If your institution is not yet eligible, find out how to prepare an eligibility application or email us at eligibility@innovation.ca for more information.
Determining an institution’s eligibility may take several months. We will not review incomplete eligibility applications, so be sure to submit everything that is required.
There are some organizations that we will not consider for eligibility (3.2 Entities that are excluded from eligibility).
3.1.1 Eligibility requirements: universities, colleges, research hospitals and research institutes
The CFI may approve a university, college, research hospital or research institute as an eligible institution if it meets all the requirements in Table 1.
Table 1: Institutional eligibility requirements for universities, colleges, research hospitals and research institutes
|
Requirement |
Supporting documents required at application |
|---|---|
|
Administrative requirements |
|
|
Request CFI eligibility |
Letter signed by the institution’s president requesting institutional eligibility |
|
Tri-agency eligibility |
Copy of application submitted to the tri-agency with the decision letter confirming eligibility at one of the three federal research funding agencies, if applicable |
|
Willingness to administer CFI funding in accordance with the CFI’s requirements |
Confirmation from the institution’s president that if granted institutional eligibility, the institution will comply with the requirements, policies and procedures specified in the CFI’s institutional agreement (5.1.1 Institutional agreement) |
|
Status as research institution |
|
|
Official statement on research and research training |
Official institutional policy on research and research training or Research and research training mission statement |
|
Description of research activities conducted |
Representative sample of the research activities conducted by the institution and Strategic research plan, if applicable |
|
No constraints on the publication of research results |
Official institutional publication policy confirming there are no constraints on the publication of research results |
|
Capacity to support and conduct research |
|
|
Current research facilities, infrastructure and resources |
List of research facilities and research infrastructure that are currently operating at the institution and which support its research activities and Demonstration that sufficient capacity and resources are provided to enable researchers to conduct their research activities |
|
Qualifications to carry out independent research and track record of researchers |
Representative list of researchers who: · Have proven track records · Are employed by the institution · Are actively involved in research · Are remunerated by the institution. The list should include at minimum each researcher’s educational qualifications and/or relevant research experience and their contributions to the institution’s research activities over the previous three years. The institution should demonstrate that the researchers have sufficient time to conduct their research. |
|
List of grants/contracts awarded |
List of grants and contracts awarded to the institution and/or the institution’s researchers over the last three years |
|
Technical support staff |
Representative list of technical staff who support the research facilities, infrastructure and researchers, and their roles |
3.1.2 Eligibility requirements: non-profit research institutions
The CFI may approve a non-profit research institution as an eligible institution if it meets all the requirements in Table 2.
Table 2: Institutional eligibility requirements for non-profit research institutions
|
Requirement |
Supporting documents required at application |
|---|---|
|
Administrative requirements |
|
|
Request CFI eligibility |
Letter signed by the institution’s president requesting institutional eligibility |
|
Tri-agency eligibility |
Copy of application submitted to the tri-agency with the decision letter confirming eligibility at one of the three federal research funding agencies, if applicable |
|
Willingness to administer CFI funding in accordance with the CFI’s requirements |
Confirmation from the institution’s president that if granted institutional eligibility, the institution will comply with the requirements, policies and procedures specified in the CFI’s institutional agreement (5.1.1 Institutional agreement) |
|
Status as non-profit research institution |
|
|
Non-profit status, operational for a minimum of five years |
Statutes, incorporation documents and bylaws |
|
Not affiliated or federated to a CFI-eligible institution |
Confirmation that the institution is not federated or affiliated to, or integrated with, another CFI-eligible institution |
|
Independent Board of Directors |
List of members of the Board of Directors, including their current place of employment and occupation and memberships on other governing bodies |
|
Official statement on research and research training |
Official institutional policy on research and research training or Research and research training mission statement |
|
Description of research activities conducted |
Representative sample of the research activities conducted by the institution and Strategic research plan, if applicable |
|
No constraints on the publication of research results |
Official institutional publication policy confirming there are no constraints on the publication of research results |
|
Capacity to support and conduct research |
|
|
Current research facilities, infrastructure and resources |
List of the research facilities and research infrastructure currently operating at the institution and that support its research activities and Demonstration that sufficient capacity and resources are provided to enable researchers to conduct their research activities |
|
A minimum of 20 percent of researchers with a proven research track record |
Representative list of researchers who: · Have proven track records · Are employed by the institution · Are actively involved in research · Are remunerated by the institution. The list should include at minimum each researcher’s educational qualifications and/or relevant research experience and their contributions to the institution’s research activities over the previous three years. The institution should demonstrate that the researchers have sufficient time to conduct their research. |
|
List of grants/contracts awarded |
List of grants and contracts awarded to the institution and/or the institution’s researchers over the last three years |
|
Technical support staff |
List of technical staff who support the research facilities, infrastructure and researchers, and their roles |
|
Financial capacity and oversight |
|
|
Financial viability |
Audited financial statements for the three previous years, including the auditor’s report |
|
Evidence of research revenue from grants/awards |
A list of the grants and awards the institution received over the last three years, including their amount and origin |
|
Oversight to receive, administer and manage CFI funds |
The institution’s financial oversight procedures and/or policy |
3.1.3 Exceptions
An institution that is affiliated, federated or closely associated with another eligible institution will not be considered eligible unless it receives its operating budget directly from a provincial or territorial government and has its own Board of Directors. If the institution does not meet these criteria, it must apply for CFI funding through the eligible institution with which it is affiliated, federated or closely associated. The eligible institution can then receive and administer the funding.