Carleton University (CU) Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE) Research Development Grants (RDG)

DESCRIPTION

Purpose:

The Carleton University (CU) Natural Sciences and Engineering (NSE) Research Development Grants (RDG) provides modest financial support to natural sciences and engineering (NSE) researchers:

• to re-apply to the next Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant (DG) program after an unsuccessful result in this same competition; and
• for bridge-fund their programs of research, including graduate students, until the competition results of the next cycle.

Source:          Office of the Vice-President (Research, Innovation, and International) (OVPRII)

Value:             Up to $10,000 per application

Duration:        12 months maximum (No extension)

DEADLINES

Should the date fall on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline will be the next business day.

Deadline:        May 29, 2026

Funding Start Date: July 1, 2026 (prior expenses cannot be charged to the fund)

Important Notes:

• The CUResearch Approval Form must be fully approved by all signing authorities by the application deadline date.
• Late applications will not be accepted
• Incomplete applications will not be accepted
• Ineligible costs will be debited from the amount requested
• Proposals related to ineligible subject matter will not be accepted
• Applicants may only apply to one of the CU Research Development Grants streams: NSE RDG, SSHRC Explore or Health RDG (if offered) per annum.

Post-Award Requirements: (See full Terms and Conditions)

• Submit an Notice of Intent (NOI) and an application to the next NSERC DG competition;
• Work with faculty research facilitator towards the development of a competitive application during the term of the grant, respecting internal and OVPRI deadlines; and
• Complete an final report within six months of the end date of the grant.
• Transfers of funds to other institutions are not permitted.

CU NSE RDG Competition Materials

Guidelines

Terms and Conditions

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants:

• Be a faculty member whose contractual duties include research AND holds a tenure or tenure-track appointment at Carleton.
• Have worked with a Faculty Research Facilitator in the last NSERC DG competition cycle and received an unsuccessful result
• Intend to re-submit to the NSERC DG in the next competition cycle.
• Previous recipients of a CU RDG must wait 3 years after the completion of their grant term and have submitted the corresponding final report prior to being eligible to apply again

BUDGET

Expenses must be eligible under Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administrationand the Research Expense Guidelines,  and CU policies, and can include but are not limited to the following:

• Stipends to students and postdoctoral fellows
• Salaries of technical and professional staff
• Material, supplies and services
• Small equipment (i.e. computers) cannot account for mor than 1/3 of the total budget
• Knowledge mobilization activities
• Fieldwork

Expenses that are NOT eligible include, but are not limited to the following:

• Collection or preparation of material primarily intended for personal classroom needs or teaching purposes
• Teaching release
• Large equipment and renovations
• Technology transfer costs (e.g. patent filing)
• Alcoholic beverages

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Applications will be evaluated based on the following four criteria:

• Scientific or engineering excellence of the researcher (30%)
  • Ranking of application within the Committee cohort;
  • Knowledge, expertise and experience of the researcher in the NSE;
  • Quality and impact of contributions to the proposed research and/or other areas of research in the NSE;
  • Importance of contributions to, and use by, other researchers and end-users; and
  • Past contributions to training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) (i.e. training environment, HQP awards and research contributions, outcomes and skills by HQP)

• Budget (40%)
  • The degree to which the requested budget is reasonable, adequately justified, and appropriately allocated to meet the basic and essential needs of the research program, given its limited value.

• Contributions to the training of HQP (30%)
  • Training plan (training philosophy, research training plan) that can be provided within the time limits and amount provided of this short-term funding.
  • Extent to which equity, diversity and inclusion considerations are integrated into the  planned HQP training

SUBMISSION STEPS

• Download and complete the CU NSE RDG application form
  • Save the application form with the following attachments in a SINGLE pdf file using the naming convention PIlastname.PIfirstname_cuNSERDG.pdf:
  • CV: CV must include currently active and applied for research grants, publications, student supervisions and, if possible, the record of knowledge translation activities.
  • Optional:  References (one (1) page max)
• Login to the cuResearch
• Create and complete all fields of the Approval Form. Sponsor information is included below:
  • Start Date: July1, 2026
  • End Date: June 30, 2027
  • Agency abbreviation: CORIS
  • Program: CU NSE Research Development Grant
  • Disbursement: amount requested

• 5.   Attachments Tab: Upload your application package

• 6.   Submit

CONTACT INFORMATION:

CORIS@carleton.ca