Partnership Engage Grants: 2026 Competitions

• Full SSHRC CV for co-applicants affiliated with a postsecondary institution, or the mandatory fields only for co-applicants from a non-academic organization.
• Electronic copy of research contributions and relevant experience for co-applicants; co-applicants from a non-academic organization are not required to submit research contributions, but must include relevant experience.
• Accept Invitation—Collaborator Information form for invited collaborators.

Who is eligible?

• Any individual who may make a significant contribution to the research and/or related initiative may participate as a collaborator.
• Individuals from the private sector or federal government may participate only as collaborators, and collaborators do not need to be affiliated with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution.

Who is not eligible

• Students cannot apply as applicants or co-applicants.
• Researchers whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution are not eligible for applicant status.
• Applicants who received a SSHRC grant and did not submit the required achievement report by the deadline cannot apply again until the report is submitted.
• An individual may apply as applicant for only one Partnership Engage Grant per calendar year.

Eligible expenses

• Salary research allowances for a Canadian not-for-profit organization, covering up to 50% of the annual salary of an employee temporarily replaced because they are devoting time to the project as a co-applicant.
• Travel and subsistence costs for the research team and student personnel, in Canada and abroad.
• Professional or technical services, including consulting fees when expert advice is needed.
• Supplies and nondisposable equipment directly related to the research, including software, stationery, postage, telephone calls, computers, associated hardware, and audio or video equipment, when not provided by the administering institution or employer.
• Tools for research and related activities, and costs related to open access publishing, responsible research data management, dissemination in both official languages, support for official language minority communities, and effective research training.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Projects whose primary objective is curriculum development, preparation of teaching materials, program evaluation, organization of a conference or workshop, digitization of a collection, or creation of a database.
• Remuneration for team members, including postdoctoral fellows serving as team members, except some Indigenous team members may be compensated.
• Salaries or stipends for individuals whose status would make them eligible to hold a grant from the agency.
• Course release time to allow an individual to engage in research activities.
• Salary research allowances for postsecondary institutions and governmental organizations.

• Challenge (60%): relevance to the partner organization’s needs, challenges and/or opportunities; originality and significance; literature review; methods and theoretical approach; training and mentoring; likely influence and impact.
• Feasibility (20%): likelihood of meeting objectives within the proposed timeline, partner involvement, budget appropriateness, other planned resources, and knowledge mobilization plans.
• Capability (20%): quality, quantity and significance of the applicant’s and co-applicants’ experience and outputs, other knowledge mobilization activities and impacts, and past training and mentoring contributions.
• Applications must receive a score of 3.0 or higher for each criterion to be recommended for funding.

• Complete the application form in accordance with the accompanying instructions.
• Ensure co-applicants, collaborators and invited partner organizations complete and verify their invitation forms.
• Verify and correct the data until the Verification Report confirms verification.
• Submit the application to the research administrator by the institution’s internal deadline.
• The authorized research grants officer, or equivalent, submits the application electronically on behalf of the applicant’s institution.

• Applications are reviewed through a competitive merit review process.
• Funding decisions are based on the merit review committee’s recommendations and the funds available.
• Committee discussions are guided by the principle of minimum essential funding.
• Grant holders must report on the use of grant funds, the activities undertaken during the grant period, and the outcomes achieved.
• Successful applicants are informed of reporting requirements when they receive their notice of award.