Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative

Eligibility

Subject matter

Most SSHRC funding is awarded through open competitions. Proposals can involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. See the guidelines on subject matter eligibility for more information.

Projects whose primary objective is to conduct research activities (e.g., literature reviews, field work, data collection, interviews) or to develop stand-alone volumes, curriculum development, or preparation of teaching materials are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Proposed events and outreach activities

• All activities must take place within 12 months of the start date indicated on the notice of award (see decision dates in the funding cycle schedule).
• Proposed events and outreach activities must produce timely and concrete deliverables, such as conference proceedings or other knowledge products developed for traditional formats and/or employing digital and/or multimedia formats (unless specifically intended to create new, longer-term linkages or to initiate collaboration).
• Proposed events and outreach activities may be one-time encounters or catalysts designed to lead to longer-term partnerships and/or sustained programs of scholarly research.

Applicants

Applications can be submitted by institutions or by individual applicants and teams (consisting of one applicant or project director and one or more co-applicants and/or collaborators).

Institutional Connection Grant applications must be submitted by a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility to conduct an event, an outreach activity or a combination of the two that allows the institution to achieve strategic objectives relevant to its mission and mandate. The project director must be affiliated with the host institution (the applicant), prepare the application on behalf of the host institution and be responsible for the overall leadership of the project. The term “institution” from this point on in this description refers to both postsecondary institutions and not‑for‑profit organizations. Eligible not-for-profit organizations must apply by submitting an institutional application.

Individual Connection Grant applicants (except postdoctoral researchers) must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution that holds institutional eligibility at the time of application. Applicants conduct an event, outreach activity or a combination of the two that primarily falls in their areas of expertise and will allow them to make a significant contribution to their field of research. In the case of a team approach, all team members must meet the eligibility criteria specific to their role.

See the section below on Institutions for more information.

Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant or project director status. Applicants or project directors must be primarily affiliated with the institution responsible for administering the funds.

Applicants or project directors who have received a SSHRC grant of any type but have failed to submit an achievement report to indicate the completion of their project by the deadline specified in their notice of award are not eligible to apply for another SSHRC grant until they have submitted the report.

Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to be applicants or project directors if they have formally established an affiliation with an eligible institution within three months of the grant start date and maintain this affiliation for the duration of the grant period. Postdoctoral researchers should consult the Research Grants Office of the eligible institution(s) at which they will be seeking affiliation early in the process to confirm that administration of the grant is possible.

Students: Individuals enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply as applicant, project director, or co-applicant, regardless of their professional affiliation.

Students can be collaborators. Students who are collaborators on a project team cannot be paid a stipend or wage by the grant.

Matching funds

Applicants must demonstrate their ability to secure the minimum matching funds for this initiative. Additional support in the form of eligible cash and/or in-kind contributions (excluding registration fees) equivalent to a minimum of 25% of the amount requested from SSHRC must come from sponsoring organizations.

Summary

The Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative (SARI) is a joint effort between the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in partnership with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), to fund research leading to a sustainable, resilient and profitable agriculture sector in a net-zero economy. SARI was supported by Budget 2022, which included a commitment for immediate action toward climate mitigation, in support of the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy to support farmers as partners in building a clean, prosperous future.

The SARI-CG are intended to support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives, bringing together those working to advance sustainable agricultural sectors and food systems to support a just transition to net-zero in Canada, regardless of whether they have previously been involved in SARI grants or the Network grant.

The grants provide up to $50,000 over one year for both events and outreach activities, with the option of a one-year extension with no additional funding. A minimum request of $10,000 is required. Approximately 32 projects are expected to be funded. Higher amounts than $50,000 may be considered, but applicants must justify the higher amount, and provide evidence that the entire project can be managed within the one-year time frame.

Activities can include workshops, colloquiums, conferences, forums, summer institutes and documentaries, as well as other events or outreach activities that can help to transform Canada’s economy for a sustainable future. The activities will also facilitate the following, aimed specifically at sustainable agriculture and food systems issues:

• intersectoral exchanges of research between academia and partners from the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors in Canada and abroad;
• convene and transfer research knowledge to users currently working in the field, such as farmers, livestock producers and agricultural experts;
• increased accessibility and use of research knowledge within and beyond the postsecondary sector; and
• high-quality training experiences for students and/or postdoctoral researchers.

Activities should serve as a bridge between academic research, government and the broader agricultural and food sectors. Exchanges should be interdisciplinary and integrate the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, as well as other research fields. Efforts should be made to meet the sectors where they congregate—for example, agricultural exhibitions and fairs, demonstration farms, farm shows, etc.—toensure knowledge exchange extends beyond academic settings.

Application process

Applicants must complete the Connection Grants application form and follow the accompanying instructions.

Those applying to the SARI-CG must also:

• select the “Sustainable Agriculture Research Initiative Connection Grants” option from the “Joint or special initiative” field within the Identification module;
• include “Sustainable Agriculture” in the Keywords section within the Activity Details module;
• detail the potential benefits and/or outcomes of the proposed event or outreach activity as they relate to the objectives for this joint initiative within the Expected outcomes module; and
• demonstrate how the proposed event or outreach activity will support the joint initiative’s objectives within the Description of Project module.

In their application, SARI-CG applicants must follow the Connection Grants instructions, with the exception that SARI-CG applications should indicate a different matching funds amount—a minimum of 25% of the amount requested from SSHRC. In addition, to request funds above $25,000 for an event, applicants must select the “Outreach Activity” option in the “Project type” field within the Identification module. They must include event details in the relevant sections of their proposal.

As indicated in the Connection Grants funding opportunity description, the earliest any proposed SARI-CG project can start is October 1, 2026.

Overhead

N/A

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 Application