2024 Alliance Quantum Grants with NRC

Eligibility

• If you are a Canadian university researcher who is eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply on your own or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers.
• Grants awarded for this call will support proposals of varying scale and complexity, including projects involving one researcher to projects involving multiple researchers across several universities.
• NSERC encourages the participation of early career researchers (ECRs) as applicants or co-applicants on Alliance Quantum grant applications. While applications led by ECRs will be assessed using the same evaluation criteria, the merit indicators used for the assessment include provisions for cases where the applicant’s experience in managing projects or mentoring trainees is nascent. 
• In addition to the NRC through the QSP, you must involve at least one Canadian SME as a partner organization in your project. You may also include other partner organizations (in the private, public or not-for-profit sector) that play an important role in your project. 
• At least one partner organization must have the ability to exploit the project’s research results.
• Even though cash contributions are not required from partner organizations, you must have at least one partner organization whose cash contributions would be recognized for cost sharing, had there been any required (see Alliance grants: Role of partner organizations). The Canadian SME(s) participating in your project should normally satisfy this requirement. The NRC, as a partner organization of your project, is not recognized for cost sharing.

Summary

Projects considered as part of this call for proposals should be associated with a technology readiness level (TRL) in the range 3-6, address a need in the quantum sensing ecosystem, and fall under one of the NRC’s current QSP areas of focus:

• Quantum photonics
• Chip-based quantum systems
• Quantum metrology

Collaborations that synergistically couple any of these quantum sensing areas to other research topics in the natural sciences and engineering would be accepted.

Partner organizations do not need to provide cash contributions to participate, but they must actively play a role in the project and support it through in-kind contributions. A broad range of in-kind contributions could be made toward a project; refer to the Partner organizations web page for additional information.

NSERC and the NRC will provide financial support for up to three years. Through Alliance Quantum grants, NSERC will provide from $100,000 to $350,000 per year per project toward eligible direct costs of research incurred by the academic team. Through CSTIP, the NRC will provide, on average*, up to $350,000 per year per project for the non-repayable reimbursement of up to 75% of eligible expenditures incurred by the participating Canadian SME(s) to support the project. These expenditures are those associated with SME(s) involvement in the project and their in-kind contributions to support it.

This call for proposals will be supported by NSERC and the NRC through a combined envelope of up to $12 million over three years.

Submission process

This funding opportunity will be available and will accept applications on an ongoing basis until June 14, 2024, 8:00 p.m. (ET). Applications will be evaluated as they are received. You can apply at any time. 

This competition will be run through Research Management System (RMS).

1. Complete your application in the NSERC On-line system, please see the full instructions here. Once the application is complete (including required attachments and your CCV), verify each section, and then press "Submit". Your application will be sent to the Research Services Office. Please ensure your application is final and complete; Research Services will not review drafts, and, once received, your application may be submitted to NSERC without further notice. 

 2. Complete the Pre-Award record in RMS (login at https://research.ucalgary.ca/rms) and “Submit for academic approvals” (Under Save & Progress) in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the Research Services deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.  

• Please note, your application will not be considered submitted and will not be reviewed until both the application is submitted in the Research Portal (a paper copy is not required) and the RMS Approvals have been received. As Alliance is a rolling intake, once we have received both the completed RMS record and the NSERC application in the NSERC portal, please indicate if you would like a basic (allowable turnaround time is 3 days) review or a detailed (allowable turnaround time is 2 weeks) review.

• The detailed review includes a detailed review of the application, checking for eligibility and UofC commitments and risk, compliance with program guidelines, completeness of application, and the opportunity for feedback to improve the application.

• The basic administrative review involves a minimal check of the application for eligibility and any UofC commitment or risk.

Resources

Partners

• Partner organization self-assessment tool for Alliance grants
• Alliance grants: Partner organization form instructions

Apply

Application instructions and materials

• Instructions for completing an Alliance Quantum grants application – form 101
• Alliance Quantum grants proposal template
• National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form
• National Research Council Canada’s Industry Collaborator Information and Financial Form
• Instructions for completing a personal data form with CCV attachment – form 100A
• How to complete NSERC’s version of the Canadian Common CV

Supplementary guidelines

• Equity, diversity and inclusion in your training plan
• Safeguarding Your Research portal
• National Research Council Canada’s grant and contribution funding for collaborators 

Terms and conditions of applying

• Terms and conditions of applying for applicants
• Terms and conditions of applying for partner organizations

Review

• Alliance Quantum grants merit indicators

Award

• Terms and conditions of award
• Policy on intellectual property

Overhead

No overhead.

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships

In the case where your application involves one or more partner organizations from the private sector, including when they participate alongside other partner organizations from the public and/or not-for-profit sectors, you must complete the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships' risk assessment form and include it as an integral part of your application.

At all times, Canadian researchers are encouraged to exercise appropriate levels of due diligence to safeguard their research. Resources to do so are provided by the Government of Canada on the Safeguarding Your Research portal.

At the UCalgary, please reach out to researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca. 

Equity, diversity and inclusion

NSERC is acting on the evidence that achieving a more equitable, diverse and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national and global challenges. This principle informs the commitments described in the Tri-agency statement on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

You are encouraged to consider sex, gender and diversity in the project's research design. Diversity and gender equity should also be considered when developing the research team and considering how to promote and support a variety of forms of mentoring to ensure students' and postdoctoral fellows' equitable participation and growth. Refer to the Guide for applicants: Considering equity, diversity and inclusion in your application for more information.