Competition

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

Note: There are Webinars scheduled for this opportunity on June 25 and 26; details here:https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/opportunities/joint-initiatives/2025/indigenous-capacity-leadership-research/competition.aspx#webinar

Context

In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its Calls to Action. They highlighted the important role of research in advancing reconciliation. Two years later, the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) was created to improve coordination efforts among Canada’s federal research granting agencies—the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)—as well as the Canada Foundation for Innovation. Following on CRCC priorities, a national dialogue was held to co-develop new, interdisciplinary Indigenous research and a research training model with Indigenous communities. The approach led to the implementation of the Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity (SIRC) initiative.

A collaborative tri-agency initiative, SIRC’s strategic direction is focused on:

• building relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples;

• supporting research priorities of Indigenous Peoples;

• creating greater funding accessibility to granting agency programs; and

• championing Indigenous leadership, self-determination and capacity-building in research.

In Budget 2024, the federal government committed $30 million to support Indigenous researchers and their communities. This investment aims to support and increase Indigenous participation in research with $10 million each for First Nations, Métis and Inuit researchers and research partners. In this context, the agencies have sought to create new funding opportunities committed to Indigenous self-determination, the decolonization of research, and more equitable access and support for Indigenous participants in research.

Description

The Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research (ICLR) Connection Grants will contribute to Indigenous leadership and self-determination in research. The events and activities funded represent opportunities to engage and exchange knowledge on successful ways of conducting Indigenous research that are transformative and contribute to Indigenous-led research, including wholistic and distinctions-based approaches.

This funding opportunity aligns with the tri-agency Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada strategic plan and Indigenous communities’ aspirations to provide support for transformative research and training that contributes to innovation and reconciliation.

More specifically, it aims to:

• support the research priorities of Indigenous Peoples;

• champion Indigenous leadership, self-determination and capacity in research, to the benefit of Indigenous communities;

• increase awareness and understanding of Indigenous researchers, students and communities;

• recognize Indigenous ways of knowing as an integral part of valid and authoritative research;

• support Indigenous-led strategies and structures that address respectful and mutually beneficial data management and intellectual property rights in Indigenous research; and

• decolonize Indigenous research through the development of clear structures and resources for Indigenous Peoples to grow research capacity, including creating greater accessibility to granting agency program funding.

All of the grants for this funding opportunity are reserved for First Nations or Métis not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction, or Indigenous postsecondary institutions. The portion of the federal budget commitment dedicated to the Inuit Peoples will be allocated through a separate funding mechanism.

In the case of an application to an individual grant, the project director must be affiliated with one of these eligible organizations/institutions. (See Applicants and Institutions details below for more information on institutional and individual grant eligibility.)

This funding opportunity invites applications in any discipline from institutional or individual applicants affiliated with First Nations or Métis not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction, or Indigenous postsecondary institutions. All projects must have the objective of informing and contributing to the development and growth of research strategic plans and activities to support distinctions-based leadership and self-determination in research.

The ICLR Connection Grants affirm the important wholistic contributions to human knowledge made by Indigenous knowledge systems within a First Nations and Métis context. Furthermore, the funding opportunity emphasizes Métis and First Nations knowledge systems, including ontologies, epistemologies and methodologies, as important avenues for exploring the contours of knowledge, supporting research paradigms, and contributing to collaboration that extends the boundaries of knowledge in western research paradigms. These grants will support relationships with land, spirits and ancestors, as well as more-than-human relatives. Applicants are encouraged to submit projects that are wholistic and reflect the full range of collaboration across disciplines and subject areas pertaining to the social sciences and humanities; natural sciences and engineering; and health and wellness. Funding will support community gatherings, workshops or other events, or outreach activities that mobilize existing knowledge; facilitate dialogue and knowledge sharing; and result in the preparation of a research agenda, strategy and/or action plan, among other things.

Note: All of the grants for this funding opportunity are reserved for First Nations or Métis not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction, or Indigenous postsecondary institutions and Project Directors must be affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution (Indigenous postsecondary institution or Indigenous not-for-profit organization). Therefore, Memorial is not an eligible, submitting institution.

If, however, if you have a Memorial affiliation and will be listed as a Co-Director or Co-applicant on one of these grant applications, or if Memorial is being invited to be a partner insititution, please contact an HSS Grants Facilitator, Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca, 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca, 864-8050), as the application may need to be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP) by the internal deadlines below.

If you plan to apply to this competition or other research funding opportunities (as either PI or CI), 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 and may also be able to help with proposal development.