Environmental Technologies Solicitation – Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP)

Value: Not specified.  ESTCP funds projects averaging between $300,000 and $500,000 per year.
Deadline:March 12, 2015. Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.

The Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) is the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) demonstration and validation program for environmental technologies. All proposals must respond to a Topic Area associated with the solicitation. ESTCP projects are formal demonstrations in which innovative technologies are rigorously evaluated. ESTCP demonstrations are conducted at DoD facilities and sites to document improved efficiency, reduced liability, improved environmental outcomes, and cost savings.

Call for Proposals for DoD Organizations (Pre-proposal)

Topic Areas:

  • Environmental Restoration
  • Munitions Response in Underwater Environments
  • Resource Conservation
  • Weapons Systems & Platforms

Call for Proposals for Federal Organizations Outside DoD (Pre-Proposal)

Topic Areas:

  • Management of Contaminated Groundwater
  • Detection, Classification, and Remediation of Military Munitions in Underwater Environments

ESTCP Broad Agency Announcement (Pre-proposal)

Topic Areas:

  • Management of Contaminated Groundwater
  • Detection, Classification, and Remediation of Military Munitions in Underwater Environments

For complete details, please visit the ESTCP website:
https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Funding-Opportunities/ESTCP-Solicitations/Environmental-Technologies-Solicitation

National Ground Water Research Fund – National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation (NGWREF)

Deadline: Applications are accepted between April 1 and June 30 each year.
Value: Up to $25,000 is available

The National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation funds leading-edge programming that stimulates new knowledge, information, programs, and products to advance groundwater science and technology. In turn, this will enhance the future effectiveness of the groundwater professions and will maximize groundwater’s benefit to society.

Eligible Disciplines: The NGWREF supports research in all disciplines so long as the research relates directly to the use, protection, management, or remediation of groundwater, or to water well technology. 

Research Areas:

For a complete description of these areas, including examples, please visit the NGWREF website

  • Ground water sustainability
  • Public concerns about ground water quality

For complete details, please visit:  http://www.ngwa.org/foundation/gw_research/pages/default.aspx

Strategic Network Grant – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

NEW Deadline: April 1, 2015 (Preliminary Applications) 

Strategic Network Grants (SNG) fund large-scale, multidisciplinary research projects in targeted research areas that require a network approach and that involve collaboration between academic researchers and Canadian-based organizations (e.g., Canadian-based companies or government departments/agencies that can apply the research results).

NSERC Target Areas

Applicants must propose a network within which most of the research (minimum 80%) will investigate one or more of the research topics listed under the Strategic Network Grants target areas.

Environmental Science and Technologies

  • Water: includes upstream and downstream freshwater, groundwater and downstream coastal ecosystems, as well as municipal and industrial supply and wastewater;
  • Anthropogenic activities: include urban land use, agriculture, fisheries, mining, oil and gas, forestry and manufacturing;
  • Water systems: include collection (source water or wastewater), treatment (pre- and post-use), distribution and discharge.
  • Information and Communications Technologies
  • Manufacturing
  • Natural Resources and Energy

Networks are expected to:

  • generate new knowledge/technology with the strong potential to strengthen Canada’s industrial base, generate wealth, create employment and/or influence Canadian public policy in areas of strategic importance;
  • increase the number of highly qualified personnel in the areas targeted by these grants;
  • foster the increased participation of Canadian-based companies and/or government organizations in academic research; and
  • result in the transfer of knowledge/technology and expertise to Canadian-based companies that are well-positioned to apply the results for economic gain, or to government organizations to strengthen public policy

Duration and Funding: Grants are for five years and typically range between $500,000 and $1 million per year for a maximum request of $5 million. Applications for existing networks require $1 from the partners for every $3 from NSERC.

Current Networks: A list of active networks is available at: http://www.nsercpartnerships.ca/How-Comment/Networks-Reseaux/index-eng.asp

For more information, visit the NSERC program web page at http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/SNG-SRS_eng.asp or contact Anna Ziolecki (Anna@sowc.ca)

TalentEdge Internship Program – Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)

Deadline: Open
Note: This program is also available through the OCE VIP 1 program.

Talent Edge Internship Program (TIP)

Four-month internship

Value: $20,000 (Matching funds required: OCE: $10,000, Industry Partner: $5,000 cash & $5,000 in-kind)

TalentEdge internships are intended to provide interns with an experiential learning opportunity and hands-on industry experience. All internships must be project-based and must have a clearly-defined R&D component, where R&D is defined by the discipline and is inclusive of non-STEM disciplines. Interns spend a portion of their time on-site or in the field with an industry partner. The amount of time spent with the industry partner, as well as the most appropriate location for the interaction, should be mutually determined and depend on the nature and needs of the project.Important: While the TalentEdge Internship Program is currently at capacity, OCE is still accepting applications for the academic-based placements for current Masters and PhD students.

TalentEdge Fellowship Program (TFP)

Fellowships are for 12 months

Value: $85,000 (Matching funds required: OCE: $32,500 + 2,500 for professional development; Industry Partner: $25,000 cash & $25,000 in-kind) 

TalentEdge fellowships are intended to provide PhDs with the opportunity to work with an industry partner on a cutting edge R&D project, as defined by the discipline that they are working in (including non-STEM disciplines), and gain hands-on industry experience. TalentEdge fellows are required to spend a portion of their time on-site or in the field with the industry partner. The amount of time spent with the industry partner, as well as the most appropriate location for the interaction, should be mutually determined and depend on the nature and needs of the project however must involve a significant level of interaction with/mentoring by the industry partner.

For complete details, visit:http://www.oce-ontario.org/programs/industry-academic-collaboration/talentedge

Alberta-Ontario Innovation Program – Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)

Expression of Interest Deadline:  Any time prior to February 13, 2015. Full applications will be accepted by invitation only.

The Alberta-Ontario Program supports cross-provincial collaborations between industry and academia to solve key industry challenges in both provinces. The program is managed by Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures (AITF) and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). Industry-academic projects can also leverage existing NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council) programs that fall within NSERC’s mandate.

The program focuses on industry needs that can be tackled through research and development activities and have economic benefits for both provinces (e.g. jobs creation or retention, increased productivity, increased ROI, innovation, etc.). In general, companies may exploit research results for their own advantage or that of their supply chains.

AITF and OCE will use talent matching capabilities to connect companies within and across the provinces. Industry can be connected to the best researchers who can provide innovative solutions to real-world challenges.

This program will support projects that develop innovative products and/or services addressing industrial challenges in priority areas for Alberta and Ontario. Alberta’s and Ontario’s future prosperity and global competitiveness will be strengthened from advancing the following industry sectors:

  1. Advanced materials and manufacturing
  2. Energy and environment (including water)
  3. Nanotechnology
  4. Agriculture, forestry
  5. Advanced health technologies
  6. Life sciences, biotechnology
  7. Information, communications technologies, digital media

Value:

The Alberta-Ontario Program will provide funds to approved projects as follows:

  • AITF can contribute a minimum of $50,000 and up to a maximum of $250,000 CAD over two years.
  • OCE can contribute a minimum of $50,000 and up to a maximum of $250,000 CAD over two years.
  • For industry-university projects, NSERC CRD may match the cash contribution from industry, exclusive of overhead, up to twice the net industry cash if the in-kind contribution is at least the same as the net industry cash.
  • For industry-college projects, NSERC ARD grant may match industry’s total cash and/or in-kind contributions.

Matching Funds: Industry partner(s) are required to match 1:1 the AITF and OCE contributions with cash. A matching in-kind contribution is also required.

Application Process: The Alberta-Ontario Program is a two-step, competitive process involving the submission of an Expression of Interest (EOI). Proponents of selected EOIs will be invited to submit a full NSERC application. NSERC will leverage industry contributions from both Ontario and Alberta when the researchers are from academic institutions.

For complete program information, visit: http://oce-ontario.org/programs/industry-academic-collaboration/albertaontario/how-it-works

Industrial Postgraduate Scholarships – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

Deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. Evaluation turnaround time is approximately two months.
Scholarship Value: $15,000 per year from NSERC for full-time awards (half of that amount for part-time) and a minimum of $6,000 per year is required from the company (half of that amount for part-time). Must agree that 20% of the student’s time will be spent at the facilities (50 days in a year)

Description

IPS provide financial support for highly qualified science and engineering graduates. The support allows them to gain research experience in industry while undertaking advanced studies in Canada. These scholarships are aimed at encouraging scholars to consider research careers in industry where they will be able to contribute to strengthening Canadian innovation.

Roles and Responsibilities

  • The university must ensure that eligibility criteria and standards of excellence are satisfied.
  • The university’s Graduate Studies Office coordinates all of NSERC’s industrial postgraduate scholarship applications and sends the nomination documents to NSERC.
  • NSERC reviews nominations and decides which applicants will receive scholarships. The award is made for a specific research proposal involving a student, a faculty supervisor and a sponsoring organization. The ideal project is one that matches the interests of the faculty member, the needs of the sponsoring organization and the student’s skills.
  • A university faculty member and a researcher from the sponsoring organization will jointly supervise the project.
  • The scholarship will be administered by the university.

Scholarship Duration:

IPS 1 – Master’s level: Support is for a minimum of 12 months (in exceptional circumstances only) up to a maximum of 24 months and must be held during the first three years of graduate study.

IPS 2 – Doctoral level: Support is for either 24 or 36 months and must be held during the first four years of doctoral-level studies

For complete program and eligibility information, please visit: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/PG-CS/IPS-BESII_eng.asp

Voucher for Innovation and Productivity II (VIP II) – Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)

Funding: The maximum OCE investment is $75,000 annually, or up to $150,000 over two years.
Matching Funds: A minimum of 50% cash contribution and 50% in kind is required from the industry partner
Deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. Note that applications are evaluated bi-monthly.

The VIP II program helps eligible companies develop, implement and commercialize technical innovations by supporting partnerships between Ontario’s industry and academia. Projects funded through VIP II enable the development of new products and/or processes, productivity improvements, and help generate new revenues and high-value jobs for Ontario. 

Requirements:

  • Projects must include at least one investing, for-profit industry partner
  • Industry partner(s) must have a presence in Ontario and the operations in Ontario must be expected to commercialize the results of the project
  • Company must use the results for the economic, environmental or social benefit to Ontario
  • Applicant must be a principal investigator at an Ontario publicly funded academic research institution  (college, university, research hospital)
  • Projects must leverage the unique capabilities of the academic environment and be non-competitive with Ontario private-sector capabilities
  • Intellectual Property (IP) arising from the project will be managed by the project participants as OCE does not claim or manager IP rights
  • Participants must be willing to co-operate in providing project and outcomes metrics
  • Applicants must be in good financial and reporting standing with OCE

For complete program information, please visit: http://www.oce-ontario.org/programs/industry-academic-collaboration/collaboration-voucher-program/VIP/VIP-II

Voucher for Innovation and Productivity I (VIP I) – Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE)

Funding:  OCE will invest up to $20,000. Contributions from other program partners vary.
Matching Funds: Industry partner contributes a minimum of 25% cash and 75% in-kind to match the OCE investment.
Duration: 12 months
Deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. Note that applications are evaluated bi-monthly. 

The VIP I program helps eligible companies develop, implement and commercialize technical innovations by supporting partnerships between Ontario’s industry and academia. Projects funded through VIP I enable the development of new products and/or processes, productivity improvements, and help generate new revenues and high-value jobs for Ontario.

Through OCE’s single-application process, and its whole-of-government approach, VIP I applicants have the opportunity to build larger scope projects and leverage both federal and provincial sources by seeking additional funding from its program partners.

Add-on funding programs 

Connect Canada: Projects that require student interns should consider OCE’s TalentEdge program, in partnership with Connect Canada, which provides senior undergraduate and graduate students with an experiential learning opportunity and hands-on industry experience (up to $30,000/3 intern units per project). 

NSERC ARDI: Projects that involve a first-time partnership with a specific college to support well-defined applied research and development activities that will provide a sustainable competitive advantage to the industry partner should consider NSERC-ARD1 add-on funding (up to $25,000).

NSERC Engage: Projects that involve a first-time partnership with a specific university researcher to do a short-term research and development project in any field of the natural sciences and engineering (non-commercialization activities) that will provide a sustainable competitive advantage to the industry partner should consider the NSERC-Engage add-on funding (up to $25,000).

IRAP-ITA: Projects that require non-academic resources should consider NRC-IRAP add-on funding (up to $20,000). In order to access this funding option, you must first consult with an IRAP ITA.

For complete program information, please visit: http://www.oce-ontario.org/programs/industry-academic-collaboration/collaboration-voucher-program/VIP/VIP-I

Collaborative Research Development Grants – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

Deadline: applications are accepted throughout the year
Duration:  grants are for 1 to 5 years
Value: varies (no posted limit)
Matching funds: 1:1 (minimum 50% cash and 50% in-kind)

The Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants are intended to give companies that operate from a Canadian base access to the unique knowledge, expertise, and educational resources available at Canadian postsecondary institutions and to train students in essential technical skills required by industry. The mutually beneficial collaborations are expected to result in industrial and/or economic benefits to Canada. 

CRD projects can be at any point in the research and development (R&D) spectrum in the domains of the natural sciences and engineering that is consistent with the university’s research, training, and technology transfer mandate.

Eligible collaborations include focused projects with specific short- to medium-term objectives, as well as discrete phases in a program of longer-range research.

Projects that focus on the application of existing technology, provide routine analysis, collect data without interpreting underlying mechanisms, or provide professional practice or consulting services (contract research) are not eligible.

Each project must be supported by at least one eligible industrial partner that must:

  • collaborate at all stages of the research project (i.e., help develop the proposal and, as the project unfolds, interact regularly with the academic researchers, students and other research personnel and provide input on the project);
  • demonstrate a clear intention and the capacity to exploit the research results within Canada; and
  • provide the required cash/in-kind contribution. The industrial partner(s) must collectively provide contributions in an amount equal to, or greater than, the amount requested from NSERC (1:1). Industrial contributions must be at least 50% cash and remaining contributions can be in the form of in-kind towards the direct costs of the project.

For complete information, please visit: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/CRD-RDC_eng.asp

Engage Grant – Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)

Deadline: applications are accepted throughout the year
Value: Up to $25,000 for 6 months
Matching funds: An in-kind contribution is required from the Industry partner 

Engage Grants are designed to give companies that operate from a Canadian base access to the unique knowledge and expertise available at Canadian universities. These grants are intended to foster the development of new research partnerships between an academic researcher and a company that have never collaborated before, by supporting short-term research and development projects aimed at addressing a company-specific problem in the natural sciences or engineering fields. Projects must be well-defined and generate new knowledge or apply existing knowledge in an innovative way.  Note that applicants (NSERC-eligible academic researchers) are limited to two new Engage Grants awarded in each fiscal year.

For more information, visit: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/Engage-engagement_eng.asp

Globalink Research Award (Regular) – MITACS

Deadline: Applications will be accepted at any time. For projects commencing in May 2015, MITACS recommends submitting an application before February 6, 2015.

The Globalink Research Award provides an opportunity for faculty at Canadian universities to strengthen existing international research collaborations and connect with colleagues around the world through the mobility of senior undergraduate and graduate students. The Mitacs Globalink Research Award provides funding to support senior undergraduate and graduate student research projects abroad.

These research awards are:

  • Valued up to $5,000  to the Canadian supervisor for student travel expenses
  • Open to all disciplines
  • For joint projects with academic collaborators over 12-24 weeks
  • In collaboration with partner countries: Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam

How it works:

  • Students and their home university academic supervisors submit Globalink Research Award applications directly to Mitacs.
  • Undergraduate students are asked to identify and contact a faculty member in their department who will supervise the research project and assist the intern in developing a research plan in partnership with an academic supervisor at a host institution. For example, this could be a course project supervisor, senior year research project supervisor, a course professor, the undergraduate chair in their home department, etc.
  • Approved research projects last a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 24 weeks abroad.
  • Mitacs will award successful applicants up to $5,000 in funding to cover travel and accommodation costs. Funding will be in the form of a research grant to the home university academic supervisor

Complete information on this program is available at: https://www.mitacs.ca/en/programs/globalink/globalink-research-award

In addition to the above funding programs, the following is an ongoing opportunity

MITACS

MITACS Accelerate Internships – Standard
Mitacs-Accelerate is Canada’s premiere research internship program. It connects companies with over 50 research-based universities through graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, who apply their specialized expertise to business research challenges. Interns transfer their skills from theory to real-world application, while the companies gain a competitive advantage by accessing high-quality research expertise.

MITACS Accelerate Clusters
Mitacs-Accelerate clusters are an alternative for larger research projects involving multiple Graduate students and/or Post-doctoral Fellows. Applicants may apply once for an Accelerate Cluster involving a minimum of three interns, at least six 4-month internship segments, and a minimum of one industrial partner.

For more information, please contact Anna Ziolecki or visit the MITACS website.