NSERC is committed to supporting excellence in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) fields. Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion1 (EDI) considerations in all aspects of research is essential to the creation of the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to respond to local, national and global challenges. To achieve world-class research and be competitive on a global scale, an equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive research culture is needed—one that fosters innovation and research excellence through the meaningful participation of all talented individuals.

Guided by the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, NSERC critically assesses its programs, policies and processes, using evidence-based, data-driven methods, to ensure equitable access to funding opportunities, and to contribute to the development of a more equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible postsecondary research ecosystem and culture in Canada. More information on these efforts can be found under Actions, Review process, Career interruptions and Data.

NSERC is embedding EDI considerations into the application requirements and selection criteria of its funding opportunities. The Resources section provides links to tools and guidance documents designed to help the NSE research community learn more about integrating EDI considerations in research.

A number of NSERC’s funding opportunities are designed to address barriers and biases experienced by underrepresented groups and to promote EDI. The Grants and awards section provides information on these funding opportunities.

In addition to these EDI efforts aimed at addressing barriers and inequities faced by underrepresented groups, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities/racialized groups and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, NSERC also recognizes the need for dedicated efforts to support a more accessible NSE research ecosystem, and developed a page on accessibility, which includes an Accessibility Plan. This initiative aims to ensure greater opportunities for persons with disabilities and all those that experience barriers.

NSERC also strives to build meaningful, respectful and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous Peoples to continue on the journey of reconciliation. We recognize that First Nations, Inuit and Métis are rights-holding groups. Accordingly, distinct approaches and initiatives are being co-developed with representatives from these groups to support research by and with Indigenous Peoples. More information can be found in the NSERC webpage on Indigenous research and the Canada Research Coordinating Committee’s Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity strategic plan.

NSERC has publicly positioned itself as a promoter of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and an actor in driving cultural change in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) research ecosystem. From the delivery of funding opportunities such as the Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering program (since 1996), which originated as the Women in Engineering Chair in 1989; the PromoScience program (launched in 2000); and the NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors program (launched in 2008), to the hosting of the Gender Summit 11 in 2017, NSERC has long been invested in initiatives that foster EDI in the Canadian research enterprise. While progress has been made, sustained and concerted efforts are needed to drive change.

In recent years, NSERC has accelerated its efforts to address barriers and biases to underrepresented groups and to foster an equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible NSE research enterprise in Canada.

In 2018, NSERC reiterated its commitment to EDI via the Tri-Agency Statement on EDI and has since made significant progress on the initiatives listed in the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan. Guided by this plan, NSERC:

• gathers comprehensive self-identification data to help identify EDI-related barriers and inform decision making for funding opportunities, and works with partners to expand available postsecondary education data sets.
• embeds EDI considerations into decision-making processes and integrated Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) into the development and monitoring of policies and programs (see Gender-based Analysis Plus in NSERC Programs: Summary Report 2024), as well as into program evaluations.
• increased the number of Black scholars supported by tri-agency programmingat the undergraduate, Master’s, Doctoral and Postdoctoral levels to address the disproportionate underfunding of meritorious Black scholars at all stages of their careers.
• ensures that peer review/selection committees and agency-appointed advisory/governance boards include a diversity of people, and since 2020, a standing Committee on EDI advises NSERC’s Council and vice-presidents on funding opportunities and policy issues related to EDI.
• implements new ways to understand, recognize and assess research excellence in funding opportunities as per the Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring, informed by the recommendations set in the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), and by implementing a new narrative-style CV into its programs.
• provides EDI resources and guidance for staff, peer review/selection committee members and the communities served by NSERC.
• develops initiatives and policies to promote EDI and to address barriers and biases experienced by underrepresented groups, many of which are highlighted on the Review process, Career interruptions, Grants and awards and Resources pages.

Complementing the goals set out in the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, NSERC recognizes the need for dedicated efforts to support a more accessible NSE research ecosystem, and as a result, an Accessibility Plan was developed in accordance with the Accessible Canada Act to guide NSERC’s action toward this goal.

NSERC engaged with various stakeholders to develop the NSERC 2030: Discovery. Innovation. Inclusion. strategic plan, which emphasizes the overarching importance of equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion across all of NSERC’s programs and throughout the research ecosystem, and which guides NSERC’s actions for the coming years.

Peer review is an important part of NSERC’s funding decision process. Detailed below are some elements that contribute to fostering a fair review process, through responsible research assessment best practices.

• The Guidelines governing membership of NSERC’s peer review committees promote equitable, diverse and inclusive recruitment and nomination processes. Guidelines for committee composition include requirements for diversity in terms of knowledge and experience, language, equity and inclusion, sector and region.
• Resources for peer reviewers support fair review processes. Peer reviewers must take the Bias in Peer Review training module and are guided throughout the review process to ensure that each application is reviewed fairly according to the evaluation criteria.
• NSERC’s Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoringprovide information on the wide range of contributions that should be valued as part of the peer review process.
• Review committee members are instructed to take career interruptions, including leaves of absence, delays in research and training activities and impacts of COVID-19, into account when assessing applications.
• Instructions for external reviewers and those preparing reference letters include guidance on the use of inclusive language and on limiting unconscious bias in reviews of applicants/applications. Examples of such are the Instructions for completing a report on the applicant for students and postdoctoral fellows, the Instructions to external reviewers for Discovery grants, the Collaborative Research and Training Experience program Instructions to external reviewers, the Arthur B. McDonald fellowships - Instructions for external reviewers, and the Alliance grants Instructions for external reviewers.

NSERC recognizes that there are varied pathways through a research career, and that support through interruptions is crucial to ensure that all talented individuals continue to contribute to research.

As part of the application and review process, NSERC programs provide applicants with the opportunity to discuss the impact of career interruptions, including leaves of absence, delays in research and training activities, as well as impacts of COVID-19. Review committee members are asked to take these circumstances into account when evaluating applications. In addition, some funding opportunities offer extensions to program eligibility for those who have had career interruptions.

NSERC also has support in place for grantees and award holders, such as provisions for those who are primary caregivers or who take family and medical leave. These include grant extensions with funds for grant holders and paid parental leave for scholarship and fellowship recipients, and for students and postdoctoral fellows supported through grants.

To learn more:

• Students and fellows who hold NSERC awards should refer to the Tri-agency Research Training Award Holder’s Guide.
• Students and fellows paid from a supervisor’s NSERC grant should refer to the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration.
• NSERC grant recipients should refer to the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration. NSERC Discovery Grant, Individual Subatomic Physics Discovery Grant and Discovery Development Grant recipients should also refer to the primary caregiver policy document.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in career and research program interruptions for the natural sciences and engineering research community. To help mitigate these effects, NSERC has provided general guidelines for the consideration of COVID-19-related impacts on research and training, and has offered grant extensions and added flexibility for funding opportunities (see the NSERC program information in relation to COVID-19 page for more information).

The following interactive dashboards present competition statistics and include aggregate self-identification data on the population applying to and receiving funds from NSERC funding opportunities:

• Self-Identification Data Reporting in Support of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
• Discovery Grants
• Research Tools and Instruments grants
• Subatomic Physics Discovery Grants
• Undergraduate Students Research Awards
• Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s
• Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Canada Graduate Scholarships
• Postdoctoral Fellowships

As per the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, the collection of self-identification data is central to the Tri-agency's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). These data provide information on the diversity of the applicant pool and funded population, as well as on the population participating on selection/review committees and as external reviewers. This information increases the agencies’ capacity to monitor progress on increasing equitable and inclusive access to funding opportunities, to recognize and remove barriers, to design new measures to achieve greater EDI in the research ecosystem and to better understand the diversity of selection/review committees.

The self-identification questionnaire used by the Tri-agency includes questions related to date of birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, Indigenous identity, visible minorities, population group, persons with a disability and languages. All responses include the option “prefer not to answer.”

To help NSERC make evidence-based improvements to its programs, applicants, selection/review committee members and external reviewers are encouraged to select the options that best represent their identities.

More information can be found on the Self-identification Data Collection in Support of EDI web page. Questions, comments or suggestions may be sent to NSERC staff at nseequity-equitesng@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.

As part of NSERC’s commitment to increasing equitable and inclusive access to funding opportunities, NSERC uses Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to critically analyze its programs and policies. These analyses use qualitative and quantitative data, including data collected from self-identification questionnaires, to identify possible barriers to participation and to fair access in its funding opportunities. Results of these analyses help the agency to better understand the ways in which its programs, policies and processes are experienced by diverse groups of individuals, and to propose evidence-based recommendations and solutions to eliminate barriers and to ensure fair access and participation.

To learn more about these efforts, consult the Gender-based Analysis Plus in NSERC Programs: Summary Report 2024. It provides a summary of the main findings and recommendations stemming from GBA Plus applied to fourteen NSERC funding opportunities between January 2018 and June 2022. It also highlights some of the actions taken by NSERC in addressing barriers identified through this work.

More information on GBA Plus:

• Government of Canada’s approach on GBA Plus
• Introduction to GBA Plus (WAGE)
• Gender-based Analysis Plus microlearning videos

NSERC encourages all eligible individuals from the diverse pool of potential applicants in Canada’s research ecosystem to apply for funding. NSERC continues to update its funding opportunities to promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and reduce barriers to equitable participation. Further details can be found in each individual program description. Refer to the Students and fellows, Professors, and Colleges tabs on NSERC’s home page for more information. Highlighted below are funding opportunities or initiatives with specific elements designed to promote equitable and inclusive participation in the research ecosystem, and address barriers and biases experienced by underrepresented groups.

• Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE) program and Chairs for Inclusion in Science and Engineering (CISE)
  The goal of the CWSE program is to increase the participation and retention of women in science and engineering and to provide role models for women active in, and considering, careers in these fields. The CISE program is a two-year pilot in the Atlantic region that builds on the successful CWSE program, continuing to promote the participation of women in science and engineering while expanding to address issues faced by a broader range of underrepresented groups.
• Discovery Horizons
  Discovery Horizons grants support interdisciplinary research, including research involving Indigenous Peoples and communities. Priority may be given to letters of intent and/or applications from those who self-identify as members of underrepresented groups, amongst similarly ranked LOIs and applications. The Discovery Horizons program is also piloting a narrative CV as part of its application elements to facilitate the assessment of a widerange of contributions to research, training and mentoring.
• Some programs are designed to support specific groups of researchers: see Arthur B. McDonald fellowships (early-stage academic researchers), Discovery Launch Supplements (early-career researchers), Discovery Development Grants (researchers at small universities) and Northern Research Supplements (researchers collaborating with communities in Canada’s North).

• Black Scholars funding
  To help address the disproportional underfunding of Black students and postdoctoral researchers, Budget 2022 included funds to increase the number of Black scholars directly supported by tri-agency programming at the undergraduate, Master’s, Doctoral and Postdoctoral levels. These funds are offered by the three federal granting agencies through established scholarships and fellowships programs.
• NSERC Indigenous Student Ambassadors
  This program aims to engage Indigenous students and fellows in promoting interest and participation in the natural sciences and engineering by visiting Canada’s Indigenous communities and schools and sharing their research and education experiences or participating in science promotion events and activities.
• NSERC and L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Supplement
  This program recognizes outstanding women scientists engaged in a promising postdoctoral research project who have demonstrated exemplary involvement in science promotion and leadership.
• Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)
  These awards are meant to nurture undergraduate students’ interest and fully develop their potential for a research career in the natural sciences and engineering. Institutions may recommend applications from self-identified Indigenous applicants to the USRA program beyond their quota allocation.
• Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative
  The Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative provides financial support to meritorious Indigenous students who have applied to the Canada Graduate Scholarships—Master’s program (CGS M).
• Several other supplements include aspects related to EDI and/or are designed to support applicants from underrepresented groups (see the Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity supplement, DND/NSERC supplemental funding award, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Aquatic Science supplement, and Supplement for Research in the Field of Impact Assessment descriptions).

• Dimensions
  NSERC administers the Dimensions program in collaboration with the other funding agencies to support institutional efforts to improve equity, diversity and inclusion. Dimensions consists of a charter and a recognition program. The program objective is to foster transformational change within the research community at Canadian postsecondary institutions by identifying and eliminating obstacles and inequities. This will support equitable access to funding opportunities, increase equitable and inclusive participation, and embed EDI-related considerations in research design and practices.

• PromoScience
  PromoScience supports initiatives that promote the natural sciences and engineering to Canada's young people, particularly to groups that are underrepresented in scientific and engineering careers.

Listed below are resources on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to assist the natural sciences and engineering research communities with integrating EDI considerations and best practices to enhance the quality and impact of their work.

• Guidelines on the assessment of contributions to research, training and mentoring
  Information on the wide range of contributions that should be valued as part of the peer review process
• NSERC guide on integrating EDI considerations in research
  Guidance on embedding EDI considerations in your research and in your research teams

• Alliance grants: Equity, diversity and inclusion in your training plan
• Discovery Grants resource videos (see sections on incorporating EDI in applications)
• Scholarships and fellowships resource videos (see sections on incorporating EDI in applications)

• Dimensions EDI Canada handbook for postsecondary institutions applying for recognition
• Guide to addressing EDI in College and Community Innovation program grant applications
• Bias in Peer Review training module
• New Frontiers in Research Funds’ Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
• Canada Research Chairs’ Creating an Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Research Environment: A Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Hiring and Retention
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Equity, diversity and inclusion in the research enterprise
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in Action at CIHR
• Accessibility in programs and services at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Equity, diversity and inclusion resources
• From Intention to Impact: CIHR Anti-Ableism Action Plan
• Other Tri-agency resources

• Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology
• Inclusionary: A collection of gender-inclusive solutions
• Inclusive writing - Guidelines and resources
• NSERC Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE) Network (information on the activities of the CWSE Chair network and additional resources)
• Balanced, broad, and responsible: A practical guide for research evaluators (video produced by Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) and DORA)