2022 NSERC Enhancement Program Call for Applications (April 25, 2022 Deadline)

The Office of Research Services at Lakehead University is pleased to announce the continuation of the NSERC Enhancement Program in the spring of 2022. This program is designed to encourage and support researchers at Lakehead University to begin preparation of their NSERC Discovery Grant applications well in advance of the internal deadline, with the ultimate goal of increasing overall success rates.

Eligibility:
While the program is designed to support early career researchers in obtaining NSERC Discovery Grant funding, application to the program is open to all faculty. Those who have participated in previous enhancement programs are welcome to re-apply to the program on an audit-only basis. Priority will be given to tenure-track faculty. The number of participants will not exceed 15 per year.

Proposed Dates:
Workshops will run once a week for 4 consecutive weeks (specific dates and times to be determined in collaboration with participants).

• Start: Week of May 9^th - May 13^th, 2022
• End: Week of May 30^th - June 3^rd, 2022
• Discovery Grant Draft Submission: On or before July 4^th, 2022

Program Structure:

Four, 2-hour workshops will be led and facilitated by Dr. Lexi Haslehurst, NSERC Research Facilitator, with active participation from faculty members experienced in NSERC grant-writing and adjudication. Each week, tasks will be assigned to encourage the early development of an NSERC Discovery Grant. Feedback on written portions will be provided by the Facilitator and returned to the applicant in a timely manner. Within 30 days of the final workshop, a draft proposal will be submitted to the Facilitator, who will provide the participant with feedback intended to assist in further development of a Discovery Grant for submission in the autumn term.

Topics to be discussed include: 1) An overview of the Discovery Grant program; 2) Evaluation criteria for applications; 3) Demonstrating research excellence; 4) Developing an HQP training plan; 5) Incorporation of equity, diversity and inclusion; 6) Budgets; 7) Developing a research proposal.

Award:

Participants in the program will be eligible for a research grant of up to $1500, distributed in two installments, to aid in the development of their Discovery Grant applications. Researchers may use this grant for costs associated with research, including but not limited to hiring research assistants and grant writers/editors, collecting preliminary data, and meeting with research partners. Participants may only receive this grant once but may audit future Discovery Grant Enhancement programs if desired. 

The $1500 grant will be distributed in two allotments: 1) $750 following completion of the four modules; and 2) $750 after they have applied to the NSERC Discovery Grant program in the autumn.

Apply:

To be considered for participation, researchers will need to submit an application through ROMEO (click on Apply New - Tri-Agency Grant Enhancement Programs). Applications will include a brief project summary, a summary of the applicant’s experience with tri-agency grants, and a budget for the $1,500 research grant. 

Applications are due April 25^th, 2022.

If you need help using the ROMEO system, please contact Bonnie Knott, ROMEO administrator, at  bknott@lakeheadu.ca

For general questions about the program, please contact Dr. Lexi Haslehurst at nserc.research@lakeheadu.ca