2026-27 NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate grants

Eligibility

• Applicants must meet both NSERC’s and  Mitacs’ eligibility criteria both when the application is submitted and when funding is released.
• Canadian university researchers eligible to receive NSERC funds can apply independently or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers. Applicants 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 other partner organizations who play an important role in the research project may be included in the application, whether or not their cash contributions are recognized for cost sharing.

Summary

NSERC and Mitacs have developed an opportunity, for applicants seeking support from both an Alliance grant and Mitacs Accelerate, to apply through a single application submission and review process. Applicants are invited to include in their Alliance application a request for additional support through Mitacs Accelerate internships as a component of the training of highly qualified personnel (HQP).

Joint Alliance-Accelerate grants support projects of varying scale and complexity, from short-term smaller projects involving one researcher to long-term projects involving researchers across several universities, and from one-on-one collaborations with one partner organization directly involved in the research to projects involving many partner organizations across multiple sectors.

Alliance-Accelerate applications require the following information when outlining the training of highly qualified personnel:

• A description of the role of the Mitacs interns in the research project, and an explanation of the quality of the research-based training experiences provided to the interns
• A description of how the internship partner organization is committed to providing supervision and mentorship to the interns
• An explanation of how the number of Mitacs interns and the number of internship units are appropriate to the scope of the project

Overhead

No overhead applicable. 

Application Process:

Applications will be reviewed following the same process as Alliance grants. Funding decisions will be communicated jointly from both NSERC and Mitacs to the applicants.

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

1. Applicants who wish to include Mitacs Accelerate internships in their Alliance application should contact their local Mitacs business development representative (see below) to obtain the Mitacs supplemental application and budget spreadsheet. Applicants must submit the NSERC-Mitacs joint application form to NSERC with their Alliance proposal.

a. Angelo Nwigwe, MBT Director, Business Development – Calgary/Lethbridge M: 403.836.6708, anwigwe@mitacs.ca

b. Annie Hoang, MSc, Business Development Specialist, Calgary, Ph: 403-462-7550 ahoang@mitacs.ca

2. Complete your application in the NSERC Research Portal. 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. 

a. When starting an NSERC Alliance application in the portal, please be sure to select "Mitacs Accelerate" as the 'type of call'.

b. The completed and signed Mitacs form will be uploaded in the 'other documents section'.

c. When identifying Mitacs as a 'joint funder' please include this email - signoff@mitacs.ca as the contact. Please see Joint Application Submission Steps PDF developed by Mitacs below in the 'Relevant Document' section.

3. Complete the Pre-Award record (with a copy of your application attached) in RMS using the funding opportunity “NSERC Alliance-Mitacs Accelerate grants” (login at https://research.ucalgary.ca/rms) and “Submit for academic approvals” (Under Save & Progress). This record must be done 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.  

4. Applications will not be considered submitted and will not be reviewed until both the application is submitted in the Research Portal (a paper copy is not required) and the RMS Approvals have been received. This competition operates on a rolling intake. As such, please note:

a. Once we have received both the completed RMS record and the NSERC application in the NSERC portal, both a basic (allowable turnaround time is 3 days) review or a detailed (allowable turnaround time is 2 weeks) review are offered.

b. 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.

c. The basic administrative review involves a minimal check of the application for eligibility and any UofC commitment or risk.

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.

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