2022 Transformation: How to Submit a Letter of Intent to Apply

On this page

• Using the Convergence Portal to prepare a letter of intent to apply
• Required information
• Submitting a letter of intent to apply
• Submitting a letter of intent to apply as the research administrator
• Contact information

Using the Convergence Portal to prepare a letter of intent to apply

You must have submitted a notice of intent to apply (NOI) by the deadline to be eligible to create and submit an LOI.

You must complete the LOI using the Convergence Portal. The portal is supported only on the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox. The portal may appear to function in other browsers, but technical problems can occur, such as information being improperly captured in the system without the user being aware. Use of an unsupported browser is strongly discouraged. Follow the instructions provided in the Convergence Portal to complete and submit your LOI. The information required to complete the LOI is outlined below.

The NPI must complete all sections of the LOI in the Convergence Portal and submit it via their institution’s research administrator. The co-PIs and co-applicants must each complete their own profile before the NPI submits the LOI to their research administrator. Team members will be able to see all sections of the LOI, but will not have edit access.

It is the responsibility of the NPI to verify the page lengths and formatting of any uploaded attachments. Should a submitted application contain one or more attachments that do not comply with the page length or formatting standard, the application may be withdrawn from the competition.

Required information

The following information is required to complete an LOI:

1. Profiles for any additional members of the research team

   Complete profiles include (see the NOI guide for more detail):

   1. completed eligibility profile
   2. fields of research and keywords
   3. equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) self-identification

   After co-PIs and co-applicants have completed their profile, they will be listed in the Participants screen with a status of “Eligible.” While a participant’s status may show as “Accepted” in the List of Invitations, a status of “Pending eligibility” in the Participants screen indicates that they have not completed their profile.

   Note: While additional members may be added, those identified at the NOI stage are expected to remain part of the project team.

2. Letter of intent to apply content

   This includes all information submitted in the NOI (updated as necessary), as well as:

   1. Any changes to the list of collaborators (additions or deletions)

      Collaborators do not need to create an account in the Convergence Portal.

   2. Suggested reviewers (minimum of 20) and reviewer exclusions (if applicable)

      Provide a list of suggested reviewers who may be contacted to review your proposal at the application stage. These individuals should have the required expertise to review and comment on the proposal and should not be in a conflict of interest with any member of the team as defined by the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations. At least 10 reviewers must be from outside Canada.

      Indicate any individuals who should not be asked to review the proposal.

   3. Budget table

      Enter the planned amount of funds to be spent in each category (direct and indirect costs) for each year of the project. Please contact your research administrator for direction regarding how much to request for indirect costs.

   4. Gender based analysis plus (GBA+)

      Indicate if GBA+ considerations are appropriate and if they have been integrated into the proposed research. Note that they must be integrated if considered appropriate or you will be unable to submit your application. Provide an explanation if GBA+ considerations are not deemed appropriate for the proposed research.

   5. Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

      Applicants must clearly demonstrate their commitment to EDI in their research teams, including among students, postdoctoral fellows, co-PIs, co-applicants and/or collaborators, as applicable. Teams should also consider diversity as it applies to career stages, sectors and institutions.

      They must explain what actions they will take, the outcomes expected, and the assessment planned for each of the following three key areas:

      • team composition and recruitment processes;
      • training and development opportunities; and
      • inclusion.

      Actions taken are expected to remove barriers and provide opportunities for the meaningful integration of individuals from all groups, including the four designated groups (women, Indigenous Peoples, members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities).

   6. Support of early career researchers (ECRs)

      Explain how ECRs will be included in the team and integrated in a meaningful way, including plans to support their leadership and development throughout the project.

   7. Supporting documents—each of these documents is uploaded as a separate attachment following the instructions for attachments, with page limits as noted:
      1. Research proposal (including diagrams and illustrations: maximum 10 pages if written in English; maximum 12 pages if written in French)

         The research proposal should address the points below. Ensure you use language that can be understood by a multidisciplinary committee. The allocation of space and the order are not prescribed. The use of headings is highly encouraged.

         • Novelty of approach

           Explain the approach and how it differs from other approaches taken to address the challenge. Provide a rationale why this approach is likely to succeed.

         • Interdisciplinarity

           Describe the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed approach.

           Explain who will bring the different disciplinary perspectives to the project and how they will be integrated.

         • Feasibility

           Provide a brief overview of the methodological plan. Indicate how gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) considerations impacted the proposed plan (or provide a justification of why they were not considered).

           Indicate where or how the team will access any needed infrastructure (if applicable).

           Present a synopsis of the strength of the research team, demonstrating the expertise available on the team.

         • Anticipated transformation/change/impact

           Describe the anticipated impact of the proposed work and the significance of the change.

           Specify the likelihood that the impact will be realized and provide an explanation.

           Detail the short-term and long-term benefits that will be realized.

      2. References (unlimited)

         Applicants are strongly encouraged to include only the main references required to support the proposal.

Submitting a letter of intent to apply

Review your LOI to ensure that it is complete. From the Finalize Application section in the Convergence Portal, follow the prompts to submit the LOI. 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 at this point, you may request that your research administrator return it to you.

Once your research administrator has approved and submitted your LOI, the application status will be changed to Received by Agency. No changes can be made at that point.

Submitting a letter of intent to apply as the research administrator

When you receive an LOI submitted by an NPI at your institution, you will be asked to approve the application and submit it. Before being able to forward the application, the administrator, on behalf of the institution, will be required to confirm that:

• the participants meet the eligibility requirements; and
• the proposed research project meets the eligibility requirements.

By submitting the application, the research administrator, on behalf of the institution, will again be certifying that the NPI:

• is (or will be) affiliated with the institution or organization;
• has the necessary time and resources to carry out the activity; and
• will email NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca of any changes during the tenure of the grant, including changes in the composition of the partnership, such as the addition of new co-PIs, co-applicants or collaborators.

Contact information

If you have questions:

• regarding the NFRF program, contact NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.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