Research Capacity Development in Small Universities Pilot Program

Duration	Application Deadline	How to Apply
Up to 5 years	The 2004 competition is closed	Application Guidelines
Program Contacts

Objectives

The goals of the Research Capacity Development (RCD) pilot program are to help small universities eliminate some of the barriers to increased research productivity and to help them build the foundations for further success in this area.

Description

RCD grants are institutional awards that provide up to $300K per year for up to five years, depending on the needs of the university. Only one grant per institution will be awarded. The application process requires that each university identify what it needs to improve research capacity, how the requested funding will help it achieve this goal, and what will be the indicators of success.

The initiatives funded through this program will support the underlying requirements essential to removing the barriers to research productivity. They will be judged on their potential for contributing to significant, sustainable, and long-term research capacity development.

Eligibility

The pilot program is open to Canadian universities eligible to authorize NSERC grants, scholarships and fellowships applications that received $3 million or less in NSERC scholarships and grants during the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

Use of Funds

The program will be flexible regarding the types of activities supported; however, it will not fund research projects and funds cannot be used to replace ongoing costs. Some examples of initiatives that may be supported include:

• start-up funds for new faculty (with long-term commitment by the university);
• course load reduction;
• salary support for technicians and/or research assistants;
• additional scholarships and fellowships and top-ups to existing awards;
• travel supplements for students from other parts of Canada;
• purchase of core research equipment (such equipment may also be used, within reason, for teaching purposes);
• reimbursement of dissemination costs;
• travel supplements to assist researchers and students to network and collaborate;
• funds to encourage entrepreneurship and increase university-industry interactions; and
• supportive infrastructure (such as a machine or glass blowing shop, microelectronics services, etc.).

Application Procedures

Applications will be accepted only from those universities that are eligible to participate in the pilot program. Applications must be submitted by the executive head of the university by May 31, 2004. Joint applications involving more than one university will also be accepted; however no university may be involved in more than one application. There is no application form; however, applicants must follow the detailed Application Guidelines for the program.

The identification of appropriate performance indicators and reporting on these indicators to measure outcomes is a key component of the grant. Indicators may be identified by both NSERC and the university.

Review Procedures and Selection Criteria

Applications will be peer-reviewed by a selection committee, according to the following criteria:

• The potential for building and sustaining the university’s research productivity and the local capacity for research-based innovation;
• The extent of the incremental benefit that this grant will have over the current natural sciences and engineering research activities at the institution;
• An appropriate strategy for building research capacity and the university’s commitment to achieving it;
• The coherence of the proposed activities with the university’s vision for research capacity development;
• A complete work plan including an appropriate budget to address the barriers to research productivity;
• The nature and extent of the collaboration that would result from the funding;
• The impact on the training of highly qualified personnel; and
• The potential benefit to the local and national economy and quality of life.

Reporting

Universities will be required to annually submit NSERC’s standard financial statement: Grants in Aid of Research, Statement of Account (Form 300). In addition, each university will be required to submit interim and final reports highlighting the degree to which objectives are being met according to previously determined performance measures.

Payment of subsequent instalments will depend on the availability of funds, on the use of previous instalments and the projected amount remaining in the grant account at the end of the fiscal year, and on progress as determined by the interim reports.