Insight Development Grants
Applicant Instructions

On this page

• Documents to read before applying
• Application process
• Activity details
• Revisions since previous application
• Summary of proposal (mandatory)
• Roles and Responsibilities (mandatory)
• Roles and training of students (mandatory)
• Knowledge mobilization plan (mandatory)
• Expected outcomes (mandatory)
• Funds requested from SSHRC (mandatory)
• Funds from other sources
• Reviewer exclusion (if applicable)
• Detailed description (mandatory)
• Timelines (mandatory)
• List of references (mandatory)
• Research-creation support material (if applicable)
• Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Committee
• Canadian Common CV Upload
• Participation Invitations

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Documents to read before applying

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Application process

Accommodations and accessibility

If you need help completing online application forms due to circumstances arising from a disability, contact your institution (scholarship liaison officer, research grant office or other applicant support office) as early in the application process as possible to investigate available supports. If your institution cannot provide help, or needs SSHRC to collaborate on a solution, contact accessibility-accessibilite@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. You can also contact SSHRC if you have questions or are seeking specific adaptation arrangements. You do not need to share your medical or sensitive personal information, and, to protect your privacy, should avoid doing so.

Frequently requested accommodations include, but are not limited to:

• one-on-one phone or video appointments to clarify funding program information or the application process, or receive technical support;
• alternative formats of online materials to enable access using assistive technology; and
• submission of the application (in full or part) through alternate means or format (e.g., hard copy, voice recording, or data entry by SSHRC staff on the applicant’s behalf).

Applicant or project director responsibilities

By clicking “Submit,” the applicant or project director certifies that all information is accurate. They are also responsible for:

• completing all mandatory/required fields (bold labels);
• attaching mandatory electronic files (application);
• ensuring all co-applicants and collaborators have submitted their “Accept Invitation Form;”
• verifying and correcting the data until the “Verification Report” confirms verification; and
• clicking “Submit” (to research administrator) for approval by your institution’s or organization’s internal deadline. The electronic submission process ensures validation of the information by an institution’s or organization’s administrator before they forward your application to SSHRC on your behalf (status is “Forwarded”). Once processed by SSHRC, the status will change to “Received by Agency.”

Research or financial administrator responsibilities

By clicking “Forward” (Forward to SSHRC), the research administrator or financial administrator (institutional approval) certifies:

• the applicant or project director:
  • is affiliated with the institution or organization; and
  • has the necessary time and facilities to carry out the activity.
    
    
• the postsecondary institution:
  • is willing to administer any grant received according to SSHRC policies;
  • agrees to take the necessary steps to ensure that machine-readable files or computer databases are preserved and accessible under conditions agreed to by the institution and the researcher;
  • will release funds to the successful candidate once all necessary certification requirements and conditions have been met;
  • will notify SSHRC of any change in the grant holder’s status during the tenure of the grant; and
  • has verified that the budgetary estimates are in accordance with its rates and policies.

Electronic submission process and acknowledgement of receipt of applications

Applicants must allow enough time for their institution’s or organization’s internal approval process, as specified by the relevant authorities. SSHRC will acknowledge receipt of your electronic application form and will assign you an application number. Cite this number in all correspondence with us.

Attaching a document

Many modules in your application will require you to attach a PDF document. You must follow the specified requirements for margins and font size, or your application will be deemed ineligible. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not meet the required specifications for page length and file size. Once you have attached the electronic file, we recommend you view the attached file to ensure you have the proper file and it is not corrupted.

Identification (mandatory)

Applicant

This information has automatically been transferred from the User Profile page. To modify the information in this section, you must update the User Profile page.

Application title

Provide a short, descriptive title for your proposal in non-technical terms. Restrict the use of acronyms (e.g., UN, NATO). Use uppercase for only the first word of the title, proper nouns and acronyms.

Language of the application

Indicate the language in which the application will be submitted. The main body of your application should be written in either English or French, rather than in a mix of both official languages.

Committee

Select the committee representing the research field most appropriate to the subject and discipline of your proposal. If you are unsure which merit review committee to choose, contact SSHRC before submitting your application.

If you select “24 – Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee,” you must also upload a one-page Request for Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Review. Please note, the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee (Committee 24) uses a harmonized peer review process, including evaluation criteria, that differs from the usual Insight Development Grants process. More information is available on the committee landing page.

Joint initiatives

See the funding search tool for a complete list of joint initiatives that may be relevant to your application.

If you want your project to be considered for one of these initiatives, select it in the drop-down list in the “Joint or special initiative” field in the Identification module.

Research-creation proposals

Before you select “Yes,” refer to the definition of research-creation for more information and examples of fields involving research-creation.

If you select “Yes,” see the Guidelines for Research-Creation Support Meterials for instructions about creative outputs and support material.

You should also complete the Research contributions and relevant experience module.

Does your proposal involve Indigenous research, as defined by SSHRC?

Select “Yes” if you wish to signal to the merit review committee that your application should be reviewed in the context of SSHRC’s definition of Indigenous research and its Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research.

Joint or Special Initiative—Department of National Defence

If you have selected the Department of National Defence research initiative in the Joint or Special Initiative field on the Identification screen, you must clearly explain how the proposed research meets the joint initiative’s objectives.

Scholar type

Select whether you are an Emerging Scholar or an Established Scholar. You will be asked to answer questions in the form and the confirmed scholar type will be indicated in the field of “Confirmed Scholar Type”.

Established scholars: proposed versus ongoing research

Explain how the proposed research is distinct from your previous/ongoing research. Proposed projects should be clearly delimited and in the early stages of the research process.

Administering organization (individual grants) or lead organization (institutional grants)

Only an eligible Canadian institution or organization can administer grant funds. Institutions interested in administering SSHRC individual or institutional grants must meet the institutional eligibility requirements for the administration of grants and awards, which is independent of this application process.

Organization

If you are a doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow who is submitting an application directly to SSHRC, leave this field blank. To pass the validation process, ensure your Person Profile indicates that your current position is either “Student” or “Postdoctoral researcher/fellow.”

Department/Division

Select one option from the drop-down list. Postdoctoral fellows and doctoral students can leave this field blank.

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Activity details

Certification Requirements (mandatory)

State whether or not your proposal involves human beings as research subjects. If it does, select “Yes” and consult the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and submit your proposal to your organization's research ethics board.

Impact assessment (mandatory)

The Impact Assessment Form (PDF document, 139 Kb) must be completed and submitted with grant applications ONLY if at least one of the following situations applies to your research or research-related activities, as per the Impact Assessment Act, 2019 (IAA):

• any phase of the proposed research takes place on federal lands, other than lands under the administration and control of the Commissioner of Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, as interpreted in section 2 of the IAA;
• any phase of the proposed research takes place in a country other than Canada;
• the grant funds permit a designated project (listed in the Physical Activities Regulations) to be carried out in whole or in part; or
• any phase of the proposed research depends on a designated project (listed in the Physical Activities Regulations) being led or carried out by an organization other than SSHRC.

The first two points apply only to designated projects / physical activities listed in the Physical Activities Regulations (e.g., projects that involve physical work / alterations to the land or environment). The Impact Assessment Form will appear if you answer “Yes” to any of the four questions. If none of these situations apply to your research or research-related activities, the form is not needed.

For more information, see SSHRC’s Guidelines on Impact Assessment.

Keywords (mandatory)

List up to 10 keywords that best describe the proposal.

Disciplines (mandatory)

Indicate and rank each entry relevant to your proposal, with Entry 1 as the most relevant and the last entry the least relevant.

Areas of Research (mandatory)

Indicate and rank each entry relevant to your proposal, with Entry 1 as the most relevant and the last entry the least relevant. If you select “Not Subject to Research Classification” in Entry 1, the system will automatically remove any other areas of research when you save this page.

Temporal periods, geographical regions and countries

Indicate and rank each entry relevant to your proposal, with Entry 1 as the most relevant and the last entry the least relevant.

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Revisions since previous application

Maximum 3800 characters

Applicants may outline the revisions made since their previous application.

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Summary of proposal (mandatory)

Maximum 3800 characters

Provide a summary of your proposal written in clear, plain, nontechnical language understandable to scholars with varied areas of expertise. Clearly indicate:

• the problem or issue to be addressed; and
• the potential contribution of the research in advancing knowledge and, where applicable, the wider social benefit (e.g., Will this research be of interest to other areas of research/disciplines? Will it be of interest outside the academic community? How will it be used and by whom?).

Applicants who have selected either Committee 22 or Committee 23 must provide a brief explanation of how the project will integrate intellectual resources (theories, methodologies, perspectives, etc.) to help assess the proposal.

Applicants who have selected Committee 24 do not need to provide an explanation for their committee selection in this module; instead, they must upload a justification for selecting the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee in a separate one-page PDF attachment.

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Roles and Responsibilities (mandatory)

Maximum 7600 characters

Applicants must describe the following:

1. the relative roles, responsibilities and contributions of the applicant, and of any co-applicants and collaborators (if applicable, clearly outline the rationale for international collaborations);
2. for team applications: the relative proportion (in percentage) of each member’s contribution to the proposed project;
3. the proportion of the time to be spent on this project in relation to any other ongoing research projects or programs (excluding prospective grants); and
4. if the project involves community participants such as knowledge users, the support provided by the community, and the applicant’s ties with said communities.

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Roles and training of students (mandatory)

Maximum 3800 characters

Clearly describe the specific roles and responsibilities of students and research assistants, and indicate the duties, especially with respect to research, that they will be undertaking, as well as how these will complement their academic training. Consult the Guidelines for Effective Research Training in preparing this section of the application. These guidelines will also be provided to reviewers.

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Knowledge Mobilization Plan (mandatory)

Maximum 2000 characters

In planning your research project, consider the ways in which merit reviewers assess knowledge mobilization activities. For example, reviewers are advised to evaluate, under the Feasibility criterion, the “quality and appropriateness of knowledge mobilization plans, including effective dissemination, exchange and engagement with stakeholders within and/or beyond the research community, where applicable.”

SSHRC encourages its funding recipients to disseminate research knowledge in both official languages, whenever feasible and/or appropriate.

Include a plan to increase knowledge uptake by target audiences, and anticipated outputs, outcomes and/or impacts of social sciences and humanities knowledge among various appropriate audiences or participants (academic and/or non-academic), including:

• methodologies and approaches to engage appropriate target audiences or participants, including, as applicable, diverse groups of researchers, policy-makers, business leaders, community groups, educators, media, international audiences, practitioners, decision-makers and the general public;
• timeframes or a schedule for the intended knowledge mobilization activities; and
• justifications for how the above points fit within the project’s particular knowledge mobilization objectives.

Open access and data management

Grant holders must follow the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications. To the extent possible, and in keeping with this policy and SSHRC’s endorsement of open access forms of knowledge dissemination, grant holders should make their research results openly available, through, e.g., open access publications, websites, publicly accessible databases and/or institutional repositories. To learn more, see Frequently Asked Questions

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Expected outcomes (mandatory)

The project’s expected outcomes are essential for the merit review of the proposal and are part of the Challenge evaluation criterion. Elaborate on the potential benefits and/or outcomes of your proposed project. You will be able to share how your outcomes have evolved in follow-up achievement reports.

Outcomes

Research and related outcomes include enhanced curriculum and teaching material, enriched public discourse, improved public policies, enhanced business strategies and increased innovations in every sector of society, as well as graduate supervision opportunities. Research outcomes, which are facilitated by the effective mobilization of knowledge, then permeate daily life in the form of new thinking and behaviour that lead to improvements in our economic, social, cultural and intellectual well-being.

Scholarly benefits

Indicate and rank selections in order of importance. If the information is not listed, select “Other” from the list and type the information in the box provided.

Summary of Expected Scholarly Outcomes

Maximum 1000 characters

Describe the potential long-term scholarly benefits and outcomes (e.g., evolution, effects, potential learning and implications) that could emerge from the proposed project as a result of knowledge mobilization activities.

Societal Benefits

Indicate and rank selections in order of importance. If the information is not listed, select “Other” from the list and type the information in the box provided.

Summary of Expected Societal Outcomes

Maximum 1000 characters

Describe the potential long-term societal benefits and outcomes (e.g., evolution, effects, potential learning and implications) that could emerge from the proposed project as a result of knowledge mobilization activities.

Audiences

Indicate up to five potential target audiences for the proposed project.

Summary of Benefits to Potential Target Audiences

Maximum 1000 characters

Describe the potential benefits the project’s expected outcomes will have for the identified target audiences. If not applicable, enter n/a.

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Funds requested from SSHRC (mandatory)

For each budget year, estimate the costs you are asking SSHRC to fund. All budget costs must conform to the rates and regulations of the applicant’s or project director’s institution and take into account the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration’s principles governing the appropriate use of funds. All costs must be justified in terms of the needs of the project, including costs for organizing and integrating team activities and for communicating results to audiences, stakeholders and the public. The budget will be reviewed according to the appropriateness of the requested budget and the justification of other planned resources (e.g., time, human and financial), including cash and in-kind support already or to be secured from partner organizations.

Click “Calculate Totals” to complete the budget form.

Note: SSHRC provides the following guidelines to committee members regarding the merit review of the budget subcriteria of the overall feasibility score.

• Committees may consider failing a project on the Feasibility criterion if they determine 30% or more of the overall budget request is insufficiently justified and/or not appropriate to the proposed objectives or outcomes of the project.
• Committees will use the principle of minimum essential funding to guide their budget discussions.
• Committees may recommend budget reductions when they determine the request is inadequately justified and/or not appropriate as described above, and where they judge savings could be achieved without jeopardizing the project objectives.
• An application will automatically be failed if the committee deems that 50% or more of the overall budget is insufficiently justified and/or not appropriate to the proposed objectives or outcomes of the project.

Enter amounts rounded to the nearest dollar without any spaces or commas (e.g., 2000). For blank entries, leave the “0” value.

Specific rules for the use of grant funds:

• Insight Development Grant funds cannot be used for remuneration and/or travel and subsistence costs of presenters or guest speakers.
• Tri-Agency Grant funds cannot be used to remunerate team members (applicant, co-applicant or collaborator). This includes postdoctoral fellows serving in any of these capacities.
• Insight Development Grant funds cannot be used for collaborators’ research costs. However, their travel and subsistence expenses related to research planning and exchanging information with the grantee, or for disseminating research results, are eligible.
• Consultation fees are eligible for expert and/or professional and technical services that contribute directly to the proposed research so long as the service is not being provided by a team member or other persons whose status would make them eligible to apply for a SSHRC grant.

Personnel costs

For each of the categories below, enter the number of students and non-students you plan to hire, whether as salaried employees or as recipients of stipends.

Student and non-student salaries and benefits

For each applicable category, enter the number of students and non-students to be hired. Specify the total amount to be paid. When students are paid by wage, the amounts should follow the institution's collective agreement or policy.

Student stipends

You may request stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Stipends must be justified in terms of the research, research training and/or research-related objectives. The work performed by stipend recipients should be an integral part of the project. Stipend rates are set by the institution concerned.

Professional/Technical Services

Consulting fees for professional and technical services are eligible expenditures if the budget justification shows expert advice is needed.

Travel and subsistence costs

Enter, by budget year, the total amounts requested for travel abroad and within Canada for both the research team and student personnel.

Travel and subsistence costs must be based on rates approved by the institution or organization that will administer the funds.

Other expenses

Supplies

You may include other supply items (e.g., software, stationery, postage and telephone calls) only if they directly relate to the research and are not provided by the administering institution to their research personnel or by the employer.

Non-disposable equipment—computer hardware

Purchase or rental of computers and associated hardware is allowable only if these are not provided by the administering institution to their research personnel or by the employer.

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Funds from other sources

List all contributors (e.g., host institution or organization, individuals, not-for-profit organizations, philanthropic foundations and private sector organizations), that are providing cash and/or in-kind contributions for the proposal. Indicate whether or not these funds have been confirmed.

If a funding source is not listed, you must:

• type the source name in “Funding Source”
• Identify the contribution type
• enter an amount.

If you have received more than one contribution of the same type from a single funding source (i.e., cash or in-kind) and same confirmation status, you must combine these into one entry (e.g., two confirmed $20,000 cash contributions from a university become one confirmed $40,000 cash contribution). Enter amounts rounded off to the nearest dollar―in Canadian currency―without spaces or commas (e.g., 40000). For blank entries, leave the “0” value.

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Reviewer exclusion (if applicable)

List individuals, collaborators or organizations you wish to exclude from the review of the application. Enter the information and click “Add.” If an organization is not listed, you can type the name in the field.

This information will not be provided to members of the merit review committee. Any request for exclusion should be renewed with any subsequent applications, if still relevant.

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Detailed description (mandatory)

Maximum 5 pages

Using the following headings, address the Challenge and Feasibility evaluation criteria of the funding opportunity. Describe the proposed research in enough detail to allow informed assessment by committee members. Avoid jargon, acronyms and highly technical terms.

Objectives

• Briefly state the explicit objectives of your proposed research.

Context

• Describe the originality, significance and expected contribution to knowledge of the proposed research in the context of relevant scholarly literature.
• Situate the proposed research in the context of relevant scholarly literature.
• Describe the appropriateness of the theoretical approach or framework.
• Explain the potential influence and impact within and/or beyond the social sciences and humanities research community.
• For emerging scholars only: Explain the relationship and relevance of the proposed research to your ongoing research. If the proposal represents a significant change of direction from your previous research, describe how it relates to experiences and insights gained from earlier research achievements.

Methodology

• Describe the proposed research strategies and key activities, including methodological approaches and procedures for data collection and analysis, that will be used to achieve the stated objectives.
• Justify the choice of methodology and describe the specific instruments or procedures to be used.

Contingency plans related to the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your research project may be described in this section, if appropriate. This is not mandatory, but it may assist the merit review committee in assessing the feasibility of your proposal if your research plans are significantly disrupted, e.g., if international travel is not possible.

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Timelines (mandatory)

Maximum 1 page

Describe the timelines for conducting the proposed project. Charts and tables are strongly encouraged as very effective tools for presenting concise details for project components and research activities.

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List of references (mandatory)

Maximum ten page

List all references cited or works referred to in your proposal. SSHRC recognizes and allows the use of different referencing styles.

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Research-creation support material

Maximum one page

If you are submitting a proposal involving research-creation, you must attach a research-creation support material document to provide samples of creative work that best illustrate the qualifications of the team and/or the nature of the proposed research-creation. See SSHRC’s Guidelines for Research-Creation Support Materials for more information. Please ensure you closely review SSHRC’s definition of research-creation and artist-researcher.

When including a website link:

• Provide the complete and exact URL and indicate the path to access the intended support material on the website.
• Include a list of up to three works or excerpts of works to which you would like to direct the reviewers (e.g., images, audio, video, written material). Provide titles, dates of creation/production and a brief context for the works presented. Explain why you are including these items and how they relate to your proposed project.
• Ensure the website and all links involved will be operational up to six months after the application deadline.
• Specify the browser and version that should be used.

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Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Committee

Maximum 1 page

If you selected the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee, you must provide a justification for doing so. Explain how your research will meet the definition of “interdisciplinary” on the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee landing page by integrating intellectual resources (e.g., theories, methodologies, perspectives) drawn from disciplines and subject areas pertaining to two or more of the (1) social sciences and humanities; (2) natural sciences and engineering; and (3) health and wellness. Clearly articulate the integration of interdisciplinary approaches.

Note that the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee uses a harmonized merit review process, including evaluation criteria, that differs from the usual Insight Development Grants process. For more information, see the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee landing page, the committee’s Peer Review Guide and evaluation criteria. 

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Canadian Common CV Upload

If you don’t already have a SSHRC Canadian Common CV (CCV) to upload, see the SSHRC CCV instructions . Once you have uploaded your SSHRC CV, it will be visible in the application.

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Participation Invitations

Manage invitations

Invitation status

Invitation status

Status	Definition
Invitation sent but not yet accepted	Email invitation has been sent to the participant. Participant has not actioned the email.
Invitation accepted but not yet completed	Participant has clicked on the invitation email, accepted the invitation and started to work on their form.
Invitation accepted and completed	Participant has clicked on the invitation email, accepted the invitation and completed their form (including the attachment of their CCV).
Invitation declined	Participant has clicked on the invitation email and declined the invitation.

Add Participant

Please enter the email address, family name and, if applicable, the role of each participant. When you click “Invite,” an email will be sent inviting them to participate in the application.