CIHR Industry Partnered Research
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
CIHR's dedicated industry-partnered programs have been sunset or are no longer actively accepting applications. The current pathway for businesses is to partner with an academic health researcher who leads a CIHR Project Grant application, with the business contributing cash or in-kind support. Businesses cannot apply to CIHR directly — funds flow to academic institutions. The Project Grant success rate is approximately 14%.
Eligibility Requirements
- Health-related company or organization seeking to partner with an academic health researcher
- The lead applicant must be a Canadian university or research hospital (businesses participate as partners)
- Company provides cash or in-kind contributions to the research partnership
- Research focus is in health sciences, biotechnology, or medical devices
- Company has a genuine health research challenge that would benefit from academic collaboration
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Varies
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Deadline
- Restructured — CHRP sunset April 2022; active pathway is CIHR Project Grant with industry partner
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
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How to Win
Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like
Insider TipA business cannot apply to CIHR directly -- you must partner with an academic researcher at a Canadian university or research hospital who leads the application. Start by connecting with researchers through your local university's technology transfer office or industry liaison office. The new National Security RAF requirement (since Fall 2023) adds complexity and processing time -- start early and work closely with the institution's research office. Given the 13.6% success rate and 23.5% budget cuts, many funded researchers are actively seeking industry partners to supplement their projects. Position your company as a knowledge user or application partner who brings real-world validation and co-funding to strengthen the application.
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Rejection Pitfalls 9
- Business attempts to apply directly -- CIHR only funds academic institutions, not companies
- Industry partner owns >5% of the company employing the researcher (conflict of interest rule)
- Partner letter missing or lacks specific cash/in-kind commitment details
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Success Profile
The typical successful applicant is NOT a business -- it is a health sciences researcher (MD, PhD) at a Canadian university or research hospital. Success profile for a BUSINESS seeking to participate: health-tech, biotech, or medical device company with a defined R&D challenge that benefits from academic expertise; pre-existing relationship with a researcher at a Canadian institution; capacity to commit 75%+ cash contributions as a project partner; clear path from research outcomes to commercial application; willing to engage in 3-5 year research timelines.
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Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application steps not yet documented.
Required Documents 13
Eligible Expenses 10
- Salaries and stipends for research personnel (postdocs, research associates, technicians)
- Graduate student stipends and tuition
- Equipment purchases ($10K+ requires quotes; $25K+ requires competitive quotes)
- Materials, supplies, and consumables for research
- Travel costs related to the research project
- Knowledge translation and dissemination activities
- Animal care and use costs
- Clinical trial costs (patient recruitment, data management)
- Publication and open access charges
- Professional services (statistical analysis, specialized testing)
Ineligible Expenses 6
- Business's own internal product development costs (these go through SR&ED or IRAP)
- Construction, renovation, or infrastructure costs
- Institutional overhead beyond what CIHR allows
- Entertainment, hospitality, or promotional costs
- Costs incurred before the grant start date
- Expenses not directly related to the funded research project
Deadline Notes
CIHR runs two Project Grant competitions per year (Spring and Fall). The Spring 2026 competition is open now with a March 4, 2026 application deadline. The Fall 2025 competition results were announced in January 2026 (421 grants funded). There is no separate 'industry-partnered' competition anymore -- businesses participate through the standard Project Grant stream by partnering with an academic researcher. The Partnering for Impact Catalyst Grant (up to $125K) had an October 2025 deadline. Strategic funding opportunities with industry relevance are launched throughout the year -- monitor cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/51605.html for announcements.
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Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskLow for the business partner (since the business does not receive CIHR funds). CIHR can withhold or recover funds from the academic institution for misuse, failure to report, or breach of grant conditions. The business's financial risk is limited to its own contributed cash/in-kind investments.
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How CIHR Industry Partnered Res... Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIHR Industry Partnered Research | Varies | Hard | Advance Payment | Restructured — CHRP... |
| NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program | $100,000–$500,000 | Hard | Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) | Ongoing |
| Mitacs Accelerate | $15,000 per internship unit | Easy | Advance Payment | Ongoing |
| Genome Canada | Up to $10 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
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