NFRF Exploration

Sponsor’s Website

Visit the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) website for more information on the Exploration program.

Internal Contacts

Potential applicants are encouraged to discuss this funding opportunity with their Faculty Research Facilitator.

OVPRII competition administration: coris@carleton.ca

Deadlines

*All dates are anticipated and subject to changes.

Overview

The objective of the Exploration stream is to support high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. It seeks to inspire projects that bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches by research teams with the capacity to explore something new that might fail but has the potential for significant impact.

Value and Duration

Up to $125,000 per year (including indirect costs) for up to two years.

Eligibility

The nominated principal investigator (NPI) must be considered an independent researcher at their primary affiliation and:

• Is responsible for the direction of the project and the coordination of proposed research activities, in conjunction with the co-principal investigator (PI) if applicable.
• Completes and submits the NOI and full application through the research administrator at their institution.
• Assumes administrative and financial responsibility for the grant.
• Receives all related correspondence from the agencies.

An independent researcher is an individual who:

• Engages in research-related activities that are not under the direction of another individual.
• Has an academic or research appointment that:
  • Commences by the full application deadline.
  • Allows the individual to pursue the proposed research project, engage in independent research activities for the entire duration of the funding, supervise trainees (if applicable, as per the institution’s policy) and publish the research results.
  • Obliges the individual to comply with institutional policies on the conduct of research, supervision of trainees (if applicable) and employment conditions of staff paid using tri-agency funding.

A primary affiliation is defined as the primary organization at which an individual is employed, appointed or conducts research.

Individuals who are full- or part-time students, postdoctoral fellows or research associates are not eligible to apply as NPIs, regardless of whether they meet the definition of an independent researcher.

The NPI’s primary affiliation must be with a Canadian institution currently holding full institutional eligibility with one of the agencies. See the list of eligible institutions for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

If the NPI’s primary affiliation is not on SSHRC’s list of eligible institutions, the institution may be required to sign the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions with SSHRC for this program only prior to receiving agency funds. Agency staff will contact the applicant’s institution to initiate this process, as appropriate.

Information Sessions

An application webinar was held on September 17 for the 2026 Exploration competition.

• Watch the webinar recording
• View the webinar slides

Submitting Your Application

1. Submit an internal Approval Form through our central awards management database cuResearch. Consult the cuResearch user’s manual for guidance.
2. Submit an external application to NFRF by following their submission guidelines.