CFI 2023 Innovation Fund (IF): Internal Call for Expressions of Interest - Deadline: September 24, 2021

 

  • Deadline:  September 24, 2021

The Office of Research Services would like to encourage all full-time tenure-track and tenured faculty members and research centres to start planning for the next CFI IF call for proposals.   At this time, faculty submissions will not be evaluated but will be used to seek opportunities for collaboration among researchers, other academic institutions and partners. Once the CFI issues a formal call for proposals (Notice of Intent (NOI) to apply), the Vice-President Research and Innovation will then formally issue an internal call for NOIs for evaluation. 

When preparing their internal EOI's, applicants should be aware that Lakehead University’s institutional envelope under this competition will be $2,900,000 (representing CFI’s 40% of project costs).  CFI awards will be available to fund the acquisition or development of research infrastructure to increase research capacity (including construction or renovation costs) and the CFI will provide up to 40% of the total project cost.  We are also continuing to assume that the Ministry of Colleges and Universities' Ontario Research Fund (ORF) will fund an additional 40% with the remaining 20% of the funding to be provided by eligible funding partners (for example, in-kind contributions in the form of special discounts from equipment suppliers on infrastructure items beyond the best educational price).

When preparing their EOIs, researchers are encouraged to review the following CFI document:   2023 Innovation Fund Competition:  A Guide to Getting Started. Researchers who are looking to improve chances of success with this program are strongly encouraged to seek partnerships for the CFI Innovation Fund.  Those CFI IF applications funded in previous competitions have been from institutions with strong partnerships with other academic partners as well as partners in the private sector.

 

The Official CFI IF call is expected in October 2021.

 

Submission Requirements

(includes proposals in which Lakehead is the lead institution or has been asked to contribute part of its CFI allocation to another institution's submission)

Expressions of Interest submitted should be no more than two (2) pages, including the budget estimate, and must include the following information:

1. Name of Principal Applicant, Co-applicants (and their academic institutions) and potential external partners.

2. Project Title.

3. General Objectives – Describe how your proposed project meets the requirements and vision of the IF program.

4.  A brief description of the proposed research project.

5.  A budget estimate and list of potential equipment.       

6.  How the proposed research project fits with the research priority areas outlined in the Lakehead University Research Plan.

 

Should you have any questions regarding the CFI IF competition or internal CFI planning process, please contact Anne Klymenko at 807-343-8010 Ext. 8223 or via email: aklymenk@lakeheadu.ca