Advance Program Stream I (Discovery Grants) 2025-2026

Eligibility

On July 8, 2025, from 10:30 - 11:30 am, Alberta Innovates will be hosting an online information session for the Advance/CASBE programs. Register here. 

Principal Investigator (PI)/Applicant Representative:

• PIs must hold an active NSERC Discovery Grant (Individual) awarded in Competition Year (CY) 2024, which means that the application was submitted in Fall 2023.
• The research must address one or more of the emerging technology topics outlined in Appendix A, with a priority focus area outlined in Appendix C of the program guide.
• PIs cannot hold more than one Advance Stream I grant simultaneously.

Summary

NSERC and AI will be hosting a joint information session, tentatively scheduled for June 25, 2025 (link forthcoming).

Intake deadline: July 25, 2025
Full Application deadline: September 8, 2025

The Advance Program Stream I offers supplemental funding for NSERC Discovery Grants (Individual). Successful applicants will receive 2/3rd of NSERC’s annual Discovery Grants (Individual) award value to a maximum of $20,000 per year per award for a maximum of two (2) years.

Alberta Innovates will process applications in the order they are received and until this year's Stream I budget is fully allocated. It is strongly recommended that applicants demonstrate the practice of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) adequately in their proposed project.

Program Resources

• AI Advance-NSERC Alliance Program Guide
• Advance Stream I Budget Template
• AI Program Contact: Susie Li, Susie.Li@albertainnovates.ca
• NSERC Program Contact: Kate Henbest, Kate.Henbest@nserc-crsng.gc.ca

Submission Process

There is a two-stage process consisting of an Intake Form and Full Proposal, which is by invitation only. Both stages of this competition will be part of the Research Management System (RMS), and approvals will be obtained electronically. Research Funding Application Approvals (RFAA) forms are not required as approvals are collected electronically in RMS.

1. PSIET Intake Form

The Post-Secondary Investment and Emerging Technology (PSIET) Intake Form, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) using a Pre-Award/Letter of Intent record, must be submitted to RSO by July 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm. Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

Please be sure to follow the instructions for filling out the PSIET Intake Form in the Program Guide.

Do not submit to Alberta Innovates until RSO's approval has been granted in RMS. Once this institutional approval has been obtained, the Principal Investigator will receive an automated message from RMS to their @ucalgary email address. You can then proceed with submitting your application via the Alberta Innovates online portal by July 25, 2025.

2. Full Application (by invitation)

The Full Application, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) using a Pre-Award/Application record,* must be submitted to RSO by September 3, 2025 at 12:00 pm. Please be sure to select 'Submitted for approval' (under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the RSO internal deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines.

*Creation of a new Pre-Award/Application record in RMS is not necessary. You can automatically generate an Application record from the existing LOI record by changing the status of the LOI record to 'Invited to full application' (under Save & Progress).

Do not submit to Alberta Innovates until RSO's approval has been granted in RMS. Once this institutional approval has been obtained, the Principal Investigator will receive an automated message from RMS to their @ucalgary email address. You can then proceed with submitting your application via the Alberta Innovates online portal by September 8, 2025.

The following attachments are required for the full application:

• approved NSERC Discovery Grants application;
• NSERC Notice of Decision including the Terms and Conditions;
• message from the evaluation group; and
• Alberta Innovates supplemental budget template.

Overhead

Not applicable. Alberta Innovates does not allow overhead and/or indirect costs.

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

Application deadlines

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