Alliance Missions grants are a unique opportunity aimed at addressing critical science and technology challenges that can play a pivotal role in Canada’s economy.

NSERC will provide opportunities for the research community to address challenges that have emerged as a result of the pandemic as well as to take advantage of new opportunities. Alliance Missions grants will help (1) accelerate the translation of Canada’s world-class research results into economic opportunities, and/or (2) inform policy that could have an impact on Canada’s economy. Grant support ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 annually is available to jump-start research projects that would normally require a cash contribution from a partner organization. NSERC will provide support for 100% of the eligible costs of research for a two-year period.

While partner organizations do not need to provide cash contributions to participate, they must be meaningfully engaged throughout the research process, from project design to adoption of the research results.

Projects supported by these grants will facilitate collaboration between academic researchers and private-sector, public-sector and/or not-for-profit partners to address challenges facing partner organization(s). Teams can comprise one or more researchers with any number of partner organization(s). Alternatively, grants can support the R&D activities of a network of academic researchers (three or more researchers) and partner organization(s) that respond to new economic opportunities that are not identified in the list of challenges.

If you are a Canadian university researcher who is eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply on your own or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers.

If you are the principal applicant, you must hold an active peer-reviewed grant from NSERC when you apply.

You may apply for only one Alliance Missions grant as the principal applicant, and one as a co-applicant.

You can apply to support any R&D project that responds to a research challenge in the natural sciences or engineering (see Selecting the appropriate federal granting agency). However, you cannot use an Alliance Missions grant to support secret or contract research.

Are you from a Canadian private-sector, public-sector or not-for-profit organization addressing a challenge that could help energize Canada’s economy? Could you benefit from scientific, technical or research expertise in the natural sciences and/or engineering? If so, submit your challenge to NSERC by completing this survey. NSERC will communicate these challenges publicly to Canada’s post-secondary institutions by posting them on our website and connecting you with interested university researchers.

To complete the survey, your organization must be recognized for cost- sharing with NSERC through the Alliance grants program.

By making these connections, NSERC aims to increase collaboration between organizations and researchers. Together, collaborating teams can apply for NSERC Alliance Missions grants.

If you are a researcher from a Canadian university holding an active peer-reviewed grant from NSERC, and you are interested in helping an organization address a research challenge related to Canada’s economic prosperity, please consult the list of challenges.

You must have at least one partner organization (in the private, public or not-for-profit sectors) that will be engaged throughout the research process and that can use the research results from the project. Partner organizations are eligible if their contributions would normally be recognized for NSERC cost-sharing in the project, even if the partner is not providing a cash contribution to this particular Alliance Missions grant application. Consult the Role of partner organizations page for types of partner organizations whose contributions can and cannot be recognized for NSERC cost-sharing.

You may also include other partner organizations that will play an important role in your project but are not recognized for NSERC cost-sharing.

You can request $100,000 to $500,000 per year from NSERC for two years. Cash contributions from partner organizations are not required.

Your project may benefit from socio-economic and other expertise, in addition to scientific understanding, to accelerate the translation of your research results or to inform policy. You are encouraged to collaborate with academic researchers in fields other than the natural sciences and engineering. Such researchers may be included as co-applicants for these grants. Research costs for these collaborations must be identified in the project budget and can represent a maximum of 30% of the total project costs.

Applications will be accepted at any time until November 30, 2021, 8:00 p.m. (ET)

• Following the instructions for completing an Alliance grant application, fill out the proposal template and complete the other sections of your application.
• This template is different from the regular Alliance application template; ensure you are using the correct template
• Select “Missions” under “type of call” when completing Form 101 in the online system
• External reviewer suggestions are not required
• If your application involves one or more partner organizations from the private sector, whether or not there are other partner organizations from the public and/or not-for-profit sectors, complete the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form.
• Submit your completed application and supporting documents, including the personal data form with CCV attachment, for the principal applicant and all co-applicants through NSERC’s online system. Your partner organization’s contact person will be invited through the online system to provide information about the organization following the partner organization instructions

Your proposal must demonstrate:

• an effective strategy to transfer knowledge to the
  partner organization(s)
• how the research will benefit the partner organization(s)
• how the research will (1) generate results, new products, processes or services to be exploited in Canada and how these will strengthen the Canadian economic base, enhance productivity, and contribute to long-term economic growth and/or societal benefits, and/or (2) inform policy that could have an impact on economic recovery

You must also demonstrate that the collective expertise of the academic researchers, and that found within the partner organizations, is appropriate to address the proposed challenge or to create a network that can respond to new economic opportunities. You must provide compelling evidence that you will have a meaningful collaboration with partner organizations, as well as giving a strong rationale for the relevance of your research to generate economic and/or societal impacts.

A multidisciplinary selection committee from academic and non-academic organizations (such as private-sector, public-sector or not-for-profit organizations) will review the applications. This evaluation is supported by existing peer review. If you are the principal applicant, you must hold an active peer-reviewed grant from NSERC when you apply.

You must submit the application by the deadline. NSERC will screen all applications to ensure they are complete and adhere to program requirements and objectives. If your application does not meet all program requirements, it will be rejected.

The merit of your application is evaluated using the following three equally weighted criteria. Your proposal must address all of the criteria to be considered for funding. Your application must also include a training plan with concrete practices that consider equity, diversity and inclusion.

• Significance of the intended outcomes and of the economic and/or societal impact for Canada
• How the strategy to apply the research results is likely to achieve the intended outcomes

• Appropriateness of the partnership to achieve the intended outcomes
• Clarity of each partner organization’s role in defining the research challenge, co-designing and implementing the research, and using results to achieve the outcomes
• Appropriateness of the in-kind contributions from each partner organization

• Clarity of the objectives and deliverables; appropriateness of the scope and size of planned activities to achieve the expected outcomes
• Appropriateness of academic researchers’ expertise, and that found within the partner organizations, for carrying out the planned research activities

The following merit indicators will be used to rate each criterion individually.

The proposed application is

1. outstanding in all elements listed for the criterion
2. excellent in most elements listed for the criterion and very strong in all
3. very strong in most elements listed for the criterion and strong in all
4. strong in some elements listed for the criterion and acceptable in all
5. acceptable with only minor weaknesses in any of the elements listed for the criterion
6. inadequate in one or more of the elements listed for the criterion

Email: alliance@nserc-crsng.gc.ca
Toll free: 1-855-275-2861