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TCA Opportunities Fund
Short-term collaborative research and knowledge mobilization
Funding available
$ 30,000 - $ 75,000
Location
Canada
Who can apply
Current faculty and research staff at Dalhousie University, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Université Laval, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.
See full eligibility
Overview
The Opportunities Fund supports current faculty and research staff at Dalhousie University, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Université Laval, and Memorial University of Newfoundland for short-term, collaborative research and knowledge mobilization within the Transforming Climate Action program. It funds equipment, field work with travel and accommodation, and knowledge mobilization activities.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Increase social or community impact
- Implement environmental initiatives
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 75,000 $
- Minimum amount : 30,000 $
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
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Black Canadians
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
- Startups
- Women
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Short-term, collaborative research and knowledge mobilization activities focused on the ocean-climate-people nexus.
- Time-sensitive opportunities, usually leveraging substantial external funding, with collaboration from external partners and collaborators from government, industry, and other institutions.
- Projects that respond rapidly to opportunities unlikely to be supported through TCA large research projects and other TCA funding programs.
Documents Needed
- Applicant information
- Curriculum vitae
- Research project summary
- Project timeline
- Proposed budget and justification
Sources and recorded changes
- Source change captured
- Change recorded
- Record updated
A captured source change or record update does not confirm eligibility. Check the funder’s current rules before applying.
Opportunities Fund application flow updated
The Opportunities Fund now requires pre-approval before submission, with updated selection criteria and added knowledge mobilization activities.
The Opportunities Fund now adds a pre-approval step: prospective applicants must connect with their institute’s TCA Associate Scientific Director to discuss the eligibility and suitability of the proposed project before submitting. The review language also changed to prioritize short- to medium-term projects, TCA-wide collaboration, external partner linkages, and knowledge-sharing, and eligible activities now explicitly include knowledge mobilization activities. The selection criteria were rewritten to emphasize projects that align with TCA research outputs and training programs, leverage external funding, and strengthen collaboration across TCA partner organizations. Core funding terms still show awards of $30,000-$75,000 for projects completed within 24 months, but the scope of supported work is now broader and more clearly centered on knowledge mobilization.
Program guide
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Current faculty and research staff at Dalhousie University, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Université Laval, and Memorial University of Newfoundland.
- Early career researchers, mid and late-career researchers, and postdoctoral fellows.
- Applicants must be actively involved with the TCA program.
Eligible expenses
- Equipment, materials, and supplies.
- Field work, travel, and accommodation.
- Salaries for highly qualified personnel such as students, post-doctoral fellows, and field technicians.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Salary or other remuneration for the awardee researcher.
- Expenses above the approved funding amount.
- Costs incurred before or after the funding term.
Selection criteria
- Priority is given to initiatives that support short- to medium-term projects of 1 to 2 years that respond rapidly to emerging or immediate opportunities for external funding and partnerships.
- Priority is given to initiatives that align with and add value to TCA research outputs and training programs by leveraging external funding programs, particularly where they link researchers within TCA.
- Priority is given to initiatives that align with a TCA partner organization, leverage resources from that partner, and include linkages across TCA partner organizations in research inputs and outputs.
- Priority is given to initiatives that address outstanding opportunities outside the TCA Large Research Project proposal call timeline.
- Priority is given to initiatives that support and improve TCA-wide research collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and HQP training.
How to apply
- Prospective applicants must connect with their institute’s TCA Associate Scientific Director to discuss the project prior to applying.
- Upon agreement with the appropriate scientific director, applicants must compile the required information as one PDF document.
- The PDF must be sent to the applicant’s institution’s TCA scientific director.
Processing and Agreement
- After obtaining pre-approval to proceed, applicants may submit proposals to the institutional scientific director for internal review and recommendation.
- Proposals are then jointly reviewed and approved by the TCA Scientific Directorate.
- The review process is designed to promote prompt and timely responses.
Additional information
- Projects must align with the TCA scientific strategy and the vision of Large Research Projects.
- Applications should be sent as one PDF document to the institution’s TCA scientific director.
- Funding is available until all funds are allocated.
- Projects may be extended with prior approval from the awarding institution’s TCA Scientific Director.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the TCA Opportunities Fund Program
What is the TCA Opportunities Fund?
The Opportunities Fund supports current faculty and research staff at Dalhousie University, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Université Laval, and Memorial University of Newfoundland for short-term, collaborative research and knowledge mobilization within the Transforming Climate Action program. It funds equipment, field work with travel and accommodation, and knowledge mobilization activities.
How much funding can be received?
TCA Opportunities Fund Funds up to $75,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the TCA Opportunities Fund program?
To be eligible for the TCA Opportunities Fund program, you must:
Applicants must be actively involved with the TCA program.
Projects must align with the TCA scientific strategy and the vision of Large Research Projects.
Applicants must connect with their institute’s TCA Associate Scientific Director.
What expenses are eligible under TCA Opportunities Fund?
Equipment, materials, and supplies.
Field work, travel, and accommodation.
Salaries for highly qualified personnel such as students, post-doctoral fellows, and field technicians.
Who can I contact for more information about the TCA Opportunities Fund?
You can contact Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI) by email at Weishan.Wang@dal.ca.
Where is the TCA Opportunities Fund available?
The TCA Opportunities Fund program is available across Canada.