Closed
Source verified August 1, 2026
Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition
Supports institutions attracting world-leading researchers
Latest source updateLast Update: June 14, 2026Latest change: The page now focuses on Convergence Portal application instructions, roles, and supporting documents for the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders competition.View change
Latest source update
Last Update: June 14, 2026
Latest change: The page now focuses on Convergence Portal application instructions, roles, and supporting documents for the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders competition.
Application instructions updated for Convergence Portal
The page now shows detailed instructions for submitting an application through the Convergence Portal, including role permissions, required sections, supporting documents, and submission rules. It also states that applications must be submitted by the specific deadline for each intake, with no changes allowed after the deadline and no extensions provided. The content now emphasizes administrative review, presentation instructions, language options, and portal access details for senior officials, delegates, and nominees. Funding values, award duration, and other program terms are not shown in this visible version of the page.
Funding available
$ 100,000 - $ 8,000,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Canada
Overview
The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program supports eligible Canadian institutions with $1 million or $500,000 per year to attract world-leading researchers for projects in Canada’s strategic priority areas. It funds chairholder compensation, research activities for the chairholder and the chairholder’s team, indirect costs up to 25% of direct costs of research, and recruitment and relocation costs.
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At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop team skills
- Increase social or community impact
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 8,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 100,000 $
- Up to 50% of project cost
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Public or Parapublic institution
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Research programs in one or more strategic priority areas.
- Knowledge translation, mobilization, and commercialization pathways.
- Building and maintaining exceptional research teams.
- Partnerships and collaborations with Canadian and international entities.
Documents Needed
- Quality of nominee; quality of the institutional support; Impact+ recruitment process; publicly advertised job posting; proposed research program.
- Potential contribution to the excellence of the Canadian and international research ecosystem; potential for knowledge translation and mobilization.
- Confirmation of partner commitments; letters of support.
- Environmental Impact Assessment (if applicable); STRAC attestation attachment (if applicable); National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships Risk Assessment Form Module (if applicable).
- Budget justification; budget projections; citations; Distinguished Chairs awards justification; Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders justification.
Official resources
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Eligible Canadian institutions.
Who is not eligible
- Researchers cannot directly apply for this funding opportunity.
- Nominees cannot be nominated in both the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and 2026 CERC competition.
Eligible expenses
- Chairholder compensation.
- Research activities for the chairholder and the chairholder’s team.
- Indirect costs of research up to 25% of the direct costs of research.
- Eligible recruitment and relocation costs.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Indirect costs above 25% of the direct costs of research.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Research/academic merit and leadership skills of the nominee.
- Nominee’s record of establishing and sustaining an equitable, diverse and inclusive research environment.
- Quality of the institutional support.
- Institution’s ability to sustain the research advantage created by the proposed Chair.
- Institution’s research strengths in the proposed field, assessed against global standards of excellence.
How to apply
- Open the Research Administrator dashboard in the Convergence Portal to access applications.
- Submit a separate application for each nomination.
- Complete the application in the Convergence Portal following the provided instructions.
- Finalize and submit the application once it is complete.
Processing and Agreement
- TIPS undertakes an administrative review of all materials to ensure that submissions meet the program’s eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
- Failure to meet these requirements and guidelines may result in withdrawal from the competition, and content that does not adhere to the instructions may be redacted.
- Chairs are offered to the highest ranked applications recommended for funding by the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee, within its available budget per intake.
- Applications that meet the funding requirements and receive a minimum rating of Good on all criteria, but fall below the competition budget line, are placed on a ranked reversion list if awards are declined.
- Institutions and nominees are notified of competition results in the Convergence Portal.
Additional information
- The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program is now known as the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada program.
- All other terms and conditions of the original program remain unchanged.
- The program is a tri-agency initiative of CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC.
- It is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), which is housed within SSHRC.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition Program
What is the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition?
The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program supports eligible Canadian institutions with $1 million or $500,000 per year to attract world-leading researchers for projects in Canada’s strategic priority areas. It funds chairholder compensation, research activities for the chairholder and the chairholder’s team, indirect costs up to 25% of direct costs of research, and recruitment and relocation costs.
How much funding can be received?
Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition Funds up to 50% of admissible expenses, capped at $8,000,000 per project.
Who is eligible for the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition program?
To be eligible for the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition program, you must:
The applicant must be an eligible Canadian institution.
The institution must be registered with the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS) by the specific deadline for each intake.
The nominee must be internationally based, both working and residing outside Canada at the time of the intake’s application deadline.
What expenses are eligible under Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition?
Research programs in one or more strategic priority areas.
Knowledge translation, mobilization, and commercialization pathways.
Building and maintaining exceptional research teams.
Partnerships and collaborations with Canadian and international entities.
Who can I contact for more information about the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition?
You can contact Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) by email at impactplus@chairs-chaires.gc.ca.
Where is the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition available?
The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition program is available across Canada.
Is the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders Competition is a Grant and Funding