Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

NOTE: There is an updated application form; be sure to use the most current one posted in the RIS Database Link below; contact your Grants Facilitator for more information.

Please note the Seed, Bridge and Multi-Disciplinary award guidelines have recently been updated to reflect recent changes including EDI-AR and page limits.

NEW: No supplemental materials is permitted in the Application, with the exception that letters of support and ethics certifications are allowed. Applications which do not follow the page limit guidelines will not be considered. To clarify, supplemental materials such as appendices, interview questions, and cover letters will not be permitted. To assist with the change, the page limits for Project Proposal has been increased to 5 pages and budget page limit for all three programs have been adjusted to 3 pages.  The most recent application package must be used for the upcoming May 15, 2024 competition deadline.

The funds used for this competition draws from the larger Seed, Bridge, Multidisciplinary Fund which supports innovative research that is at a stage where it would be difficult to acquire funding from traditional funding bodies and Tri-Agency funding programs. Each of these awards: 1. Seed, 2. Bridge, and 3. Multidisciplinary draw from the larger fund, but are distinct, categories with different goals and terms of reference. Application forms can be found below.

Multidisciplinary Fund

The Multidisciplinary Fund is used to support new research collaborations among researchers at Memorial from different disciplines. Multidisciplinary research for the purposes of this competition may range from the sharing of ideas, to the full integration of concepts, methodology, procedures, theory, terminology, data, organization of research and training in multiple academic fields. In the context of this funding, “multidisciplinary” is used to refer to both interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. The Multidisciplinary Fund provides assistance to a maximum of $10,000 towards projects lasting a maximum of 24 months (shorter terms are also welcome).

Seed Fund

The Seed Fund is used to support researchers to undertake the earliest stages of research in new directions  which represent significant deviations from their existing research activities.  Also, the initial stage of the new research activity would make it too early to seek external funding support.  The Seed Fund provides assistance to a maximum of $10,000 towards projects lasting a maximum of 24 months (shorter terms are also welcome).

For both the Multidisciplinary and Seed Funds, the research projects should focus on obtaining proof of concepts to support future external funding. Applications are also sought for projects that involve relationship building in community-based research, including relationship building with Indigenous groups.

Bridge Funding

Bridge funding sustains the research programs of productive researchers through the difficult period of an unanticipated funding gap to give the researcher an opportunity to regain external funding. Bridge Fund requests are considered when an investigator’s funded project has not been renewed and temporary support is required to retain key personnel. Requests must provide support for existing key personnel, and cannot be used for new personnel.  The Bridge Fund is a needs-based award designed to retain personnel and gain leverage for additional funding; so the principal applicant must use their most recently-submitted application for external funding, and explain how the bridge funding will be used to improve their scores on a future external funding applications, thus increasing their chance of success in future external competitions. The Bridge Fund provides assistance to a maximum of $10,000 towards projects lasting a maximum of 24 months (shorter terms are also welcome).

The number of projects funded in this competition will be contingent on the number of applications, the size of the fund, and the demonstrated need of applicants.

*If the deadline date falls on a weekend, applications will be due on the first work day following the deadline.

Faculty of HSS Advanced Draft Feedback (optional): For this competition, Memorial applicants may request detailed feedback on full draft applications or on application components. Normally, HSS Research Support Services would require draft applications to be submitted a minimum of 45 business days ahead of the internal HSS deadline (see below for all deadlines) Please note that Advanced Draft Feedback deadlines may vary depending on the workflow of the HSS Research Support Services office. If you wish to request this service, please contact Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca or 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca or 864-8050) as soon as possible.

Faculty of HSS Submission Procedures (mandatory): This opportunity must be submitted for Departmental review and HSS administrative review via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP) prior to submission to Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) for adjudication. Please add "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on the RP file. More detailed submission instructions and information can be found on the HSS website here: HSS Research Support Services. Once the HSS Dean's Office has approved the RP file, the application is routed to RGCS as official submission to the competition.

In accordance with University-wide approval protocols, all tabs of the RP file must be completed, the completed application must be uploaded to the “Attachments” tab, all supporting documentation including support for cash and in-kind commitments and/or letters of support must also be uploaded, and “Submit” must be pressed prior to the HSS internal deadline listed below. HSS cannot guarantee completion of an administrative review for application files that are incomplete and/or are submitted after the HSS deadline. For more detailed submission instructions and information, please consult the HSS Research Support Services website.

If you plan to apply for any of these or other funding opportunities, e-mail an HSS Grants Facilitator: Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca or 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca or 864-8050) to notify the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of your intent to apply. E-mailing the intent to apply as early as possible will help to facilitate an efficient review. A Grants Facilitator can answer any questions you may have about internal or external submission procedures.