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Special Research Opportunity (SRO) Program
Important InformationNSERC-Initiated Requests for Proposals Program ObjectivesThe Special Research Opportunity (SRO) program supports unique, emerging research opportunities that are timely, urgent, high-risk or have a strong potential for breakthrough that will be of substantial benefit to Canada. The program also supports pre-research activities to investigate and develop potential new collaborative projects necessary to respond to these national and international opportunities. What is a Special Research Opportunity?The special opportunity must be unique, unforeseen, and outside the normal evolution and advancement of a longer term research program. It is timely and linked to a window of opportunity that did not exist a year ago, and will not exist in the future. In addition, the research project must be novel, high risk, or have a strong potential for breakthrough. Pre-research activities must have the potential to lead to a significant new collaborative project of benefit to Canada. Advancements of ongoing research and collaboration, such as research supported through an NSERC Discovery Grant, do not constitute a special opportunity. It is understood and expected that new knowledge is developed and that discoveries and breakthroughs are made through all of NSERC’s grant programs. Discovery Grants also allow researchers to pursue new research interests within NSERC’s mandate. DescriptionRequests to the SRO program must not be eligible for support under other NSERC programs regardless of funding limitations. Requests to the SRO program may be researcher-initiated or NSERC-initiated through a Request for Proposals. Researcher-initiated proposals can be submitted at any time. A special research opportunity may be undertaken by an individual or by a team of researchers. It may be specific to one discipline or interdisciplinary. It can be national or international in scope. The SRO program supports projects involving any field of the natural sciences or engineering. The proposed project may range from fundamental knowledge creation to knowledge application. Support will be for up to three years for a specific research project with defined milestones and objectives. The SRO program also supports pre-research activities involving researchers in Canada and abroad. Typically, this support is for a workshop or a short series of meetings with identified objectives, a clear description of the rationale for the participation of each researcher, and a specific plan to establish an international and/or multidisciplinary research project that addresses a special opportunity. Types of projects that may be considered by the SRO program:
Application & Review ProceduresThere is no deadline for researcher-initiated submissions. Proposals must be submitted by an eligible individual or group of researchers. Partnerships and collaborations are encouraged where relevant. Applying to the SRO program involves two phases. Phase 1: Letter of Intent The SRO program is highly selective, with pre-screening based on the Letter of Intent. Only proponents successful at the Letter of Intent stage will be invited to submit a full application. Applicants are encouraged to consult with an SRO Program Officer in preparing the Letter of Intent. A Letter of Intent is submitted on Form 184. NSERC staff, with input from external referees and the SRO Steering Committee as required, use the letter of intent to assess the fit with the program. Decisions on Letters of Intent normally take four to eight weeks. In the Letter of Intent, the onus is on the applicant to clearly explain:
Applicant(s) requesting funds from other supporting organizations can apply to the SRO program at the time that the opportunity becomes apparent. Applicants do not need to wait for funding decisions from other agencies in order to submit a Letter of Intent. NSERC funding could be offered conditional on successfully receiving funding from ther agencies. Funding for equipment can be requested from the SRO program if it is essential for the proposed project, but this should not be the major thrust of the proposal. Phase 2: Application Full applications must be submitted within threemonths of the invitation from NSERC. The complete application will consist of the following:
Decisions on applications normally take up to four months. Review ProceduresThe review process will depend on the specific nature of the proposal and on the amount requested. Proposals requesting $25,000 per year or less may be assessed internally at NSERC. Proposals requesting more than this amount will generally be peer reviewed and, if sufficiently complex, may require evaluation by site visit or peer review committee. Selection CriteriaThe selection criteria are:
Sample Questions to Guide the Evaluation of SRO Proposals This table presents examples of questions that can be asked based on each SRO selection criteria. These are meant as a guide for the preparation of proposals and for reviewers. Not all questions will be asked for each proposal. This is not an exhaustive list.
ReportingEach grantee will be required to follow the Terms and Conditions of their award and submit a final report. Funding is not renewable. Grantees will be required to submit NSERC’s Grants in Aid of Research, Statement of Account (Form 300). Payment of the second instalment will depend on the use of funds and on the projected amount remaining in the grant account at the end of the first year. Interim progress reports may also be required, and progress on research may affect future instalments. |
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