Open
Source verified July 11, 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
Le Fonds des collèges de la Fondation canadienne pour l’innovation soutient les collèges canadiens admissibles en finançant des infrastructures de recherche pour la recherche appliquée et le développement technologique. Il appuie aussi les partenariats avec des secteurs publics, privés ou à but non lucratif, ainsi que l’acquisition, le développement et l’utilisation de cette infrastructure.
/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 improve applied research or technology development capacity.
- Using the infrastructure for applied research or technology development with public, private, or not-for-profit partners.
- Using the infrastructure for training when the training is linked to an applied research or technology development program.
Documents Needed
- Documentation required to establish institutional eligibility, if the college is not yet eligible.
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
- Acquisition and development of research infrastructure.
- Taxes net of credits, shipping, and installation tied to eligible infrastructure.
- Operating and maintenance costs for funded projects through the Infrastructure Operating Fund.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Activities and infrastructure that reproduce installations or services already present in the region.
- Activities and infrastructure that compete with private businesses.
- Funds obtained from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Eligible geographic areas
- Canada, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon.
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
- Confirm that the college is eligible and that the declaration of membership is up to date.
- If the college is not yet eligible, provide the required documentation by 9 July.
- Submit a proposal in the CFI Contributions Management System (SGCF).
- Eligible colleges may submit a maximum of three proposals per year.
Processing and Agreement
- Proposals are evaluated in two stages before the CFI Board of Directors makes funding decisions.
- At the first stage, experts determine the strengths and weaknesses of proposals against the evaluation criteria.
- Only proposals that meet the threshold of excellence move to the next stage.
- The Multidisciplinary Assessment Committee then evaluates the proposals against the three objectives of the competition.
- The Board of Directors makes the final funding decisions.
Additional information
- Recipient institutions should assess and mitigate research security risks for funded projects.
- The CFI encourages applicants and reviewers to avoid using generative AI tools with proposal material.
- Public funding announcements are organized by the Government of Canada after decisions are made.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the CFI — College Fund Program
What is the CFI — College Fund?
Le Fonds des collèges de la Fondation canadienne pour l’innovation soutient les collèges canadiens admissibles en finançant des infrastructures de recherche pour la recherche appliquée et le développement technologique. Il appuie aussi les partenariats avec des secteurs publics, privés ou à but non lucratif, ainsi que l’acquisition, le développement et l’utilisation de cette infrastructure.
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
Projects to acquire or develop research infrastructure
Infrastructure used for applied research or technology development with partners
What expenses are eligible under CFI — College Fund?
Acquiring or developing research infrastructure to improve applied research or technology development capacity.
Using the infrastructure for applied research or technology development with public, private, or not-for-profit partners.
Using the infrastructure for training 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.