Internal Funding Opportunities
Funding Opportunities
For Faculty For Undergraduate students For Graduate students
The internal funds were restructured into the categories below. Please note the conditions applied to each category.
Faculty
Major grants
Purpose: To catalyze initiatives and support early-stage pilot research, promote network development, and further activities expected to increase the likelihood of success in external grant competitions.
Conditions: Faculty can hold only one award from this category (Major Grants) at a given time.
SSHRC Exchange Grants offer up to $7000 for projects that support the organization of small-scale knowledge mobilization activities, such as workshops and seminars and costs associated with publishing for example, to encourage collaboration and the dissemination of research results both within and beyond the academic community. SSHRC Exchange grants are supported by a SSHRC Institutional Grant.
SSHRC Explore grants are institutional opportunities funded by a SSHRC Institutional Grant and administered by the Office of Research & Innovation Services (ORIS) to support projects in social sciences, humanities, and fine arts. The program is intended to seed new projects or to leverage extramural funding. It is not intended to provide on-going support through successive awards.
The University of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF) is an internal source of funds administered by the Office of Research & Innovation Services (ORIS) directed toward the support of research activities in any discipline on campus. The objective of the ULRF is to help researchers secure external funding, by providing seed money for new projects and to launch a program of research. The ULRF is not intended to provide on-going support through repeated applications or to supplement an on-going program of research.
Support Grants
Purpose: To assist with project and proposal development, network building and knowledge dissemination costs.
Conditions: Faculty can hold only one awards from this category (Support Grants) at a given time.
The Vice-President Research has allocated a limited amount of funding to provide institutional support for proposals that require matching funds to the total project costs.
Tri-Agency Catalyst Grants support research activities designed to strengthen grant proposals that were unsuccessful in a previous competition at CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC (collectively known as the ‘Tri-Agency’). The funds are intended to help researchers address reviewer comments in order to strengthen a resubmission in a subsequent round. Due to a large number of applications and limited funds, the fund cannot support all requests. Awards are not automatic or guaranteed.
Other Grants (Excluded)
Purpose: Various. These are “excluded” because they are from a variety of sources and have different purposes.
Conditions: There are no restrictions on holding these funds with other internal awards.
The Centre for Oral History and Tradition Research Award (COHTRA) aims to support Southern Alberta oral history research by University of Lethbridge faculty and their research teams, including graduate and undergraduate students and community affiliates. The award may be part of a larger project that includes colleagues at the U of L or elsewhere.
This award is moved to Undergraduate awards and will support summer undergraduate research opportunities. See below for more information.
The Vice-President Research has allocated a limited amount of funding to provide institutional support for proposals that require matching funds to the total project costs.
The purpose of this fund is to facilitate the publication of peer-reviewed articles. The Fund only covers the article processing charges (APCs) associated with open access publishing. Costs for reprints, colour illustration fees, non-open access page charges, translation, administrative charges and other fees are not eligible.
The University of Lethbridge Travel Fund has been established by the University of Lethbridge Board of Governors to reimburse expenses incurred by successful applicants for travel to meetings of learned societies, professional associations or similar groups.
Effective July 1, 2025, the maximum value of the ULTF increased from $1000 to $1500, and has a limit of one application per competition year (see "Other Grants").
The ULRF SoTL Stream is an internal source of funds directed toward the support of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and administered by the Teaching Centre. The objective of the ULRF SoTL Stream is to help researchers secure external funding, by providing seed money for new projects and to launch a program of research.
Training Grants
Purpose: To facilitate training for PDFs (salaries or costs they might incur).
Conditions: There are no restrictions on holding these funds with other internal awards.
The Postdoctoral Fellow Recruitment program is an internal source of funds administered by the Office of Research and Innovation Services (ORIS) directed towards supporting the recruitment of postdoctoral fellows to the University of Lethbridge. Faculty members seeking to recruit a new postdoctoral fellow to the University of Lethbridge are eligible to apply.
The PDF Dissemination Grant assists postdoctoral fellows promote their research and enhance the profile of the University of Lethbridge.
Past recipients
Student funding
Alberta Innovates Summer Research Studentships offer students with exceptional academic records an opportunity to participate in medical or health-related research at the University during the summer.
The Chinook Summer Research Awards provide students in all disciplines with a research training experience with a University of Lethbridge faculty member during the summer
The Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) will nurture interests and foster potential for graduate studies and research careers across all disciplines. Qualified indigenous and black students are encouraged to apply.
The Life and Climate Research Award provides students with research training experience with a University of Lethbridge faculty member during the summer in fields related to the environment and climate. The terms of reference and more information will be shared with faculty once all the details are finalized, likely by September 2025.
Canada Graduate Scholarships
Scholarships for high-calibre students engaged in master's or doctoral programs in Canada. Consult the following links to learn more: master's students, doctoral students.
Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship
Scholarships for doctoral studies in health, sciences, engineering or humanities. Learn more
School of Graduate Studies
Funding is available through the School of Graduate Studies.
Mitacs
Mitacs is a national independent non-profit funding agency that financially supports collaborative projects in any discipline. Students, faculty, and eligible partner agencies can receive funding from Mitacs to support Canadian research and innovation. International opportunities are also available.