CIHR Partnering for Impact — Catalyst Grant
Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Pilot funding stream from CIHR enabling health researchers to co-produce knowledge and solutions in partnership with non-academic organizations, including private sector companies. The Catalyst Grant provides $100,000–$200,000 for feasibility and pilot studies, with industry or community partners required to contribute matching support. Designed to test early-stage collaboration models before scaling to full Partnership Grants. 2026–27 intake cycle expected following the pilot cohort evaluation.
Eligibility Requirements
- Principal Investigator must be an eligible CIHR researcher affiliated with a Canadian post-secondary institution or affiliated research institute
- A non-academic partner organization (private sector, government, NPO, or community organization) must be formally engaged and providing matching support
- Project must focus on health research with a clear knowledge-to-practice translation pathway
- Industry partners may be SMEs or large organizations; sector-specific focus not required
- Both academic and non-academic team members must contribute meaningfully to research design and knowledge mobilization
- Previous CIHR funding does not disqualify applicants; this stream is complementary to existing competitions
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- $100,000–$200,000 (typical range); industry partner match required
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 50% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- 2026–27 cycle expected; exact dates TBD
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win CIHR Partnering for Impact — Catalyst Grant — $19
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 7-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 5-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 3-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 TipCIHR's Partnering for Impact stream explicitly requires co-production — the non-academic partner must be involved in shaping the research questions, not just funding a pre-designed study. Health companies considering this program should engage an academic partner early and co-develop the research design together, rather than commissioning research. Previous collaboration history between the PI and industry partner strengthens the application significantly.
Success Profile
A health technology SME (digital health, diagnostics, medical devices, or pharmaceutical tools) that has an established relationship with a Canadian academic health researcher. The company contributes matching cash or in-kind support toward a 12–24 month feasibility study, gains access to academic expertise and institutional resources, and retains defined IP rights as negotiated in the partnership agreement.
Evaluation Criteria
Applications reviewed by CIHR peer review committee on: (1) Scientific merit — originality and rigor of the proposed research; (2) Partnership quality — evidence of genuine co-production and meaningful non-academic engagement; (3) Impact — clarity of translation pathway and potential for health system or commercial application; (4) Team expertise — complementary skills of academic and non-academic team; (5) Feasibility — realistic timeline, budget, and milestones for a pilot/feasibility scope.
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 7
Eligible Expenses 7
- Research personnel salaries and benefits at the academic institution
- Research materials, consumables, and laboratory supplies
- Equipment essential to the research project
- Travel for research team collaboration
- Knowledge dissemination and mobilization activities
- Project coordination and management costs
- Subcontracts for specialized research services
Ineligible Expenses 5
- Commercial product development or marketing activities
- Capital construction or facility renovation
- Overhead and indirect costs beyond CIHR-approved rates
- Activities completed before the grant start date
- Partner organization's own staff costs (unless specifically approved as eligible match)
Intake Periods
Pilot program; 2026–27 cycle expected. Monitor cihr-irsc.gc.ca for competition notices. CIHR typically announces Partnership Grant competitions 3–4 months before the deadline.
Deadline Notes
The Partnering for Impact program ran a pilot cycle in 2024–2025. A 2026–27 intake cycle is anticipated following program evaluation, but exact dates have not been confirmed. Register for CIHR funding opportunity alerts at cihr-irsc.gc.ca. Check ResearchNet for active competitions.
Open Application Portal →Ineligible Organizations
- Organizations based outside Canada
- Applicants without an affiliated Canadian academic Principal Investigator
Funding Stack Strategy
Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential
Compatible Programs
Clawback Risk
Low RiskCIHR grants are held by the academic institution; company exposure to clawback is minimal unless the partnership agreement includes specific recoupment clauses.
How CIHR Partnering for Impact — Catalyst Grant Compares
Side-by-side with similar programs
| Program | Amount | Difficulty | Payment | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIHR Partnering for Impact — Catalyst... | $100,000–$200,000 | Moderate | Milestone-Based | 2026–27 cycle expected;... |
| Digital Technology Supercluster | Up to $5 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Open — Call for... |
| SSHRC Partnerships | Up to $2.5M | Hard | Advance Payment | Annual two-stage cycle.... |
| CIHR Industry Partnered Research | Varies | Hard | Advance Payment | Restructured — CHRP... |
| Genome Canada | Up to $10 million | Hard | Reimbursement | Ongoing |
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