Discovery Grants (individual) program

• Notification of intent to apply
• NSERC version of the Canadian Common CV
• Full application

Who is eligible?

• University faculty
• University researchers

Who is not eligible

• Companies and organizations outside the natural sciences and engineering sectors.
• Businesses whose primary research activities fall under health, social sciences, or humanities sectors.
• Entities seeking funding for projects already supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) or the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

Eligible expenses

• Operating expenses for the research program
• Expenses covered under the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration
• Costs linked to collaborative research activities

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Research outside NSERC’s mandate, including health, social sciences, and humanities
• Research already supported by CIHR or SSHRC
• The full costs of a research program

Eligible geographic areas

• Canadian universities

• Scientific or engineering excellence of the researcher, including knowledge, expertise, experience, and impact
• Merit of the proposal, including originality, significance, methodology, feasibility, and clarity of objectives
• Contribution to training highly qualified personnel, including past and planned training quality
• Consideration of equity, diversity and inclusion in the research process and training
• Assessment of conceptually distinct research from CIHR or SSHRC support

• Step 1: Submit the notification of intent through the Research Portal
  • Create or open the NOI in the Research Portal.
  • Select the suggested evaluation group and complete the NOI sections.
  • Attach the NSERC Canadian Common CV.
  • Submit the NOI and accept the terms and conditions.
• Step 2: Prepare the full application
  • Complete the full application in the Research Portal.
  • Update the Canadian Common CV if needed before submission.
• Step 3: Submit the full application
  • Submit the application through the Research Portal by the deadline.
  • Ensure it is received by your institution’s research grants office by its internal deadline.

• Applications are reviewed by an evaluation group and may also include external reviewer input.
• NSERC assigns the application to the appropriate evaluation group.
• The final rating and applicant category determine the grant level.
• Results are shared annually in April.

• The applicant must complete a self-identification questionnaire in the Research Portal.
• An Indigenous Engagement and Collaboration Agreement is required if the research includes Indigenous research.
• Applications using a sensitive technology research area may require attestation forms.
• Results are shared annually in April.