Funding Sources

BCIT faculty are eligible for BCIT internal research funding and a number of external funding opportunities to enable innovative research projects. The list below is a starting point for research funding.

Please contact ARLO early to clarify application dates and requirements, and so we can help you to ensure you submit your best application.

Applications for funding and Letters/Notices of Intent must be submitted to ARLO 2 weeks before the funding agency deadline.
BCIT has a limited allocation of funds for Canada Research Chairs (CRC) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) – potential applicants should contact ARLO 1 year before the funding deadlines.
BCIT also has a limited allocation of NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) awards for students. Interested students or faculty should contact ARLO before March each year.
Every application for external funding must be accompanied by a signed BCIT Research Funding Application Approval Form [XLSX].

What do you want to do?

Canada Research Chairs
The Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP) invests approximately $295 million per year to attract and retain a diverse cadre of world-class researchers, to reinforce academic research and training excellence in Canadian post-secondary institutions. Chairholders aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

Institute Research Funds
BCIT Institute Research Funds (IRF) are primarily used allow BCIT employees to initiate research projects or programs. IRF funding can be used to fund partial release time for researchers and students assisting with their projects. Projects are frequently collaborative, across BCIT Schools and departments and with external partners.

NSERC Discovery Grant (DG)
Discovery Grants support ongoing programs of research (with long-term goals) in the natural sciences and engineering, rather than a single short-term project or collection of projects.
Deadline: August 1 (Notice of Intent – required)
Deadline: October 1 (Application)

SSHRC Insight and Insight Development Grants
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) Insight program aims to build knowledge and understanding about people, societies and the world by supporting research excellence in all subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. BCIT is fully eligible to apply for SSHRC funding.

CFI (Canada Foundation for Innovation)
CFI funds research infrastructure: state-of-the-art equipment, laboratories, databases, specimens, scientific collections, computer hardware and software, communications linkages and buildings necessary to conduct leading-edge research. Collaborative CFI proposals are able to access more funding for shared infrastructure and research collaborations.

NSERC Alliance
Alliance grants encourage researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from industry, public or not-for-profit sectors. These grants support research projects led by strong, complementary, collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada. Grants range from 1 to 5 years in length, and $20,000 to $1m per year.

SSHRC Connection Program
The goal of the Connection program is to support specific activities and tools that facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge from social sciences and humanities research to those who stand to benefit from publicly funded research results in the social sciences and humanities—diverse groups of researchers, policy-makers, business leaders, community groups, educators and the media.

NSERC Research Tools & Instruments (RTI) Program
NSERC RTI grants are one-year awards that assist in buying or developing research equipment that cost between $7,000 and $150,000.

CFI (Canada Foundation for Innovation)
CFI funds research infrastructure: state-of-the-art equipment, laboratories, databases, specimens, scientific collections, computer hardware and software, communications linkages and buildings necessary to conduct leading-edge research. The main program is the CFI John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF). Collaborative CFI proposals are able to access more funding for shared infrastructure and research collaborations. CFI grants are also used to fund the research infrastructure for Canada Research Chairs.

British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF)
BCKDF funding is institutional, providing provincial matching funds for applications to CFI grants including CRC applications. BCKDF Guidelines provide information on the British Columbia strategic research priorities and for details about the application and review process. BCKDF applications are due one month following the CFI deadline for a competition.

Innovate BC Innovator Skills Initiative (ISI)
The Innovator Skills Initiative provides up to $10,000 to help employers hire a new employee. The program helps under-represented people get their first job in B.C.’s tech sector and supports companies facing skills shortages to grow and expand.

Mitacs Accelerate
The Mitacs Accelerate program supports collaborative research projects with colleges and polytechnics (students and faculty) and the organizations, usually companies, that benefit from their expertise. For more information, explore the Accelerate website or contact accelerate@mitacs.ca.

Mitacs Business Strategy Internship
In partnership with Canadian academic institutions, Mitacs is pleased to offer the Business Strategy Internship (BSI). The award provides either $10,000 or $15,000 per intern to allow them to undertake a four-month internship project with a partner organization in Canada. Interns will work with their academic supervisor to co-design a project with their partner organization to work on the organization’s innovation activities, helping them improve their products, processes, or services. Throughout the internship, Mitacs provides online professional development courses to interns through our e-Campus, EDGE.

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)
The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) program is a great fit for researchers hiring Bachelor students to carry out ~16-weeks research projects under their supervision: If all program requirements are met, researchers may be able to be reimbursed for up to $6,000 paid to the student.

More information

Innovate BC – Ignite Commercialization Grants
Innovate BC’s Ignite Program provides up to $300,000 to help commercialize research in the areas of natural resources, applied science and/or engineering. Teams made up of industry and academia come together to solve real life business problems in a 3-year time frame. 6-8 projects are funded per year, with each award tripled by a matching contribution.

NSERC I2I
NSERC I2I (Idea to Innovation) grants provide funding to college and university faculty members to support research and development projects with recognized technology transfer potential. This is achieved through defined phases by providing crucial assistance in the early stages of technology validation and market connection.

MSFHR Innovation to Commercialization (I2C) Program
The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Innovation to Commercialization (I2C) provides funding support to help BC health researchers advance their products or technologies towards practical applications.

Funding Sources

What do you want to do?

Develop my research program

Collaborate with other organizations

Work with a company or industry

Build a lab or buy equipment

Involve students in research

Innovate to commercialize