Research Support Fund

What is the Research Support Fund?

The Research Support Fund assists Canadian postsecondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals and institutes with the expenses associated with managing the research funded by Tri-Council agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC). The annual grant helps institutions manage the financial demands of the indirect costs of research. By easing the institutional financial burden, the Research Support Fund helps the university create an environment where researchers can focus on their research, collaborate with colleagues, and translate their discoveries and innovations.

What are the indirect costs of research?

In order for research projects to step off the pages of the funding application and come alive in an active, collaborative environment, there is a host of everyday, practical requirements that must be addressed and in place. These requirements, that may not be directly obvious, have associated costs; these are the indirect costs of research. Some of the specific costs include those behind-the-scenes expenses incurred by the university supporting the day-to-day research enterprise. Without heat, electricity, computer and network maintenance or administrative staff, research projects would be near impossible to complete. Costs incurred to keep the lights on, maintain database servers, or the wear-and-tear maintenance for lab space all contribute to the indirect cost of research.

Contact:

Office of the VP Research research@ucalgary.ca 

Government of Canada Research Support Fund

 

In 2003, the Government of Canada introduced the Indirect Costs Program to help post-secondary institutions offset the less obvious costs of research. The Indirect Costs Program will be completed after the 2014-2015 fiscal year. For future years, the program will be replaced by the Research Support Fund.

In May 2016, The U15 Executive Heads agreed to the following statement on the indirect costs of research. Read more.

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year.

In 2024-25 UCalgary received a $15.1 M grant (excluding the Incremental Project Grant) dedicated to five expenditure categories:

UCalgary RSF Expenditure Categories

Affiliated Institutions

  • Alberta Health Services (AHS)
    • Alberta Children's Hospital
    • Alberta Children's Hospital Research Centre
    • Alberta Precision Laboratories (formerly Calgary Lab Services)
    • Foothills Hospital
    • Peter Lougheed Centre
    • Rockyview General Hospital
    • South Health Campus
    • Tom Baker Cancer Centre
  • Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute
  • Alberta Civil Liberties Research Centre
  • Alberta Sulphur Research Limited (ASRL)
  • Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
  • Canadian Institute of Resources Law (CIRL)
  • Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family
  • Carbon Management Canada Inc. (formerly Carbon Management Canada Research Institutes Inc.)
  • Platform Calgary (formerly Calgary Technologies Inc.)
  • PolicyWise
  • The Arctic Institute of North America (AINA) 
  • The Van Horne Institute
  • TRIUMF
  • University Technologies International Inc. 
  • Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research

Outcomes


Research Support Fund

2024-25 Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes (pdf)

 

Past Funding

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year.

In 2023-24 UCalgary received a $14.9 M grant (excluding the Incremental Project Grant).

View expenditure categories

2023-24 Research Support Fund Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes (pdf)

2023-24 Incremental Project Grant Institutional Performance Objectives (pdf)

2023-24 Incremental Project Grant Institutional Performance Objectives for Research Security (pdf)

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year. In 2022-2023 UCalgary received a $17.43 M grant (including the Incremental Project Grant) dedicated to five expenditure categories, with additional funds received $1.17M for Research Security.

View expenditure categories

View 2022-23 Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes

View 2022-23 RSF Outcomes Report

View 2022-23 IPG Performance Objectives Report

View 2022-23 IPG Performance Objectives Report - Research Security

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year. In 2021-2022 UCalgary received a  $16.95 M grant (including the Incremental Project Grant) dedicated to five expenditure categories.

View expenditure categories.

View 2021-22 Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes.

View 2021-22 RSF Outcomes Report.

View 2021-22 IPG Performance Objectives Report.

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year. In 2020-2021 UCalgary received a $16.02 M grant (including the Incremental Project Grant) dedicated to five expenditure categories.

View expenditure categories.

View 2020-21 Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes

View 2020-21 RSF Outcomes Report

View 2020-21 IPG Performance Objectives Report.

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year. In 2019-2020 UCalgary received a $15.28 M grant (including the Incremental Project Grant) dedicated to five expenditure categories.

View expenditure categories.

View 2019-20 Performance Indicators and Target Outcomes.

View 2019-20 RSF Outcomes Report.

View 2019-20 IPG Performance Objectives Report.

Calculation of the Research Support Fund Grant

The University of Calgary's Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on Tri-Council (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC) funding awarded in the previous fiscal year. In 2018/2019 UCalgary received a $14.3M grant, including the Incremental Project Grant, dedicated to five expenditure categories.

View expenditure categories.

View 2018-19 RSF Outcomes Report.

View 2018-19 IPG Performance Objectives Report.

Research Support in Action

CSM Legal and IRISS

New module streamlines the process for legal agreements

April 2, 2024

The new CSM Legal module streamlines the request and review process for legal agreements, empowering UCalgary researchers and our legal team to manage these tasks more efficiently.

Read more

Heading out to collect the first water sample at Sentinel Lake

Barrier Lake Field Station supports unique research access

October 3, 2023

The Barrier Lake Field Station allows researchers and students to easily visit nearby mountain sites to collect data for research on climate change and alpine lakes.

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Bijoy Menon and Carol Kenney

UCalgary partnership extends benefits of health research to more communities across Alberta

June 29, 2022

Cutting-edge technology underpins expanded reach of important clinical trial on use of clot-busting drugs for acute ischemic stroke treatment

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now innovating podcast

Podcast explores connections between research and innovation

September 21, 2021

[now innovating] shapes conversations toward transforming discoveries into solutions, products, and services

Read more | Listen Now

REB Exchange

REB Exchange streamlines multi-site research in Alberta

August 31, 2021

We are excited to announce the release of REB Exchange (REBX), a new ethics solution that integrates the ARISE (UAlberta) and IRISS (UCalgary) platforms to enable streamlined multi-site research, with a true single Board of Record model in Alberta.

Read more

River by Tahlisha North Peigan

Team sees Indigenous research as heart work, not hard work

May 14, 2021

Indigenous Research Support Team set to support Indigenous research 'in a good way'

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UCalgary main campus

Knowledge Engagement team develops toolkit for researchers to measure impact

May 26, 2021

Initiative demonstrates UCalgary’s commitment to research impact assessment

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Bedard family property in Piikani

Introducing UCalgary’s Indigenous Research Support Team

October 30, 2020

New office provides Indigenous research and scholarship guidance

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Innovation Untold

Student storytellers celebrate UCalgary innovators

April 15, 2020

Storytellers showcase campus changemakers in Innovation Untold contest

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FutureU

How do you inspire students to innovate? FutureU

January 28, 2020

New experiential learning program helps UCalgary students find their place in a rapidly changing world

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WeLab

UCalgary launches first entrepreneurship training program for women

November 13, 2019

Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking strengthens university's women-led innovation ecosystem

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Hieu Van Ngo is the leader of the Identity-based Wraparound Intervention Project.

It takes a village to raise a research project

July 18, 2018

Researchers and administration work together on community-based gang prevention program

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Participate in Research

Why one family has participated in more than a dozen research studies

June 15, 2018

Participate in Research website offers volunteer opportunities for families to give back to the community and learn about science

Read more

Director Liz Scarratt helps researchers secure funding: 'In the end, what I do is based on connections with other people'

Director Liz Scarratt helps researchers secure funding: 'In the end, what I do is based on connections with other people'

May 17, 2018

How the renewed Academic and Research Plans shape our workplace at University of Calgary

Read more