Québec Research Fund - Health Sector (FRQS)

• Funding application form
• Any additional documents required by the specific program rules
• Documents supporting the application, if required by the program rules
• Documents required for institutional approval, where applicable

• The applicant must be a recognized managing institution located in Quebec or an eligible institution of higher education, as defined by the Quebec Research Fund (FRQ).
• The applicant or project leader (researcher or clinician researcher) must be employed by the managing institution at the time of application and throughout the funding period.
• The project must contribute to research, knowledge dissemination, or the training of students and postdoctoral trainees in the health sector in Quebec.
• The applicant and the institution must comply with the current guidelines and requirements as specified in the relevant program rules.

Who is eligible?

• Public research institutions located in Quebec
• Universities and eligible higher education institutions in Quebec
• Colleges and college-level technology transfer centers (CCTT) recognized by the FRQ
• Health and social services establishments with an institutional university affiliation recognized by the FRQ
• Governmental research organizations in Quebec recognized by the FRQ

Who is not eligible

• Private research companies are not eligible for direct funding from the FRQ.
• Businesses that do not operate, study, or have activities based in Québec.
• Organizations whose main activity is not related to public research or higher education.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries and benefits for research personnel, such as research professionals, coordinators, clinical research staff, technicians, research secretaries, and assistants, as per institutional standards.
• Salaries, bursaries, or salary supplements for college, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students involved in the research.
• Fees for professional services such as artists, consultants, invited speakers, or external experts, according to institutional rates (with specific limits for consultants outside Quebec).
• Honoraria for professional services needed for developing and maintaining a project website, if justified and directly linked to the funded project.
• Training and continuing education costs necessary for research personnel involved in the project.
• Approved compensation (by an ethics committee) for research participants.
• Travel and accommodation costs associated with research activities, including costs for project-related conferences, fieldwork, project meetings, or training, based on institutional guidelines (including travel insurance, seat reservation fees, visa costs, entry compliance fees, and daycare for dependents for eligible researchers).
• Purchase or rental of research equipment and supplies required for the project, including maintenance, repair, and transportation.
• Acquisition or access fees for databases, software, specialized IT, or digital platforms essential for the research and not typically provided by the institution.
• Monthly service fees for devices (such as mobile phones or tablets) solely for research needs or personnel safety, with appropriate justification.
• Costs for Internet, telecommunication, or videoconferencing services necessary for the research where not already covered by the institution.
• Knowledge dissemination and transfer expenses, such as setting up/maintaining a website, organizing research-related events or workshops, translation of research articles and reports, or open-access publishing fees, provided they are compliant with the relevant policies.
• Costs related to the safety of field or laboratory work (protective equipment, essential vaccines, safe disposal of materials).

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Principal investigators’ compensation, and compensation for co-investigators or regular members, except in Health sector research centre grants.
• Tuition fees, professional membership dues, practice licence fees, severance pay, and consulting fees between colleagues at a higher education or health network institution.
• Salary support, awards or supplements for students and postdoctoral fellows enrolled outside Québec, and any salary or social benefits for persons already paid from the regular budget of a publicly funded institution, unless authorized.
• Expenses linked to teaching or clinical release, administrative salaries, staff bonuses and rewards, union leave, maternity EI top-ups, and fees for researchers outside Québec.
• Non-research expenses such as hospitality, entertainment, gifts, alcohol, books, office furniture and equipment, parking, regular clothing, banking fees, passports, immigration, visas, vaccines and medications, as well as regulatory-compliance costs covered by indirect research costs.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• The FRQ reviews submitted applications and checks their eligibility.
• Eligible files are then assessed by evaluation committees made up of peers and experts in relevant research fields.
• The committees review applications against the program criteria, consider the budget, and rank the proposals by merit.
• Applicants are notified of the result by notice in FRQnet or by email, depending on how the application was submitted.
• If funding is offered, the applicant must accept or refuse it within 30 calendar days; final funding decisions are made by the FRQ Board of Directors and cannot be appealed.

• The French version of the program rules takes precedence in case of discrepancies with the English version.
• Applicants must ensure their personal information is kept up-to-date in the FRQnet electronic portfolio system.
• Failure to submit required reports may impact eligibility for future funding until the condition is met.
• All decisions regarding funding are final and without appeal.