Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Canadian Foundation for Governance Research (CFGR)

The Canadian Foundation for Governance Research (CFGR) is a national charitable foundation established by the Institute of Corporate Directors to catalyze new ideas and evidence-based practice in governance. It provides the financial resources needed to enable leading research on corporate and organizational governance issues, with a particular focus on Canadian institutions such as corporations, Crown agencies, and non-profit organizations.

CFGR concentrates its funding efforts on supporting doctoral-level research. Through the Bertram Scholarship and associated doctoral research awards, the foundation offers substantial annual scholarships—up to $20,000—to PhD students registered at Canadian universities. These awards are intended to underwrite original research that advances understanding of topics such as board effectiveness, stakeholder engagement, governance in public and private organizations, the societal impact of corporate governance, and best practices viewed through a Canadian lens.

The primary beneficiaries of CFGR funding are senior doctoral students whose dissertation or major scholarly work focuses on organizational governance. By targeting emerging scholars, the foundation aims to build Canada’s long-term research capacity in governance and to ensure that new empirical insights and theoretical developments reach directors and boards across sectors. Funded researchers are often asked to produce accessible summaries of their work and to participate in dissemination activities, including presentations and articles for practitioner audiences.

CFGR also contributes to the broader governance community by commissioning research reports and making the results publicly available. These outputs allow directors, policymakers, and academics to engage with cutting-edge findings on issues such as board composition and renewal, oversight of corporate culture, climate change governance, board–management relationships, and expectations of CEOs and board chairs.

Applications for the Bertram Scholarship are assessed by CFGR management, with final decisions made by the CFGR board of directors. Proposals must demonstrate a clear and direct link to organizational governance, show the originality and scholarly quality of the research, and highlight its relevance to Canadian boards and institutions. Eligible applicants must be full-time PhD students at recognized Canadian universities and engaged in substantial, autonomous research leading to a dissertation or major scholarly publication.

Reflecting its own mission, the CFGR operates with formal governance structures that include a board charter, conflict of interest policy, financial statements, and a dedicated board of directors and staff. The foundation emphasizes transparent selection processes, clear eligibility criteria, and documented expectations for scholarship recipients, including knowledge dissemination and basic reporting on funded activities. This governance framework helps ensure that its grant and scholarship programs remain aligned with its charitable purpose of strengthening governance research in Canada.