Genome Alberta: 2026 Genomics Data Connect – Accelerating Agricultural Innovation

Eligibility

Eligible projects must:

• Be led by an Alberta-based researcher
• Demonstrate engagement with an agriculture (private or public) sector stakeholder by their willingness to provide funding support (cash or in-kind; see Appendix 1 in the funding guidelines) and a commitment to implement the anticipated deliverables to drive impact for the sector
• Have a minimum project value of $200,000 and request $100,000 - $250,000 in funding from Genome Alberta
• Have a minimum 1:1 co-funding (i.e., funding from Genome Alberta must be matched or exceeded by funding from all other sources)
• Have a project term up 2 years
• Research activities can be conducted in Alberta or other provinces. Genome Alberta funds must be spent in Alberta (unless used for services from others, with strong justification as to why an out-of-jurisdiction service provider will be used). If research is conducted outside Alberta, the benefits gained by Alberta must be equivalent to those which would accrue had the research been conducted within Alberta

Summary

*This posting may be updated following the Genome Alberta information session on January 22, 2026 (see Additional Information section below). 

Alberta’s agricultural sectors, spanning livestock, crops and soils, generate massive volumes of data that remain underused, fragmented, or isolated. Improving access to high-value, integrated genomics datasets will enable tools to better forecast risk, manage disease, optimize breeding, improve crop and livestock performance, among many other potential outcomes.

This funding call prioritizes projects that leverage genomics data within the agriculture sector, with a particular emphasis on initiatives that focus on:

• Disease risk and animal health
• Crop and livestock resilience
• Soil microbiology
• Sustainability of honeybees

Objectives are to:

• Expand opportunities to apply big data analytics, AI, and machine learning to agriculture genomics data sets to develop practical solutions for producers
• Scale impact from data generated through previously funded research projects
• Promote a collaborative approach for improved data accessibility and problem solving to stimulate the transfer of innovative solutions across sub-sectors (e.g. dairy to beef, crop to feed systems).
• Deliver measurable benefits such as earlier disease detection, reduced input costs, or optimized performance traits

SUBMISSION PROCESS

The application process comprises two stages: 

1. Expression of Interest (EOI)
   • Concise overview of the project, including: the current limitation(s) that exist in Alberta/Canada’s agriculture systems that the project aims to solve; a description of the project including a summary of activities; anticipated deliverables and benefits to Alberta; a description of the team’s experience, expertise and connections to Alberta’s agriculture sector; and the co-funding plan
2. Full proposal – on invitation only to projects that meet eligibility criteria and demonstrate strong potential for impact and alignment with program objectives
   • Detailed description of the proposed project, including methods, activities, deliverables, milestones, Gantt chart, and a budget 

With program questions, contact Tom Finn at Genome Alberta at tfinn@genomealberta.ca (cc Research Services at ipd@ucalgary.ca).

Institutional and agency milestones are listed below; additional instructions follow.

Timeline

• Activity:       Genome Alberta information session; register via link below to receive Zoom link to session

         Date:           January 22, 2026, 2:30 pm

• Activity:       Submit Expression of Interest (available in Resources section below) to Genome Alberta and Research Services 

  • email to tfinn@genomealberta.ca, cc ipd@ucalgary.ca
  • no RMS is required at the EOI stage

  Deadline:    by 11:59pm February 10, 2026

• Activity:       Invitation to full application from Genome Alberta

  Date:    February 16, 2026

• Activity:       Submit final application and budget to Research Services for review; approvals should be complete within RMS 

  • email to ipd@ucalgary.ca
  • RMS pre-award/application record with approvals due

  Deadline:    By 9am March 23, 2026 

• Activity:       Submit final application to Genome Alberta
  • email to tfinn@genomealberta.ca, cc ipd@ucalgary.ca

      Deadline:            by 11:59pm March 30, 2026

Overhead

not applicable

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: No RMS record is required for EOI. If invited to full proposal, complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via RMS o 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.

Genome Alberta will offer an information webinar (below). Registration is required; registration link below: 

• January 22, 2026, 2:30 pm

RESOURCES

GDC: Accelerating Agriculture Innovation program guidelines

EOI Form 

Internal GDC: Accelerating Agriculture Innovation timeline

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 Application