Find Funding

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
• Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
• Mitacs
• Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)
• Ontario Centres of Innovation (OCI)
• Global Affairs Canada
• International Development Research Centre

• US National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• US National Science Foundation (NSF)
• US National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
• Grants.gov
• Canada US Fulbright Program

No one is an expert at everything, so it is important to have sufficient expertise on your research team to demonstrate to the review committee that your team has the necessary capacity to complete the work you propose. Since knowledge mobilization, knowledge translation, and technology transfer are important objectives of many funding programs, it may be prudent to invite collaborators or include letters of support from individuals or organizations who resolve to quickly mobilize new knowledge/technology into practice and/or policy. For example, if your application deals with privacy issues, including a letter of support from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada may demonstrate to the reviewers that activities and outcomes of your research will impact privacy policy.

Every granting agency has slightly different eligibility requirements. Ensure that you review these fully before beginning your application. The University of Windsor requires all grant applicants to hold adjunct status at a minimum in order to be eligible to apply for grants.

Consider the audience, e.g., committee members/reviewers must have enough information to evaluate the significance of your research. Some common evaluation criteria include:

• Originality and contribution to the advancement of knowledge/field of study
• Quality of the literature review, if applicable
• Appropriateness of the theoretical approaches/framework
• Appropriateness of the research strategies/methodologies
• Suitability of plans to communicate research results
• The nature, extent and benefit of research training

ORIS routinely offers workshops to help you develop particular grant applications or sections thereof. We also host regular writing retreats during which you can work on your grant proposals (or research-related manuscripts) and receive just-in-time feedback from ORIS consultants! For details, read our monthly e-newsletter or email announcements, follow our social media feeds, or monitor our workshop registration website.

Take advantage of the expertise in ORIS. We get to know the major funding agencies well and can readily interpret their jargon. We can pass on tips that aren’t obvious in the application instructions.  We may have excerpts from successful applications to share. Moreover, we are wordsmiths with skill in grant writing! Meet with us or email us your rough drafts well in advance of the deadlines, and we will offer our suggestions for strengthening your proposal, including its organization, persuasiveness, clarity, and cohesiveness.

We strongly recommend that you have your proposal reviewed by at least one peer in your field or discipline, and consider his or her feedback for your research design. If you are not sure who to ask, reach out to your ORIS contact.

Every agency has its own presentation requirements which may impact page count, sections, typeface and font size, accessibility guidelines, covering pages, etc. Ensure you have read these guidelines carefully as failure to adhere to them can result in disqualification. You should also bear in mind the following aspects of good presentation of your proposal:

• Be clear and precise objectives
• Communicate the link between your project and the sponsor’s goals
• Clearly outline your theoretical framework or conceptual approach
• Explain and justify methodology (where appropriate), establish a relationship between objectives methodology and budget
• Define all key terms or concepts
• Include all required sections

Every agency has its own rules for what it considers an eligible expense. Some will fund only the direct costs of research, while others will also fund indirect costs and/or overhead. If you are entering into a research contract, be aware of the University's Research Overhead Costs policy.

The budget justification section is your opportunity to explain exactly how you plan to spend your research funds, and why this plan will help you achieve your research goals. You should also explain how your planned budget will help you complete the project in the alloted time.

Don't let incorrect calculations disqualify your proposal! Use a spreadsheet to accurately calculate wages for research personnel, cumulative costs for equipment and consumables, knowledge mobilization costs, and other eligible expenses, and ensure you have calculated employer mandatory costs and HST.

Hiring and employment of employees are subject to a number of policies that govern their treatment. The hiring of grant-supported personnel is also of concern to the administrative unit, which also has fiduciary responsibility in ensuring that there is sufficient funding to pay grant-supported personnel. When deciding on the amount or hourly wage to pay grant-supported personnel, you may seek the advice of colleagues in your department/faculty.

Budgeting for salary

If the funding agency does not have guidelines or regulations regarding compensation, the rate of pay is negotiated with the student/non-student on an individual basis, but must fall within University of Windsor policies.

Even though the Tri-Council agencies have removed the policy on maximum stipend allowed for research personnel (Masters, PhD, post-doctoral fellows, etc.), researchers should review the guidelines set out in the “Use of Grant Funds” section of the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.

Budgeting for benefits

Mandatory

Budget for an additional 14% for statutory benefit costs on top of the rate of pay. More specifically, for all grant-paid personnel, statutory benefits of 10% must be calculated and added to the rate of pay as these amounts will automatically be charged to your grant account. In addition, it must be decided if 4% vacation pay is to be included in or added to the rate of pay or to provide another type of vacation entitlement (e.g. 2 weeks paid).

Optional

For Non-Students, payment of discretionary benefits such as medical, dental and vision care are optional and can be paid by the grant (or not), usually only in the case of a one year term or greater. UHIP coverage for international non-students (i.e. OHIP equivalent) is mandatory and can either be self-paid, or paid by the researcher’s grant, if it is an eligible expense under the funding agency guidelines.

Contact Benefits & Records Administrator, ext. 2090, 5th Floor, Chrysler Hall Tower.

Types of research personnel

There are several ways to hire research personnel, each with its own process. As you prepare your application, you will need to consider what type of personnel you are hiring.

Student Research Appointments

• Any student currently enrolled at the University of Windsor at any level
• Can be paid as a single lump sum, like a scholarship, on a salaried basis or hourly based on a wage
• If you are planning to pay a student on a salaried hourly basis, you must include an additional 14% in your budget to cover employer mandatory costs
• Hiring forms will be completed and submitted to hr@uwindsor.ca

If you will employ a student who will be paid directly by your department or faculty (such as a Graduate Assistant) you may be able to include this in your grant application as an in-kind contribution supported by the University. You should discuss this option with your research coordinator.

Other research personnel

• May include students who work at other institutions, visiting scholars, or post-graduates
• Can be paid as a single lump sum, like a scholarship, on a salaried basis or hourly based on a wage
• If you are planning to pay a research assistant or associate on a salaried or hourly basis, you must include an additional 14% in your budget to cover employer mandatory costs
• Hiring paperwork is processed by the Office of Research Finance and the Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation

If you are paying research personnel on an hourly basis, time cards will be required.

Work permits for international personnel

Students

Generally University of Windsor students are eligible to work on campus under their study permit.

Contact Mike Houston, Director, International Affairs, ext. 5060

Non-Students

Must obtain a work permit.

Contact Sandy Mehenka, Secretary to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, ext. 3987

Direct costs

Direct costs of research include research personnel costs, consumables, taxes, equipment, sometimes space cost (per area), and any applicable taxes. Eligible expenses are determined by the sponsor or funding agency. For Tri-Council Agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) information on expenses can be found here under “Use of Grant Funds”. If space is an eligible expense, contact the the Space Management Office to assist in calculating costs on campus, or work with any partners and collaborators to determine standard rental rates off-campus.

Taxes

The Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) must be included in your budget calculations. HST is a harmonization of the provincial sales tax (8%) and the federal goods and services tax (5%) for a tax rate of 13%. Universities are now allowed a rebate of 78% on the provincial sale tax portion and the federal goods and service tax rebate remains at 67%. It is important to note that the HST will have no impact on salaries. The total tax rate to be added to your purchase/services cost will be 3.41%, as outlined below: 

Provincial portion of HST
HST Rate: 5%
Rebate Rate: 67%
Non-Rebate Rate*: 33%
Tax Rate: 1.65%

Federal portion of HST

HST Rate: 8%
Rebate Rate: 78%
NonRebate Rate*: 22%
Tax Rate: 1.78%

Total Tax Rate: 3.41%

Indirect costs

Indirect research costs or University of Windsor ‘overhead’ costs, on grants, are often an eligible expense, but the sponsor sets the rules. The standard UWindsor overhead rate is 40%.

For contracts, where terms and conditions are negotiated, the University of Windsor Research Overhead Costs Policy applies.

UWindsor's Research policies should also be reviewed whenever a new contract is negotiated since the policy content changes from time to time.

Your CV helps you make the argument for why you are the right person to conduct this research. The Tri-Agency is moving to a narrative CV model that allows you to move beyond traditional research outputs to describe your most significant impacts on your field. Depending on the requirements of the agency, your record of achievement may also include:

• Past publications and conference presentations
• Training of students and other highly qualified personnel (HQP), including your training philosophy
• Past grants and pending grant proposals
• Knowledge mobilization activities such as public presentations or media appearances

Many funding agencies now require that you include a statement addressing equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), accessibility, decolonization and societal impact in your application for funding. ORIS offers extensive resources on how to develop EDI practice in your lab, both live and on-demand. Your Research Coordinator will assist you in crafting a statement, however please note that ORIS does not offer boilerplate text for EDI statements, as they must reflect the actual practices and goals of your research program. We can also assist you in developing a plan for knowledge moblization and impact, and connect you with impact resources such as Research Impact Canada.

Some grant programs require a contribution from the institution or a partner in industry or the community. In some cases a contribution may not be a requirement but may strengthen your overall application by demonstrating institutional support or, industry demand, or community need. It takes time to negotiate these contributions and official letters of support may be required ahead of internal deadlines for ORIS review of your proposal, so don't leave this aspect of your proposal to the last minute.

Cash contributions

Cash contributions can come from any partners you are working with, or from your Faculty. In some cases, the Office of the Vice President, Research and Innovation or other executive offices on campus may be able to provide a contribution. It takes a minimum of two weeks to confirm contributions from within the institution and receive appropriate documentation, so reach out to colleagues well in advance.

If your industry or community partner is providing a cash contribution, request a letter of support on letterhead, signed by an individual with authority to bind the organization that clearly states the terms and amount of the contribution.

Course release

Your faculty may be able to provide teaching release to allow you to devote more time to research activities. This must be authorized by the office of your Dean or their delegate, and may be governed by a Faculty-wide policy. Course releases may be considered a cash contribution to some programs and an in-kind contribution by others, and may need to be prorated dependent on a variety of factors. Work with your Research Coordinator to ensure you are complying with agency guidelines when including course release as an institutional support.

In-kind contributions

In-kind contributions have value but are not a direct cash contribution to your project. These may include (but are not limited to):

• Staff time from employees of partner institutions
• Use of space
• Access to contacts/networks or support in recruiting research participants
• Hosting knowledge moblization activities such as community meetings
• Promotion of research results to end users (acting as knowledge brokers)

Ensure you fully document the internal contributions you've negotiated with the institution and your partners, especially if contributions are being leveraged to argue for funding in your proposal.

There are some common pitfalls that may result in a negative decision from reviewers, but being aware of these ahead of time can help you strengthen your proposal.

• Application is “premature” - it lacks foundational data or makes assumptions not backed up by the literature, or expertise is lacking.
• Project is too ambitious - it is not likely to be completed in the time frame, or tries to do too much.
• The methodology is inappropriate, or too vague.
• Theoretical rationale is lacking.
• Project is not adequately contextualized - proposal does not demonstrate timeliness or literature review is inadequate.
• Budget is not feasible - the goals cannot be achieved for the amount of funding being requested.

If your proposal is a resubmission, consider carefully any feedback you've received from past review committees. Incorporating reviewer feedback may help lead to a successful resubmission.

Every new grant proposal you submit must have internal approval from your Department Head (if applicable) and your Dean. The ORIS External Funding Checklist is the tool you will use to obtain this approval. Access the Checklist by logging in to the ERSO Research Portal, clicking on APPLY NEW, and selecting the Checklist from the available forms.

The University of Windsor is required to ensure that all research carried out under its purview is conducted safely, morally, ethically and with integrity, and in compliance with the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research as well as the guidelines of agencies, institutions, and foundations which provide funding with specific conditions. All research that involves human participants or human tissues must be conducted in accordance with the ethical principles and articles of the Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (2022): Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and the University of Windsor Guidelines for Research Involving Human Research Participants (2009, updated 2023).

Unless specifically requested by the Funding Sponsor, applicants are not required to obtain necessary clearances and permits (e.g. animal care, biohazard, human subjects) for a grant until funds are awarded. However, any research activity involving the use of animals, biohazards or humans, must be approved by the appropriate clearance or permit committee prior to commencing such work regardless of the funding decision. Awarded funds will be held until notification of clearance or permit is received by ORIS.

To ensure compliance with guidelines, the University has formed committees to review, clear and oversee relevant research protocols. These committees are the Research Ethics Board, the Animal Care Committee, and the Research Safety Committee (RSC). The RSC is comprised of three sub-committees, the Biological Safety Committee, the Radiation Safety Committee and the Laboratory Safety Committee.

When you submit an ORIS External Funding Checklist, you must declare what clearances and permits apply to your project. If your grant is awarded, your funds will be held until the relevant board or committee has notified ORIS that the appropriate clearance or permit has been obtained. We are unable to accept notification from researchers and must receive official documentation from the board responsible for that type of clearance or permit.

Please note that if you have an existing clearance or permit, you must request that the relevant board review the protocol in your new award and confirm that the clearance or permit is applicable! ORIS is unable to do this on your behalf and does not retain records of your past or current clearances - these records are solely the purview of the Research Ethics Board, the Animal Care Committee and/or the Research Safety Committee.

Researchers working with controlled goods or substances, or which may involve an environmental assessment should be aware of the following resources:

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
Environmental Assessment Officer, NSERC
613-995-8079
enviro.assess@nserc.ca

Health Canada
Office of Controlled Substances
866-368-4646

Controlled Goods Program
866-368-4646

Environment Canada New Substances Division
800-567-1999
ec.substances.ec@canada.ca

Sponsors often issue budget guidelines allowances for travel and accommodation, and the rates of reimbursement for indirect costs. If these costs are not outlined, please follow the University of Windsor travel policy and your department’s normal practice for personnel. If you find it difficult to determine your department’s pay practice, please consult with your research coordinator. Please obtain confirmation from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation, with respect to the percentage of indirect costs applicable to your funding proposal, if indirect costs are allowed by the sponsor. 

If the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation has agreed to any matching funds or other financial committments, you must submit a letter or email to that effect as an attachment when you submit your ORIS External Funding Checklist. Failure to provide documentation of this committment will result in delays in receiving your matched funds. This is especially important when you are leveraging these committed funds on your application. We cannot sign off on leveraged match funds without documentation.

The University of Windsor policy, and that of most external agencies requires that all outgoing applications for external research funding require the following minimum signatures:

• Principal Investigator - indicates acceptance of academic, professional, scientific, and technical responsibility for the project. In addition, it represents an undertaking to observe sponsor and University policies and regulations (e.g. open access policy on publications), as well as any special award conditions.
• Academic Administrative Unit (AAU) Head - indicates that the department is willing to accommodate the project; that required facilities and services are available; and that the Principal Investigator meets known University and sponsor eligibility requirements. It also represents general acceptance of expressed or implied time commitments, including the willingness to recommend leave or other special arrangements as specified in the application.
• Dean or Director - indicates their knowledge of this research and acknowledge overall responsibility for the provision of all resources other than those covered by the award that are necessary for the project’s execution. They further certify that space and any alteration costs thereto are available from Faculty resources and that if this is not the case, they will obtain prior approval from the Provost and Vice-President, Academic (such approval to be attached).
• Vice-President, Research and Innovation and/or Executive Director, Research and Innovation - confirms that the institution will accept and administer funds in accordance with agreed terms and conditions or will negotiate acceptable terms if these are not established at the time of application; that the Principal Investigator will have access to, and normal use of, University facilities and services; and that, when applicable, the project has been, or will be, reviewed for human ethics, animal experimentation, radiation, biosafety hazards and controlled goods. 

The mechanism for obtaining these signatures is submission of the ORIS External Funding Checklist in the ERSO Research Portal.

For the purposes of research grant applications and contract proposals, institutional signing authority rests with the University rather than the Principal Investigator, the Head, or the Dean. Authority has been delegated to the Vice-President, Research and Innovation.