Open
Source verified August 10, 2026
CFI — College Fund
College research infrastructure for applied innovation
Funding available
$ 60,000 - $ 2,000,000
Deadline
September 17, 2026
Opened January 1, 2026
Location
Canada
Overview
The College Fund supports Canadian colleges recognized as CFI-eligible with funding of up to 40 percent for research infrastructure. It helps colleges build partnerships that address social, business, health or environmental needs in Canadian industries or communities.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop team skills
- Develop a new product or service
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 2,000,000 $
- Minimum amount : 60,000 $
- Up to 40% of project cost
Funds Providers
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
- Acquiring or developing research infrastructure to enhance existing applied research or technology development capacity.
- Using the infrastructure for applied research or technology development activities with public, private or not-for-profit partners.
- Using the infrastructure for training purposes only when the training is linked to an applied research or technology development program.
Documents Needed
- Supporting documents required to apply for institutional eligibility
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Canadian colleges recognized as CFI-eligible
Who is not eligible
- Institutions that are not Canadian colleges recognized as CFI-eligible.
Eligible expenses
- Eligible infrastructure costs
- Associated operating and maintenance costs through the Infrastructure Operating Fund
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Activities and infrastructure that duplicate existing services or facilities in the region.
- Activities and infrastructure that are used to compete with private-sector businesses.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada
Selection criteria
- Expert evaluators assess proposals against five criteria: applied research or technology development, partnerships, infrastructure, team, and impacts.
- The Multidisciplinary Assessment Committee evaluates proposals against the three objectives of the competition.
- Proposals must meet the threshold of excellence to advance to the next stage.
How to apply
- Use the CFI Awards Management System (CAMS) to prepare, share and submit your proposals.
Processing and Agreement
- Proposals will be evaluated in a two-stage review process, with final funding decisions made by the CFI’s Board of Directors.
- In the first stage of review, experts review the proposals to assess their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the five assessment criteria.
- Only proposals that meet the threshold of excellence can advance to the next stage of review.
- In the second stage of review, the Multidisciplinary Assessment Committee (MAC) assesses the proposals that met the threshold of excellence at the expert review stage.
- The CFI Board of Directors will make funding decisions for this competition annually at its March meeting, and the institution will be notified and receive the review material in CAMS after that meeting.
Additional information
- Recipient institutions should conduct a consistent due diligence review of potential security risks for funded projects and put in place timely measures to appropriately mitigate those risks.
- The Government of Canada organizes and makes public announcements of new funding from the College Fund.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the CFI — College Fund Program
What is the CFI — College Fund?
The College Fund supports Canadian colleges recognized as CFI-eligible with funding of up to 40 percent for research infrastructure. It helps colleges build partnerships that address social, business, health or environmental needs in Canadian industries or communities.
How much funding can be received?
CFI — College Fund Funds up to 40% of admissible expenses, capped at $2,000,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program is September 17, 2026. Applicants must submit their complete application before this date to be considered for funding.
Who is eligible for the CFI — College Fund program?
To be eligible for the CFI — College Fund program, you must:
Canadian colleges recognized as CFI-eligible can apply
Projects must acquire or develop research infrastructure
Infrastructure must support applied research or technology development with partners
What expenses are eligible under CFI — College Fund?
Acquiring or developing research infrastructure to enhance existing applied research or technology development capacity.
Using the infrastructure for applied research or technology development activities with public, private or not-for-profit partners.
Using the infrastructure for training purposes only when the training is linked to an applied research or technology development program.
Who can I contact for more information about the CFI — College Fund?
You can contact Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) by email at eligibility@innovation.ca.
Where is the CFI — College Fund available?
The CFI — College Fund program is available across Canada.