Competition

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

In support of Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy, Mitacs is launching a call for proposals that will mobilize academic talent to help advance innovation in strategic areas identified by the strategy as sovereign capabilities. The call is delivered in collaboration with Canada’s Department of National Defence and will pair Canadian researchers and innovators with partner organizations on applied, mission-relevant R&D.

The call for proposal in now open with an application deadline of August 17, 2026.

Key details

• The call will be delivered through Mitacs Accelerate and feature enhanced funding per internship unit (IU) for Master’s and PhD students ($20,000 per IU) and postdoctoral fellows ($25,000 per IU).

• A project can run up to two years and include as many as 30 IUs. Interns must be identified at the time of application for a minimum of 50 per cent of the internships in the project, while no more than 50 per cent may be listed as to be determined.

• Eligible projects are those in aerospace, digital systems (AI, quantum, cyber), in-service support, personnel protection, sensors, space, specialized manufacturing, training and simulation, uncrewed systems, quantum science and technology, or arctic sovereignty.

• This is a competitive call; all applications will be assessed by Mitacs and undergo external peer review, with funding decisions determined by a panel. Applicants will be notified of outcomes once the review and processing period is complete (expected by early November 2026). All applications will be reviewed based on the quality, feasibility, and eligibility criteria for Mitacs Accelerate, as well as project impact and alignment with Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.

Projects may run for up to two years and include no more than 30 internship units (IUs). Interns must be identified at the time of application for a minimum of 50 per cent of the internships in the project, while no more than 50 per cent may be listed as to be determined (TBD). Standard Accelerate student eligibility and award values continue to apply, with increased award values available for Master’s, PhD and postdoctoral fellows:

• Master’s or PhD IU: $20,000

  ($10,000 contribution from partner; minimum $15,000 for stipend)

• Postdoctoral fellow IU: $25,000 (($12,500 contribution from partner; minimum $20,000 for stipend)

Next steps

Mitacs will be hosting a live information session regarding this call on June 16 from 13-14h (EST). Register here: Link

Should you have any questions in the meantime, please contact your institution’s Mitacs Advsor: Heidi Crummell (709-327-8902) hcrummell@mitacs.ca  or Dipesh Maharjan (709-853-1098), dmaharjan@mitacs.ca.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Tiffany Sudworth, Mitacs Grants Coordinator at tnkvacther@mun.ca and Dr. Charlene Simmonds, Research Security Manager at csimmonds@mun.ca early in the application process to discuss research security mitigation or concerns.

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.