Open
Alliance grants
Partnering support for R&D projects
Last Update: March 4, 2026
Funding available
$ 20,000 - $ 1,000,000
Timeline
- Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
Need R&D help for a business problem? Get support when you partner with a university researcher and make an in-kind contribution to a project that benefits Canada.
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Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase performance through digital transformation
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop a new product or service
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 1,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 20,000 $
Timeline
- Open continuously
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
- Social economy enterprise
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Other Racialized Persons
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Women
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Higher Education
- Research
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- General public
- Indigenous peoples
- People with disabilities
- Women & girls
- LGBTQ+ community
- Academia / students
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Local
- Municipal
- Regional
- Provincial
- National
- International
Next steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Collaborative research projects between a university and partner organizations aimed at generating new knowledge or technologies to address complex challenges.
- Applied research initiatives intended to create economic, environmental, or social impacts for Canada and partner organizations.
- Projects contributing to Canada ’s long-term competitiveness, notably through technological innovation or the improvement of existing processes.
- Research work supporting the development or improvement of public policies based on evidence.
- Projects integrating the training and mentoring of new researchers in areas deemed strategic for Canada.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
If you are a Canadian university researcher eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply on your own or as part of a team with other eligible academic researchers. You are required to have at least one partner organization from the private, public, or not-for-profit sector that is recognized for cost sharing in your research project, although additional partner organizations, whether or not they provide cash contributions, can also be included in your project. College faculty can participate as co-applicants. This grant supports projects of varying scales and complexities, enabling collaborations that range from single researcher-led projects to long-term, multi-university research initiatives.Eligible expenses
This grant supports projects aimed at establishing fruitful collaborations between academic researchers and partners in the public, private, or non-profit sectors. Here is a list of potentially eligible activities according to the objectives of this grant:
- Production of new knowledge or technologies to solve complex challenges.
- Generation of economic, environmental, or societal benefits.
- Contributions to Canada’s long-term competitiveness.
- Support for the development of public policies.
- Training of new researchers in key areas for Canada.
- Utilization of diverse perspectives to accelerate the application of research results.
Additional information
- This funding opportunity is subject to the Policy on Research in Sensitive Technologies and Concerning Concerns (RTSAP) published on January 16, 2024.
- Applications involving research areas in sensitive technologies will not be funded if a team member is affiliated with certain named research organizations or receives funding or in-kind contributions from them.
- For partnerships including at least one private sector organization, a national security risk assessment form must be completed by the institution and attached to the application.
- There is no deadline for submitting an application, and the page was last updated on April 17, 2024.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Alliance grants Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the Alliance grants. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the Alliance grants?
Need R&D help for a business problem? Get support when you partner with a university researcher and make an in-kind contribution to a project that benefits Canada.
How much funding can be received?
Alliance grants Funds up to $1,000,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Alliance grants program?
To be eligible for the Alliance grants program, you must:
The partner organization must be from the private, public, or not-for-profit sector.
Must engage in cost sharing for the research project.
Projects should involve collaboration with a Canadian university researcher eligible for NSERC funds.
What expenses are eligible under Alliance grants?
Collaborative research projects between a university and partner organizations aimed at generating new knowledge or technologies to address complex challenges.
Applied research initiatives intended to create economic, environmental, or social impacts for Canada and partner organizations.
Projects contributing to Canada’s long-term competitiveness, notably through technological innovation or the improvement of existing processes.
Research work supporting the development or improvement of public policies based on evidence.
Projects integrating the training and mentoring of new researchers in areas deemed strategic for Canada.
Who can I contact for more information about the Alliance grants?
You can contact Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) by email at alliance@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or by phone at 1-855-275-2861.
Where is the Alliance grants available?
The Alliance grants program is available across Canada.
Is the Alliance grants a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Alliance grants is a Partnering and Collaboration
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