Up to six Arthur B. McDonald Fellowships are awarded annually to recognize early-stage academic researchers in the natural sciences and engineering, and to support them in enhancing their research capacity so that they can become leaders in their field and inspire others. Arthur B. McDonald Fellowships were previously known as the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships.

The Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering recognizes highly collaborative Canadian teams of researchers from different disciplines who came together to engage in research drawing on their combined knowledge and skills, and produced a record of excellent achievements in the natural sciences or engineering.

The Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering is awarded annually to an individual whose body of work, conducted in Canada in the natural sciences or engineering, has demonstrated persistent excellence and influence.

The NSERC Awards for Science Promotion honour individuals and groups who make an outstanding contribution to the promotion of science in Canada through activities encouraging popular interest in science or developing science abilities. Two recipients (one individual and one group) may be selected for the awards each year.

The NSERC Donna Strickland Prize for Societal Impact of Natural Sciences and Engineering Research is awarded annually to an individual or team whose outstanding research, conducted in Canada in the natural sciences and engineering, has led to exceptional benefits for Canadian society, environment and/or economy.

Created in 2006, the NSERC John C. Polanyi Award is given to an individual or team whose research, conducted in Canada, has led to a recent outstanding advance in any NSERC-supported field of the natural sciences or engineering.

The annual Synergy Awards for Innovation recognize examples of collaboration that stand as models of effective partnership between partner organizations and colleges or universities.