Program Overview

The Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF) is designed to help universities attract and retain the very best of today’s and tomorrow’s researchers at a time of intense international competition. To this end, the LOF offers universities the opportunity to:

• acquire infrastructure for their leading research faculty to undertake cutting-edge research and
• create competitive packages of research support in the form of infrastructure and a portion of the operating and maintenance costs from the CFI, coupled with direct research costs from partner organizations

Eligibility to apply

The LOF is an allocation-based fund whereby the CFI predetermines the maximum amount of funding available for each eligible institution. Universities having a minimum annual average of $300,000 in sponsored research income (excluding CFI awards) as reported by the Canadian Association of University Business Offices (CAUBO), are eligible to receive a LOF allocation. These allocations may be reviewed periodically as new funds are made available to the CFI.  The latest revision to the allocations and injection of funds to the LOF were in May 2009. 

A university with a LOF allocation may put forward an infrastructure proposal for either a current faculty member with a full-time academic appointment, or a candidate the university is in the process of recruiting to a full-time academic position. Universities are expected to submit LOF proposals to attract or retain faculty in the priority areas identified in their Strategic Research Plan. Research hospitals and research institutes may only apply through the eligible universities with which they are affiliated.

The LOF is intended to serve the infrastructure needs of individual faculty, or small groups of up to three faculty members when there is a demonstrated need to share infrastructure. The LOF is not intended to serve the infrastructure needs of larger groups, centres, departments or institutions. In addition to meeting general CFI eligibility requirements, infrastructure requested through the LOF must be:

• essential for the research program of the candidate(s)
• acquired or developed through expenditures  no more than six months before the date of submission of the application

Candidates must be recognized leaders in their field of research or show promise of becoming research leaders. They must be engaged in, or embarking on, an innovative research program for which the infrastructure is essential and which will provide an enriched research training environment.

Candidates who have previously been supported through the LOF, New Opportunities Fund, Canada Research Chairs Infrastructure Fund or Career Award are eligible for funding under the LOF. However, applicants must justify the value added of a subsequent award.

LOF funding mechanism

The CFI will provide funding to a maximum of 40 percent of the total eligible costs of the infrastructure project. The remainder must be provided by the institution and/or eligible funding partners.

The LOF has three streams. The nature of the application will depend upon which stream is chosen and the amount being requested. The maximum amount that can be requested through a LOF application is $2 million.

Stream 1: Research infrastructure alone
    1.1: Total eligible costs are less than $1 million
    1.2: Total eligible costs are between $1 million and $2 million

Stream 2: Research infrastructure associated with a Canada Research Chair
    2.1: Total eligible costs are less than $1 million
    2.2: Total eligible costs are between $1 million and $2 million

Stream 3: Research infrastructure from the CFI and research support from federal funding agencies

Submission deadlines for the Leaders Opportunity Fund

Specific information pertaining to the application and review process of each stream can be found by clicking on the appropriate link in the menu on the right.