NSERC Applied Research and Development (ARD) Grants

Insider Tip

The business partner does not apply — you need a college, CEGEP, or polytechnic research office to submit the application. Start by contacting the applied research office at your nearest college. The under-$40K/year tier is a strategic entry point: faster review (5-9 weeks vs. 6+ months), simpler application, and builds a track record for larger future grants. Your cash contribution (minimum 25% of grant) is the cost of accessing college researchers, lab facilities, and student talent you would otherwise hire as consultants at much higher rates.

Rejection Pitfalls 6

• No eligible college or polytechnic partner — the business cannot apply directly
• Partner cash contribution below the 25% minimum threshold
• Project is routine technology application rather than applied R&D

Success Profile

Canadian SME with a specific technical challenge in natural sciences or engineering that partners with a local college or polytechnic. Has a clear, commercially relevant R&D problem and can commit at least 25% cash plus active participation. First-time applicants succeed by starting under $40K/year with a focused 1-year project.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications assessed on four equally weighted areas: (1) Research Plan — clarity of objectives, methodology, budget suitability, and innovation potential; (2) Partnerships and Impact — partner roles, involvement value, capacity to translate research results, and economic/environmental/social benefits; (3) Team — principal investigator expertise, project management capability, and at least one concrete EDI practice for equitable recruitment; (4) Training — college student training plan with enriched experiences and at least one concrete practice promoting diverse trainee participation.

Application Steps

Required Documents 7

Eligible Expenses 8

• Salaries for college students hired as research assistants or technicians
• Salaries for non-faculty researchers and technical/professional staff
• Faculty replacement salaries (backfill for faculty on the research project)
• Equipment essential to research objectives
• Materials and supplies for research activities
• Research administration and project management activities
• Overhead and administration (automatic 20% of annual grant amount)
• Travel costs directly related to the research project

Ineligible Expenses 6

• Routine application of existing technology without innovation
• Equipment acquisition or maintenance for general operations
• Professional consulting services
• Funds flowing back to the partner organization
• University student salaries (must be hired as technical/professional staff)
• Secret or contract research

Intake Periods

Continuous intake year-round with no fixed deadlines. Applications can be submitted at any time through NSERC's Convergence Portal.

Deadline Notes

Applications accepted year-round with no fixed deadlines. Processing times vary by funding level: applications requesting $40,000/year or less are internally reviewed in 5-9 weeks; applications requesting $40,001-$150,000/year undergo external peer review taking 24-28 weeks.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

• Individual businesses applying without a college partner (the college must be the applicant)
• Universities as lead applicants (universities use NSERC Alliance grants instead)
• Organizations seeking to fund secret or classified research
• Partners requesting funds to flow back to themselves from the grant

Compatible Programs

Clawback Risk

Low Risk