NFRF Transformation

The Office of the Vice-President (Research, Innovation and International) (OVPRII) is raising awareness about the 2028 round of New Frontiers in Research Fund Transformation grants in advance of the call given that the scale and scope of the projects require more lead time than what is available once the call is formally launched. We estimate that the round will open in late winter/spring 2027.

Please review the internal development process to help prepare.

Sponsor’s Website

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

Internal Contact

Kate Swan: kate.swan@carleton.ca

Deadlines

The timeline for the 2028 round has not yet been established by NFRF. In the meantime, please review Carleton’s internal timeline.

Overview

The Transformation stream is designed to support large-scale, Canadian-led interdisciplinary research projects that address a major challenge with the potential to realize real and lasting change (high-reward). The challenge may be fundamental, leading to a scientific breakthrough, or applied, with a social, economic, environmental or health impact. Projects are expected to be world-leading, drawing on global research expertise where relevant.

Value and Duration

Between $2 million and $4 million per year (including indirect costs) for six years.

The minimum budget for the direct costs is $1.6 million per year, and the maximum budget is $3.2 million.

Eligibility

The nominated principal investigator must have a primary affiliation at a Canadian institution holding full institutional eligibility with one of the Tri-Agencies.

Visit the NFRF website for more information on eligibility to apply.

Information Session

NFRF will host an information session in 2027 but a date has not yet been set. A recording will also be available afterwards.

If interested in the 2026 information session slide deck and recording, please reach out to Kate Swan.

Submitting Your Application

NFRF Transformation is a multi-stage application process. There is a mandatory Notice of Intent (NOI) and Letter of Intent (LOI). All LOIs are reviewed by an international, multi-disciplinary committee and only those who are highly ranked will be invited to submit a full proposal. A full timeline including key dates will be available when the call is launched by NFRF in 2027.

In the meantime, to support the development of the strongest projects in this highly competitive program, the Carleton Office for Research Initiatives and Services (CORIS) is introducing an internal development process. Participating in the internal process is optional but strongly encouraged.

The timeline for the internal process is as follows:

Expression of Interest

Teams interested in the 2028 round or wishing to participate in the internal process, including the test your concept pitches, are encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest.

Test Your Concept Pitch

Teams will be asked to prepare slides answering key questions (due early November). An internal committee with experience in large interdisciplinary research will be established to review the slides and listen to the pitches, then engage in a Q&A and discussion with the team representatives to suggest improvements on how to strengthen the proposed program.

External Submission Steps

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