Alliance Missions grants

Review of your application

Your proposal must demonstrate:

• an effective strategy to transfer knowledge to the
  partner organization(s)
• how the research will benefit the partner organization(s)
• how the research will (1) generate results, new products, processes or services to be exploited in Canada and how these will strengthen the Canadian economic base, enhance productivity, and contribute to long-term economic growth and/or societal benefits, and/or (2) inform policy that could have an impact on economic recovery

You must also demonstrate that the collective expertise of the academic researchers, and that found within the partner organizations, is appropriate to address the proposed challenge or to create a network that can respond to new economic opportunities. You must provide compelling evidence that you will have a meaningful collaboration with partner organizations, as well as giving a strong rationale for the relevance of your research to generate economic and/or societal impacts.

A multidisciplinary selection committee from academic and non-academic organizations (such as private-sector, public-sector or not-for-profit organizations) will review the applications. This evaluation is supported by existing peer review. If you are the principal applicant, you must hold an active peer-reviewed grant from NSERC when you apply.

You must submit the application by the deadline. NSERC will screen all applications to ensure they are complete and adhere to program requirements and objectives. If your application does not meet all program requirements, it will be rejected.

The merit of your application is evaluated using the following three equally weighted criteria. Your proposal must address all of the criteria to be considered for funding. Your application must also include a training plan with concrete practices that consider equity, diversity and inclusion.

Relevance and outcomes

• Significance of the intended outcomes and of the economic and/or societal impact for Canada
• How the strategy to apply the research results is likely to achieve the intended outcomes

Partnership

• Appropriateness of the partnership to achieve the intended outcomes
• Clarity of each partner organization’s role in defining the research challenge, co-designing and implementing the research, and using results to achieve the outcomes
• Appropriateness of the in-kind contributions from each partner organization

Quality of the proposal

• Clarity of the objectives and deliverables; appropriateness of the scope and size of planned activities to achieve the expected outcomes
• Appropriateness of academic researchers’ expertise, and that found within the partner organizations, for carrying out the planned research activities

The following merit indicators will be used to rate each criterion individually.

The proposed application is

1. outstanding in all elements listed for the criterion
2. excellent in most elements listed for the criterion and very strong in all
3. very strong in most elements listed for the criterion and strong in all
4. strong in some elements listed for the criterion and acceptable in all
5. acceptable with only minor weaknesses in any of the elements listed for the criterion
6. inadequate in one or more of the elements listed for the criterion