For Professors – Overview – Partnerships Programs

Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants

Duration	Application Deadline	How to Apply
Up to five years	Any time	Forms 101, 100 and 183A
Program Contacts		Apply on-line

Objective

The Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants program is intended to give companies that operate from a Canadian base access to the unique knowledge, expertise, and educational resources available at Canadian postsecondary institutions and to train students in essential technical skills required by industry. The mutually beneficial collaborations are expected to result in industrial and/or economic benefits to Canada.

Description

CRD Grants support well-defined projects undertaken by university researchers and their private-sector partners. Direct project costs are shared by the industrial partner(s) and NSERC. Projects may range from one year to five years in duration, but most awards are for two or three years.

CRD projects can be at any point in the R&D spectrum that is consistent with the university’s research, training, and technology transfer mandate. Eligible collaborations include focused projects with specific short- to medium-term objectives, as well as discrete phases in a program of longer-range research. All proposals require evidence of detailed planning and sound budget justification, and must clearly spell out the underlying assumptions, intended approaches, milestones, and deliverables.

Projects that focus on the routine application of existing technology, provide routine analysis, collect data without interpreting underlying mechanisms, or provide professional practice or consulting services (contract research) are not eligible. Similarly, proposals that involve the set-up and operational management of an institute, a formal or informal group of researchers, or that are principally associated with the acquisition and maintenance of scientific equipment will not be considered.

Industrial Participation

The Partner Eligibility Guidelines section of the Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs should be consulted to determine the eligibility of the industrial partner to participate.

The industrial partner must contribute to the direct project costs in an amount equal to, or greater than, the amount requested from NSERC. The industrial cash must be at least half of the NSERC request, with the balance provided as in-kind contributions to the project by the industrial partner(s). NSERC will recognize only those in-kind contributions that are considered essential to carry out the work. In some cases, the following factors may be considered in determining an appropriate cost-sharing ratio:

• The size of the company
• Its R&D budget
• The risk inherent in the research
• The access to a company's specialized knowledge or facilities
• The stage of technological development
• The extent and immediacy of the expected return
• The amount of previous support for the proposed work

For a full discussion of the eligibility and value of in-kind contributions, refer to the Guidelines on Eligibility and Value of In-Kind Contributions section of the Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs.

Cash contributed before the proposal is submitted may be used to start the project, but NSERC will not recognize industrial funds spent more than three months prior to the date of submission. NSERC funds cannot be applied to expenses incurred before a project was approved.

NSERC's Policy on Intellectual Property (IP) supports the premise that every effort should be made to exploit the results of NSERC-funded research in Canada, for the benefit of Canadians. For most projects, a copy of the final and signed research agreement between the industrial partner and the university is reviewed by NSERC to ensure that it conforms to the NSERC IP Policy.

Application Procedures

Proposals can be submitted at any time, using a Personal Data Form (Form 100), an Application for a Grant (Form 101), and an Information Required from Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs (Form 183A). Full instructions for professors and their industrial sponsor(s) to complete the forms and the on-line submission are found on NSERC's On-line Services page. All proposals undergo peer review. Large or complex proposals (requesting $200,000 or more per year) are reviewed by a site visit committee. Those requesting $150,000 or more per year from NSERC are reviewed by a selection committee – the Advisory Committee on University-Industry Grants (ACUIG). The ACUIG normally meets four times a year: in March, June, September, and December.

Decisions on funding CRD Grants are usually made within three to five months of receiving a complete application.

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Scientific merit: The project must be scientifically sound, technically feasible, and promise either to generate new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an innovative manner.
  
• Research competence: The applicant and the research team together must have all the expertise required to address the defined objectives competently and to complete the project successfully. Academic expertise may be complemented with the know-how residing in the company.
  
• Industrial relevance: The proposal must identify how the work will benefit the company and demonstrate that exploitation of the project results will benefit the Canadian economy within a reasonable time frame.
  
• Private-sector support: The industrial partner must contribute an appropriate amount from its own resources to the project, consistent with the risks and rewards involved, and be in a position to exploit successful research results.
  
• Contribution to the training of highly qualified personnel: The proposal should indicate how the knowledge and experience gained by graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants or others, including company personnel, are relevant to the advancement of the field, to developing practical applications of knowledge, or to strengthening the industrial research base. The number of undergraduate and graduate students trained is expected to be commensurate with the size of the project.
  
• Benefit to Canada: The proposal should outline any additional potential social and/or economic benefits that will be realized in Canada.

University commitment and infrastructure: For large or complex proposals (greater than $200,000 per year), the proposal must demonstrate adequate university support for the project by detailing the specific commitments of the university regarding the provision of financial support, equipment, and/or facilities.

Reporting

CRD projects are monitored closely. Annual progress reports are normally required from the grantee. The industrial partner will be asked to provide comments on the project's progress. NSERC may waive the requirement of an annual progress report and company comments for very small research projects with minimal in-kind contributions. Final reports are required for all projects. NSERC may appoint a scientific liaison officer to assist in monitoring progress.

In cases where the industrial partner is a large consortium of private-sector companies, and/or when a formal administrative structure exists within the consortia, one company or the consortium administrator may provide comments on behalf of the group if appropriate.

Based on the results obtained or problems encountered, grantees may propose amendments to the project objectives, milestones, or budget. The amounts of second and subsequent instalments are contingent on a demonstrated need for NSERC funds. Grantees must provide annual statements of actual expenditures and of anticipated future costs. The next instalment will not be released until the industrial partner has made its current year’s contribution, re-confirmed its commitment to contribute in the next year, and (if requested) evaluated the project’s progress.

Grantees or companies that have failed to provide the requested feedback on projects may be declared ineligible to apply for, or sponsor, new proposals.

Contacts