2025 NSERC Discovery Horizons Grants

Eligibility

Applicants and co-applicants

• The applicant and any co-applicants must all be eligible to hold NSERC funding. Consult the Eligibility requirements for faculty to apply for or hold grant funds (Sections 1.1, 2.1, 3 and 4 for university faculty) to ensure that you can participate in this grant program as an applicant or a co-applicant. If you are an adjunct professor, see the Note on adjunct professors section.
• While the research team is expected to have significant expertise in natural sciences and engineering (NSE) research, not all members need to engage in research in the NSE. College faculty members who meet the relevant eligibility criteria can participate in Discovery Horizons as co-applicants. For an adjunct professor, the same eligibility requirements apply as the Discovery Grants program.
• Active Discovery Grant holders are not eligible to apply.
  • Exception: If the Discovery Grant expires in 2025 or is automatically extended without additional NSERC funds, then the PI can apply to Discovery Horizons.
• Individuals are only allowed to hold or apply for one Discovery Horizons grant as either an applicant or co-applicant.
• Individuals participating in a Discovery Horizons grant as an applicant or co-applicant cannot hold both a Discovery Grant and a Discovery Horizons grant.

Applicant categories

Applicants and co-applicants to the Discovery Horizons program are categorized as either early career researchers or established researchers. Refer to the Discovery Grants applicant categories page for more information. Applicant categorization is the responsibility of NSERC staff and is done based on the information provided in the application.

Subject matter eligibility

An eligible proposal must meet both of the following criteria:

1. its primary objective must be to advance knowledge in the NSE; and
2. it must integrate or transcend disciplines in ways that would significantly benefit from peer review by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee.

Proposals that solely rely on the use of existing NSE methods and/or tools, while not advancing knowledge within an NSE field are not eligible for Discovery Horizons.

Summary

*Upcoming webinars*

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Discovery Horizons grants support investigator-initiated individual and team projects that broadly integrate or transcend disciplines to advance knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE). All full applications submitted to NSERC’s Discovery Horizons pilot program will be reviewed by the Tri-agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee (TAIPR). TAIPR is a jointly administered tri-agency peer review committee dedicated to the review of interdisciplinary research. In the context of this funding opportunity, the term “interdisciplinary” should be understood to fully encompass all research that connects, crosses or falls in between the traditional disciplines of the three agencies, including transdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, convergence research and other approaches at the interface.

Discovery Horizons grants are expected to be valued from $50,000 to $100,000 per year and will be commensurate to the size of the research team (applicant and co-applicant(s)) as indicated below.

• Single applicant: $50,000 per year
• Applicant and one co-applicant: $75,000 per year
• Applicant and two or more co-applicants: $100,000 per year

Submission Process

The Discovery Horizons application process has two stages: Letter of Intent (LOI) and full application.

This competition uses the tri-agency Convergence Portal and requires use of the Tri-agency CV (TCV). You are strongly encouraged to invite participants to the application and have them complete their TCVs early in the application process to avoid unnecessary delays.

Note: NSERC will update the full application instructions in August 2025.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

Step 1A: NSERC LOI Submission 

The LOI is mandatory and includes a brief summary (2,500 characters max). Reviewers will assess program fit, to identify a limited number of LOI applicants who will be invited to submit a full application. In the Fit for Program section, address the items below.

1. Explain how your project would benefit from being assessed by a tri-agency interdisciplinary peer review committee, as opposed to a joint review by NSERC's Discovery Grants evaluation groups. (1,000 characters max)
2. Demonstrate that the interdisciplinary approach is essential to achieving the project goals. (1,000 characters max)
3. Describe how the interdisciplinary approach enriches HQP training. (1,000 characters max)
4. Demonstrate that the interdisciplinary elements are integrated and inseparable (i.e., not sub-projects that could be reviewed on their own merit). (1,000 characters max)

See the instructions for completing a letter of intent for more details.

**Do not submit your LOI in the Convergence Portal until you have completed Step 1B and have a fully approved RMS record (approvals from department head, ADR, and Research Services).**

Step 1B: RMS record

1. LOIs must be submitted to Research Services (RSO) for institutional approval through the Research Management System (RMS) by June 11, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
2. Complete a Pre-Award/Letters of Intent record in 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 RSO internal deadline.

Full Application

Step 2A: NSERC Application Submission

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal and will receive further guidance on application requirements with that invitation. Full applications will need to address the selection criteria listed below in a 10-page (max) research proposal.

The full application instructions provide more details (will be updated in August 2025).

**Please do not submit the application in the Convergence Portal until Research Services has completed its review of the application. Submission in the portal locks the Participants section of the application, which prevents any changes to the information and/or attachments (including the TCVs).**

Step 2B: RMS record

1. Applications must be submitted to Research Services (RSO) for institutional approval through the Research Management System (RMS) by October 15, 2025 at 12:00 p.m.
2. There is no need to create create an entirely new Pre-Award/Application record in RMS. Continue with the same RMS number by updating the status of the Pre-Award/Letter of Intent record from Step 1B to 'Invited for full application' (under Save & Progress). The system will generate a Pre-Award/Application record.
3. Complete the Pre-Award/Application record in 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 RSO internal deadline.

Overhead

Not applicable.

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

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.

RESOURCES  

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with Research Services, the more help we can be! 

Contact the following Research Service units for support with: 

Projects Involving Indigenous Research:
Support with incorporating wise practices in Indigenous research, community engagement, and Indigenous data management 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. 

Knowledge Mobilization, Research Impact Assessment, DORA:
Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, research impact, responsible research assessment (DORA), and open science, is available through the Knowledge to Impact team.  

Applicants can reach out by email to the KI team at knowledge.impact@ucalgary.ca.  
For more information and access to resource archives, please visit the KI team webpage. 

Research Data Management:
For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca.    

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 edi.rso@ucalgary.ca for more information. 

Research Security:
The Research Security Division is available to ensure researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). 

Visit the Research Security website to learn more or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.  

Pre-Award Submissions: 
RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI 
RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application