Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) — Innovation Fund
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Canada's largest competitive research infrastructure fund. Up to 40% of costs for equipment/facilities at universities, colleges, and research hospitals. 2025 competition: $552M across 92 projects. Private companies cannot apply directly but participate as co-funding industry partners with research access and IP collaboration rights.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions only
- Private companies NOT eligible as primary applicants — industry participation as co-funding partner
- Minimum $1M total project cost
- Institution must have current CFI agreement
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to 40% of eligible costs (average ~$4.6M per project)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 40% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- 2027 competition open - NOI deadline Sep 29, 2026; full proposals Feb 2, 2027. Confirm on innovation.ca.
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win CFI
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 6-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 7-program stacking strategy to combine with compatible funding
- Success profile + evaluation criteria — exactly what reviewers score on
How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipFor private companies: your path is as a co-funding partner, not applicant. Approach a university research office with a proposal to co-invest ($250K-$2M) for research access and IP rights. CFI research security (STRAC) means foreign-controlled companies face extra scrutiny. Best entry: university engineering departments in your sector.
Success Profile
For institutions: major university/hospital with established research program and provincial co-funding. For industry: mid-large Canadian tech/health/energy company with R&D gap that university infrastructure would address and $500K+ co-funding budget.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application steps not yet documented.
Required Documents 6
Deadline Notes
The 2027 Innovation Fund competition is open (NOI Sep 29, 2026; full proposals Feb 2, 2027). The 2025 competition awarded $552M to 92 projects (decisions Mar 2026). Approach a university research office 12-18 months ahead.
Applying for CFI? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Unknown RiskHow CFI Compares
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