who will be providing a letter of reference; and/or
• you wish to provide additional information that will not be shared with external reviewers, such as a request that an individual or group of individuals not be involved in the review of your proposal. NSERC will take such a request into consideration. The cover letter must contain your name, the type of CCI grant for which you are applying and the title of your application.

Letter(s) of reference: The college is encouraged to submit up to three letters of reference in support of the Chair candidate. These letters must be provided by experts (referees) who are external to the host college and who can attest to suitability of the candidate to lead an applied research program at the college in close collaboration with local companies. Examples of the Chair candidate’s past impacts or achievements that demonstrate applied research capability would be helpful. Provide the name (mandatory) and the organization and country (optional) of each of the (up to) three individuals who will be providing letters of reference. A paper copy of the letters of reference should be sent directly to NSERC by the referees. To ensure that all letters are received by the application deadline, referees are encouraged to also send a copy of the letters of reference to NSERC by email.

The referees should send their letters to:

NSERC
Research Partnerships Directorate
CCI Program – IRCC Grants
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 1H5

college@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Letter from the president of the college

You must provide a letter from the college president supporting your IRCC Grant application. The letter should outline the support from the college for the IRCC Grant application in terms of resources to be contributed to the application. State the importance of the proposal to the college and the fit to its strategic plan.

Impact Assessment Form (Appendix A)

An Impact Assessment Form (Appendix A) must be completed and uploaded to the Environmental impact page, as required.

External reviewer suggestions – Appendix C

Suggest the names of five people competent to assess the proposal. This list should include experts from the college research community and/or the broader research community and at least one expert from the private sector. As appropriate, include people from the natural and social sciences, engineering, humanities and/or health who are competent to assess the research. These suggestions should also take into consideration equity, diversity and inclusion, for example the list should include some women.

Give the name, complete mailing address, telephone and facsimile numbers, email address, and the area(s) of expertise of potential external reviewers.

External Reviewers should be able to review the proposal in the language in which it is written.

You may also request in a cover letter that some individuals or companies not be involved in the review of your application. Your request will be taken into account by NSERC.

Conflict of interest

Suggested external reviewers should not be in a conflict of interest. Refer to the  Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations for more information. In addition, external reviewers must sign the  Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Agreement for Review Committee Members, External Reviewers, and Observers before they access the application material.

Signatures

NSERC does not require original signatures on applications or other documents submitted electronically through its On-line System. The electronic submission of applications through this 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?

For applicants

Before you, as an applicant, can submit your application to NSERC or link your Personal Data Form to an application, you must read and agree to the Terms and Conditions of Applying that appear in a pop-up window during the submission process. It is your responsibility to retain a copy of the agreed Terms and Conditions for your records.

Each participant submitting a Form 103CV as part of the application must sign and fill out the Terms and Conditions of Applying Form included in the Form 103CV.

The signatures of the institutional authorities certify that:

• the institution will abide by the roles and responsibilities as set out in the  Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions with the three federal granting agencies, including the  Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research;
• the applicant has met, or will meet, the eligibility requirements;
• prior to submission of this application, the institution has obtained written approval from any other institutions involved in the application process;
• if the applicant discloses any potential intellectual property (IP) arising from the research, he or she and the institution will endeavour to obtain the greatest possible economic benefit to Canada from the resulting commercial activity. Note: This requirement for disclosure is not intended to supersede any IP ownership policy that the institution already has in place.

The signatures of authorized officers of other supporting organizations certify that the organization:

• agrees with the content of the application and will provide the committed resources;
• agrees to the release of the public summary of the award and to the publication of the organization's name as a supporter of the initiative.

If you are both the applicant or participant and a principal of a collaborating organization, another senior official must sign on behalf of the organization.

List for a complete application

Use the following list to make sure your application is complete.

• Application for a College and Community Innovation (CCI) Grant Program (Form 103):
  • Application Profile (including areas of research, certification requirements, amounts requested)
  • Cover Letter, if required
  • Chair candidate
  • Participants
  • Collaborators, if required
  • Supporting Organizations
  • Summary of Proposal
  • Performance Measures
  • Activity Schedule
  • Proposal (two sections; combined 14 pages maximum): proposal for establishing a Chair (approximately four pages) and an applied research program proposal (approximately 10 pages)
  • Literature References (attachment, two pages maximum)
  • Proposed Expenditures
  • Budget Justification (attachment)
  • Quotations (minimum of two) for equipment requests over $25,000, if required
  • Relationship to Other Research Support (attachment)
  • Contributions from Supporting Organizations
  • Contributions from Supporting Organizations (justification of in-kind contributions; attachment)
  • Letter from the president of the college (attachment)
  • Intellectual Property
  • Appendix A (Environmental Information Form), if required
  • Appendix C (External Reviewer/Referee Suggestions), if required
• College Personal Data Forms (Form 103CV) for the Applicant, Chair candidate and Participants:
  • Personal information (appointment and academic background)
  • Relevant experience
  • Relevant contributions to applied research and innovation
• CVs - Collaborators, if applicable
• Information Required from Supporting Organizations Participating in Research Partnership Programs (Form 183A) for each private-sector partner
• Letters of support from all supporting organizations
• Letters of reference (up to three) to be sent directly to NSERC