Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grants are one-year awards that support the purchase of applied research equipment, allowing the college to better respond to the innovation needs of its partners and to provide enriched, hands-on training opportunities for college students.

*ARTI grants must serve the college’s community or local/regional area (these terms are used interchangeably). For most colleges, this is the local geographic area where the client or partner organizations that will use the research and employ the students are found. In some cases, depending on the college’s context, the geographic area can span several provinces and/or territories.

The applied research equipment**  may be purchased to enhance the capacity of a single, multiple or institution-wide college applied research program(s) in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities and health sciences. It can support projects in any discipline, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for funding across the three federal granting agencies (Canadian Institutes of Health Research [CIHR], Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council [NSERC] and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council [SSHRC]). The college must fully justify and demonstrate the need and value of the equipment for its partners and applied research program(s) resulting in meaningful economic, environmental, social and/or health impacts for Canadians. In addition, the college must demonstrate how the utilization of the equipment will be optimized to maximize benefits to partners and contribute to the training of a diverse pool of trainees in an inclusive environment.

**The proposed equipment may be a single item or a collection of items forming a comprehensive system. A comprehensive system is one in which each tool or instrument forms part of an integrated system of operation to support the applied research program(s). Requests that bundle unrelated tools and instruments together will not be accepted. If requesting more than one item, NSERC may remove expenditures associated with any item found to be inadequately justified.

For information on how to integrate equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations into your research proposal and for links to additional resources, see the Guide to addressing equity, diversity and inclusion in College and Community Innovation program grant applications.

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.

In this funding opportunity, you are encouraged to increase the inclusion and advancement of underrepresented groups to enhance excellence in research and training. EDI considerations must be integrated into the training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for students and trainees. The aim of the proposed actions should be to remove systemic barriers to the recruitment and participation of individuals from underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of racialized groups and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

The nature and extent of meaningful engagement in research should be determined jointly by the relevant individuals or communities and the research team, and appropriate to community characteristics and the nature of the research.

Engagement must start at the very beginning of research planning and continue throughout the remainder of the research process.

Applicants whose research involves Indigenous Peoples or communities must consult and consider concepts, principles and protocols in the CCI guide for research involving Indigenous Peoples and communities and other similar guidance.

All committee members reviewing applications are also expected to consult and consider the same concepts, principles and protocols.

Where possible, CCI program staff will ensure that reviewers on these applications have experience or expertise in research involving Indigenous Peoples or communities.

Partners are the organizations that contribute to and implement the applied research results, use these results to help achieve their desired goals, and/or play an active role in mobilizing knowledge to ensure that the results have an impact for Canadians.

Colleges may include partners when applying for an ARTI grant, although this is not a requirement. Following the award of a grant, it is expected that the college will undertake collaborative applied research projects with involvement from partners from the private, public and/or not-for-profit sector(s). If partners are not identified in the application, NSERC will assess the potential of the requested equipment to lead to partnerships.

Partners are expected to:

• collaborate actively in the college’s research
• have a credible plan to use the research results to provide economic, social, health or environmental benefits for Canadians
• have the capability, maturity, and resources to implement the plan

At least one letter should be provided from a supporting organization that outlines their interest in the requested applied research equipment and their anticipated involvement (if applicable) in the applied research and innovation activities of the college using the proposed equipment. The supporting organization may be a current or future potential partner who will benefit from the acquisition of the equipment but can also be a key organization from the college’s community (e.g., municipal, regional, provincial, territorial and/or federal organizations, associations). The supporting organization may not require the equipment for their own activities but would like to support the acquisition of the equipment to benefit their region, members, and other organizations within their community. Applications without at least one letter of support will be deemed ineligible and removed from the competition. There is no maximum number of support letters that can be provided.

Although contributions from supporting organizations (cash or in-kind) are not required for ARTI grants, these may strengthen the application by demonstrating the relevance and importance of the equipment to the stakeholders of the college’s community. If a cash contribution towards the purchase of the equipment is provided by an organization (other than the applicant’s institution), a letter of support is required from the organization confirming this commitment.