Funding opportunity
| Who? | Canadian university researchers in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences and engineering fields working with university collaborators from the US, and optionally Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea and/or the UK, on use-inspired research addressing global challenges through the bioeconomy |
|---|---|
| How much? | Up to CAN$500,000 per year |
| How long? | 4 to 5 years |
| Application deadline | June 11, 2024, 8:00 p.m. EST |
Description International collaborator(s) Research topics Funding Apply Review Award Post-award Resources Contact Results
Please consult the
Global Centres aim to encourage and support international, interdisciplinary collaborative research centres that will develop use-inspired research to address global challenges. The topic for the 2024 competition is addressing global challenges through the bioeconomy.
This is a joint initiative between the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the National Science Foundation of the United States of America (NSF), the National Endowment for the Humanities of the United States of America (NEH), the Research Council Finland (RCF), the Innovation Funding Agency Business Finland (BF), the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), the Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology of the Republic of Korea (MSIT), and the United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
The world is facing some serious challenges, from climate change to food sustainability, water insecurity and mitigating infectious diseases, and advancements in biotechnology can provide the means to address some of these challenges. The Global Centres initiative provides an opportunity for international, interdisciplinary teams to use knowledge and research on the bioeconomy to address a global challenge facing humanity. The bioeconomy is expected to play a pivotal role in the pursuit of a net-zero economy. Research investments in this area can help accelerate scientific discovery and enable the harnessing, engineering and rational modulation of biological systems to create goods and services that contribute to the agriculture, health, security, manufacturing, energy and environmental sectors of the global economy. Bioeconomy is built on the foundation of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, and in addition to biological science and engineering, includes research in other fields, such as the social and behavioural sciences, humanities, ethics, geosciences and chemistry, which help determine what biotechnologies are needed.
Canada is a global leader in many aspects of the bioeconomy, including the access to and use of biomass for advanced bioproducts and innovative solutions, forestry and agriculture, food and cultural sovereignty, sustainable resource management and a skilled workforce. Canada also represents 6.5% of the world’s theoretical bioenergy potential. Shifting toward a bioeconomy will leverage these unique advantages, including the cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary nature of the bioeconomy, support the growth of related research and industry within the country and help Canada meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. Research in the natural sciences, engineering, social and behavioural sciences and humanities fields, in collaboration with international expertise, will help Canada exploit these resources and grow these advantages.
NSERC and SSHRC would welcome the involvement of Indigenous Peoples, their uniquely valuable connection to Canada’s ecology, and their incorporation of traditional Indigenous knowledge in research.
Global Centres proposals should be focused on cutting-edge, interdisciplinary and use-inspired research on the bioeconomy with international collaborations that foster breakthroughs in knowledge. This initiative supports researchers from Canada and the US, and optionally from Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea and/or the UK, in forming collaborative research partnerships to address themes related to the bioeconomy (see Research topics). NSF Global Centres grants will support the creation of international hubs of research excellence that advance knowledge, empower communities, and generate discovery and innovative solutions at a regional and/or global scale.
These international hubs are expected to be driven by a bold vision for high-impact, use-inspired research, as well as a strategy to integrate diverse perspectives from different disciplines, international partners and other stakeholders into the research over the course of the project.
Through a lead agency model, the US Principal Investigator (PI) will submit a single collaborative proposal on behalf of the research team, which will undergo a review process by NSF, the lead agency. In parallel, the participating Canadian researchers on the team must submit one simplified application to NSERC. Please refer to the
Eligible Canadian researchers may receive funding from NSERC or SSHRC, while international researchers from the US, Finland, Japan, Republic of Korea, and/or the UK may receive funding from their respective national funding agencies. This initiative recognizes the need to bring together the social and behavioural sciences and humanities (SSH), alongside the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) fields, to make important contributions to the bioeconomy and its impact on society. As such, it is strongly encouraged that proposals include both an NSE and an SSH component. For this initiative, there are no restrictions regarding the balance of project costs between the NSE and the SSH fields. The Canadian budget is expected to reflect interdisciplinarity between NSE and SSH research-related expenses NSERC funding will be provided as an
- Create physical or virtual international research centres that advance innovative, interdisciplinary, use-inspired research and education on the bioeconomy to address societal challenges through international collaboration and multi-stakeholder engagement.
- Promote international collaboration to obtain advantages of scope, scale, flexibility, expertise, facilities and/or access to specific geographic locations to enable advances that could not occur otherwise.
- Expand opportunities for students and early career researchers to gain education and training in world-class research while enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Where possible, provide opportunities for workforce training in bioeconomy that does not require advanced degrees but the training of a competitive workforce.
- Integrate stakeholders and community members into the planning of the research so that centres reflect a co-designed and co-developed work plan that results in the co-generation of results likely to be taken up by relevant groups to solve urgent societal challenges at a regional or global scale to support the communities that they serve.
A team of Canadian researchers with at least one academic applicant in Canada who is eligible to receive funding from NSERC or SSHRC. Specifically, Canadian university researchers—whether they come from the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences or engineering fields—wishing to participate as collaborators in an NSF Global Centre proposal may apply for funding from NSERC to support their participation. As an applicant to this initiative, you must collaborate with at least one US-based researcher who meets the NSF eligibility requirements; the US researcher will be the PI on the NSF Global Centre proposal.
To be an applicant or co-applicant on a Global Centre proposal, you must be working in a research area supported by NSERC and/or SSHRC, and you must meet the NSERC
Each Canadian team should submit only one application to NSERC for their participation in a Global Centre proposal. You may participate as an applicant on only one Global Centre proposal, but you may be a co-applicant or collaborator on multiple proposals. Researchers from colleges who meet NSERC’s eligibility requirements may participate as co-applicants.
Other researchers and organizations (e.g., from the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors) can participate as collaborators. Refer to the
Canadian researchers are encouraged to exercise appropriate levels of due diligence at all times when managing their research and establishing and/or continuing partnerships with national, international, and multinational partners. Resources to do so are provided by the Government of Canada on the
As NSERC’s funding will be provided via an NSERC Alliance grant, Canada’s
For such partnerships, you and your post-secondary institution are required to complete a
Your team must include a US-based researcher who assumes the role of Principal Investigator (PI) for the NSF grant. The PI must meet the
Your partnership may include other US researchers who meet the
To increase the impact of Canadian research in the global research community, you may incorporate other international collaborators into your NSERC proposal. However, these researchers must secure their own sources of funding to cover the cost of their research activities. You may interact with foreign colleagues in a variety of ways to enhance collaboration and increase your project's impact. Refer to the
The bioeconomy is the share of the economy based on products, services and processes derived from living systems. It includes the research results, data, infrastructure, workforce capacity and innovation that enable the discovery, utilization and alteration of living organisms, their constituent components, and their biologically related processes. Bioeconomy is built on the foundation of biotechnology and biomanufacturing, and in addition to biological science and engineering, includes research in other fields, such as the social and behavioural sciences, humanities, ethics, geosciences and chemistry.
Research investments to advance biotechnology serve both to accelerate scientific discovery and to enable the harnessing, engineering and rational modulation of biological systems to create goods and services that contribute to the agriculture, health, security, manufacturing, energy and environmental sectors of the global economy. Other fields can also help us determine what biotechnologies we need; research in the geosciences, at the poles, and in fields like chemistry help us understand the processes and issues we can use biotechnology to solve. Some examples include genome sequencing, gene editing like CRISPR, synthetic and engineered biology, biosensors and artificial intelligence based on neurological principles.
NSERC and SSHRC would welcome the involvement of Indigenous Peoples, their uniquely valuable connection to Canada’s ecology, and their incorporation of traditional Indigenous knowledge in research.
Canadian researchers may suggest research topics that include the full range of disciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches that address the bioeconomy. Please refer to the
Topic 1: Leveraging Biodiversity Across the Tree of Life to Power the Bioeconomy.
Examples of research in this field may include but are not limited to biodiversity, plant genomics, precision agriculture, green economy, metabolomics, genomics and genetic sequencing; data for the bioeconomy, socio-economic impact assessment; Indigenous knowledge; historical and cultural ecology; biocomputing; the intersection of AI and biotech; and quantum sensing in biotech.
Topic 2: Biofoundries, also called the Design-Build-Test-Learn process.
Examples of research in this field may include but are not limited to synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, rapid prototyping of biological designs through automation and AI, use of the design, build, test, learn cycle, ethical considerations, governance, and social implications.
Crosscutting Theme A: Public engagement and co-generation of research activities to strengthen the global science and technology enterprise.
A multi-pronged approach to address this priority might include centre-scale investments to bring experts together to address human-centred solutions to societal problems; inclusion of public engagement and co-generation requirements in funding of bioeconomy-related activities; and implementation of innovative approaches to engage more of the public, with a focus on the next generation, in developing new biotechnology solutions to problems like climate change, hunger, waste and disease.
Crosscutting Theme B: Workforce Development and Education.
Efforts in this area could include enhancing diversity and equity within biotechnology and biomanufacturing research and development expanding investments in equity-focused science, including social justice, environmental justice, and equity-advancing efforts, to advance better, more equitable outcomes.
For a full explanation of these themes, please see the
For research proposals that involve Indigenous Peoples or groups, you are encouraged to consult the Tri-agency
This initiative recognizes the need to include the social and behavioural sciences and the humanities as these fields, often working alongside natural sciences and engineering, have important contributions to inform the bioeconomy and its impact on society. We encourage the participation of researchers and research collaborations from outside the natural sciences and engineering fields who have relevant research topics. Researchers may be either applicants or co-applicants if they meet the NSERC
NSERC’s total budget allocation for this call is expected to be CAN$7.5 million over five years, while SSHRC’s total budget allocation is expected to be CAN$2.5 million over five years.
NSERC and SSHRC will review all proposals involving Canadian teams to determine whether they fall primarily under NSERC’s or SSHRC’s research areas. NSERC will provide funding for the research undertaken by
The funds from NSERC and SSHRC must be paid to eligible Canadian universities and cannot be used to buy equipment, products or services from any collaborating or partner organization.
You can request up to CAN$500,000 per year for 4-5 years to support the costs of your participation in the Global Centre. The budget and justification details must be presented in Canadian funds.
You must include a budget and budget justification for funds requested from the Canadian agencies in the Supplementary Documentation section of the application submitted to NSF.
All expenditures are subject to the principles and directives governing the appropriate use of grant funds outlined in the
Examples of eligible direct costs of research include:
- salary support for research trainees (undergraduate and/or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) to perform research and related training
- salary support for technicians and research professional personnel
- materials and supplies
- activities that support collaborations and knowledge mobilization related to the Global Centre
- activities to develop and grow the research collaborations with the international partner(s)
Refer to the guidelines on the use of grant funds in the
You can also include the costs of equipment, provided that the equipment is:
- essential to achieving the objectives of the research project
- incremental to the equipment already available at your institution or your Canadian or international partner(s)
Your total expected equipment cost (including operation and maintenance) cannot exceed $400,000 over the duration of the project.
There should be no duplication of funding requests for the same items on budgets submitted to NSERC and SSHRC and budgets submitted to other funding agency partners.
Important: The US Principal Investigator (PI) for your partnership is responsible for submitting the complete application package (including the research proposal) to NSF, following
NSF applications involving a Canadian team of researchers must identify the Canadian team members.
To be a Canadian applicant or co-applicant on a Global Centres application, you must be working in a research area supported by NSERC or SSHRC and meet
As the Canadian applicant, you must submit a simplified application package to NSERC on behalf of the Canadian members of the team at the same time that the US PI submits the full application to NSF.
NSERC: June 11, 2024, before 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Every Canadian research team member participating in the Global Centres grant application (the applicant and all co-applicants) must create an account in the
As the applicant, you are responsible for providing the following documents and information to NSERC via the online system by the application deadline:
- A completed form 101 (application for a grant), containing a summary of your proposed research and keywords.
- List your NSF PI as a collaborator on form 101.
- Using the
provided template, the Canadian simplified proposal includes: - the title of the proposal submitted to NSF
- the name of the US PI
- if applicable, the names and affiliations of collaborators and/or partners on the Canadian team from the private sector
- a discussion on the relevance and expected outcomes; the benefit to Canada and the roles and responsibilities of the Canadian team in the Global Centre; the Canadian training plan; and on the concrete innovative measures supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in the training plan
- If applicable, the
Impact assessment form (appendix A) must be completed and uploaded to the Impact assessment section of your application. - A Risk Assessment Form must be completed as part of the Partnerships module in the application, if applicable. A budget (in Canadian dollars) and accompanying justification for the funds you are requesting from NSERC or SSHRC. Budgets must identify expenses as NSERC or SSHRC.
- A budget (in Canadian dollars) and accompanying justification for the funds you are requesting from NSERC or SSHRC. Budgets must identify expenses as NSERC or SSHRC
- A completed and up-to-date personal data form with
CCV attachment (form 100A) for yourself and all Canadian co-applicants. Applicants and co-applicants from SSH fields may submit the SSHRC format CCV if desired; college faculty may submit a CCI format CV; all other co-applicants must submit the CCV in NSERC format.
Instructions for submitting the above-mentioned documents and information to NSERC on behalf of the Canadian research team:
- Log in to
NSERC’s online system and select Create a new form 101. - Select Research partnerships programs, then Alliance grants.
- For the Proposal type field, select Letter of Intent.
- For the Type of call field, select NSF- Global Centres - Implementation from the drop-down menu.
By submitting an application, you, your co-applicants and partners (when applicable) agree to the NSERC
The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the
If you submit a proposal under this call, you agree that information in your proposal may be shared between NSERC, SSHRC and the NSF for purposes consistent with the program objectives. Participants are responsible for ensuring they are aware of the NSF rules concerning the disclosure of information in the proposal. Participants should also ensure they are aware of the policies surrounding NSF programs and
NSERC and SSHRC are 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
Excellent research considers EDI both in the research environment (forming a research team, student training) and in the research process. For Alliance grants, EDI considerations are currently evaluated in the training, mentorship and professional development opportunities for students and trainees. The aim is to remove barriers to the recruitment and promote the full participation of individuals from underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. Applicants are encouraged to increase the inclusion and advancement of underrepresented groups as one way to enhance excellence in research and training. For additional guidance, applicants should refer to
NSF Global Centres applicants must address diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA) considerations in the NSF portion of their application, following
NSERC and SSHRC are committed to supporting Indigenous research. NSERC defines Indigenous research as research in any field or discipline related to the natural sciences and engineering that is conducted by, grounded in, or meaningfully engaged with First Nations, Inuit, Métis or other Indigenous Nations, communities, societies or individuals, and their wisdom, cultures, experiences or knowledge systems, as expressed in their dynamic forms, past and present.
We encourage you to consider the relevant concepts, principles and protocols for any research involving Indigenous People and communities, which are outlined in the following documents:
- The Tri-agency’s strategic plan,
Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada , identifies strategic directions guided by the following key principles of self-determination, decolonization of research, accountability and equitable access. Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (TCPS 2) - Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada - SSHRC’s definition of
Indigenous research Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People Act
All NSF and partner funding agency eligibility requirements must be met before submitting an application. Each agency is responsible for reviewing the eligibility of its researchers, institutions and subject matter.
When your simplified Alliance application is received, NSERC and SSHRC first undertake an administrative assessment to ensure the application is complete and complies with all requirements.
NSERC and SSHRC will review the eligibility of Canadian participants on Global Centres proposals using the simplified Alliance application.
In supporting research partnerships that endeavour to obtain the greatest possible benefits to Canada and for Canadians, NSERC and SSHRC reserve the right to:
- determine the eligibility of proposals and request additional information from Canadian applicants, as may be required for the review of their application
- interpret the regulations and policies governing the national funding opportunities
- apply conditions to individual grants as appropriate
- terminate, suspend, reduce the amount or duration, or change the terms and conditions of an award with due notice to comply with Government of Canada laws, regulations, policies and directives, which are subject to change.
NSF intends to return, without review, proposals that do not meet the eligibility requirements of any of the involved funding agencies. Only applications deemed eligible by all funding agencies will proceed to merit assessment.
Full applications submitted to the NSF will be reviewed in competition with other proposals using the NSF’s
The merit of your NSF application will be assessed using the evaluation criteria outlined in the
Specifically, reviewers will be asked to assess proposals using the following approved National Science Board criteria:
- Intellectual Merit: The Intellectual Merit criterion encompasses the potential to advance knowledge.
- Broader Impacts: The Broader Impacts criterion encompasses the potential to benefit society and contribute to achieving specific, desired societal outcomes.
In addition to the above, the following specific criteria will be used to assess Global Centre proposals:
International collaboration:
- Why can this global challenge only be addressed through the complementary knowledge, skills and resources of this group of international partners? What are the roles and responsibilities of the foreign partners in the Centre?
Interdisciplinarity:
- Why can this global challenge only be addressed through the complementary knowledge, skills and resources of this multidisciplinary team?
Use-inspired:
- How will the Centre utilize the Knowledge to Action Framework to produce results likely to contribute to addressing a societal challenge related to the bioeconomy? What stakeholder groups will be involved in the co-design and co-generation of the research to ensure that the results are relevant? Centres should address the ethical, legal and social aspects of the work.
Fostering participation:
- How will the project foster the participation of the full spectrum of diverse talent in STEM (e.g., as the principal investigator (PI), co-PI, senior personnel, postdoctoral scholars, graduate or undergraduate students, or trainees)? This includes historically underrepresented or underserved populations, diverse institutions, including Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), two-year colleges, and major research institutions, including in
EPSCoR jurisdictions.
NSF, NSERC, SSHRC and, if applicable, the other partner funding agencies will determine recommendation outcomes for the proposals submitted to the NSF which have undergone a merit review. NSERC and SSHRC’s funding decision will take into consideration the NSF merit review.
When making their funding decisions, NSERC and SSHRC will take into account the involvement of the Canadian team as described in both the NSF application and in the NSERC proposal, as well as the benefit to Canada and the concrete measures to support EDI in the training plan as laid out in the simplified Alliance proposal that you will submit to NSERC.
Where applicable, NSERC’s funding decision will consider the potential risks for Canada’s national security pursuant to the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships.
NSERC will provide funding for research primarily in the natural sciences and engineering fields, while SSHRC will support research primarily in the social sciences and humanities fields. NSERC and SSHRC will decide upon the allocation of funds from each agency to successful Canadian research teams.
Once a funding decision has been made, the US PI will be provided with feedback about their proposal. Copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers or any reviewer-identifying information, will be sent to the PI from the NSF. NSERC and SSHRC will provide separate notifications of awards to the Canada-based researchers on successful proposals.
If your application is approved for funding, you will receive an award letter from NSERC and/or SSHRC. You must adhere to the
Your award letter will indicate the start date of your project. NSERC or SSHRC will normally transfer your grant funds to your university within 30 days of that start date. Please note that the partner funding agencies intend to coordinate award timing as much as possible. However, because each agency may have different funding cycles, it is possible that some projects will have different start and end dates.
NSERC and SSHRC recommend that you and your university follow best practices by signing a research agreement that defines the intellectual property rights and obligations of all organizations involved in your research project. The agreement must be aligned with
Notes:
- NSERC and SSHRC claim no rights of ownership to any intellectual property generated from projects funded by the NSF Global Centres initiative.
- NSERC’s policy on intellectual property stipulates that each of your students must maintain their right to defend their thesis without delays or impediments.
- All participants, including any trainees, should consult this policy to ensure that they are aware of their rights and obligations.
You must acknowledge
You must report regularly on how you use the funds from the grant, the activities you carry out during your funded project, and the project’s outcomes. You will be informed of reporting requirements upon receiving your award letter. You may be required to report separately to NSERC or SSHRC in addition to any reporting requirements imposed on the NSF portion of the grant.
Subsequent instalments of your grant depend on (1) a demonstrated need for NSERC or SSHRC funds and (2) adherence to all other conditions specified in the
You must notify NSERC or SSHRC of any changes to the Canadian research team and if any of your international collaborators leave the project. In this case, you should discuss with NSERC or SSHRC the impact on your ability to achieve the project’s original goals and whether the project may need to be amended or terminated.
If you fail to provide the requested feedback, your subsequent applications may be denied.
If you cannot complete your planned research activities within the specified term of your grant, you must notify NSERC or SSHRC. You may then be allowed an additional one-year period to complete your project using existing funds.
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By competition year:
The fiscal year in which NSERC received the applications.
| Year | Researcher | Project Title | Institution | Partner(s) | Area(s) of Application | Funding Amount | Type of Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Euler, Christian | GC: CIRCLE: Centre for Innovative Recycling and Circular Economy | University of Waterloo | Manufacturing processes and products; Life sciences (including biotechnology) | $2,251,000 | NSF - Global Centres - Implementation | |
| 2024 | Wilkins, Olivia | Global Center: International Research Center for Enhancing Plant Resilience | University of Manitoba | Environment; Agriculture | $2,242,000 | NSF - Global Centres - Implementation | |
| 2024 | Kumar, Amit | Global Center for Sustainable Bioproducts | University of Alberta | Energy resources (including production, exploration, processing, distribution and use); Manufacturing processes and products | $1,363,450 | NSF - Global Centres - Implementation | |
| 2024 | Sumaila, Ussif | Global Centers: International Bioeconomy Macroalgae Center (IBMC) | The University of British Columbia | Environment; Agriculture and primary food production | $1,974,200 | NSF - Global Centres - Implementation |