Funding Opportunities
Internal and External
Internal Funding
New Research Initiative Fund - SSHRC Explore Grants
The New Research Initiative Fund supports researchers exploring social sciences and humanities research questions or areas by providing seed funding in preparation for the upscaling of a project and a SSHRC grant submission.
Applicants can request up to $7,000.
Deadline for proposals: A new call for a Fall 2025 competition will be sent out by email from the Office of Research Services to all faculty members.
Knowledge Mobilization Activities and Initiatives Fund - SSHRC Exchange Grants
The objective of the Knowledge Mobilization Activities and Initiatives Fund is to increase the reach and impact of social sciences and humanities research conducted at Laurentian University. Applicants can request up to $7,000 to support the organization of small-scale knowledge mobilization activities and initiatives.
Deadline for proposals: A new call for a Fall 2025 competition will be sent out by email from the Office of Research Services to all faculty members.
Application Enhancement Fund - SSHRC Explore Grants
The Application Enhancement Fund is an internal funding opportunity that helps researchers who were not successful in obtaining SSHRC funding, but placed in the fourth sextile or higher, to improve their applications for resubmission by addressing identified gaps and weaknesses in their application.
NSERC - Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)
Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRAs) are meant to nurture interest among undergraduates and fully develop their potential for a research career by providing research work experience that complements their studies in an academic setting.
The call for applications to fill the Summer 2025 USRA allocation is now closed. A new call for Summer 2026 will go out in early 2026.
For more information regarding this opportunity, visit the NSERC USRA page.
For information regarding the USRA program at Laurentian University, contact Chris McTiernan, Research Advisor, at cx_mctiernan@laurentian.ca.
Looking to fund your research?
Contact a Research Advisor in the Office of Research Services for assistance!
External Funding
Federal Tri-Agencies
1. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
2. Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
- Upcoming funding opportunities and application deadlines for SSHRC
- SSHRC website
- Best Practices for Writing a SSHRC Grant Proposal
3. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
4. New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)
The NFRF is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS).
Streams:
- Exploration - Innovative high-risk, high-reward interdisciplinary research
- Transformation - Large-scale support for Canada to build strength and leadership in interdisciplinary and transformative research
- International - For Canadian researchers to partner on international projects
- Special Calls - Targeted to support emerging research as needed.
Other Funding Agencies
1. MITACS
- Funding for projects that build partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada
2. Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Funding that offers institutions ways to both acquire research infrastructure and to support its ongoing operating and maintenance costs
3. Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)
4. Ontario Centre for Innovation
- In partnership with the provincial and federal governments, OCI accelerates the commercialization and adoption of emerging technologies in Ontario.
- Ontario Genomics seeks to connect members of the scientific community with funding and award opportunities for research, commercialization, training and education.
Other Sources of Funding
- The Office of Research Services sends out a weekly newsletter by email to all faculty and staff containing the latest funding opportunities.