Competition

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

A department/division head will be permitted to nominate only one potential applicant during each annual granting cycle.

The Banting Discovery Foundation provides feasibility and pilot grants that help early career scientists establish their independence and launch their research programs. These funds support the day-to-day realities of running a research program—from hiring trainees to acquiring essential equipment—empowering researchers to pursue bold ideas that push the boundaries of health and biomedical science.

The Discovery Award grant is intended to support researchers at a pivotal moment in their careers: the early stages of establishing an independent research program.

Inspired by the legacy of Frederick Banting who lacked necessary funding for his work on insulin, the Foundation aims to provide critical seed funding to those who are running their first research program. By focusing on individuals with limited existing funding, we seek to ensure that promising ideas are not stalled due to resource constraints, and that emerging investigators can thrive during this formative period.

• To apply for the Banting Discovery Award, you must:

• – Be a health or biomedical researcher.

• – Applicants must be within three years of their first academic appointment (e.g., Assistant Professor or equivalent) at a Canadian university or research institute.

• – This appointment should have begun within eight years of completing their most recent graduate or professional degree (PhD, MD, or MD/PhD).

• – Have not received external peer-reviewed grant funding such as from CIHR or NSERC, at the time of application. Support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) does not count towards the funding limit.

• – Have not received external research funding exceeding over $50,000 per year at the time of receiving the Banting Discovery Award. If the external funding exceeds $50,000, the candidate may still apply for up to $30,000 providing the total operating funds including the Banting Discovery Award do not exceed $80,000 in the funding year.

Submitting the NOI (step 1) November 3rd, 2025

Receiving an invitation to the full application (step 2) November 27th, 2025

Completing the full application online (step 2) January 26th, 2026

Faculty of HSS Submission Procedures for Intent to Apply: The Intent to Apply (EOI/LOI/NOI) does not require review from HSS or RGCS. However, please e-mail a pdf of the submitted EOI to an HSS Grants Facilitator: Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca or 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca or 864-8050).

Faculty of HSS Submission Procedures (mandatory): In addition to the external funding agency’s submission procedures, this opportunity must also be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) institutional reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP). In order to facilitate the HSS Faculty’s administrative review, please ensure "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on your RP file. 

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 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.