Sponsor
Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA)
Program
Canadian Field Crop Cluster 2018-2023
For More Information
Background on the CFCRA and details about this call for Letters of Intent (LOI) can be found on the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance website.
Description
Since 2013, the CFCRA has been managing a five-year, $10.3 million agri-science cluster, in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) under the industry-led research and development stream of the Growing Forward 2 (GF2) AgriInnovation program. This Canadian Field Crop Genetics Improvement Cluster focuses on providing Canadian corn and soybean growers, and eastern Canadian barley and oat growers with enhanced genetics for high-yielding, low input, disease-resistant varieties while addressing the needs of the market for value-added traits that deliver higher levels of nutrition and improved processing attributes. The CFCRA is also involved in a separate GF2 agri-science cluster program focused on wheat, entitled the National Wheat Improvement program, led by the Western Grains Research Foundation.
As the current Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) comes to an end in March 2018, CFCRA intends to build on the success of the current cluster by developing a new Canadian Field Crop Cluster for submission to the next generation of research funding initiatives to be announced under the next APF. In preparation for this new cluster application, CFCRA is requesting letters of intent (LOI) from researchers to identify strategic research projects and collaborations that would strengthen the value of the Canadian bioeconomy and provide significant benefits to Canadians in years to come. The next APF is expected to be accepting funding applications by summer 2017 and to be fully launched by April 1, 2018.
While the existing cluster supports corn and soybean research nationally, and barley and oat for eastern Canada, a new Canadian Field Crop Cluster would support research on corn, oat and soybean nationally, and eastern Canadian barley. With an expanded geographic scope in mind, CFCRA is strongly encouraging national collaborations on projects, where relevant.
While the CFCRA is the lead handling the development of a group of research projects to specifically address eastern Canadian barley priorities, it is important to note that we are coordinating with the Barley Council of Canada in this effort. The Barley Council of Canada (BCC) has been leading an effort to generate a list of national barley priorities and the two organizations are working closely together to develop cluster research programs that will be functional and will ensure the long-term competitiveness of the barley value chains across Canada under the next APF.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants include researchers in Canadian academic institutions, not-for-profit research institutions, and federal and provincial Government research organizations.
Indirect Costs
15%
Project Duration
Up to 5 years from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2023
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
External Deadline | Please note letters of intent must be submitted to the sponsor no later than Sunday January 8, 2017.
|
How to Apply
The process will be carried out in two stages:
- Letter of interest
- Submission deadline: Sunday, January 8, 2017 (11:59 PM EST).
- LOI submission details: Please submit your LOI in Word format and use the "CFCRA Cluster Letter of Intent Template."
- Send completed LOI by email to:
Matthew Czerwinski, Project Manager (CFCRA)
mczerwinski@gfo.ca - Researchers are not required to submit their LOI to the Office of Research for approval before submission to the Sponsor. Researchers are asked to send a copy of their proposal to the Office of Research for information purposes only (no OR-5 required at the LOI stage).
- Researchers will be notified by the sponsor if they have been invited to submit a full proposal.
- Full proposal
Those invited to submit a full proposal must submit their full proposal to the Office of Research two weeks in advance of the sponsor's deadline, along with a signed OR-5.
Letter of interest and full proposal can be found in the Office of Research's document locker.
Information For Co-applicants
If you are part of an application or team that has been invited to submit a full proposal but are not the lead, please contact the Office of Research as soon as possible.