NSERC Alliance Society 2024 (formerly option 2) - Rolling intake

Eligibility

Applicants:

As a university or college faculty in an applicant or co-applicant role, you must comply with the eligibility requirements listed below at the time of application and during the tenure of the grant. Certain funding opportunities may outline additional requirements to align with specific objectives.

Appointment and faculty position

1. You must hold or have a firm offer of an academic appointment at an eligible post-secondary institution. The appointment can be:

1.1. For university faculty

1. a tenured, tenure-track or professor emeritus position, or
2. a term or contract position of no less than three continuous years

1.2. For college faculty

1. a permanent position, or
2. a term or contract position of no less than three continuous years

When your primary position is outside of Canada, you are only eligible if you work full-time in an eligible Canadian post-secondary institution. A part-time position is not eligible when your primary position is outside of Canada.

Research and student supervision

2. Your position at the eligible post-secondary institution must:

2.1. For university faculty

1. require you to engage in natural sciences and engineering research that is not under the direction of another individual, and
2. permit you to supervise or co-supervise the research* of postdoctoral fellows or students registered in an undergraduate or graduate degree program

* E.g., thesis supervision, and not supervision of regular course or laboratory assignments.

2.2. For college faculty

1. permit you to engage in research-related activities that are not under the direction of another individual

Sources of salary/support

3. Your faculty appointment must not be conditional on obtaining NSERC grants or other non-NSERC sources of support, including salary support.

4. Your salary must not be paid by NSERC, SSHRC, or CIHR grant funds. Exceptions include: scientific directors of Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) and those under the agencies’ salary support programs.

Note on adjunct professors

As an adjunct professor, you must meet the above NSERC’s eligibility requirements. Your primary place of employment will determine your level of access to apply for or hold funds. If your primary place of employment is:

• at an eligible Canadian university, you may apply as applicant or co-applicant to NSERC grants funding opportunities.
• outside the Canadian university sector (e.g., government, industry or colleges), you may apply for a Discovery Grant as principal applicant and to other NSERC grants as co-applicants. In this case, NSERC grants funds only for the direct support of students (salaries or stipends and student travel costs); all other costs must be covered through other sources of funding.
  • If you are employed by the federal government, eligibility and funding of your proposed research are subject to the Tri-agency policy on the use of funds for federal government employees applying to granting agency programs.

Summary

This competition has a rolling intake.

Alliance Society grants (formerly Alliance cost-sharing option 2) fund projects with societal impact as the main driver.

Research supported by Alliance Society grants will:

• address a societal challenge that will result in new natural sciences and engineering knowledge and societal impact
• bring together academic, partner organization and societal perspectives and skill sets throughout the collaboration
• demonstrate how all interested individuals will learn about and use the products, services or policies that stem from this research
• generate new knowledge and/or technology to address complex challenges
• create economic, social and/or environmental benefits
• contribute to Canada’s long-term competitiveness
• support public policy
• train new researchers in areas that are important to Canada and the partner organizations
• draw on diverse perspectives and skill sets to accelerate the translation and application of research results

Equity, diversity and inclusion

NSERC is acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and is aligned with the objectives of the Tri-agency EDI action plan.