Subatomic Physics Discovery Grants program (individual or project) - Instructions for completing an application

On this page

• General information
• Completing the application
• Attachments
• Co-applicants (for project grant applications)
• Uploading your NSERC CCV
• Submitting the application to NSERC
• Signatures

General information

About the program

Read the program description before you complete the application.

Am I eligible to apply?

Consult the Eligibility requirements for faculty to apply for or hold grant funds (for university faculty) to ensure that you can participate in this grant program as an applicant or a co-applicant.

Who completes the application?

The applicant and co-applicant(s) must complete their respective sections of the application according to the instructions using the Research Portal. In addition, they must each complete the Canadian Common CV (CCV) and link it to the application.

Presentation standards

You must submit all requested information in the application, and the submitted application must meet Research Portal presentation and attachment standards. 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. Information that is not required, based on the application instructions, will also be removed.

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 those deadlines.

The application must be received at NSERC by 8:00 p.m. (ET) on the deadline date. The application deadline is indicated on the program description page.

In instances of systems interruptions, refer to the Service standards for NSERC and SSHRC's online application systems policy on sustained interruptions.

Once an application has been submitted to NSERC, it cannot be updated or modified, either before or after the deadline.

Personal information

The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act. The collection, use, disclosure, retention, and disposal of your information are outlined in the following policy statements:

• Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act
• Data retention information
• Privacy notice

For more information, refer to the Personal Information Banks described in NSERC’s Info Source.

Self-identification information (research team)

You must complete the self-identification questionnaire found in the person profile of the Research Portal when applying for funding. This data provides information on the diversity of the population applying for and receiving agency funds. This information increases NSERC's capacity to monitor its progress on increasing equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its programs, to recognize and remove barriers, and to design new measures to achieve greater EDI in the research enterprise. If you do not want to self-identify, you have the option to choose "I prefer not to answer" for each question, but you are required to select a response for the questionnaire to be marked as complete. Self-identification information is not part of the application and will be neither accessible to, nor shared with, external reviewers and/or selection committee members. The self-identification questionnaire should be reviewed and updated, if required, every time you apply to the program.

For more information, refer to the Frequently asked questions about the self-identification questionnaire.

Whom should I contact for help?

• For program-related information, contact Subatomic@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.
• For matters related to the Research Portal, contact the online services helpdesk by email at webapp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca, by phone at 613-995-4273, or complete an online services support request.

Completing the application

You must complete the application according to the instructions, using the Research Portal. In addition, you must complete and link the NSERC Canadian Common CV (CCV) to your application.

Note: If you have not submitted a notification of intent (NOI) to apply for this program, you cannot create or submit an application. Consult the program description for more information.

Create an application

• Sign in to the Research Portal.
• Select the funding opportunity and click Create.
• Select your notification of intent (NOI) to apply; it will form the basis for your application.
• Complete your eligibility profile and click on Validate.
• Click on Continue and Create Application.
• Under Applications, open the application.
• Click on Edit to complete the different sections.

Some fields are pre-populated based on the information provided in your NOI. You may edit these fields as needed.

Identification

Administering organization

Organization – Select the organization that will administer the grant.

Department – If your department is not in the list, select “head office.”

Application

Suggested applicant category – Select the applicant category that fits your profile as a researcher based on the Discovery Grants: applicant categories defined by NSERC. If early career researcher (ECR) is selected, you must identify all positions that meet NSERC’s requirements for an independent academic position in the text box provided. If applicable, you should also justify why the positions previous to your first academic position did not meet the NSERC requirements. NSERC will make the final decision on the applicant category. The information provided in this section will not be shared with committee members or external reviewers.

Application title - The title must be short and descriptive. It may be used for publication purposes. Restrict the use of acronyms (e.g., DNA, NATO, etc.), and avoid company or trade names. The title of the application can differ from the title provided on the NOI.

Language of the application – Indicate the language in which the application will be submitted. The main body of the application should be written in either English or French, rather than in a mix of both official languages. All NSERC CCVs (for the applicants and all co-applicants) must be submitted in the same language as the application.

Suggested evaluation group (not editable) – For a Subatomic Physics (SAP) Individual Discovery Grant, if your proposed research program has changed substantially from the time when you submitted your NOI and you consider that a different evaluation group should review your application, contact the program officer responsible for the Subatomic Physics Evaluation Section.

Hours per month to be devoted to research/activity or use of equipment or facility – Enter the number of hours per month you, the applicant, plan to devote to the proposed research/activity. Do not include hours contributed by others (e.g., highly qualified personnel).

Supplements/joint initiatives (Subatomic Physics – Individual applicants only)

If you wish to be considered for the DND/NSERC Discovery Grant supplement or the Discovery Grants – Northern Research Supplements (NRS), complete this section of the application. The information you provide in this section will not be shared with evaluation group members or external reviewers; it will be used solely for the review of the supplement.

• DND/NSERC Discovery Grant supplement
  
  Supplement(s) or joint initiative(s): Select the DND/NSERC Discovery Grant supplement.
  
  Department of National Defence (DND) defence and security target area(s): Select up to six target areas and associated topics.
  
  Statement of relevance: In a maximum of 3,000 characters, describe how your research fits within the target area(s) you have selected.

• Northern Research Supplement (NRS)
  
  Supplement(s) or joint initiative(s): Select the Northern Research Supplements (NRS) program.
  
  Note: By selecting NRS, you will be given access to two additional attachments for the submission of your NRS Expenditures/Budget justification and Proposal/References documents.

Summary of proposal

A maximum of 3,000 characters is allowed in the text box.

Provide a summary of the proposal. The summary is intended to explain the proposal in language that the public can understand, and it will be made available to the public.

Using simple terms, briefly describe the nature of the work to be done. Indicate why and to whom the research is important, the anticipated outcomes and the benefits to the research field and to Canada.

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

Expenditures for previous and current years

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, provide the following:

• the expenditures for the previous and current fiscal years toward the support of the project's activities
• the support provided by previous NSERC SAP Discovery Grants related to the proposed research activities (if applicable)
• any contributions from other sources

Verify all of your entries carefully. The balance is calculated automatically by subtracting any contributions from other sources and support provided by previous NSERC grants for the same project from the total expenditures. Applications with incomplete expenditure tables will be at a disadvantage in the review process, which may be reflected in the final outcome.

Use the Budget justification section (see attachment section below) to explain and justify each budget item and any contributions from other sources, as well as the reasons for a positive or a negative balance in each of the years.

Proposed expenditures

For SAP Individual Discovery Grants, provide a five-year budget. If your request is for a shorter duration, you must provide an explanation in the Budget justification section. If you do not request support for certain years, you must enter 0 for each of those years.

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, provide a three-year budget. If your request is for a shorter duration, explain why in the Budget justification section. If you do not request support for certain years, you must enter 0 for each of those years.

Verify all of your entries carefully. The total amount requested from NSERC is calculated automatically by subtracting the total cash contributions, if any, from the total proposed expenditures. Total cash contributions should include any contributions from other sources.

For all SAP Discovery Grants, the amount requested in the application should not differ by more than 20% from that included in the NOI. If the request differs by more than 20%, you will need to justify the difference and obtain NSERC's approval before submitting your full application.

Use the Budget justification section (see attachment section below) to explain and justify each budget item and any contributions from other sources towards the support of the proposed research activities.

In the case of adjunct professors whose primary place of employment is outside the university sector (e.g., government, industry or colleges), NSERC will award funds only for the direct support of students (salaries or stipends and student travel costs). All other costs must be covered through other sources of funding.

All expenditures are subject to the principles and directives governing the appropriate use of grant funds, as outlined in the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration.

Past contributions to the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP)

Refer to NSERC’s Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring.

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, the applicant and each co-applicant must complete this section.

A maximum of 6,000 characters is allowed in the text box.

Discuss your most significant contributions to the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP) over the last six years.

Training supported by NSERC ranges from undergraduate theses and summer projects to postdoctoral levels and includes technical and other research personnel.

You must clearly explain your role in any co-supervision of HQP.

The assessment of past contributions to HQP training focuses on quality and impact and includes three components: the Training environment, HQP awards and research contributions, and Outcomes and skills gained by HQP. Each component should be supported by information provided in your application and/or CCV.

• Training environment
  
  Describe the research training and development opportunities provided for HQP (e.g., HQP science outreach and engagement, interdisciplinary research, collaborations, interaction with the private and public sectors).
  
  Describe specific actions implemented to support equity, diversity and inclusion in recruitment practices, mentorship approaches, retention, and initiatives aimed at ensuring an equitable and inclusive research and training environment and trainee growth. Describe qualitatively any challenges or barriers encountered in ensuring an equitable and inclusive research and training environment.

Important: Trainee demographic data should not be submitted. It is not requested or required to assess impacts resulting from consideration of equity, diversity and inclusion in the research and training environment. How an individual self-identifies is considered personal and confidential information.

• HQP awards and research contributions
  
  With prior consent, describe research contributions produced by HQP (e.g., publications, patents, key presentations) and highlight awards, scholarships and fellowships won by HQP. If consent cannot be obtained, applicants are asked to withhold names or other information that would identify those supervised.
  
  For more information, refer to Obtaining consent from individuals supervised in the CCV instructions.

• Outcomes and skills gained by HQP
  
  Describe your most significant examples of HQP and explain how your training contributed to their success (e.g., skills and experiences gained, outcomes such as further studies or career). A successful outcome can be broadly defined as an HQP doing something that has impact. This impact can be either in natural sciences and engineering or outside this area, but it needs to be clear how the skills, experience and knowledge gained or developed in the applicant’s research training environment are being used by the HQP.
  
  Cases of HQP delays (e.g., maternity, parental, personal illness, leave taken for family-related illness, bereavement, delays related to COVID-19) that are beyond your control can be considered. A pattern of prolonged periods of study or frequent student withdrawal from programs should be described, while providing only minimal personal information needed to explain the issue.

For further guidance related to past contributions to the training of HQP, refer to the following documents:

• Contributions to training and mentoring section within NSERC’s Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring;
• the Canada Research Chairs’ (CRC’s) Equity, diversity and inclusion: A best practices guide for recruitment, hiring and retention; and
• NFRF’s Best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion in research.

For additional context, refer to the FAQ on the evaluation of the HQP criterion.

Most significant contributions to research

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, the applicant and each co-applicant must complete this section.

A maximum of 9,000 characters is allowed in the text box.

Describe up to five of your most significant contributions to research and/or to practical applications over the last six years. Contributions made more than six years ago that are having impact now (e.g., exploitation of patent, inclusion in a code, etc.) may be described in this section only.

For each contribution, describe its significance in terms of influence on the direction of thought and activity in the target community, as well as significance to, and use by, other researchers and end users. For collaborative contributions, describe your role.

Impact can be seen as, but is not limited to, advancing knowledge, developing technology, addressing socio-economic or environmental needs, or contributing to increased equity, diversity and inclusion in research.

A contribution does not have to be a single publication or report. For example, a group of publications on a specific subject could be discussed as one contribution.

Note:

• To be assessed under Excellence of the Researcher/Collaboration, contributions must be primarily in the natural sciences and engineering. The onus is on the applicant to indicate how the objectives or impact of the contributions advance knowledge in one or more of the natural sciences and engineering disciplines other than the health or social sciences.
• Include the full reference to your contributions in this text box or provide the appropriate reference to your NSERC CCV.
• Provide dates and clearly explain the impact of any significant delays in the research activity or in the dissemination of research results (e.g., maternity, parental, personal illness, chronic illness, mental illness, or disability associated with reduced research activity, leave taken for family-related illness, bereavement, extraordinary administrative duties, delays related to COVID-19) in the NSERC CCV under the section on employment (leaves of absence/delays and their impact on research).

Additional information on contributions

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, the applicant and each co-applicant must complete this section.

A maximum of 3,000 characters is allowed in the text box.

Provide an explanation concerning the contributions listed in your NSERC CCV. Such details may include:

• nature of collaborations with other researchers
• rationale or practice used for
  • the order of authors in the publications listed
  • inclusion of students in the list of authors
• your role in joint publications
• reason for selecting certain venues (e.g., journals, conferences) for publications, and particular features of the venues (e.g., target audiences, review procedures)
• impact or potential impact of patents and technology transfer
• R&D activities relevant to industry
• significance of technical reports
• attestation to the nature and the significance of confidential technical and internal reports
• original research reported in books or technical reports

To be assessed under Excellence of the Researcher/Collaboration, contributions must be primarily in the natural sciences and engineering. The onus is on the applicant to indicate how the objectives or impact of the contributions advance knowledge in one or more of the natural sciences and engineering disciplines other than the health or social sciences.

You are encouraged to include other activities or information to help committees evaluate your contributions and impact on science and engineering, including interdisciplinary research.

For more information, refer the following:

• NSERC’s Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process, and a new video series on Strengthening research by integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the research process.

Activity details

Certification requirements

Before completing this section, consult 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 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 are in accordance with the principles outlined in the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) guide.

Research involving human pluripotent and/or totipotent stem cells: If you select Yes, or if the application is found to fall into this category through peer review 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 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: For more information, consult NSERC’s Guidelines on impact assessment.

Sensitive Technology Research Areas: If you select Yes, you must complete and attach attestation forms to your grant application – in the STRAC Attestation Attachment section – to comply with the policy. In accordance with the Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern, all researchers involved in the activities supported by a research grant that aims to advance a Sensitive Technology Research Area (STRA) must review the List of Named Research Organizations.

Research subject codes: Consult the Research subject codes table. All applicants are required to select a primary research code.

Area of application codes: Consult the Area of application codes table. All applicants are required to select a primary area of application code.

Keywords: Modify, as required, the keywords to best describe your proposal. A maximum of 10 keywords is permitted.

Eligibility profile

You must re-validate your eligibility profile. Review your information and ensure it accurately reflects the details of your eligible position. If your position is not in the list provided, enter free-form text. Click on Save and validate.

Attachments

In the Application Overview page, click Attach to include each required document type. Attachments are free-form and must respect the Research Portal presentation and attachment standards and page limits, where appropriate.

Important note: You must preview all of your attachments in the Research Portal to ensure that the documents have been uploaded correctly and that the content is viewable. NSERC will not accept corrupted or protected files that cannot be opened or viewed.

Proposal

This is a free-form PDF attachment.

Page limit for SAP Individual Discovery Grants: five pages.

Page limit for SAP Project Discovery Grants: see table below.

For bridging grant applications:

• the primary applicant of the main award must be included as a co-applicant, and
• they must use up to two additional pages to provide a letter of support (details of which are provided in the SAP Project program description).
• In the case of multiple bridging grants for the same project, each applicant must submit an individual grant application.

Considering equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the research process promotes research excellence by making research outcomes more ethically sound, rigorous, reproducible, and useful. It is important to consider EDI through each stage of the research process including, but not limited to, the research questions, design, methodology, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results, and integrate these considerations where relevant.For more information, consult Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations at each stage of the research process  and a new video on Strengthening research by integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the research process.

Addressing the points below, describe the proposed research to be supported. Images and graphics are included in the page limit.

Recent progress

Describe your recent progress in research activities related to the proposal and, in addition for renewals, the progress attributable to your previous Discovery Grant.

Objectives

For SAP Project Discovery Grants, define the short- and long-term objectives of your research project.

For SAP Individual Discovery Grants only, a research program should have a long-term vision that expands beyond the five years of the Discovery Grant. A single, short-term project or collection of projects does not constitute a research program.

Literature review

Discuss the literature pertinent to the proposal, placing the proposed research in the context of the state of the art.

Methodology

Describe the methods and proposed approach, providing sufficient details to allow the reviewers to assess the feasibility of the research activities. 

Impact

Explain the anticipated significance of the work.

Note:

• If the information provided is insufficient, NSERC reserves the right to take appropriate action, such as not soliciting reports from external reviewers or withdrawing the application from the competition.
• If your research is interdisciplinary, consult the NSERC Guidelines for the preparation and review of applications in interdisciplinary research.

• If NSERC determines that the subject matter is outside of its mandate at any time during the review cycle, the application will be rejected. See Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency for more information.

Budget justification

This is a free-form PDF attachment.

For all types of SAP Discovery Grants, there is no page limit. The file size limit is 10MB.

Provide a detailed explanation and justification for each budget item. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess whether the resources requested are appropriate.

You must use this section only for the purpose of justifying the proposed budget. You should not use any part of it to provide additional information on the proposal or further address the selection criteria. Applications that do not comply with this requirement will be at a disadvantage in comparison with those that do. NSERC reserves the right to remove pages from this section if they are unrelated to the budget justification.

Salaries and benefits

Provide the names (if known), categories of employment and proposed salaries (with explicit indication of the non-discretionary benefits) for students, postdoctoral researchers, and research staff. Briefly describe the responsibilities for each position and indicate the percentage of their time they will be spending on the proposed research activities throughout the duration of the requested grant. Do not include salaries of faculty in project costs.

Refer to the NSERC CCV instructions for information on obtaining consent to name individuals in your proposal.

Equipment or facility

Provide a breakdown of the items requested, models, manufacturers, prices and applicable taxes. Justify each item requested.

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

The need for beam time or other special facilities, and if time has been allocated for these, should also be reported.

Materials and supplies

Provide details of the budget requested for materials and supplies and explain major items.

Travel

Provide details and explain how each activity relates to the proposed research.

Dissemination

Provide details of publication costs, user workshops or other activities.

Other expenses

List all items not covered in previous categories and provide a detailed explanation for major items.

Contributions from other sources (if applicable)

If appropriate, explain any financial contributions from other sources.

Relationship to other research support – explanation

This is a free-form PDF attachment.

For all types of SAP Discovery Grants, there is no page limit. The file size limit is 10MB.

This section refers only to other research support that will or may become active within the funding period of the proposed SAP Discovery Grant. This includes sources held or applied for by the applicant as well as all of the co-applicants (if applicable).

Provide a table for the applicant and all co-applicants, similar to the template below, which includes the number of hours per month and fraction of full-time equivalent (FTE) that each individual plans to devote to this project, all other ongoing projects they are involved with, and all other projects currently requesting funding from NSERC.

Table Template

Do not provide additional information related to the proposal or further address the selection criteria. Applications that do not comply with this requirement will be at a disadvantage in comparison with those that do. NSERC reserves the right to remove pages from this section if they do not relate to explaining relationships with other research support.

Refer to Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency for additional information.

Support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and/or the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

Discovery Grants support research programs that are distinct from research that is supported or applied for through CIHR and/or SSHRC.

When research funding is held or applied for from CIHR and/or SSHRC, you must clearly explain

• how the proposed ideas, objectives and expenditures of the Discovery Grant application are entirely distinct from those supported or applied for through CIHR and/or SSHRC
• how the anticipated contributions to research resulting from the proposed Discovery Grant will be distinct from the ones resulting from CIHR and/or SSHRC support

Explanations of other research support (held and/or applied for) is considered in the evaluation of the need for funds. You must therefore provide sufficient information for the subatomic physics evaluation section to determine whether the application meets the requirements listed above. Failure to clearly demonstrate that the Discovery Grant application meets all these requirements will result in a rating of “Insufficient” for the need for funds criterion.

Sources of research support other than CIHR or SSHRC

You may hold funds from other sources for the same research ideas/objectives as long as they are used to cover different expenses and the funding sources are not CIHR and/or SSHRC. Other sources of research support include grants and contributions (held and applied for) from federal and provincial funding agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector companies, universities (e.g. institution start-up funds), primary places of employment (for adjunct professors employed outside of academia), and others.

You must clearly demonstrate that the funds requested from the SAP Discovery Grants program will be for expenses that are distinct from those covered by support from other sources. For funding applied for, you must demonstrate that there will be no duplication of funding for the same expense(s) by explaining how funds will be used if all applications are successful. The onus is on the applicant to provide sufficient information to enable the subatomic physics evaluation section to assess the relationship between this application and other sources of support, and the incremental value of additional support from the SAP Discovery Grants program. Failure to meet these requirements will result in a rating of “Insufficient” for the need for funds, or the application may be rejected.

Highly qualified personnel (HQP) training plan

This is a free-form PDF attachment.

Page limit for SAP Individual Discovery Grants: two pages.

Page limit for SAP Project Discovery Grants: two pages with one additional page per additional institution represented in the application.

Refer to NSERC's Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring.

Training plan

The assessment of the highly qualified personnel (HQP) training plan includes two components: the Training philosophy and the Research training plan.

Training philosophy

The Training philosophy should describe your approach to training HQP, detailing the mentoring approach and the type of research training and development opportunities provided.

Describe your planned approach to training and mentoring HQP and the type of research training and development opportunities provided. Include your strategy for promoting participation from a diverse group of HQP, taking into account equity and inclusion in recruitment practices, mentorship approaches and initiatives aimed at ensuring an equitable and inclusive research and training environment and trainee growth. Describe qualitatively any challenges or barriers encountered in ensuring an equitable and inclusive research and training environment.

Applicants are expected to address barriers and increase the inclusion and advancement of under-represented groups in the natural sciences and engineering as one way to enhance excellence in research and training. An inclusive research training environment exists where all people are respected and have equitable access to the same inclusive opportunities, and where each individual can reach their full potential, unimpeded by inequitable or discriminatory practices or environments. A commitment from all researchers to implement specific actions that acknowledge and address barriers to HQP participation (e.g., physical, procedural, visible, invisible, unintentional) is required to increase access to the full pool of qualified potential participants and the overall excellence of research, across all natural sciences and engineering disciplines. For more information, refer to Equity, diversity and inclusion considerations for research teams.

Research training plan

In the Research training plan, outline how the proposed research program and its anticipated projects are appropriate for HQP training in natural sciences and engineering. Discuss the involvement of trainees in individual projects. Provide details on the planned contributions to training in a co-supervisory or collaborative context, if appropriate. Explain the planned future contributions to knowledge and the expected training value of the proposed projects. Provide justification if a limited training plan is provided.

As part of an ongoing commitment to ensure that a wide range of contributions are considered and valued in the merit review, the Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring will support the evaluation of NSERC applications.

For additional context, refer to the FAQ on the evaluation of the HQP criterion.

For additional guidance related to EDI best practices related to HQP strategy, refer to the following guides:

• the Canada Research Chairs’ (CRC’s) Equity, diversity and inclusion: A best practices guide for recruitment, hiring and retention; and
• NFRF’s Best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion in research.

Data management plan

This is a free-form PDF attachment. 

Page limit: two pages.

The data management plan (DMP) should detail strategies and tools that will effectively manage data during and after the completion of the research project. DMPs can be developed to guide a single research project, a multi-project research initiative or a longer-term program of research.

The DMP should include the following seven (7) bolded elements as section headings:

1. Data Collection: what data and how it will be collected, created, linked to, acquired, and/or recorded
2. Documentation and Metadata: how the data will be documented and formatted
3. Storage and Backup: how the data will be stored during the research project
4. Preservation: where the data will be deposited for long-term preservation and access
5. Sharing and Reuse: whether and how the data will be shared, and its potential to be reused
6. Responsibilities and Resources: data management task roles and responsibilities (applicant and research team, as appropriate), succession planning, and resources required to implement the DMP
7. Ethics and Legal Compliance: the ethical, legal and commercial constraints to which the data are subject

It is possible that not all of these headings will be relevant to every research project or program. If a heading does not apply to the research proposed in the application, please provide a brief explanation. For example, if data cannot be ethically or legally shared, details about the restrictions should be provided under the “Sharing and Reuse” heading.

Applicants undertaking research in laboratories or partnerships governed by pre-existing DMPs should provide details about these plans and explain the relationship between the DMPs and the research proposed in their applications. 

Researchers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the DMP resources available at their institutions, such as their institution’s Research Data Management strategy. They may also find it helpful to consult the DMP Assistant when creating their DMPs. The DMP Assistant is a national, online, bilingual data management planning tool to assist researchers in preparing data management plans (DMPs). This tool, available for free to all researchers, creates DMPs through a series of key data management questions supported by best-practice guidance and examples. It was developed by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) in collaboration with the host institution University of Alberta.

List of references

This is a free-form PDF attachment.

Page limit for all types of SAP Discovery Grants: two pages.

• Provide a list of literature references in support of your proposal.
• Do not refer reviewers to websites for additional information on your proposal.
• Do not include hyperlinks or footnotes in your list of references.

Samples of research contributions

Maximum four PDF attachments. The file size limit is 10MB each.

A maximum of four samples of research contributions—such as reprints, preprints and/or manuscripts, technical reports, etc.—must be submitted electronically with your application. The samples of contributions will be used by reviewers to assess the quality of your work. These documents should be chosen to represent your most significant and recent contributions, or those most relevant to the proposed work, in the last six years.

Each PDF attachment should include only one sample of a research contribution. Additional information will be removed.

Submissions that are viewed as contributions primarily to health or social sciences will not be considered.

Attestation on confidential research contributions (if applicable)

This is a free-form PDF attachment. The file size limit is 10MB.

Many contributions to industry or other end-users take the form of technical and internal reports, some of which may be confidential to protect proprietary information. This attachment is for applicants who wish to report on any confidential reports that cannot otherwise be listed in the application. You may attach letters from industry or end users attesting to the nature, importance and significance of these confidential reports.

Note: Any attachments that do not adhere to these instructions will be removed.

STRAC Attestation Attachment (if applicable)

If you selected Yes to the question regarding Sensitive Technology Research Areas (STRA) in the Activity Details section of your application, you must complete and attach attestation forms to your grant application to comply with the policy. By using the attestation form template, you and your co-applicant(s), if applicable, must each complete an attestation form certifying that you have read, understood, and are compliant with this policy. You must collect and compile all the completed attestation forms and save them as a single PDF file. The attestation forms must include the current date, first and last name, primary affiliation (institution), email address, public profile link (optional) and attestation statement check. Your response to the STRA question and your submitted attestation form(s) are not accessible to, nor shared with, external reviewers and/or committee members.

Should the application be successful, you and your research team will also be required to comply with the policy for the duration of the grant. For more information, please read the Tri-Agency’s detailed guidance for this policy.

Co-applicants (for Project grant applications)

Inviting co-applicants

From the Application Overview page in the Invitations section, click on Manage Invitations.

Provide the name and email address of each co-applicant. An email will be sent to each participant with instructions on how to accept the invitation. Co-applicants who were already invited at the NOI stage must accept it again at the application stage. The list of co-applicants may be modified from the time when the NOI was submitted.

Information required from co-applicants

As a co-applicant, you must accept the invitation as specified in the invitation email (even if you have previously accepted it at the NOI stage). In the Research Portal, complete or update your eligibility profile, upload your NSERC CCV and provide the following information using the instructions specified above:

• Hours per month you will devote to the research or activity
• Past contributions to the training of HQP
• Most significant contributions to research
• Additional information on contributions

Note: Co-applicants (except those from the applicant's institution) must advise the authorized officer of their organization that the applicant, or the applicant's institution, will be seeking their authorized officer's signature and agreement to the co-applicant's participation before the application is submitted to NSERC.

Uploading your NSERC CCV (applicant and co-applicants)

To successfully upload your CCV, the first name and family name used to create your CCV site account must be identical to those used to create your Research Portal account. The email address used to create your Research Portal account must be identical to at least one of the emails you listed on the CCV site.

• In the Application Overview page, click Attach.
• Enter your CCV confirmation number (refer to the NSERC CCV instructions for professors for details on how to obtain your confirmation number).
• Click Upload.
• Click Back to Application Overview.
• Preview your CCV in the Research Portal and verify that it was uploaded correctly and that it contains all of the records that you wish to submit for peer review. Your CCV must be in the same language as your application.

Note: While the Canadian Common CV website is bilingual, you can only save your NSERC CCV in one official language at a time, corresponding to the language of the platform you are using. For example, to save a French version of your NSERC CCV you must sign into your account using the French platform.

Submitting the application to NSERC

Click on the Submit button at the bottom of the Application Overview page. A pop-up message will appear. You will be required to extract and view your application to ensure that it is complete and that all relevant attachments extract properly. Note that the CCV will not appear in the extracted application. Save a copy of your application for your records. Once the confirmation box has been checked, click on the Submit button displayed in the pop-up message.

To complete the submission process, you will need to read and accept the terms and conditions by clicking on the I accept button. You will receive a confirmation message on the web page, as well as a confirmation email.

When you submit your application, it is sent to your research administrator for approval and submission to NSERC. The status of your application will be changed to Received by administrator. Once your research administrator has approved and forwarded your application to NSERC, the application status will be changed to Received by agency.

To verify the status of your submission, return to the home page.

Note: The retention period of applications in the Research Portal is three months after the deadline date. If you wish to keep a record of your submitted NSERC application, use the Export application and attachments to PDF function and save a copy.

Signatures

NSERC does not require original signatures on applications or other documents submitted electronically using the Research Portal. User ID/password-based “signatures” allow applicants, supporting organizations and authorized institutional representatives—such as research grants officers, scholarships liaison officers and business officers—to “sign” and submit online applications and other documents to NSERC. Refer to the frequently asked questions in the Program guide for professors for more details.

What do “signatures” mean?

For applicants and co-applicants

Before you, as an applicant or co-applicant, can submit your application to NSERC or upload your NSERC CCV 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.

The “signatures” of the institutional authorities certify that:

• the institution will abide by the roles and responsibilities set out in the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions ("the Agreement") with the three federal granting agencies, including the Tri-agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research, the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration, and the relevant program literature
• as required by the agreement, you, as the applicant and co-applicant(s), meet the eligibility requirements for the relevant funding opportunity
• before submitting the application, the institution has obtained written approval from any other institutions involved in the application process
• you will not use or disclose any information that you obtain or view on the Research Portal for any purposes other than your participation in the agency's process
• you understand that the agency reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to terminate or restrict your access to the Research Portal at any time, without notice

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 co-applicant and a principal of a collaborating organization, another senior official must “sign” on behalf of the organization.