Sponsor
Banting Research Foundation (BRF)
For More Information
Please visit the Discovery Award program website.
Description
The Discovery Award is for innovative health and biomedical research projects by outstanding new investigators at universities and research institutes in Canada who are within the first three years of their first academic appointment. The intent is to provide seed funding so that applicants are able to gather pilot data to enhance their competitiveness for other sources of funding. In addition, BRF partners with other organizations to grant co-funded Discovery Awards.
Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the Discovery Award:
- You must be a new investigator at any Canadian university or affiliated research institute and be within the first three years of the date of your first career academic appointment at the application deadline of January 24, 2024.
- You must not have received more than $250,000 in start-up funding provided by your institution, excluding support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI).
- You must not have been awarded more than $50,000 per annum in external research funding (operating grants) at the application date of January 24, 2024.
An applicant who has been awarded more than $50,000 per annum in external research funding may submit a request for up to $30,000, provided that the total sum of the operating funds received from all sources during the funding year, including any funding awarded by The Banting Research Foundation, will not exceed $80,000.
Institutional Support
A department/division head may nominate only one applicant during each annual granting cycle. A letter of nomination from the applicant’s host department or division head is required. The letter must confirm:
- all eligibility criteria have been met;
- the dollar amounts and sources of all operating and institutional start-up funds available to the applicant;
- the candidate has been provided the space and access to institutional infrastructure necessary to conduct the proposed research;
- that a mentorship plan is in place for the candidate as they launch their career. The mentor who will provide guidance to the applicant must be identified.
Funding Availability
At least six awards per year are funded.
Maximum Project Value
$30,000
Indirect Costs
0%
Project Duration
One year (July 1 to June 30)
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
External Deadline | Notice of Intent Required: Applicant to submit NOI form and additional information directly to sponsor (online submission). Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be invited by November 30, 2023, to submit full applications for phase two of the Discovery Award process. | |
Internal Deadline | Application if invited: Applicant to submit a copy of application and nomination letter from department along with a complete OR5 form to research.services@uoguelph.ca. | |
External Deadline | Application if invited: Applicant will receive instructions on how to complete and submit application form once NOI has been accepted. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged by email, and applicants will be notified by email of funding decisions in June 2024. |
How to Apply
Two-Step Application Process:
Phase 1: Notice of Intent (NOI)
The NOI will comprise:
- The title of the research proposal (125 characters or fewer). The same title must be used for the full proposal.
- Keywords identifying the research focus of the project (5-7 keywords).
- A Project Abstract: a summary of the proposal that highlights the project objectives and deliverables, and how the project shows research excellence and innovation (up to 1800 characters, approximately 300 words).
- The total start-up funding, in dollars.
- An acknowledgement of institutional support. Each department/division head is permitted to nominate only one applicant during each annual granting cycle. The applicant must acknowledge that the plan to submit a proposal has been discussed with the respective Department / Division Head.
Phase 2: Full Application
Applicants who meet the eligibility requirements will be invited by November 30, 2023, to submit full applications for phase two of the Discovery Award process. Eligible applications will be reviewed by the Banting Grant Review Panel in Late April. Final approval will be made by the Board of Trustees in May. Applicants will be notified by email of funding decisions in June 2024. Applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be considered.
Applications are assessed based on:
- The innovative potential of the project;
- Track record of the applicant and the research environment;
- Merit of the proposal, project feasibility, and justification of the request;
- The proposal’s consideration of EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion);
- Impact of The Banting Research Foundation Discovery Award on the research program; and
- The letter of support from the institution.
Attachment(s)
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Notice of Intent Form | 262.62 KB |