Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy—
Applicant Instructions
On this page
- Important links
- Am I eligible to apply?
- Accommodations and accessibility
- Collection and use of personal information
- Self-identification information
- Application deadline
- Using the Convergence Portal to prepare your application
- Applicant eligibility (to be completed by applicant / project director)
- Completing the application
- Submitting the application
- Submitting an application as the research administrator
- Contact information
- CV and biographical sketch instructions
Note: These instructions are intended to be used with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy, description, which includes the criteria that will be used by reviewers.
Your application must be received by 8:00 p.m. (eastern) on the deadline date (i.e., October 20, 2023).
Grant funds can be administered only by an eligible Canadian institution. Refer to the funding opportunity description for details and contact institutional.eligibility@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca for questions about the process for obtaining institutional eligibility, which is a separate step from applying for a grant.
Applications must be submitted by an eligible Canadian university that meets the institutional eligibility requirements. The project director must be affiliated with the host institution (the applicant), and prepares the application on behalf of the host institution and the formal partnership.
If you are a project director from an eligible institution, select the name of the administering organization in the Affiliations step when creating the application. The research administrator at your institution is responsible for submitting your application (see Submitting an application as the research administrator for more details). As your institution could have earlier internal deadlines, check with your research administrator regarding deadlines. All team members, including applicants / project directors, co-directors and co-applicants, should inform their institution’s research administrator or representative of their involvement in an application.
If your institution does not currently have institutional eligibility to manage SSHRC funding, have a representative contact institutional.eligibility@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca as soon as possible to discuss the required steps. The deadline for the institutional eligibility application is five business days prior to the deadline for the grant application.
To create the grant application in the Convergence Portal, you must have already started the institutional eligibility process if your institution is not already a SSHRC eligible institution. When you request institutional eligibility, the organization is added to the system so that you can select it as the administering organization in the Affiliations step in the Convergence Portal. You need to identify an institutional representative as the research administrator and that individual will be responsible for forwarding the grant application to SSHRC by the deadline.
The creation of a research administrator role for your organization in the Convergence Portal can take up to five business days, and will involve the institutional representative completing documentation and creating an account in the Convergence Portal. During this time, however, you can continue to work on key sections of your grant application (e.g., attachments in the Supporting documents section). Contact institutional.eligibility@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca for more information.
Important links
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy description, including information on co-director, co-applicant and collaborator eligibility
- Application deadline
- Definitions of terms used in the grant application process, including partner organization and formal partnership
- Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications, if applicable
- Guidelines for Cash and In-Kind Contributions
- Guidelines for Effective Knowledge Mobilization
- Guidelines for Effective Research Training
- Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research
- Institutional eligibility—guidelines and requirements
- Policies, regulations and guidelines
- Salary Research Allowances policy
- Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
- Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration
- Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications
- Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy
- Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management
Am I eligible to apply?
One of the goals of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is to better understand the influences and barriers affecting the uptake of practices and technologies in agriculture toward a net-zero 2050 economy, and the social and socio-economic impacts of those. The main objective of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy is to support knowledge mobilization and partnership research on:
- the social and socio-economic impacts of policy actions in agriculture in a net-zero future;
- the behavioural and societal influences on agricultural practices in the agricultural and food sector; and
- the resulting impacts of and changes in the agriculture sectors.
This initiative is for researchers developing research projects exploring agriculture in a net-zero future and building research networks across academia and that involve stakeholders from different sectors and communities, including from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. It is intended to assist in answering policy questions and filling data gaps, as well as raising the profile of and interest in the social sciences and humanities in the topic of sustainable agriculture.
The successful applicant would be expected to lead, over five years, a national network of researchers exploring topics in sustainable agriculture, especially as they relate to a net-zero economy.
In the Eligibility section of the funding opportunity description, you can verify whether you can participate in this grant program as an applicant / project director.
Accommodations and accessibility
If you need help completing online application forms due to 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).
Collection and use of personal information
The information you provide in your application is collected under the authority of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Act and stored in a series of SSHRC data banks described in Information about programs and information holdings. Details on the use and disclosure of this information are described on the Collection, Use and Disclosure of Personal Information SSHRC page, in the Convergence Portal, and below. The information is used in accordance with the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
AAFC personnel with responsibility for management of this initiative are given access to relevant application material for purposes consistent with administrative or merit review processes, as required. Aside from information publicly available (e.g., list of award holders, administrative organizations, value of SSHRC’s grants, title and keywords of projects), SSHRC will not share with AAFC any information pertaining to applications submitted to SSHRC without the consent of SSHRC applicants or award holders.
Therefore, by submitting an application, applicants are agreeing to have their application content shared with AAFC for the purposes stated here.
Self-identification information
You are required to complete the self-identification form to apply for SSHRC funding. However, you can select “Prefer not to answer” for any or all questions. SSHRC appreciates your participation, which supports the federal research funding agencies (SSHRC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research) in monitoring the equity of their programs, and in strengthening equity, diversity and inclusion in the research enterprise.
The self-identification information is collected as part of your user profile when you register in the Convergence Portal. It is not part of your application and is neither accessible to, nor shared with, external reviewers and/or merit review committee members.
Application deadline
Your completed application must be received at SSHRC by 8:00 p.m. (eastern) on October 20, 2023. You will not be able to access your application for further editing once it is submitted.
Using the Convergence Portal to prepare your application
Complete the application using the Convergence Portal. The Convergence Portal is supported on only the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox. The portal might appear to function in other browsers, but can malfunction: for example, the information entered might not be properly captured in the system, without you being aware. Use of an unsupported browser is strongly discouraged.
- Sign in to the Convergence Portal. If you currently have an account on the Research Portal, use these existing credentials to sign into the Convergence Portal.
There are plans to migrate the Convergence Portal onto the cloud. At that time, your Research Portal and Convergence Portal accounts will be divided, and you will be invited to create a new username and password in Convergence to re-access your information and any applications in progress. This migration will be advertised on the Convergence Portal well in advance, with exact details about the timing. During the migration period, the portal will not be accessible for a brief period.
- Select Funding Opportunities.
- Select the initiative you wish to apply to.
Applicant eligibility (to be completed by applicant / project director)
- Step 1—Applicant / Project Director Eligibility: Read the eligibility section of the funding opportunity description and answer the portal-generated question to confirm the eligibility of your proposal.
- Step 2—Affiliations: List all your current affiliations and identify your primary affiliation. Select from the drop-down list the organization that will administer the grant. If the name of the organization with which you are applying is not in the list, contact partnerships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca.
For this funding opportunity, the host institution is the applicant and the project director prepares the application on behalf of the host institution and the formal partnership.
- Step 3—Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI): Complete the self-identification form, as required, to apply for SSHRC funding; however, you can select “Prefer not to answer” for any or all questions (see Self-identification information for more information).
- Step 4—Fields of research: List your fields of research in the template provided and indicate one as a primary area of research.
- Step 5—Keywords: Provide a minimum of five keywords that best describe, overall, your areas of research.
- Terms and conditions: Accept the terms and conditions to begin the application process.
- Begin application: Complete all sections, including uploading your CV (a PDF attachment up to six pages) based on the CV and biographical sketch instructions.
Completing the application
Before writing your proposal, consult the evaluation criteria in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy. The headings below match the application sections in the Convergence Portal. Follow the instructions provided in this document, along with the instructions provided onscreen in the Convergence Portal, to complete the application.
As the applicant / project director, you are responsible for completing all sections of the application and submitting it to the research administrator once complete. While co-directors and co-applicants must complete their own profiles, including uploading their CV documents, as the applicant / project director you must verify that this has been done before submitting. You must remove any co-applicants or co-directors who have not completed their profiles or uploaded their CV documents before you can Finalize and Submit the application.
As the applicant / project director, you are responsible for verifying the page lengths and proper formatting of any uploaded attachments. If an application contains one or more attachments that do not comply with the page limits or formatting standards, the application could be withdrawn from the competition or have pages removed.
Note: Co-directors and co-applicants can see the application content while in the Convergence Portal. However, they are not able to edit the content or make any other changes to the application.
Application details (mandatory)
- Application title: Provide a short and descriptive title. It can be used for publication purposes. Limit the use of abbreviated forms (e.g., DNA, NATO) and avoid company or trade names.
- Language of the application: Indicate the official language in which the application will be submitted.
Invitations
Invite the co-directors and co-applicants for this application. Those invited will receive an email, which will include your name and email address (as the applicant / project director), and the project title, as well as a link to the Convergence Portal. Once they have selected Accept Invitation and completed their own eligibility profile, the co-directors’ and co-applicants’ names will be displayed in the Participants section of your application.
Co-directors are required to upload a CV (up to six pages, PDF), following the CV and biographical sketch instructions below. While co-directors must upload the CV document, co-applicants can choose to upload the CV document or a brief, one-page biographical sketch.
Ensure that co-directors and co-applicants invited in this section are eligible for that role by consulting the Eligibility section of the funding opportunity description.
The Convergence system does not verify email addresses or register bounce-backs. We strongly recommend that you follow up directly with invited co-directors and co-applicants if an individual has not accepted your invitation in a timely manner. When accepting an invitation, individuals will be redirected to the Convergence Portal to log in (or create an account), to verify their eligibility and to complete the participant content. If they currently have an account on the Research Portal, let them know they should use these existing credentials to log into the Convergence Portal (until the portal migrates to the cloud—then they will need to create new credentials for the portal).
Participants
This section lists all co-directors and co-applicants who have successfully joined the application. If an individual has not accepted your invitation, follow up with them to confirm they have received it. If an invited co-director or co-applicant is listed as Pending Eligibility, they have accepted your invitation, but not yet completed their eligibility profile. Their status will show as Complete when the required information has been finalized.
Collaborators
List the collaborators who will contribute to the research or related activities, but who will not have access to grant funds. While collaborators will not be sent an invitation to join the application like co-directors and co-applicants, they must have confirmed to the applicant / project director their willingness to participate in the application as a collaborator prior to being listed in this section. Do not list co-directors or co-applicants in this section. Any individual who will make a significant contribution to the project is eligible to be a collaborator.
Partner organizations (mandatory)
List the partner organizations that have agreed to participate in the formal partnership. Include the contact information of each partner organization contact person. If the organization you are affiliated with wants to participate as a partner organization, you must list it in this section.
Attach letters of support from each partner organization and include cash and in-kind contributions in the Supporting documents section as outlined.
Fields of research (mandatory)
List the fields of research that best describe this specific application according to the 2019 version of the Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC) (Excel). Provide one primary field of research, but you can list up to a maximum of five fields of research.
Keywords (mandatory)
List between one and 10 keyword entries that best describe this specific application.
Summary of proposal (mandatory)
Provide a clear summary of your proposal, indicating:
- the overall goal and objectives of the proposed partnership for the network;
- the challenges or issues to be addressed and expected significance of the work; and
- the breadth of the partnership, and the meaningful engagement of the partner organizations involved, including the co-construction of knowledge with community-based organizations.
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, for example, open access publications, websites, publicly accessible databases and/or institutional repositories. To learn more, see the Open Access overview.
Proposed budget (mandatory)
Enter the yearly amounts requested. Ensure that your proposed budget does not exceed the maximum amount that can be requested per year or the maximum number of years that can be requested: up to $300,000 for the first two years and up to $400,000 for the third and fourth years, followed by up to $600,000 for the last year, for an overall total maximum of $2 million over five years to lead the network.
Additional budget details are required in the Supporting documents section (i.e., “Funds requested from SSHRC” and “Budget justification” attachments). Ensure that the total amounts requested from SSHRC correspond with those submitted in the “Funds requested from SSHRC” detailed budget table in the Supporting documents section.
Certifications, licences and permits
Complete this section by answering the questions as they relate to the proposed research project.
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.
The Impact Assessment form (Appendix A) 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).
If none of the above situations apply to your proposed research or research-related activities, Appendix A is not needed in the Supporting documents section. For more information, see SSHRC’s Guidelines on Impact Assessment.
Exclusion of potential reviewers (if applicable)
List potential reviewers who, in your opinion, would be unlikely to provide an impartial review. Provide a justification for excluding potential reviewers (e.g., experts with whom you or members of your research team have had serious disputes). SSHRC cannot be bound by this information, it will be taken into consideration in the selection of reviewers. This information will be held in strictest confidence.
Supporting documents
Instructions for attachments
Prepare your supporting documents, which will be separate attachments, following these requirements:
- Explain any acronyms and abbreviations.
- Use only 8 ½" x 11" (216 mm x 279 mm) pages.
- Use single-spaced text, with no more than six lines of type per inch.
- Use only black text, using 11 pt. Arial font; condensed fonts will not be accepted.
- Set margins at a minimum of ¾" (1.87 cm).
- In multi-page attachments, number pages sequentially.
- Insert the application identification number (e.g., 1012-2023-xxxxx) at the top of each page of each attachment. You will find this number on the top right corner of your application form. A number is automatically assigned to each new application created.
- Insert the name of the document at the top of the first page of the attachment (e.g., Research Proposal).
- Respect the maximum number of pages allowed for each attachment. However, you do not have to reach this limit.
Convert the documents
All attachments must be converted to Portable Document Format (PDF) before you can attach them to the application. The conversion process varies with the operating system and word processing software you are using. If you have questions about converting your documents to PDF, contact your institution’s technical support staff.
If you do not have a PDF conversion program, you can download a free version of PrimoPDF. Macintosh users have a PDF conversion option in the Mac OS “print” function.
Research proposal (mandatory)
(maximum 15 pages)
This section has six subsections that must be addressed as part of one document and uploaded following the instructions for attachments above. The page limits indicated for each subsection are suggestions, but the maximum of 15 pages for the entire research proposal section is firm. The order of the subsections must be followed, and the use of headings is highly encouraged. Use language that can be understood by a multidisciplinary merit review committee.
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Goal and project description (eight pages)
Provide the following information in your description:
- Clearly justify your proposal in relation to the stated goal and objectives in the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy description, and outline the overall goal and specific objectives that the partnership will address during the lifespan of the grant. Demonstrate the relevance and significance of these objectives for all the participating partner organizations from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including a description of the co-construction of knowledge with community-based organizations.
- Describe the proposed project’s originality, significance and expected contribution to knowledge in the social sciences and/or humanities.
- Demonstrate the appropriateness of the theoretical and methodological approaches (including the co-creation of knowledge) that will be chosen to meet the stated objectives. Include a literature review. SSHRC encourages applicants / project directors to discuss, if applicable, how research data arising from the project will be managed, including collection, preservation and sharing.
- Outline the potential benefits and expected outcomes of the proposed partnership, including the potential for the project results to have influence and impact for partner organizations from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.
- Provide a timeline for the project with key milestones for meeting the objectives, including progress indicators.
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Training and mentoring (one page)
It is expected that students, emerging scholars (e.g., postdoctoral researchers and other scholars in similar situations) and/or other highly qualified personnel (e.g., Indigenous Elders, practitioners, subject matter experts) will meaningfully participate in the proposed initiatives. In this section, clearly describe the specific roles and responsibilities of each group: those who will receive training and mentoring and those who will provide it, indicating the work they will be undertaking. Consult the Guidelines for Effective Research Training in preparing this section of the application. These guidelines will also be provided to reviewers.
Include:
- the nature and extent of training, mentoring and employability activities;
- the capacity of the applicant / project director and team members to provide the proposed training, mentoring and employability activities;
- the anticipated number of students, emerging scholars and/or other highly qualified personnel (where applicable, indicate the level of study—i.e., undergraduate, master’s or doctoral) to be trained and mentored; and
- any career development opportunities, as well as the nature and level of specialized skills that the students, emerging scholars and/or other highly qualified personnel will develop as a result of their participation.
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Knowledge mobilization plan (two pages)
Include a plan to increase knowledge uptake by target audiences, and anticipated outputs, outcomes and/or impacts among various appropriate audiences or participants (academic and/or non-academic), including:
- methodologies and approaches to engage appropriate target audiences or participants, involving, as applicable, diverse groups of researchers, policy-makers, business leaders, community groups, educators, media, international audiences, practitioners, decision-makers and the general public;
- proposed network meetings, symposiums, conferences and colloquiums;
- proposed activities for the entire network, including workshops;
- 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.
SSHRC and AAFC encourage funding recipients to disseminate research knowledge in both official languages, as well as Indigenous languages, whenever feasible and/or appropriate.
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Description of formal partnership (two pages)
Define and fully describe the partnership, so committee members can clearly understand that your proposal is a genuine formal partnership. In this subsection, explain:
- why a partnership approach is appropriate for the proposed activities, and demonstrate, specifically, how such a partnership adds value beyond what could be achieved through other approaches;
- how the partner organizations will participate in the intellectual leadership of the partnership, and how the partnership will involve the co-construction of knowledge with community-based organizations;
- the anticipated challenges in building the partnership, and how these will be addressed;
- how partner organizations will benefit from participating in the partnership; and
- how your application integrates the expertise of all partner organizations in the conduct of the activities.
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Governance (one page)
Define and fully describe your proposed partnership governance structure. You are strongly encouraged to include a diagram to illustrate the governance structure. In this subsection:
- explain the choice of management and governance arrangements, as well as of leadership, in the design and conduct of the research, research training, and/or research-related activities. If your proposed partnership uses a co-director governance approach in which a co-director (or co-directors) shares intellectual leadership with the applicant / project director, outline and justify the approach in relation to the proposed research and related activities. The applicant / project director and administering organization are accountable for coordinating the grant’s overall financial and administrative aspects;
- describe the nature of the participation of the co-directors, co-applicants, collaborators and partner organizations in the partnership’s governance structure;
- describe, if any, the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) plan for promoting a diverse team, inclusive working environment and equitable opportunities within the partnership (refer to Appendix B of SSHRC’s Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grants Applications for examples of EDI in research practice);
- describe the involvement of key partner organizations in the decision-making process, and explain the conditions, if any, under which they are participating;
- describe the involvement of the administering organization in supporting the partnership (e.g., infrastructure, cash and/or in-kind support, services, training);
- identify how issues will be resolved; and
- explain accountability and decision-making authority.
Note about the EDI plan: If applicable, applicants / project directors can identify concrete practices that will be employed to ensure that EDI is being intentionally and proactively considered in composing the team and recruiting team members. Applicants / project directors can also demonstrate that EDI was taken into consideration within the team composition and will continue to be if the composition of the team changes throughout the duration of the grant. Refer to SSHRC’s Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grants Applications and, in particular, the section EDI in research practice.
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Description of team (one page)
Explain the different types of expertise needed to ensure the partnership’s success. Describe the roles, responsibilities and contributions of the applicant / project director, co-directors, and key co-applicants and/or collaborators, as well as other key participants. Clearly indicate, where appropriate, whether they are from an academic or a non-academic sector (e.g., private, public or not-for-profit organization), and how the activities and expertise of each member will support and enhance the proposed partnership.
Note about privacy and confidentiality: Applicants / project directors must protect the privacy and confidentiality of all team members and trainees. How an individual self-identifies is considered personal and confidential information. If a team member’s self-identification (e.g., gender, Indigenous identity, disability or racial background) is relevant to the research project, you can include that self-identity information in this section only with their consent. Otherwise, self-identification information about any team member should not appear in the application, unless specified as part of a required section for eligibility purposes.
List of references or bibliography (mandatory)
(maximum 10 pages)
List all references cited or works referred to in your proposal. SSHRC recognizes and allows the use of different referencing styles.
If you have included references by the applicant / project director, co-director(s), co-applicant(s), or collaborator(s), indicate these in bold type.
Funds requested from SSHRC (mandatory)
Grants offered under this initiative are valued at up to $2,000,000 over five years. The maximum funding is $300,000 for the first two years and $400,000 for the third and fourth years, followed by $600,000 for the last year to develop and manage a research network.
For each budget year, estimate the costs you are asking SSHRC to fund using the Excel template provided for this section (which you will upload as a PDF). Ensure that you fill in years one through five only, and that the totals match the figures entered in the Proposed budget section of the Convergence application form. Consult the Specific rules for the use of grant funds section of the funding opportunity description. All budget costs must conform to the rates and regulations of the applicant’s / project director’s institution and take into account the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration 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 to 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 (see Guidelines for Cash and In-Kind Contributions).
SSHRC provides the following guidelines to committee members regarding the review of the budget subcriteria of the overall Feasibility score:
- Committees can consider failing a project on the Feasibility criterion if they determine that 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 can recommend minor budget reductions when they determine the request is inadequately justified and/or not appropriate as described above, and where they judge that savings could be achieved without jeopardizing the project objectives.
Enter amounts rounded to the nearest dollar.
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 can 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 must be an integral part of the project. Stipend rates are set by the institution concerned.
Other—Salary research allowances
Salary research allowances are an eligible expense. These stipends are paid to a Canadian not-for-profit organization to cover up to 50% of the annual salary of an employee who is being temporarily replaced because they will be devoting their time as an applicant / project director, a co-director or a co-applicant on a SSHRC-funded research project. The request for a salary research allowance must be justified in the proposal.
Salary research allowances can be used only by not-for-profit organizations that have applicants / project directors, co-directors or co-applicants listed on the grant team. Postsecondary institutions and governmental organizations are not eligible for salary research allowances.
Note that a salary research allowance is not a salary for the project director or co-applicant, but is paid to the Canadian not-for-profit organization to offset the costs of replacing its employee.
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
Professional or technical services
Consulting fees for professional and technical services are eligible expenditures only if the budget justification demonstrates that expert advice is needed.
Supplies
You can 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 organization to their research personnel or by the employer.
Nondisposable equipment—computer hardware
Purchase or rental of computers and associated hardware is allowable only if these are not provided by the administering organization to their research personnel or by the employer.
Other nondisposable equipment
Purchase or rental of equipment (e.g., audio or video equipment) is allowable only if it is not provided by the administering organization to their research personnel or by the employer.
Other expenses not already included (specify)
Specify other research and/or related expenses not already included.
Budget justification (mandatory)
(maximum two pages)
Using the categories listed on the Funds requested from SSHRC page, explain how you will use the funds in each budget category to achieve the project objectives. For example, under the student and non-student salaries and benefits categories, explain why these people need to be hired to meet the project’s objectives. Applicants / project directors are reminded of SSHRC’s mandate to provide training opportunities for students, emerging scholars and other highly qualified personnel, as applicable. Justify any funds that appear in the category Other.
Ensure that your budget requests match the level of funding that is essential to complete the proposed activities. The merit review committee can deem your application less competitive if it finds that you are requesting non-essential funding.
In reviewing the funding you have requested, committee members take into account the quality of your overall financial planning, your justification of the proposed expenditures, and the institutional and partner organization funding that you have secured. It is also important to indicate how the budget requested from SSHRC and the partners’ contributions will complement each other and benefit the objectives of the partnership.
Expenses to facilitate equitable, inclusive and accessible participation in the research should be considered, and budgets should demonstrate a commitment to accessibility for a wide range of participants and collaborators who might face economic, child care, travel-related or disability-related barriers to participation. Refer to your institution’s policies and the Statement on equity, diversity and inclusion and the use of grant funds in the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration. Refer to SSHRC’s Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications for examples of EDI in research practice and questions to consider for EDI in research design.
Funds from other sources (mandatory)
Complete the Excel template provided for this section (which you will upload as a PDF). Ensure that you fill in years one through five only.
List all contributors (e.g., administering organization, partner organizations, individuals, not-for-profit organizations and private sector organizations) that are providing cash and/or in-kind contributions for the proposal (see Guidelines for Cash and In-Kind Contributions). Indicate whether these funds have been confirmed.
Type in the source name and amount, and identify the contribution type.
If you have received more than one contribution of the same type (i.e., cash or in-kind) from a single funding source and with the 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.
Letters of support from partner organizations (mandatory)
(maximum two pages per partner)
Upload a letter of support from each confirmed partner organization. The administering organization can also be a partner organization and provide a letter of support. Letters of support must be written on official letterhead and must include the following information:
- the relevance and significance of the project objectives for the partner organization;
- the exact nature of the involvement of the partner organization in the project, including the intellectual leadership and governance of the partnership, where appropriate;
- precise details on the financial and/or in-kind contributions to be provided by the partner organization; and
- the expected outcomes that the partner organization wishes to achieve.
List of potential partner organizations (if applicable)
(maximum two pages)
Upload a list of the potential partner organizations you plan to engage during the lifetime of your grant. Include website links, if available. Indicate for each partner listed whether they have already been invited to participate.
Impact assessment (Appendix A)
Follow the on-screen instructions in the application and attach the Impact Assessment Form (Appendix A) in the Supporting documents, if the system directs you to do so.
Submitting the application
Review your application to ensure that it is complete. Follow the prompts from the Finalize Application section to submit it.
After you accept the terms and conditions, the status of your submission will change to Received by Administrator. If you want to make any changes after this point, you must request that your research grants office (research administrator) return it to you. Once your research administrator has approved and submitted your application, the application status will be changed to Received by Agency. At that point, you can make no further changes to the application. If the research administrator does not forward the application to SSHRC, it will expire.
Submitting an application as the research administrator
When you receive an application submitted by an applicant / project director at your institution, you will be asked to approve the application and submit it.
By forwarding the application, the research administrator, on behalf of the institution, certifies that:
- the applicant / project director:
- is affiliated with the institution; and
- has the necessary time and facilities to carry out the activity; and
- the 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 changes in the composition of the partnership; and
- has verified that the budgetary estimates are in accordance with its rates and policies.
Contact information
If you have questions:
- regarding the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy, contact partnerships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
- on matters related to the Convergence Portal, contact the Online Services Helpdesk by email at websupport@convergence.gc.ca or by phone at 613-995-4273
CV and biographical sketch instructions
These instructions outline what to include in the required sections of the CV and the biographical sketch. All applicants / project directors and co-directors must submit a CV (up to six pages). Co-applicants can choose between submitting the CV or a one-page biographical sketch.
Participant role | CV required | Biographical sketch required |
---|---|---|
Applicant / Project director | Yes | No |
Co-director | Yes | No |
Co-applicant | Option of either a full CV or biographical sketch |
The CV or biographical sketch (when applicable) will need to be uploaded as a PDF to the Convergence Portal once complete. Use the headings below as a template as you prepare the CV. The Biographical sketch instructions follow the CV instructions.
CV
(maximum six pages)
Name
Provide your given name, initials and family name at the top of your CV.
Current position
List your current place of employment or postsecondary institution affiliation in this section. Indicate your position (e.g., associate professor, director, community organizer, student, postdoctoral fellow or associate).
Academic background (as applicable)
You can list up to five degrees. List them in reverse chronological order, starting with the highest. For completed degrees, indicate the date the degree was awarded. For degrees in progress, enter your expected date of completion.
Credentials
List up to six awards, scholarships, fellowships, distinctions, licences and professional designations you have received and think would be the most pertinent to the review of your application. List them in reverse chronological order, based on the year awarded.
Funded research
List up to eight grants or contracts you have received from SSHRC and/or other sources and include the following information (as applicable): funding organization; year awarded / completion status; your role (applicant / project director, co-applicant, etc.); applicant’s name (if not you); project title; and total amount awarded.
Research contributions and relevant experience
The applicant / project director, co-directors and any co-applicants providing full CVs must provide a section presenting research contributions and relevant experience. They can address the subsections below, as applicable, and choose to devote more space to certain subsections depending on the nature of their past contributions and experience. Attachments should be presented in this order, as applicable:
- Relevant research contributions over the last six years
- Other research contributions
- Most significant career research contributions
- Career interruptions and special circumstances
- Contributions to training
- Relevant experience
1. Relevant research contributions over the last six years
Outline your research contributions within six years of the application deadline date. In the case of those candidates claiming career interruptions (see 4. below), you may include publications drawn from your most recent periods of research activity to an overall total of six years.
Provide details, as appropriate, about the contributions you listed, as follows.
- In the left margin, identify with an asterisk (*) research contributions that resulted from previous SSHRC support.
- Specify your role in co-authored publications.
- For published contributions, provide complete bibliographic notices (including co-authors, title, publisher, journal, volume, date of publication and number of pages) as they appear in the original publication.
- For publications in languages other than French or English, provide a translation of the title and the name of the publication.
- For recent graduates, list theses.
Group your contributions by category in the following order, as applicable, listing your most recent contributions first.
Refereed contributions
Examples include books (where applicable, subdivide according to those that are single-authored, co-authored and edited works), monographs, book chapters, articles in scholarly refereed journals and conference proceedings.
A “refereed work” involves its assessment:
- in its entirety—not merely an abstract or extract;
- before publication; and
- by independent (at arm’s length from the author), anonymous, qualified experts.
Other refereed contributions
Examples include papers presented at scholarly meetings or conferences and articles in professional or trade journals.
Nonrefereed contributions
Examples include book reviews, published reviews of work, research reports, policy papers and public lectures.
Forthcoming contributions
Indicate one of the following statuses: “submitted,” “revised and submitted,” “accepted” or “in press.” Provide the name of the journal or book publisher and the number of pages. Do not list contributions not yet submitted.
Creative outputs
Examples of creative outputs may include exhibitions, performances, publications, presentations, and film, video and audio recordings. List your most recent and significant achievements grouped by category.
Creative outputs will be evaluated according to established disciplinary standards and creative and/or artistic merit.
If applicable, you may include a website link. SSHRC cannot guarantee links will be accessed.
2. Other research contributions
Describe any other contributions to research and the advancement of knowledge within the last six years, including your research contributions to non-academic audiences (e.g., public, policy makers, private sector and not-for-profit organizations).
3. Most significant career research contributions
List and rank up to five of your most significant contributions over your entire career. The six-year rule does not apply to this section. Therefore, contributions listed here may differ from those listed in other sections of your CV. Explain briefly the significance of the contributions listed.
4. Career interruptions and special circumstances
Career interruptions occur when researchers are taken away from their research work for an extended period of time for health, administrative, family or other reasons, or reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In these cases, as explained in the Relevant research contributions over the last six years section, explain the interruption(s) and ask that an overall total of six years of research activity be considered by the merit review committee.
Special circumstances involve slowdowns in research productivity created by health (and/or disability-related), administrative, family, cultural or community responsibilities, socio-economic context, COVID-19 or other reasons (i.e., the researcher was not completely taken away from research work). Applicants from small institutions may indicate their teaching load in this section if the change in workload impacted their research output.
Indigenous applicants can use the “Special Circumstances” section of their application form to describe special circumstances that can have affected their academic or career paths.
SSHRC asks its merit review committees to consider career interruptions and special circumstances that may have affected candidates’ record of research achievements. In doing so, merit review committee members will be able to more accurately estimate the productivity of each researcher, independent of any career interruptions or special circumstances in the last six years. Previous productivity is one element that may predict the success of the proposed research project.
All information provided to SSHRC is subject to the Privacy Act. The information included in this section of your application will be shared with both external assessors and merit review committee members for consideration as part of their application. For more information, see merit review. All SSHRC merit reviewers are subject to the Tri-Agency Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy, and are prohibited from sharing this information outside of the merit review process.
5. Contributions to training
Provide the following information on students you have helped train within the last six years:
- Indicate your role in supervising or co-supervising ongoing and/or completed theses, listing these by the student’s level of studies.
- Describe efforts you have made to involve students (e.g., doctoral, master’s or undergraduate) in your research activities.
- Specify if opportunities for such contributions have been limited because your institution does not have graduate degree programs in your field or discipline.
6. Relevant experience
In the Relevant experience section, non-academic and academic applicants / project directors can describe their previous experience relevant to the topic and objectives they are investigating in the application, including their experience in engaging in and/or leading formal partnerships and collaborative research. Justify how this experience will aid you in the proposed activity. Examples of relevant experience include: working within or with communities and/or organizations (e.g., not-for-profit, public and private sector organizations), non-academic career information, or voluntary work. Include:
- your experience in engaging in and/or leading formal partnerships and collaborative research;
- a brief description of the nature of the work you performed;
- an explanation of how this work has prepared you for your role in the project; and
- a description of the skills you developed (e.g., training, mentoring, analysis, networking).
Biographical sketches (optional: for co-applicants only)
(maximum one page)
If you are a co-applicant, you can choose to include a one-page biographical sketch instead of the CV to help describe your research and professional experience that is relevant to the topic and objectives of the application.
You can structure the biographical sketch as you wish, generally following the proposed headings below as applicable. You can choose to devote more space to certain sections depending on the nature of your past contributions and experience (for example, co-applicants from non-academic sectors can choose to have a larger “Relevant experience” section). Note that the “Employment/affiliations” section must be included in your biographical sketch.
Proposed sections to use, as applicable:
- Employment/affiliations (mandatory): List your current, primary position/appointment, and other professional and academic work experience, including administrative appointments
- Education/training: List your current and/or completed degree programs.
- Research funding: List your awarded research funding.
- Most significant contributions: List your research publications (refereed and non-refereed); research contributions to non-academic audiences (e.g., general public, policy- makers, private sector, not-for-profit organizations); creative outputs (e.g., exhibitions, performances, publications, presentations, and film, video and audio recordings).
- Relevant experience: List and describe previous experience that is relevant to the topic and objectives being investigated in the application. For example, you can include experience in engaging in collaborative research as well as details about skills you developed. Examples of relevant experience can include: working within or with communities and/or organizations (e.g., private, public and not-for-profit organizations), non-academic career information, or voluntary work, etc.
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