Contributions Program 2024-25

Eligibility

Only not-for-profit organizations – including consumer, voluntary and advocacy organizations, educational institutions, and industry & trade associations – are eligible for funding.

Eligible projects

The Contributions Program is administered under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which governs the collection, use or disclosure of personal information by organizations in the course of commercial activities. Accordingly, only research or public awareness proposals that address privacy issues in the private sector will be considered. Proposals that touch on issues falling within the federal public sector can be submitted, provided that the primary focus of the proposal deals with the private sector.

Projects must be national in scope

The mandate of the OPC is to oversee compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, which is the federal, private sector privacy law. Consequently, the OPC will examine only wide-scale projects or projects of national application that are relevant to the federal sphere. Projects that examine issues or address concerns that are exclusively or predominantly local, provincial or foreign in scope will not be considered eligible for funding.

Summary

Objectives

The program’s objectives are to:

1) Strengthen existing privacy research capacity in academic and not-for-profit sectors.

2) Generate new knowledge and support the development of expertise in selected areas of privacy and data protection.

3) Increase awareness and understanding among individuals and organizations across Canada of their privacy rights and obligations.

4) Promote uptake and application of research results by relevant stakeholders.

Eligible projects

The Contributions Program is administered under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which governs the collection, use or disclosure of personal information by organizations in the course of commercial activities. Accordingly, only research or public awareness proposals that address privacy issues in the private sector will be considered. Proposals that touch on issues falling within the federal public sector can be submitted, provided that the primary focus of the proposal deals with the private sector.

This year’s themes:

1) Addressing the privacy impacts of new technologies

2) Ensuring that children's privacy is protected

Addressing the privacy impacts of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and generative AI

The OPC is interested in receiving proposals that examine the privacy risks that technological advancements, such as AI and generative AI, bring and possible mitigation solutions, including potential privacy by design approaches. 

Some potential questions that could be avenues of research or public outreach for funding applicants in this year’s call for proposals include:

• How can individuals’ rights of access, rectification and erasure of personal information be supported in generative AI systems?
• What role can privacy-enhancing technologies play in the development of generative AI systems?
• What are best practices for fairness, accountability, and transparency of AI systems?
• How can organizations meaningfully engage with groups impacted by emerging technologies in advance of their deployment?
• How can emerging techniques for de-identification and anonymization help to address some of the pressing challenges facing privacy today and in the future?
• What other emerging technologies are on the horizon, and what challenges do they pose for privacy? How can policymakers and organizations prepare for these challenges?

Ensuring that children’s privacy is protected, and that young people are able to exercise their privacy rights

The OPC is interested in receiving proposals that examine ways to enhance privacy protections for children and young people online, and how to best empower them to exercise their privacy rights. We are also interested in proposals that examine the unique perspectives of young people when it comes to their online privacy in a commercial context.

Some potential questions that could be avenues of research or public outreach for funding applicants in this year’s call for proposals include:

• How can we help children and young people fully participate in the online world while effectively ensuring their privacy is protected?
• How should the concept of the best interests of the child be interpreted to promote online privacy in commercial settings?
• How can organizations best ensure that consent from young people or their parents is meaningful?
• What are privacy protective methods for conducting age assurance?
• How do children value and view the importance of protecting their online privacy in a commercial context?
• How do cultural differences and varied attitudes about children’s privacy shape online experiences?

That said, as in past years, project proposals do not need to be limited to these themes alone. We will also accept proposals for research or educational projects that address other cutting-edge issues that advance the protection of privacy in the private sector.

Regardless of the topic of the proposal, we encourage all applicants to incorporate an intersectional analysis into their project and to include strategies that could help reduce inequalities between people.

Overhead

Indirect administrative expenses (that is, overhead) must be limited to no more than 15 per cent of the total eligible project expenses incurred under the contribution agreement.

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.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

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.

Submission Process

Full application, plus approvals in RMS, will be required by RSO by noon on February 16, 2024. Please be sure to select "Submitted for approvals" (Under Save & Progress) in RMS in enough time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the internal RSO deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

The deadline for receipt of applications is February 21, 2024, at 11:59 PM (your local time).

Once institutional approval has been obtained, please forward your application to the following coordinates.

Email is preferred: contrib@priv.gc.ca

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Care of: Contributions Program
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 1H3

RESOURCES

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research:

Support with the development of your grant application is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Support for Knowledge Engagement:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation is available through the Knowledge Engagement Team. Applicants can reach out by email to the KE team at knowledge.engagement@ucalgary.ca. For more information, please visit the KE team webpage.

Support for Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca OR research.data@ucalgary.libanswers.com.

Support for EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice. Contact Erin.OToole@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Support for Research Security:

The new Research Security Division is available to offer guidance and support on safeguarding research and ensuring that principles of research security are upheld while conducting leading edge research. Learn more on their webpage or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application