NSERC Alliance Advantage 2024 (formerly Option 1) - Rolling intake

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.
• You must have at least one partner organization (in the private, public or not-for-profit sector) whose cash contributions will be recognized for cost-sharing (see Alliance grants: Role of partner organizations) but you may include other partner organizations who play an important role in your research project whether or not their cash contributions are recognized for cost sharing. In-kind contributions should be present for all partners.
• Please complete the Risk Assessment Form if you working with a private sector partner and reach out to research.security@ucalgary.ca to help you put together your mitigation plans and complete the partner vetting

>LINK FOR JANUARY 2024 WEBINARS AND LATEST UPDATES<

Summary

This competition has a rolling intake.

Alliance Advantage grants encourage university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from the private, public or not-for-profit sectors. These grants support research projects led by strong, complementary, collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada.

Research supported by Alliance grants will:

• generate new knowledge and/or technology to address complex challenges;
• create economic, social and/or environmental benefits;
• contribute to Canada’s long-term competitiveness;
• support public policy;
• train new researchers in areas that are important to Canada and to the partner organizations;
• draw on diverse perspectives and skill sets to accelerate the translation and application of research results.

Application process:

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

1. If you are working with a private sector partner organization then you will need to complete a risk assessment form which can be found here.  Please reach out directly to researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca for additional information and help. 

2. Complete your application in the NSERC On-line system. 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. 

3. 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 NSERC Portal 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.

Overhead

No overhead is applicable. 

Additional resources: 

Partners

• Digital pamphlet for partner organizations
• Role of partner organizations
• Partner organization self-assessment tool
• Partner organization form instructions

Apply

Application instructions and materials

• Completing an application — form 101 instructions (including page lengths)
• Proposal template
• National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form
• Personal data form with CCV attachment — form 100A instructions
• Canadian Common CV — How to complete NSERC’s version
• Alliance grant application checklist

Supplementary guides and overviews

• Equity, diversity and inclusion in your training plan
• Option 2 overview pamphlet
• Safeguarding Your Research portal

Terms and conditions of applying

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

Presentation on preparing an Alliance application

• Presentation on preparing an Alliance application: video (PLEASE READ VIDEO DESCRIPTION FOR ALLIANCE PROGRAM UPDATES)
• Presentation on preparing an Alliance application: slides with notes
• Presentation on preparing an Alliance application: slides

Review

• Merit indicators
• Instructions to external reviewers
• Option 2 public impact value proposition (PIVP) selection committee review instructions

Award

• Terms and conditions of award
• Policy on intellectual property

Additional links

• Eligibility
• Tri-agency guide on financial administration
• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• Professors frequently asked questions
• Appeals of NSERC funding decisions

Application deadlines

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.

Dec 5, 2023 updates: 

Removing barriers to collaboration, championing more research partnerships and strengthening relationships with the research community
Extensions with funding
One of the barriers to continued collaborations is the time limit on grants. To date, NSERC has extended grants automatically for one year (and by request in extenuating circumstances), but these extensions did not involve additional funding. Now, Alliance Advantage grants may be extended for an additional year with funding, to allow universities and their partners to take advantage of new research directions that arise during a project.

Broadening the range of partner organizations recognized for cost sharing
A greater range of partners can now be recognized for cost sharing in Alliance grants. Potential partner organizations now include:

• all registered charities
• unions
• registered companies

Additionally, industrial associations and producer groups have been more clearly differentiated to better recognize the unique role that each type of organization plays in the research and innovation ecosystem.
The requirement that partner organizations must operate from their own offices or facilities has been relaxed in light of the expansion of virtual work. Provided the partner can exploit the research results and interact with highly qualified personnel, NSERC will consider a partner organization that works virtually.

Conflict of interest guidelines
These guidelines have changed to provide flexible access to NSERC Alliance grants while ensuring that funds are used responsibly and that all research participants are protected. Institutions will now manage conflicts of interest and put mitigation plans in place according to their own policies.

Providing efficient and responsive proposal assessment
Streamlined merit criteria
The merit criteria used to evaluate applications have been streamlined, with the number of sub-criteria reduced from 11 to 8. The changes will make assessment more clear-cut for both applicants and reviewers.
The Alliance grants proposal template has changed to reflect the revised, streamlined merit criteria. However, applicants with a proposal under way may use the previous proposal template until March 31, 2024.

Improving assessment times for more projects
To reduce turnaround times, NSERC is changing the threshold at which it will consider an internal review for Alliance Advantage projects from an annual request of $30,000 to $75,000. Internal reviews are typically completed more quickly than external assessments.

Ensuring inclusive research support
Cost sharing voucher for early career researchers
In support of early career researchers (ECRs), NSERC is launching a pilot initiative to offer 200 vouchers of $10,000 each to replace some or all of the required cash contributions from partner organizations in an Alliance Advantage grant. Since NSERC matches partner contributions in a 2:1 ratio, the $10,000 voucher will be matched with $20,000, for a total of $30,000. The deadline to signal interest for a voucher is February 22, 2024. If more than 200 ECRs express interest, NSERC will randomly select 200 recipients.

Promoting participation of early career researchers in Alliance Advantage
To help more ECRs participate in Alliance Advantage grants, they will no longer be required to hold an active peer-reviewed grant from NSERC as a condition for internal review when they are co-applicants for small Alliance Advantage grants (now up to $75,000 annually). This will encourage established researchers to mentor ECRs as co-applicants and provide ECRs opportunities to build relationships with partners.

NSERC online system updates
New modules have been added to the online system to streamline the application process. In the Partnership module, applicants will attest their compliance with the new conflict of interest guidelines and indicate if their partnership involves a private sector organization. For private sector partnerships, applicants must attach the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form to its dedicated upload module. These new modules are captured in the validation step to help ensure that submission requirements are met.
If you have questions about these changes, contact the Alliance grants team by email at alliance@nserc-crsng.gc.ca or by phone at 1-855-275-2861.

Previous updates 

Effective immediately, all new Option 1 applications may request up to 66.7% of the project costs (2:1 leverage) from NSERC, regardless of partner organization size or sector. This change does not affect or apply to applications submitted prior to June 23, 2023.

As of July 12, 2021, applicants (and their institutions) are required to complete the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships’ risk assessment form for all Alliance grant applications involving one or more partner organizations from the private sector. For such partnerships, applicants must submit the completed risk assessment form as an integral part of the NSERC Alliance application. For more information, please read the news release.