Funding search tool

Research Data Centres Program

The Research Data Centres Program is a strategic joint initiative of SSHRC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to promote research and training in the application of social and health statistics using Statistics Canada data. The initiative is administered by the Canadian Research Data Centres Network.

Applications may be submitted at any time. Results will be announced approximately five to eight weeks after submission. 

Applicants must complete the application form in accordance with the accompanying instructions.

The Research Data Centres Program also offers an application type called Program of Research, which provides access to research data needed for large projects that have several subprojects on related themes. Researchers submit a proposal for the approval of the overall research program. Once the program is approved, researchers can submit an application for specific projects (project summary) that fall under the umbrella of the program of research.

For more information about the Research Data Centres Program, contact: 

Mika Oehling
Program Officer
Research Grants and Partnerships Division
SSHRC 
Tel.: 613-992-4227 
Fax: 613-947-0223
Email: mika.oehling@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

College and Community Innovation Program

This program aims to increase innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises. It supports applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, as well as technology transfer and adaptation, and adoption of new technologies.

The program is managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) in collaboration with SSHRC and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

For more information, visit the College and Community Innovation Program page on the NSERC website or contact:

Éric Bergeron
Program Officer
Research Grants and Partnerships Division
SSHRC
Tel.: 613-996-1422
Email: eric.bergeron@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Sport Participation Research Initiative

The Sport Participation Research Initiative is a joint initiative between SSHRC and Sport Canada that supports the objectives of the Canadian Sport Policy. The initiative funds eligible doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers and postsecondary institution-affiliated researchers to conduct research on enhancing participation in sport—and its outcomes—in Canada.

Interested students and researchers are invited to apply through the following:

• SSHRC Doctoral Awards
• SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Insight Grants

Learn more about the Sport Participation Research Initiative, including details on its application deadline, eligibility requirements and the application process.

For more information, contact:

Email: sebastien.demers@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-947-9657

Awards to Scholarly Publications Program

Through this program, the Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences supports books of advanced scholarship in the humanities and social sciences that make an important contribution to knowledge.

Pan-Canadian Knowledge Access Initiative

The Pan-Canadian Knowledge Access Initiative (PCKAI) is a one-time special initiative that will provide greater access to scholarly publications to increase the discoverability and impact, in Canada and internationally, of Canadian social sciences and humanities research. The PCKAI will provide funding to move a current offering in the open access Canadian ecosystem forward to support both authors and journals from the social sciences and humanities community.

Partnership Grants - Stage 2

To support new and existing formal research and/or knowledge mobilization partnerships over four to seven years

Bora Laskin National Fellowship in Human Rights Research

The Bora Laskin National Fellowship in Human Rights Research is a $10,000 supplement awarded yearly to a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship recipient conducting research in the field of human rights.

Eligible candidates must apply through the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships funding opportunity by selecting this supplement in the Application profile section of the application form. They must also provide a maximum one-page justification explaining how their research project aligns with the supplement’s theme.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Jules and Gabrielle Léger Fellowship

The Jules and Gabrielle Léger Fellowship is a $10,000 supplement awarded yearly to a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship recipient conducting research on the historical and contemporary contribution of the Crown to the lives of Canadians.

Eligible candidates must apply through the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships funding opportunity by selecting this supplement in the Application profile section of the application form. They must also provide a maximum one-page justification explaining how their research project aligns with the supplement’s theme.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

CGS Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements

A tri-agency program to support Canadian graduate students build global linkages and international networks through exceptional research experiences at research institutions outside of Canada.

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships (direct applications)

For students applying to, or registered in, a doctoral program or a combined MA/PhD program in the social sciences or humanities

Aileen D. Ross Fellowship

The Aileen D. Ross Fellowship is a $10,000 supplement awarded yearly to a SSHRC doctoral award recipient conducting poverty-related research in sociology.

Eligible candidates must apply through the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships funding opportunity by selecting this supplement in the Application profile section of the application form. They must also provide a maximum one-page justification explaining how their research project aligns with the supplement’s theme.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Queen’s Fellowship

The Queen’s Fellowship is a $10,000 supplement awarded yearly to a SSHRC doctoral award recipient entering a program in Canadian studies at a Canadian postsecondary institution.

At time of application, candidates are considered eligible if they intend to enrol in or are registered in the first year of such a program.

Eligible candidates must apply through the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships funding opportunity by selecting this supplement in the Application profile section of the application form. They must also provide a maximum one-page justification explaining how their research project aligns with the supplement’s theme.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

To support Canadian and international students undertaking doctoral studies at Canadian universities

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships

To support promising new scholars (PhD holders) in the social sciences and humanities

Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships

Open to both Canadian and international researchers who have recently completed a PhD, PhD-equivalent or health professional degree

Partnership Development Grants

To develop research and related activities in the social sciences and humanities

Insight Grants

To support research initiatives of up to five years.

Insight Development Grants

To support research in its initial stages.

Partnership Grants - Stage 1

Partnership Grant proposals are expected to respond to the objectives of the Insight program or the Connection program, or a combination thereof. Proposals exclusively for partnered research training initiatives are expected to respond, instead, to the objectives of the Talent program. Please see the Insight, Connection and Talent program descriptions for more details.

Connection Grants

To support short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization events and activities

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships (institution applications)

For students applying to, or registered in, a doctoral program or a combined MA/PhD program in the social sciences or humanities

Canada Graduate Scholarships—Master's Program

This funding opportunity description is housed on the NSERC website.

Belmont Forum

The Belmont Forum aims to enhance co-operation and co-ordination of global environmental change research.

While the Belmont Forum does not offer additional or dedicated research funds, SSHRC invites Canadian researchers to develop proposals that involve their international colleagues and partners and to submit their applications through funding opportunities offered under SSHRC’s Insight program and Connection program. 

Apply via:

• Insight Development Grants
• Insight Grants
• Partnership Development Grants
• Partnership Grants

For more information, visit the Belmont Forum website or contact SSHRC at:

Email: partnershipgrants@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca 
Tel.: 613-943-1007

SSHRC Impact Awards

SSHRC Impact Awards are designed to build on and sustain Canada’s research-based knowledge culture in the social sciences and humanities. The awards recognize outstanding researchers and celebrate their achievements in research, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities funded partially or completely by SSHRC.

Alice Wilson Award

Each year, the Royal Society of Canada offers the Alice Wilson Award, in the form of a $1,000 supplement, to three women of outstanding academic qualifications in the arts and humanities, social sciences or science who are entering a career in scholarship or research at the postdoctoral level.

Award winners are chosen from the current year’s top-ranked female recipients of Postdoctoral Fellowships from the three federal research funding agencies – SSHRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council.

Applicants do not need to apply for this supplementary award. Eligible Postdoctoral Fellowship recipients will be contacted in the months following the competition results.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders or candidates are invited to connect with the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes (CHCI) to explore the possibility of organizing a residency with one of CHCI’s member centers or institutes.

While not a source of additional or dedicated research funds, this collaboration with CHCI can help SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders strengthen their research and secure additional opportunities in research training and career development.

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders or candidates may contact any prospective CHCI host organizations before submitting their postdoctoral application to SSHRC, or at any point after receiving notification that they have obtained a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Learn more about this joint initiative, including details on eligibility requirements and participation guidelines for SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders.

For more information, contact:

Email:  chci@humanities.wisc.edu

Community and College Social Innovation Fund

Following the success of the Community and College Social Innovation Fund (CCSIF) pilot program, the 2017 federal budget provided an additional $10 million over two years beginning in 2017–18 to continue the pilot. The pilot will be delivered under the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program managed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), in collaboration with the Social Sciences Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). CCSIF Grants are intended to support college social innovation research projects in partnership with local community organizations. CCSIF proposals can be multidisciplinary and may fall under the research domains of the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and/or health sciences. Applications exclusively in the social sciences and humanities, or in health sciences, or in the natural sciences and engineering, will be funded by SSHRC, CIHR, or NSERC, as appropriate. Multidisciplinary grants containing a natural sciences and engineering research component will be funded by NSERC.

Societal Implications of Genomics Research

Societal Implications of Genomics Research is a joint initiative of SSHRC and Genome Canada. The initiative promotes social sciences and humanities research and related activities aimed at expanding understanding of the potential for new and emerging genomic innovations to profoundly affect society. Interested researchers should develop proposals related to this focus and submit their applications through funding opportunities offered under SSHRC’s Insight program and Connection program.

Apply via:

• Insight Development Grants
• Insight Grants
• Partnership Development Grants
• Connection Grants

Department of National Defence Research Initiative

This joint initiative between SSHRC and Defence Research and Development Canada, an agency of the Department of National Defence, supports social sciences and humanities research and related activities pertaining to Defence Research and Development Canada’s research priorities. Interested researchers should develop proposals related to this focus and submit their applications through the following:

• Insight Development Grants
• Insight Grants

See the relevant funding opportunity description for the application deadline.

Learn more about this joint initiative, including details on its eligibility requirements and application process.

For more information, contact:

Tel.: 613-996-6976
Email: research@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Global Landscape

How will Canada continue to thrive in an interconnected world and evolving global landscape?

Partnership Engage Grants

To support short-term partnered research activities involving a postsecondary institution and a single organization from the public, private or not-for-profit sectors.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Canada-UK trade relationships

SSHRC in Canada, and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the United Kingdom, have launched this dedicated Knowledge Synthesis Grants (KSG) competition to assess the state of research knowledge on Canada-UK trade relationships, in a post-Brexit context.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)-SSHRC Housing Research Training Awards Program

CMHC and SSHRC are partnering to offer postdoctoral fellowships to individuals conducting social sciences and humanities research in areas related to housing. Each fellowship is valued at $45,000 per year and is tenable for 12 or 24 months.

Eligible candidates must apply through SSHRC’s Postdoctoral Fellowships funding opportunity and select the “CMHC-SSHRC Training Awards” option from the drop-down menu in their application form. They must also provide a maximum one-page justification explaining how their research project aligns with one or more of the CMHC National Housing Strategy’s priority areas for action.

Learn more about the CMHC Housing Research Scholarship Program.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Mitacs Elevate Fellowships

SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants working with Canadian business and/or eligible not-for-profit organizations are invited to apply for a Mitacs Elevate Fellowship.

To be considered for this fellowship, eligible applicants must make the proper selection from the drop-down menu in their SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship application form. They must also complete an abridged Mitacs Elevate application form and upload it to their SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship application. To access the abridged Mitacs Elevate form, they must contact a Mitacs business development representative.

When completing the “Tenure location” and the “Secondary Tenure Location” sections of their SSHRC application form, applicants must identify their host university as their primary institution of affiliation and the partner organization for their Mitacs Elevate application as their secondary institution of affiliation. In addition, they must include the required institutional affiliation justification, as outlined in the “Program of work” section of the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship application instructions.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Connection Grants: Indigenous Research Capacity and Reconciliation

Indigenous Research Capacity and Reconciliation—Connection Grants support interdisciplinary events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives to contribute to the CRCC-prioritized national dialogue. These events and activities represent opportunities to engage and exchange knowledge on successful ways of conducting Indigenous research that are transformative and contribute to reconciliation, including holistic, interdisciplinary and distinctions-based approaches.

Mitacs Accelerate

Applicants working with Canadian businesses and/or eligible not-for-profit organizations are invited to apply for internship cofunding through the Mitacs Accelerate internships program as a component of their project’s training of graduate students and/or postdoctoral researchers. Grant holders in the following funding opportunities are automatically preapproved for Mitacs Accelerate internships:

• Insight Grants
• Partnership Development Grants
• Partnership Engage Grants
• Partnership Grants—Stage 2

Interested grant holders must submit a completed Mitacs Accelerate application form to Mitacs after SSHRC competition results have been announced. To access the Accelerate application form, contact a Mitacs business development representative.

New Frontiers in Research Fund—Exploration—December 2018 Inaugural Competition

Consult the frequently asked questions or contact us

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Informing Best Practices in Environmental and Impact Assessments

SSHRC and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) have launched this Knowledge Synthesis Grants (KSG) competition to stimulate social sciences and humanities research that will help inform best practices related to environmental and impact assessments. Environmental assessment and impact assessment (which take into consideration a broader range of factors, such as socio-economic) are planning and decision-making tools to minimize or avoid the potential adverse environmental effects of a project and to maximize positive impacts and incorporate environmental and other factors into decision-making.

Open Research Area

SSHRC is partnering with Agence Nationale de la Recherche (France), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Germany) and the Economic and Social Research Council (United Kingdom) to launch the sixth Open Research Area Call for Proposals. The call supports joint international research projects to strengthen international co-operation and to fund high quality scientific research. The ORA 6 scheme will provide funding for integrated projects by researchers coming from at least three of the four subscribing countries (Canada, France, Germany and UK).

For more information, visit Open Research Area or contact:

Mika Oehling
Program Officer
Research Grants and Partnerships Division 
Tel: 613-943-6001
Email: mika.oehling@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Canada-UK Artificial Intelligence Initiative

The Canada-UK Artificial Intelligence Initiative is an interdisciplinary and international funding opportunity offered by Canada’s three federal research funding agencies and four research councils from the UK Research and Innovation. The call is open to researchers from Canada and the United Kingdom. In their proposals, applicants will be required to demonstrate a significant degree of interdisciplinarity, with research that cuts across at least two of the following research domains: social sciences and humanities; health and biomedical sciences; and natural sciences and engineering.

For more information, visit the Economic and Social Research Council website, which is coordinating this initiative, and SSHRC’s webpage on the Canada-UK Artificial Intelligence Initiative or contact:

Lauren Mathieson
Program Officer
Research Grants and Partnerships Division
SSHRC
Tel.: 613-947-9656
Email: lauren.mathieson@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Department of National Defence MINDS Scholarship Initiative

This initiative offers research training awards to master’s and doctoral students and to postdoctoral researchers in the social sciences and humanities whose work is related to one or more of the Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) Policy Challenges, and/or Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.

• Eligible applicants seeking master’s-level funding must apply through the Canada Graduate Scholarships—Master’s program.
• Eligible applicants seeking doctoral-level funding must apply through the SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships.
• Eligible applicants seeking postdoctoral-level funding must apply through the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships.

See the relevant funding opportunity description for the application deadline.

Learn more about the MINDS Scholarship Initiative, including details on its eligibility requirements and application process.

For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

Joint Initiative for Digital Citizen Research

This joint initiative between the Department of Canadian Heritage and SSHRC supports the goals of Canada’s approach to protecting democracy by offering supplementary funding to individuals conducting research on or related to online disinformation and its impacts.

Interested students and researchers are invited to apply through the following funding opportunities:

• Insight Grants
• SSHRC Doctoral Awards
• SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships
• Connection Grants

See the relevant funding opportunity description for the application deadline.

Learn more about this joint initiative, including details on its eligibility requirements and application process.

For more information on Insight Grant supplements, contact:

Tel.: 613-996-6976
Email: insightgrants@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

For more information on Postdoctoral Fellowship and Doctoral Award supplements, contact:

Tel.: 613-943-7777
Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

For more information on Connection Grants, contact:

Tel.: 613-943-1007
Email: connection@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Mitacs Elevate Research Management Training Initiative

As part of a joint initiative with Mitacs, SSHRC is offering exclusive access and additional travel support to SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders who wish to participate in the Mitacs Elevate Research Management Training Initiative.

This initiative consists of in-person and online networking and training activities over a two-year period, to develop skills in leadership and management, communication and relationship building, and personal and professional management.

To be considered for this training opportunity, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship candidates must make the appropriate selection from the drop-down menu in their application form. They must also submit a brief expression of interest (maximum one page) indicating how participation in this initiative aligns with, and might enhance, their professional development goals.

A maximum of 25 SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship holders will be selected for this training opportunity, based on their relative rank in the competition and how their professional development goals align with this initiative, as outlined in their expression of interest.

Candidates do not need to apply for the Mitacs Elevate fellowship to be considered for this training initiative, as it is separate and distinct from the fellowship.
For more information, contact:

Email: fellowships@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-7777

New Frontiers in Research Fund—2019 Exploration Competition

The objective of the Exploration stream of the NFRF program is to support high risk, high reward and interdisciplinary research that is not easily supported through funding opportunities currently offered by the three agencies. It seeks to inspire projects that bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches by research teams with the capacity to explore something new, which might fail but has the potential for significant impact. Exploration grants aim to have a variety of types of impacts, some of which might be social, economic, scientific, artistic or cultural. This is not an exhaustive list; other types of impacts are also recognized.

Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral Program

The Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral (CGS D) program is a federal program of scholarships awarded through national competitions by the granting agencies: the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

The CGS D program supports high-calibre students engaged in doctoral programs in all academic disciplines. This support allows scholars to fully concentrate on their doctoral studies, to seek out the best research mentors in their chosen fields and contribute to the Canadian research ecosystem during and beyond the tenure of their awards.

Healthy Cities Research Training Platform

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) are jointly funding a national Healthy Cities Research Training Platform (HCRTP) to develop an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral training initiative that will generate cutting-edge knowledge and build capacity for implementation science and solutions-based research.

Letter of Intent deadline: December 10, 2019

For more information, visit the HCRTP webpage or contact:

Paula Popovici
Senior Program Officer
Research Grants and Partnerships Division, SSHRC
Tel.: 613-992-0498
Email: Paula.Popovici@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Living Within the Earth’s Carrying Capacity

SSHRC, with support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, has launched this Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition aimed at examining ways to adapt to living within the Earth’s carrying capacity, which is considered one of humanity’s most important challenges.

New Frontiers in Research Fund—2020 Transformation Competition

The Transformation stream is designed to support large-scale, Canadian-led interdisciplinary research projects that address a major challenge with the potential to realize real and lasting change (high reward). The challenge may be fundamental, leading to a scientific breakthrough, or applied, with a social, economic, environmental or health impact. Projects are expected to be world-leading, drawing on global research expertise where relevant.

Horizon 2020 Migration Call

SSHRC is launching a call for proposals in support of Canadian researchers’ engagement with European research consortia funded via the Horizon 2020 (H2020) research platform. This is the second round of this SSHRC funding opportunity.

Research Data Management Capacity Building Initiative

To continue helping the Canadian social sciences and humanities research community better understand data management and incorporate data management considerations into research practices, SSHRC’s Research Data Management Capacity Building Initiative will fund at least 10 meritorious Connection Grants proposals per competition to support the research community’s development, adoption and dissemination of research data management standards, practices, tools and skills appropriate to their field.

2020 Horizon Global Platform Competition

The objective of the International stream is to support international research collaborations and position Canada and Canadian researchers as strategic partners at the international level. This is achieved through two mechanisms. The first mechanism involves joint calls with international agencies on topics of international relevance. The second mechanism funds the participation of Canadian researchers on international research projects supported by major global platforms.

Canadian 2019 Novel Coronavirus Rapid Research funding Opportunity

The Government of Canada would like to provide further information on the pending launch of a rapid research response to contribute to global efforts to contain the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Skills and Work in the Digital Economy

As digital technologies transform our economy, employees, employers and policy-makers have new opportunities to revolutionize the way we work. To appreciate what this means for Canadians, and to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the transition to the digital economy, SSHRC and the Future Skills Centre launched a Knowledge Synthesis Grant competition.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants: Mobility and Public Transit

SSHRC and Infrastructure Canada have launched a Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition to assess the state of knowledge on mobility and public transit issues. The findings of grant holders will inform and guide policy-makers and service providers responsible for public transit at the community level.

John R. Evans Leaders Fund

The John R. Evans Leaders Fund of the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) offers infrastructure funding to support applicants’ research and/or research-related partnership activities. Interested applicants must submit separate proposals to SSHRC and the CFI. They must apply through:

• Insight Grants 
• Partnership Grants

For more information, contact the CFI liaison officer at your institution, or contact SSHRC at:

Email: partnershipgrants@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Tel.: 613-943-1007