College and Community Innovation program: Partner organization instructions for completing the partner module in the Convergence Portal

See the  Partner module instruction video for additional guidance. Please note that the partner module has been updated since this video was created; although the instructions remain valid, there may be some small differences.

Table of contents

• About the College and Community Innovation program
• Who completes the partner organization module in the Convergence Portal?
• How the partner organization information is used
• I am the authorized contact, and I have been invited by the applicant; what do I do next?
• Completing the My information section as the partner organization
• Technical issues
• Personal information
• Help

About the College and Community Innovation program

The Tri-agency College and Community Innovation (CCI) program funds applied research that provides innovative solutions for local and regional challenges faced by businesses, government and communities through the expertise of Canadian colleges, CEGEPs and polytechnics. Refer to the individual grant descriptions to learn more about specific CCI funding opportunities.

Who completes the partner organization module in the Convergence Portal?

The authorized contact for each partner organization participating in a CCI grant application must complete the partner module in the  Convergence Portal. The applicant is responsible for inviting the authorized contact for each partner organization via the Convergence Portal. Those invited will receive an email asking them to accept the invitation. Upon accepting, the authorized contact for the partner organization will be redirected to the Convergence Portal (to log in or create an account) and prompted to complete the relevant sections.

How the partner organization information is used

CCI grants support projects led by college researchers in partnership with private, public or not-for-profit organizations while encouraging collaboration with universities and/or other colleges. If you are a partner organization, your collaboration with the applicant in preparing the application lays a strong foundation for your partnership. The information you provide about your organization through the partner organization module in the Convergence Portal and the proposal submitted by the applicant confirm that your organization can contribute to the project as planned. Your organization is expected to participate actively in the project and contribute meaningfully to its success.

I am the authorized contact, and I have been invited by the applicant; what do I do next?

You are an authorized contact from the partner organization, and you have received an automated email stating that the applicant has invited you to participate as a partner. The next steps you must complete are detailed below.

1. Accept the invitation.
2. After accepting the invitation, you will be redirected to the  Convergence Portal’s log-in page. If you don’t have an account, you must create one.
3. Once logged in, accept the terms and conditions of applying for partner organizations.
4. Complete the My information section (i.e., Partner contact information, Partner organization information, Partner contributions and Partner documents). Note: You are not required to complete any My Profile or CV sections (EDI, Fields of research, Keywords, Language capability, Affiliations/employment, Education, Funding, Interruptions and personal circumstances).

Completing the My information section as the partner organization

The following will guide you through the My information sub-sections for partner organizations of the application on the Convergence Portal.

Partner contact information

As the authorized representative for the partner organization, confirm your information or the contact person’s information (name, family name, email address, telephone number, extension, and position or role at the organization).

Partner organization information

Enter your organization’s name, department or branch, full street address, country or region, business number (optional), and sector (private, public or not-for-profit/other).

For private sector organizations, additional questions will be asked, such as number of employees, location of operations and headquarters, etc.

Partner contributions

Enter the cash and/or in-kind contributions your organization is committing to the project.

Cash contributions are those made to accounts at the postsecondary institution. Other contributions are considered in-kind.

Select the check box next to As the authorized representative, I confirm the financial commitments from my organization.

Consult the College and Community Innovation program partnership guidelines for more details about partner contributions.

Partner documents

In the Partner documents section, upload the following items (described in detail further below):

• Letter of support
• Collaborators CV (optional, if applicable)
• Supplemental information (as applicable)
• Partner organization profile (optional)

Letter of support

Using a maximum of two pages, provide a letter of support that addresses details of the project you are supporting in relation to the specific funding opportunity and includes the following information:

• Your organization’s reasons for being involved in the proposed project
• The anticipated interactions of your organization’s personnel with the research team
• A description of your organization’s support for and contributions to the project
• The benefits that the anticipated outcomes will bring to your organization and how the results will be integrated into your operations
• (For ARD grants only) The projected timeframe to implement and/or exploit the research results, the alignment of your team’s expertise with the applied research proposal and the potential for economic, social, environmental and/or health benefits to Canada

For projects involving Indigenous Peoples or communities, contributions from Indigenous partners can include: social capital, an asset that may emphasize social and familial relationships and networks, and may affect the cost of research; and linguistic capital, the ability to engage in the community with the ancestral language(s) of the community and an official language of Canada.

Collaborators CV (optional, if applicable)

Key individuals from partner organizations who will contribute to the overall intellectual direction of the research project can be part of the research team as collaborators and must bring their organization’s resources to the project. The authorized contact from the partner organization may upload CVs or biographical sketches (maximum two pages) of key staff who will collaborate on the project.

The collaborator CV must include the individual’s name, employment/affiliations, relevant education/training, research funding received (if applicable) and up to five significant contributions related to the project. Alternatively, a two-page biographical sketch may be provided for each collaborator. For Indigenous collaborators (e.g., Elders, Knowledge Keepers or Knowledge Holders), biographical sketches may include information about these individuals’ life/knowledge journey, community engagement, and planned participation in the proposed research. The contributions of Elders, Knowledge Keepers or Knowledge Holders to the project may include providing access to community networks, ethical guidance to researchers and advice in interpreting findings.

College and Community Social Innovation Fund grants only: Individuals from a not-for-profit organization requesting research salary allowance must include their CV.

Supplemental information (as applicable)

A Partner organization supplemental information questionnaire must be completed by organizations in the private sector with fewer than five full-time employees. 

Partner organization profile (optional)

Using a maximum of one page:

• Describe your organization, including the nature of its operations in Canada and how it intends to grow in Canada by developing innovative new or improved products, services, processes or policies (if applicable)
• Demonstrate that your organization has existing or planned capacity to achieve the project's expected results (human resources, facilities and financial capabilities)

Technical issues

In the event that you encounter significant challenges in completing your relevant sections in the Convergence Portal, you should contact the applicant immediately so they can inform the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Personal information

The information you provide in the application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act.

The collection, use, disclosure, retention and disposal of your personal information are outlined in the following policy statements:

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

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

Help

If you have questions about the College and Community Innovation program, or if you cannot access the Convergence Portal, contact NSERC staff via email at colleges@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.