Role of the Armand-Frappier Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Armand-Frappier Foundation is a non-profit charitable organization created to provide sustained financial support to the Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, affiliated with the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) in Québec. Since 1978, it has channelled donations from individuals, companies and partners into concrete funding for health research, training of future researchers and acquisition of state-of-the-art scientific equipment.
The Foundation focuses on the major themes pursued at the Centre, including human, animal and environmental health. It finances innovative and socially important projects, research chairs, large unifying initiatives and specialized infrastructure that enable research teams to remain at the forefront of biotechnology and public health research.
Support for students and emerging researchers
A central component of the Foundation’s mission is to foster access to higher education and to strengthen the next generation of scientists. Through its excellence scholarship programs, it awards study grants to master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral students enrolled at the INRS Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie. It also supports undergraduate students from Québec universities by funding summer research internships in the INRS research centres, providing early immersion in a laboratory environment.
Scholarships are awarded by an independent committee composed of professors from the Centre, ensuring transparent and merit-based selection. The Foundation also highlights its scholarship holders through the “Nos lauréats” section and photo galleries, demonstrating its long-term, structured commitment to student support.
Funding priorities and impact of donations
The Foundation clearly explains how donations are used: they contribute to advancing scientific research by supporting top researchers, training a high-quality new generation and purchasing cutting-edge equipment. Dedicated pages illustrate specific areas of impact such as aromatherapy research, new research chairs, COVID-19 research and development, new equipment, student support and the Congrès Armand-Frappier.
Its activity reports provide an overview of the projects and programs funded each year, the actions taken to encourage the scientific next generation and the key milestones of fundraising events. These documents reinforce the Foundation’s transparency and accountability to its donors and partners.
History and legacy
Founded in 1978, the Armand-Frappier Foundation builds on the legacy of Dr. Armand Frappier, a pioneer in microbiology and infectious disease research in Québec who founded the original institute in 1938. By maintaining close ties with the Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie and INRS, the Foundation plays a strategic role in the province’s health research ecosystem, helping to sustain high-impact research and training that benefit public health.