SSHRC Connection Grants

• Events: funding between $7,000 and $25,000 per year.
• Outreach activities: funding between $7,000 and $50,000 per year; higher amounts can be considered if well justified and manageable within one year.
• Minimum request amount is $7,000.
• Applicants must secure additional eligible cash and/or in-kind contributions from sponsoring organizations equal to at least 50% of the SSHRC funding requested.
• Grant funds cannot be used to pay for conference registration fees, salaries or stipends for applicants/co-applicants/collaborators, or research activities.

• The applicant must be either a Canadian postsecondary institution or a not-for-profit organization holding institutional eligibility with SSHRC.
• Individual applicants (excluding postdoctoral researchers) must be affiliated with a Canadian eligible postsecondary institution at the time of application.
• The project must focus on knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities, such as events or outreach activities (not primary research activities).
• The applicant must demonstrate active and significant involvement in organizing and delivering the proposed event or outreach activity.
• Applicants must secure at least 50% matching support (cash and/or in-kind) from sponsoring organizations, confirmed by signed letters of support.

Who is eligible?

• Canadian postsecondary institutions (universities and colleges) holding SSHRC institutional eligibility
• Canadian not-for-profit organizations holding SSHRC institutional eligibility
• International postsecondary institutions (as co-applicants or collaborators only)
• Canadian philanthropic foundations, think tanks, and municipal, territorial or provincial governments (as co-applicants only)

Who is not eligible

• Companies or organizations that are not eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions or not-for-profit organizations with SSHRC institutional eligibility.
• Businesses whose primary activity is conducting research (e.g., field work, interviews, data collection) or developing standalone research publications, as these activities are not eligible for this funding.
• Private sector companies and federal government organizations—these can only be collaborators and cannot apply as primary applicants or co-applicants.
• Organizations seeking funding for activities related to business meetings, book launches, member receptions, or association activities normally covered by operational fees of academic associations.

Eligible expenses

• Development of connection-related tools for knowledge mobilization activities (up to $50,000).
• Salary research allowance for not-for-profit organizations to release personnel from their duties for project participation.

Eligible geographic areas

• Canadian postsecondary institutions that hold institutional eligibility
• Canadian not-for-profit organizations that hold or obtain institutional eligibility

• Challenge – The aim and importance of the endeavour (40%): Assesses the project's originality, significance, quality of the approach, the value of the research being mobilized, opportunities for training and mentoring, and potential for impact within and/or beyond the social sciences and humanities sector.
• Feasibility – The plan to achieve excellence (30%): Evaluates the suitability of the timeline, the likelihood of meeting objectives, the appropriateness and justification of the budget, and the ability to secure and leverage additional resources.
• Capability – The expertise to succeed (30%): Reviews the experience, outputs, and past results of the applicant(s), evidence of knowledge mobilization activities and impacts, and experience in training and mentoring highly qualified personnel.

• If a deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday in Ontario, the application system remains open until 8 p.m. (eastern) on the next business day.
• Results are announced at the end of each funding cycle (January, March, June, September).
• Only contributions from sponsoring organizations provided in signed support letters are counted toward the required 50% matching funds.
• Grant holders are expected to report on the use of funds, funded activities, and outcomes as per requirements included with the notice of award.