Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants—Stage 1: November 2025 Competition

Overview
Value	Stage 1: Up to $75,000 Stage 2 (by invitation only): Up to $1.75 million
Duration	Stage 1: 1 Year Stage 2: 4 Years (with one-year extension without additional funding)
Application deadline	Stage 1: October 21 November 4, 2025 (8 p.m. eastern) (deadline extended)
Results announced	Stage 1: January 2026
Apply	Application form and instructions

On this page

• Webinar
• Context
• Description
• Objectives
• Expected Outcomes
• Value and duration
• Eligibility
• Application process
• Merit review
• Regulations, policies and related information
• Contact information

Webinar

Context

In 2015 the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) issued its Calls to Action and highlighted the important role of research in advancing reconciliation. Two years later, the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) was created to improve coordination among Canada’s granting agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), along with the Canada Foundation for Innovation. SSHRC, on behalf of the federal research granting agencies, organized a national dialogue to co-develop with Indigenous communities a new, interdisciplinary Indigenous research and research training model, leading to the implementation of the Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada strategic plan.

As a collaborative tri-agency initiative, the strategy’s key directions aim to:

• building relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples;
• supporting the research priorities of Indigenous Peoples;
• creating greater funding accessibility to granting agency programs; and
• championing Indigenous leadership, self-determination and capacity-building in research.

In Budget 2024, the federal government committed $30 million to support Indigenous researchers and their communities. This investment aims to support and increase Indigenous participation in research with $10 million each for First Nations, Métis and Inuit researchers and research partners. In this context, the three federal research funding agencies have engaged with Indigenous researchers to create new funding opportunities for Indigenous self-determination, the decolonization of research, and more equitable access and support for Indigenous participation in research.

Description

The tri-agency Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants aligns with the tri-agency strategic plan Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous research and research training in Canada as well as Indigenous communities’ aspirations to help create a new model for Indigenous-led, transformative research.

Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants are valued at a total investment of $19 million over four years, for the following categories of Métis, First Nations, and Indigenous not-for-profit organizations and Indigenous institutions serving more than one distinction:

All grants for this funding opportunity are reserved for:

• First Nations or Métis not-for-profit organizations
• First Nations or Métis postsecondary institutions
• Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction
• Indigenous postsecondary institutions serving more than one distinction

Federal budget commitment for Inuit research will be allocated through a separate funding mechanism.

This call for proposals affirms and seeks to build on Indigenous knowledge systems and Indigenous ontology, epistemology and methodology. Networks are encouraged to be wholistic, reflecting the full range of collaboration across disciplines and subject areas pertaining to the social sciences and humanities; natural sciences and engineering; and health and wellness.

By leveraging research already underway in Indigenous communities, these grants will support decolonized research and training in Canada. The grants respond specifically to the following elements in the Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada strategy:

• supporting the research priorities of Indigenous Peoples;
• championing Indigenous leadership, self-determination, and capacities in research;
• recognizing Indigenous ways of knowing as an integral part of valid and authoritative research;
• supporting Indigenous-led strategies and structures that address respectful and mutually beneficial data management and intellectual property rights in Indigenous research; and
• decolonization of Indigenous research through the development of clear structures and resources for Indigenous Peoples to build research capacity, including creating greater funding accessibility to granting agency programs.

Objectives

This funding opportunity’s multiple objectives are to:

• support wholistic Indigenous-led research that addresses community needs and priorities, and include Indigenous methodologies and braided knowledges as an integral part of valid and authoritative research;
• support Indigenous-led strategies and structures for respectful, mutually beneficial data governance and stewardship in Indigenous research;
• support innovative training activities within postsecondary institutions, Métis and First Nations communities, and/or Indigenous community-based organizations serving more than one distinction;
• increase networking and collaboration among Indigenous researchers, communities and postsecondary institutions that transcend disciplinary barriers;
• support Indigenous students and community members’ success through increased capacity and the creation of education and career pathways.
• support the involvement of Indigenous Elders and Indigenous knowledge-holders in research; and
• support relationships with the land, the spirits and the ancestors, as well as the more-than-human relatives.

Expected Outcomes

The tri-agency Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants will support a wide range of interdisciplinary research and research training in First Nations and Métis communities. Contributing to and supporting communities' research interests, and rooted in Indigenous knowledge of community and land, the grants are designed to help:

• Strengthen knowledge and understanding about the research priorities identified by First Nations and Métis researchers, institutions and not-for-profit organizations;
• Increase Indigenous leadership and capacities in research (including research administration) in Indigenous-led postsecondary institutions and not-for-profit organizations;
• Decolonize Indigenous research through the development of funding for Indigenous Peoples;
• Generate culturally accessible research outcomes for First Nations and Métis communities that address the needs of those communities, including knowledge translation and mobilization tools and activities both within academia and beyond.

Value and duration

Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants Stage 1 are valued at up to $75,000 for one year.

Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants Stage 2 (by invitation only) are valued at up to $1.75 million per grant.

A one-year automatic grant extension without additional funding is also available for Stage 2.

Eligibility

Subject matter

Proposals are intended to be interdisciplinary and can include any discipline, thematic area, approach or subject area that has been identified as a priority by First Nations and/or Métis communities and/or communities of more than one distinction.

The agencies recognize that the terms “multidisciplinary,” “transdisciplinary” and “interdisciplinary” have different connotations and can be used differently within and among research disciplines. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, “interdisciplinary” is used as an umbrella term for all three concepts inclusively.

As a collaborative tri-agency funding opportunity, we welcome and strongly encourage proposals that cover more than one discipline or subject area in social sciences and humanities; natural sciences and engineering; and health and wellness.

Host Institutions

As an institutional grant, the Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants are only open to eligible Indigenous not-for-profit organizations or Indigenous postsecondary institutions (universities or colleges) in Canada. Grant funds can only be administered by an eligible Indigenous postsecondary institution or Indigenous not-for-profit organization located in Canada. Institutions that wish to administer a grant awarded under this funding opportunity must hold or obtain institutional eligibility. To begin the application process for institutional eligibility, or for any questions about institutional eligibility, institutions are invited to contact institutional.eligibility@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca. Indigenous not-for-profit organizations interested in obtaining eligibility are strongly encouraged to contact SSHRC institutional eligibility as early as possible, at least 10 business days prior to the application deadline, so that they can be included in the application form and start the eligibility process. Before starting the grant application, an organization must have already initiated the institutional eligibility process. This way, the administering organization can be selected in the Affiliations step of the grant application. An institutional representative who is not one of the individual project participants must be identified as the research administrator. This representative will be responsible for forwarding the grant application to the agency, according to the deadline. Creating a research administrator role usually takes organizations up to five business days, but project directors can continue work on other sections of the grant application (e.g., Supporting Documents section attachments) in the meantime. See the application instructions for more details.

All Indigenous postsecondary institutions, including, but not limited to, universities, tribal colleges, polytechnics and institutes, are encouraged to participate. Institutions that do not meet the criteria for Institutional Eligibility can join a proposal as a partner, or have individuals participate on a project team in the role of co-applicant or collaborator, as applicable. Postsecondary institutions or not-for-profit organizations that do not meet the eligibility criteria therefore cannot serve as a host institution, but they are welcome to collaborate with an eligible host institution or organization.

Roles

Proposals can be submitted by a team of researchers (consisting of one project director and one or more co-applicants and/or collaborators).

Project Director

The project director prepares the application on behalf of the eligible institution or organization, participants, and any partner organizations. The project director must be affiliated with the applying Indigenous not-for-profit organization or Indigenous postsecondary institution. Since the institution or organization will maintain and administer the funding, the host institution may nominate an alternative project director in case the project director named on the application declines to stay on for the duration of the project.

Co-director

The co-director is an individual participant in a grant application who shares intellectual leadership with the project director and other co-directors, as applicable. They play a significant role in planning and conducting research and research-related activities. While the project director and host institution are accountable for coordinating the grant’s overall financial administration, a co-director may have some responsibility for financial aspects of the research.

Subject to SSHRC approval, a co-director affiliated with an eligible institution can be named project director in the event that the original project director resigns or passes away.

Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers

Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers are recognized and respected for contributing knowledge assets to the project. They are welcome to participate as co-applicants or collaborators. Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers affiliated with a federal department or private sector organization may only participate as collaborators.

Co-applicants

Individuals (including postdoctoral researchers) are eligible to be co-applicants if they are formally affiliated with any of the following, regardless of their institution or organization holding Institutional Eligibility at SSHRC:

• Canadian: eligible postsecondary institution; not-for-profit organization; philanthropic foundation; think tank; municipal, territorial or provincial government; or Indigenous government, governance body or band council; or
• International: postsecondary institution.

Collaborators

Any individual who makes a significant contribution to the project is eligible to be a collaborator. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with an eligible institution.

Individuals from the private sector or federal government can only participate on a team as collaborators.

Postdoctoral researchers (full and part-time) are eligible to be project directors if they meet the eligibility criteria above and have formally established an affiliation with the applying Indigenous not-for-profit organization or Indigenous postsecondary institution within three months of the grant start date and maintain this affiliation for the duration of the grant period.

Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to be project directors or co-applicants and can only participate in a named role on a project team as collaborators.

Federal scientists (on contract) who intend to apply as a project director and are primarily affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution must demonstrate that their proposed research or research-related activity is unrelated to the mandate of their federal employer and the duties for which they normally receive payment from that employer.

Partner organizations

Canadian or international institutions and organizations from the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors may be on the grant team as partner organizations. Indigenous academic and non-academic organizations, and Indigenous governing bodies of all types are welcome to join grant teams.

Although contributions can include cash and/or in-kind contributions, in an effort to alleviate barriers to all communities’ participation, partners’ contributions can be described within the application. This support can be included as part of the social and familial relationships and networks associated with research costs and/or specific contributions such as using ancestral language(s) to engage with communities.

Multiple applications and holding multiple awards

Individuals can only be named once as project director for this funding opportunity.

See SSHRC’s regulations on multiple applications and holding multiple awards for more information.

Monitoring

Grant holders will be expected to report on the use of grant funds, on funded activities undertaken during the grant period, and on outcomes. Successful project directors will be informed of reporting requirements when they receive their notice of award.

Application process

Project directors must complete the application form in accordance with the accompanying application instructions. Applications must be submitted electronically by an authorized research grants officer, or equivalent, from the project director’s institution, or by a representative of the not-for-profit organization who has financial signing authority and is not participating in the project.

Funding opportunity streams as an indication of the best match to the priorities of the proposal:

• Métis Stream (Metis not-for-profit organization or postsecondary institution)
• First Nations Stream (First Nations not-for-profit organization or postsecondary institution)
• Multiple Indigenous Communities Stream (Indigenous not-for-profit organizations or Indigenous postsecondary institutions, serving more than one distinction)

Funding opportunity stream selection is at the discretion of the project director/partnership. See instructions on stream selection. Agency staff cannot advise prospective project directors about selecting a stream, nor can they specify the funding allocated to each stream. Final stream selection is based on the recommendation of the merit review committee (see details below).

Stage 1 will include the development of:

• general network objectives & research questions;
• general team/partnership composition of the network;
• priorities for exploration and research through the research network program; and
• preliminary budget for development funding.

If funds are awarded for a Stage 1 application, applicants will be invited to further develop elements in Stage 1 for the Stage 2 application by:

• further refining research questions and programs;
• describing the intended research methodology;
• developing a detailed budget for research activities;
• establishing a network agreement in the form of a specific partnership arrangement and/or governance structure; and
• consolidating collaborative activities, including identifying potential research outputs and knowledge mobilization, as applicable.

Project directors should consult the full instructions for further details. If any questions arise while preparing the application, project directors are advised to communicate with agency staff well before the application deadline, if possible.

Merit review

Applications are reviewed, and available funds awarded, through a competitive merit review process. SSHRC funding decisions will be made based on the recommendations of the multidisciplinary merit review committee and on the funds available. Committee discussions are guided by the principle of minimum essential funding and the stated objective of awarding all grants to First Nations, Métis and Indigenous organizations, or institutions serving more than one distinction.

Evaluation criteria

The four evaluation criteria below were developed in collaboration with the Reference Group for the Appropriate Review of Indigenous Research to reflect Indigenous worldviews. They make up the complete set of criteria used in the Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants Funding Opportunity. The merit review committee will use only criterion 1 to review Stage 1 applications (as explained below), while all four criteria will be used to review Stage 2 applications.

1. Community-Guided Research and Relevance
   • Research must be Indigenous-led, aligned with First Nations and/or Métis priorities, and directly benefit First Nations, Métis or Indigenous communities served by eligible organizations. The research approach must be wholistic, collaborative and relational, rooted in Indigenous methodologies and ensuring accountability through reciprocity and governance structures.
2. Learning, Mentorship, and Community Expertise
   • Networks should support bidirectional (reciprocal) learning, so that Indigenous students, researchers, Elders and community members can act as both learners and knowledge holders. Training and mentorship should emphasize land-based learning, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and strengths-based support (that builds on existing strengths and abilities) for Indigenous education and career pathways.
3. Relational Accountability and Ethical Partnerships
   • Partnerships must be built on trust, reciprocity, and respect, and ensure Indigenous self-determination and data sovereignty. Project directors should demonstrate how relationships are cultivated and maintained in non-extractive, mutually beneficial ways that support Indigenous leadership.
4. Knowledge Sharing and Impact
   • Knowledge sharing must be guided by Indigenous values, protocols, relationality and governance, so that knowledge is shared in ways that honour communities. Research outcomes should: create tangible benefits for First Nations and/or Métis communities and/or Indigenous individuals who take part through eligible organizations; support Indigenous data and knowledge sovereignty; and include diverse knowledge holders, such as youth and Elders, in shaping and sharing findings.

Stage 1:

Stage 1 applications will be reviewed using only Criteria 1: Community-Guided Research and Relevance, focusing on the following elements:

• The network’s proposed research program must be guided by, and respond to, First Nations and/or Métis communities and organizations, as well as Indigenous organizations or institutions serving more than one distinction. Approaches should be clearly outlined to ensure research is Indigenous-led and directly benefits the intended First Nation, Métis or multi-distinction Indigenous populations, such as those in urban, rural, Ancestral Lands and/or reserve settings.
• The proposed research program should be wholistic, collaborative and relational, consider potential impacts in social, cultural, health, economic, environmental, and/or technological domains. The research approach should be rooted in Indigenous methodologies and knowledges, with other research methods woven in as appropriate.
• Proposals should include a commitment to reciprocity and accountability to ensure that the research reinforces Indigenous self-determination and data/knowledge sovereignty at all stages, from project conception through to knowledge sharing and long-term impact.
• Project directors should describe how their network’s past experiences and existing relationships will contribute to the realization of the network’s collective vision and how the proposed research will continue to support First Nations and/or Métis-led strategies and governance structures beyond the project. For newly formed networks, project directors should describe past experiences likely to strengthen the partnership, and create a plan for forging and sustaining these new relationships.

Stage 2:

Stage 2 applications will be reviewed using all four criteria. Project directors selected to advance to Stage 2 will receive further details.

Scoring table

Merit review committee members assign a score for each of the criteria above (criteria 1 for Stage 1 and criteria 1-4 for Stage 2), based on the following scoring table. The appropriate weighting is then applied to arrive at a final score. Applications must receive a score of 3.0 or higher for each of the four criteria to be recommended for funding.

Score	Descriptor
5-6	Very good to excellent—Application meets criteria and exceeds expectations in multiple areas.
4-4.9	Good to very good—Application meets most expectations, has strong potential and only minor omissions.
3-3.9	Satisfactory to good—Application has acceptable merit but may lack clarity or depth in certain aspects.
Below 3	Unsatisfactory—Application does not adequately meet the criterion.

Selection process

Final funding decisions will be made with a view to creating a balanced network environment, as determined by the variety of research applications received. The following objectives, among others, are associated with a well-balanced network:

• available funds are allocated equitably, to the extent possible, among Métis and First Nations;
• multiple subject areas are addressed; and
• multiple Canadian geographical regions are covered.

Communication of results

Competition results for both stages will be made available to project directors (via the SSHRC Extranet for Applicants) and institutions (via the Grants and Scholarships Administration Portal or the Extranet, depending on the institution).

Regulations, policies and related information

The federal research granting agencies reserve the right to determine the eligibility of applications, based on the information included. The agencies also reserve the right to interpret the regulations and policies governing their funding opportunities.

Grant holders must also comply with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications (see the Open Access overview for more information) and are encouraged to consult the Tri-Agency Research Data Management Policy.

All project directors and grant holders must comply with the Regulations Governing Grant Applications and follow the general principles governing appropriate use of funds set out in the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, unless otherwise specified below or in the accompanying funding opportunity Instructions.

Project directors who have received a SSHRC grant of any type but have failed to submit an achievement report by the deadline specified in their notice of award are not eligible to apply for another SSHRC grant until they have submitted the report.

The decisions pertaining to project director, subject matter and program eligibility are final.

Specific rules for the use of grant funds

• Grant funds cannot be used to remunerate team members regardless of an individual’s eligibility to apply for grants.* This includes postdoctoral fellows serving in any capacity as a named member of the team.

  *Exception to the above rule: In some cases, Indigenous team members may be compensated. For more information, see the Tri-agency guideline on remuneration for Indigenous people participating in funded projects. In such cases, the team member may not be delegated to authorize grant expenditures, and under no circumstances is the project director eligible to be compensated from grant funds.

• Grant funds can be used for consulting fees for expert and/or professional and technical services that contribute directly to the proposed research activities, as long as the service is not being provided by a team member or an individual whose status would make them eligible to hold a SSHRC grant.
• Grant funds are provided to cover some or all direct costs of the research, and the benefits from their use must be directly attributable to the research/activities. Project directors are encouraged to consult the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration and specifically, its principles governing the appropriate use of grant funds, to better understand what costs may be covered under which category. In recognition of the unique needs for Indigenous research, the budget can include an amount for indirect costs that is up to 30% of the amount requested for direct costs in the total funding request and budget justification. The indirect costs component of each grant is included in the award value, not in addition to the award value. Eligible indirect costs include those specified in the five categories of expenses eligible and ineligible under the Research Support Fund. However, grants awarded through this funding opportunity are excluded from the calculation of credits to institutions under the Fund. See the instructions for more details.
• In alignment with the Government of Canada’s commitment to Reconciliation, the Tri-Agency Indigenous Strategy, and the objectives set by this unique funding opportunity toward growing capacity, grant funds can be used for course release time to allow an individual to engage in research activities. This release time would be open to all postsecondary researchers (colleges and universities) on the project team. This would cover the salary for the replacement of a faculty member hired as a replacement during a team member’s involvement in the research project, as well as expenditures associated with recruitment-related activities. See the instructions for more details.
• A salary research allowance can be requested for not-for-profit organizations involved in the partnership with a project director or co-applicant on the team to release them from duties to their organization. A salary research allowance, to be included in the budget, is not a salary for the project director or co-applicant, but is paid to a Canadian not-for-profit organization to offset the costs of replacing its employee for time spent participating on a tri-agency-funded research project.

Guidelines and related support material

Project directors can consult the following resources while preparing their application:

• Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (specifically Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada)
• Tri-agency Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and SSHRC’s Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications
• SSHRC’s Indigenous Research Statement of Principles and Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research for applications involving Indigenous research
• SSHRC’s definition of knowledge mobilization and Guidelines for Effective Knowledge Mobilization for guidance on connecting with research users to create impact
• SSHRC’s Guidelines for Support of Tools for Research and Related Activities for applicants requiring funding for research and research-related tools
• SSHRC’s Guidelines for Cash and In-Kind Contributions
• CIHR and NSERC’s information on partnerships, SSHRC’s Policies, regulations and guidelines for information on preparing applications
• Indigenous research at NSERC
• Indigenous Peoples’ Health research at CIHR
• Guidelines for Effective Research Training, which can also be useful to reviewers and postsecondary institutions

Contact information

For more information, contact:

Email: Indigenous-Autochtone@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
Toll-free: 1-855-275-2861