Applied Research and Development grants

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Review

When NSERC receives an Applied Research and Development (ARD) grant application, it first undertakes an administrative assessment to ensure it is complete and complies with all eligibility requirements. Once the administrative assessment is completed and the application is deemed eligible, NSERC proceeds with the merit assessment of the application, using a variety of tools and taking into account the average annual amount of funding requested. Upon assessment, the most meritorious applications are selected for funding.

NSERC reserves the right to select the most appropriate review process, regardless of the amount of funding requested.

If you are interested in reviewing grant applications for the College and Community Innovation program as a peer review committee member or an external reviewer, you can fill out the Expression of interest form. After reviewing the submitted forms, NSERC staff will contact the selected individuals with further information.

Application review timeline

For applications with an average yearly amount requested of $40,000 or less, the expected assessment time is 5 to 9 weeks.

Applications with an average yearly amount requested of $40,001 to $150,000 will be assessed in 24 to 28 weeks.

NSERC aims to achieve these service standards for 80% of applications, recognizing that some proposals may require additional review time.

Evaluation criteria

NSERC staff or external reviewers assess the evaluation criteria using the merit indicators. We suggest you prepare your research proposal using this template. The proposal must address all of the criteria and sub-criteria in the following order to be considered for funding.

Research plan

• Clarity of the research objectives and expected results, appropriateness of the research plan and methodology including integration of equity, diversity and inclusion in the research process where relevant, and clarity and suitability of the budget
• Innovativeness of the proposed research and its potential to lead to advancements or new knowledge 

Partnerships and impact

• Partner organizations’ roles in defining the project, the value of their involvement in the project and any other in-kind contributions, and their capacity to translate, mobilize and/or apply the research results within a reasonable timeframe
• Significance of the outcomes and the economic, environmental, health and/or social benefits for partner organization(s) and Canada 

Team

• Appropriateness of the experience and expertise of the principal investigator and the research team (postsecondary institutions and partner organizations) for carrying out the planned research activities, managing the project and providing training
• Identification of at least one concrete practice to ensure that equity, diversity and inclusion is intentionally and proactively considered in recruiting, selecting, and/or integrating personnel into the research team

Training

• Training plan and enriched experiences for college students and other trainees to develop relevant research and professional skills 
• Identification of at least one concrete practice that will promote the participation of a diverse group of students and other trainees, including those from underrepresented groups, as well as promote an equitable, inclusive and accessible training environment

What's next?
Award