Presenters: Ms. Irene Mikawoz , Research and Innovation Development Officer, NSERC-Prairies

1. NSERC Strategic Project Grants Workshop Presenters: Ms. Irene Mikawoz, Research and Innovation Development Officer, NSERC-Prairies Dr. Jelena Misic, Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science Dr. Annemieke Farenhorst, Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

3. Strategic Project GrantsProgram UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA MARCH 6th, 2009 Irene Mikawoz Research and Innovation Development Officer NSERC-Prairies (204) 984-0426 Irene.mikawoz@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

4. Innovation Programs Budget 2008-09(millions of dollars) Total: $255M 1. Includes CECR ($24.4M) and College and Community Innovation Program ($2.1M).

5. Research Partnerships Programs (RPP) • Strategic Partnership Programs • Strategic Project Grants (SPG) • Strategic Networks Grants (SNG) • Research Partnership Agreements (RPA) • Strategic Workshops Program (SWP) • Industry-Driven Programs • Collaborative R&D Grants (CRD) • Industrial Research Chairs (IRC) • Tech Transfer/ Commercialization Programs • Idea to Innovation (I2I) • Intellectual Property Mobilization Program (IPM)

6. Strategic Project Grants (SPG) • Objective • Increase research and training in targeted areas that could strongly influence Canada’s economy, society and/or environment within the next 10 years.

7. Requirements • The research must fall within one of the target areas identified for support • The project must be well defined in duration, objectives and scope • Duration may be from one to three years • One or more supporting organizations that can apply the results must collaborate in the project • Supporting organization must be actively involved in all stages of the project • In-kind contributions are required, but cash is not

8. Collaborations • Outside NSE – applicants are encouraged to collaborate with experts outside the natural sciences and engineering, where appropriate, up to 30% of the project costs • International – applicants are encouraged to incorporate international collaborations into their proposals

9. Supporting Organizations • Canadian-based companies that can apply the research results in a way that generate wealth or employment (organizations without Canadian R&D or manufacturing operations will not be considered), or government organizations that can apply the results in a way that strengthens public policy • Interact regularly with the academic researchers, students and other research personnel and provide input on the project • Validate the results of the research and/or provide guidance concerning the exploitation of the results

10. Seven Target Areas • Advanced Communications and Management • of Information* • Biomedical Technologies • Competitive Manufacturing* • Healthy Environment and Ecosystems* • Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts • Safety and Security • Sustainable Energy Systems* • *increased funding for STIC sub-priorities

11. Guidelines for Applicants • Applicants must: • Select a target area and a research topic from a list provided • Explain in the Proposal module (under ‘Introduction’ / one additional page is provided) : • why the proposed research is strategic; and • how it addresses the research topic selected • Provide a compelling case for consideration if the research falls outside the research topics but within the target areas listed • (“Exceptional Opportunity outside the Research Topics”)

12. Typical Strategic Project Grant • Average grant: $130,000/year for three years • Often involves several team members, from the same or different institutions • Some grants with single applicant • Collaborators (researchers from the supporting organization, government scientist, foreign research scientists) are often be members of the team

13. Characteristics of Strategic Projects • Specific objectives within a specific timeline (deliverables) • Criteria are similar to Discovery Grants but projects must also be considered to be STRATEGIC (benefits to Canada and non-academic partners) in nature, e.g. HQP, scientific excellence, originality, quality of applicant(s), well-written and logical work plan • Applicants must have a planned strategy for interaction with non-academic partners

14. Competition Timetable • Applications due April 15 • Pre-selection process, if necessary • External peer review – Summer • Panel evaluation – September • Results announced – October

15. Competition Statistics

16. Application Process • Application for a Grant (Form 101)Parts I and II • Personal Data Forms (Form 100) + CVs of collaborators • Letter of support describing partner’s involvement in the project (see instructions for specific items to be addressed) • Form 183A (partner’s information and contributions) • Company profile

17. Eligibility of Applicants • Applicant and Co-applicants • Must hold, or have a firm offer of, an academic appointment at an eligible Canadian university, for: • A tenured, tenure-track or life-time professor emeritus position; or • A term position of no less than three years • College Faculty can be co-applicants (see NSERC Website for list of eligible colleges) • Co-applicants outside NSE must meet NSERC eligibility requirements

18. Collaborators • Members of the research team that are not eligible as applicants or co-applicants, e.g.: • government scientists • company staff members • research scientists from other countries • Not eligible to hold NSERC grants • Qualified to undertake research independently • Expected to contribute to the overall intellectual direction of the research project • Expected to bring their own resources

19. Supporting Organizations • Private sector • Canadian-based companies with Canadian operations (R&D or manufacturing) that can apply the research results for economic gain • Non-academic public sector • Canadian government organizations that can apply the research results to strengthen policies • Do not qualify as supporting organizations: • NGO’s • Venture capitalists • Government research labs • Hospitals, Clinics • Foreign research institutions • Implementation sites and potential customers.

20. Evaluation Process External referees • Typically three per application • Technical expertise to aid the committee • Appendix C: your suggestions • Internal selection committee • Proposal is assigned to three internal reviewers • Discussion amongst the whole group

21. Evaluation Process (continued) • Selection criteria • Originality of the research • Quality of the research • Project work plan • Quality of the applicants as researchers • Training potential • Interactions with the supporting organizations • Benefits to Canada and the supporting organizations

22. Evaluation Process (continued) • Projects are evaluated against seven criteria • Each criterion is graded from 1 (lowest score) to 4 (highest score) • Each criterion is of equal value • Only projects that are strong in all 7 criteria are eligible for funding

23. Selection Criteria • Originality of the Research • The project must promise to generate new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an innovative manner. • Quality of the Research • The project must be scientifically sound and technically feasible. It must fall within a specific target area.

24. Selection Criteria (continued) • Project Work Plan • The project must have a clear and coherent work plan that demonstrates a high probability of achieving the objectives in the proposed time frame. • Quality of the Applicants as Researchers • The research team must have all the expertise to address the defined objectives competently and to complete the project successfully.

25. Selection Criteria (continued) • Training Potential • The project must provide opportunities to train students and other highly qualified personnel with skills relevant to the needs of Canadian organizations. • Interactions with Supporting Organizations • The supporting organizations must have the capacity to apply the results of the research and must be actively involved in all stages of the project.

26. Selection Criteria (continued) • Benefits to Canada and Supporting Organizations • The proposal must identify how the work will benefit the supporting organization and must demonstrate that exploitation of the research results will benefit Canada within a 10-year time frame.

27. Originality • Novelty • How the research relates to current state of knowledge • Potential for developing new knowledge, products or processes • Extent to which research will impact the field • Potential for major scientific breakthrough

28. Quality of Research • Focus and clarity of short- and long-term objectives • Appropriate methodology • Justification for approach based on existing knowledge • Feasibility of research planned • Does the research fit the Strategic Projects target areas?

29. Work Plan • Clarity of project description • Coherence of deliverables in work plan • Probability of success within proposed time frame • Availability of necessary equipment • Roles and time commitment of research co-applicants (collaborative roles) • Collaboration and communication plans • Justification and need for funds • Demonstrated management plan

30. Quality of Applicants • Does the team (including company researchers, if applicable) have all the required expertise? • Form 100 very important • Recognition of researchers’ achievements and contributions • Appropriateness of skill sets of individual researchers in the proposed areas • Roles and time commitment of research co-applicants (collaborative roles)

31. Training Potential • Who will do the work? Graduate, undergradsand co-op students; technicians, post-docs and research associates • Is the training relevant to the needs of Canadian organizations? • Will the HQP have the opportunity to work in the non-academic partner’s facility? • Workshops and training of industrial personnel at the applicant’s lab • Track record of applicants in training HQP • Suitability of the training environment

32. Interactions with Supporting Organization • Is the supporting organization a good partner? • Do the project objectives fit with the priorities of the non-academic partner? Remember that the partner organization will have to prepare a progress report midway through the project! • How will the technology be transferred? • Is the non-academic partner able to assimilate new technology? • What is the degree of involvement of the non-academic partner in developing the proposal and throughout the project? • What kind of a track record do the applicants have in transferring technologies?

33. Benefits to Canada and Partner(s) • Delineate probable socio/economic/health benefits in a quantitative way…far more convincing! • Is there a potential benefit in creating significant public policy as a result of the research? • Is there potential to increase the numbers and/or quality of personnel working in an area of strategic importance?

34. The Winning Proposal • Get partners involved early on to help develop the project strategy • Clear demonstration of the benefits to Canada and partner organization • Multi-disciplinary research is a plus but not essential; all participants must have a demonstrated role in the project!

35. The Winning Proposal (continued) • FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY! • Make the proposal and Form 100 easy to read and digest; use colleagues in non-related disciplines to proofread and evaluate • Objective and work plan must be crystal clear • If applying for a second or third time, pay careful attention to comments of reviewers. Address the issues and clearly state how the application has been changed!

36. Signs of a good proposal • All sections are clear and well described: • Clear summary, proposal easy to read • Roles well defined (students, applicants …) • Benefits to Canada clearly demonstrated • Guidelines followed & requirements addressed • Strong partner(s): • Involvement from the start • Clear expectations (including IP) • Good communication • On-going interaction

37. Summary • Increased funding for areas related to the Federal S&T strategy’s priorities • Advanced Communications and Management of Information • Competitive Manufacturing • Healthy Environment and Ecosystems • Sustainable Energy Systems • Applicants must explain why the proposed research is strategic and how it addresses the research topic • Proposal must relate to the specific research topic description • Insufficient information could result in the rejection of the proposal

38. Summary (Continued) • Collaborations • Collaboration with researchers outside the natural sciences and engineering can be included (up to 30%) • Incorporation of international collaborations into proposals is encouraged to incorporate international collaborations into their proposals • Supporting Organizations • Active involvement is essential • Government fulfilling the Supporting Organization requirement: Proposal must clearly show how the project relates to their public policy responsibility (i.e. applying the results to strengthen public policy)

39. NSERC-Prairies: How we can help • A) Pre-proposal: • Organize workshops and information sessions • Organize networking events (academic-industry) • B) Proposal development: • Matchmaking and partnerships • With companies, other experts NSERC-Prairies contacts: Guy Levesque, Manager (204 984 6300) Irene Mikawoz, Research and Innovation Development Officer (204 984 0426) firstname.lastname@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

40. Conclusion • Strategic grants fund projects, not programs • They provide an opportunity for university researchers to carry out innovative science and engineering work with potential for commercialization • They provide a unique opportunity to introduce students to potential employers and an opportunity for non-academic partners to access scientific expertise and specialized research equipment

41. Comments /Questions?? Contact: NSERC Research Partnerships Programs Directorate Telephone: Bio-Industries: 613-947-9452 Environment & Natural Resources Sectors: 613-992-5641 Information, Communications & Manufacturing Sectors: 613-992-5619 Email:rpp@nserc-crsng.gc.ca Website : www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca