SSHRC Partnerships
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Eligibility & Details
What this program funds and who can apply
Program Description
Funds large-scale, multi-year research partnerships between postsecondary institutions and organizations from the private, public, or non-profit sectors in social sciences and humanities, providing up to $2.5 million over 4–7 years. Only faculty members at eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions can lead applications — businesses and non-profits participate exclusively as partner organizations, contributing a minimum 35% in cash or in-kind. The two-stage annual competition has an approximately 18.5% overall success rate.
Eligibility Requirements
- Organization from the private, public, or non-profit sector partnering with academic researchers in social sciences or humanities
- Must partner with at least one Canadian postsecondary institution (private-sector companies cannot be the lead applicant)
- Project involves large-scale, multi-year collaborative research in social sciences or humanities
- Research team includes a mix of academic researchers and non-academic partners
- Not a federal government agency as lead applicant (can participate as collaborator only)
Quick Assessment
Funding Details
- Amount
- Up to $2.5M over 4-7 years (Partnership Grants); $10,000-$50,000 for 1 year (Partnership Engage Grants)
- Type
- Grant
- Level
- Federal
- Co-Funding
- Up to 35% of eligible costs
- Deadline
- Partnership Grants: annual two-stage cycle (Stage 1 LOI ~February, Stage 2 full ~October; next Stage 1 ~February 2027). Partnership Engage Grants: quarterly deadlines (~Mar 15, Jun 15, Sep 15, Dec 15).
Program Scorecard
Competition, effort, and approval at a glance
Everything you need to win SSHRC Partnerships
Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.
- 10 rejection pitfalls reviewers flag — so you catch them first
- 15-document checklist with what each reviewer is actually checking
- 11-step application timeline with prep hours per step
- Insider tip from program officers on what separates winners
- 5-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 TipThis grant is for academic researchers, not businesses -- but businesses gain enormous value as partner organizations.
Rejection Pitfalls 10
- Partnership is not genuinely collaborative -- partners appear as token signatories rather than co-creators of the research agenda
Success Profile
Evaluation Criteria
Application Playbook
Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses
Application Steps
Required Documents 15
Eligible Expenses 11
Ineligible Expenses 9
Intake Periods
Deadline Notes
Ineligible Organizations
Applying for SSHRC Partnerships? Our Financial Projections Model ($29) covers the cost-share, matching-fund, and cash-flow math reviewers want to see. 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
Medium RiskHow SSHRC Partnerships Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about SSHRC Partnerships