Knowledge Synthesis Grants: December 2026 Competition—Changing Nature of Security and Conflict

2026-12-03T20:00:00

Overview
Value	Stream 1: $10,000 to $40,000 for one year Stream 2: $10,000 to $78,000 for one year
Duration	1 year
Application deadline	December 3, 2026 (8:00 p.m. eastern)
Results announced	March 2027
Apply	Submit an application Read the instructions

On this page

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

Webinar

Description

SSHRC, in partnership with NordForsk, is pleased to launch a Knowledge Synthesis Grants (KSG) competition to mobilize, examine and synthesize social sciences and humanities research on The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict. The resulting syntheses will help identify roles the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors could play in promoting more inclusive and equitable societies; and could inform development of effective tools and technologies, robust policies, and sustainable practices needed to support the path toward a diverse and inclusive future for all. SSHRC encourages Indigenous-led and Inuit Nunangat–based research approaches that reflect community priorities, land-based knowledge, and Northern sovereignty. Proposals co-developed with Indigenous Peoples and Northern communities are strongly welcomed.

The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict is one of the 16 global future challenges identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. These complex issues, identified in 2018 following an extensive foresight exercise, reflect key challenges Canada and the world are likely to face over the coming decades. All the challenges cross multiple sectors, jurisdictions and research disciplines, and require broad collaboration to address. This KSG funding opportunity is informed and shaped by cross-sectoral and diverse perspectives, including from subject matter experts, policy leaders, businesses, and community leaders.

In the contemporary conflict and security environment, efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to threats are being challenged by the blurring boundaries between the types of threats, whether digital or physical, and their sources, including states, nonstate actors, and natural causes. The intensification of hybrid warfare in the past few years, blending kinetic warfare with nonmilitary tactics, such as the sabotage of undersea cables, reflects this evolution. To add to this challenge, space assets increasingly play a central role in both civilian and military operations, including surveillance, telecommunications and geolocation. Disruption of satellite systems, particularly GPS, or interception of location data could expose vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.

As part of hybrid warfare, information warfare, marked by increasingly sophisticated disinformation campaigns, aims to polarize society, manipulate public opinion and undermine democratic institutions. This occurs in fertile conditions for radicalization, particularly among youth, driven by complex and possibly under-anticipated factors such as intergenerational tensions, mental health challenges, and political disenfranchisement. This trend is exacerbated by social media’s algorithms amplifying divisive content. In the absence of a robust legal framework to address these emerging threats, information warfare operates in a legal grey zone despite its detrimental impact. As hybrid warfare now incorporates digital, informational, technological and physical dimensions, an integrated analytical approach is needed to understand the complex threat ecosystem.

Information warfare increasingly intersects with evolving cybersecurity threats, challenging law enforcement and intelligence services to keep pace with emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence (AI) has lowered barriers to cyberattacks, enabling the use of deepfakes for gender-based and other attacks, or giving access to malicious large language models for advanced social engineering. These threats disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and are often underreported, particularly among seniors.

Law enforcement and security efforts are further complicated by the blurred boundaries between criminal networks and hostile foreign state actors. The economic impact of cyberattacks, especially when they target critical infrastructure or financial systems, can be severe, with illicit revenues potentially funding next-generation military, as well as surveillance and nuclear capabilities in adversarial states. While the focus has recently been on AI, breakthroughs in quantum computing may be around the corner, raising concerns about its potential for decrypting sensitive data. Despite limitations in the scalability and error correction of quantum technologies, the rapid pace of technological development underscores the urgent need for governments and institutions to adopt quantum-resistant cryptography to protect sensitive data and proactively address this dynamic security landscape.

Evolving security dynamics driven by climate disruption, contested sovereignty and a shifting global order are exposing systemic vulnerabilities. These environmental shifts intersect with energy security, global supply chains, and domestic sustainability commitments, raising broader questions about sovereignty and resilience, as well as Canada and the Nordic countries’ contributions to global climate objectives. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Arctic, where environmental protection, human security and Indigenous self-determination are intertwined. The erosion of international norms and the proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction, combined with the rise of disinformation in a multipolar world, heighten the risk of misunderstanding and strategic miscalculation, with potentially devastating consequences. As multilateralism gives way to ad hoc coalitions, Western states must rethink engagement strategies to diversify and solidify alliances.

In an evolving global security landscape, peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts are undermined by funding structures proving ill suited for the complexity of modern conflict. As a result, civil society’s ability to advance equity and rights is hindered, to the detriment of society and its most marginalized communities. Together, these changes reinforce short-term crisis responses instead of supporting long-term stability and solutions, shifting the burden onto future generations.

Today’s complex security threats call for a whole-of-society model, particularly in the Arctic. To address these challenges, a holistic approach developed in partnership with Indigenous Peoples in Arctic and northern communities, and rooted in their lived experiences, priorities and vast knowledge of the land is of fundamental importance. Canadian Rangers, a significant proportion of whom self-identify as Indigenous, play an essential role in Canadian Armed Forces operations in the Arctic. Their involvement is critical to building trust and resilience in remote communities.

Elsewhere, comprehensive “total defence” national security strategies, such as those institutionalized in Nordic countries, involve whole societies and offer valuable frameworks for enhancing societal preparedness and deterrence. A whole-of-society approach can take various forms, from providing civil defence training for emergency preparedness and cyber-resilience to more advanced defence and survival skills that can be leveraged in crises. Civil resistance, as demonstrated in Ukraine, highlights the strategic role of citizens and civil society in national defence. The success of this approach, however, relies on shared values and social cohesion. Historical exposure to a direct threat from neighbouring countries is another factor that would influence a population’s support for a whole-of-society approach. Empowering youth with practical skills, digital literacy and a systems-level understanding of interconnected threats could also contribute to shaping the future of security and democratic resilience.

Governments must adapt to a widening spectrum of security threats and environmental crises, impacting food, water and health security, as well as data and research security. The private sector increasingly shapes diplomatic, economic and technological dimensions of security, influencing international norms, cyber-accountability and geopolitical relations. This calls for deeper public-private collaboration, including with small and medium enterprises, to drive innovation and competitiveness. Strategic investment in dual-use technologies, with military and civilian applications, supported by clear regulatory frameworks and commercialization pathways, could strengthen Canada and the Nordic countries’ sovereignty. Rising geo-economic competition and industrial espionage underscore the urgency of securing domestic supply chains and reinforcing research security. Doing so may require additional research to better understand the value and feasibility of enhanced data governance and stronger intellectual property protection, in partnership with academia and industry. Looking into the future, a robust defence industrial strategy, linking procurement, production and investment in economic security, could pave the way to new and strengthened alliances, while building resilience amidst a changing conflict and security landscape.

SSHRC and NordForsk have partnered on this funding opportunity to support research that will foster a deeper understanding of the state of knowledge about the global challenge of The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict. This competition includes two streams:

• Stream 1 (domestic) will be reserved for applications submitted by an applicant affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution. SSHRC may fund up to 16 grants of $10,000 to $40,000 per project for one year each.
• Stream 2 (international) applications must include two applicants, with one based in Canada and one based in one of the Nordic countries, as well as a co-applicant from a different Nordic country. The applicants and co-applicant must be affiliated with eligible institutions in their respective countries. SSHRC, along with NordForsk, may co-fund up to 15 grants of $10,000 to $78,000 per project for one year each. If you are looking for a new or additional Canadian or international team member for this funding opportunity, add your research interests and contact information to the networking form.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants

KSGs support researchers in producing knowledge synthesis reports and evidence briefs that:

• support the use of evidence in decision making and the application of best practices; and
• assist in developing future research agendas.

Applicants must address the following three objectives in their proposals:

1. State of knowledge, strengths and gaps
   • critically assess the state of knowledge of the future challenge theme under consideration from a variety of sources, as appropriate;
   • identify knowledge strengths and gaps within the theme;
   • acknowledge Indigenous knowledge systems and research methodologies when appropriate; and
   • identify the most promising policies and practices related to the theme.
2. Research data
   • assess the quality, accuracy and rigour (i.e., methodological approaches) of current work in the field; and
   • identify strengths and gaps in the quantitative and qualitative data available.
3. Knowledge mobilization
   • engage cross-sectoral stakeholders (academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors) and/or First Nations, Inuit and Métis rights holders throughout the project to mobilize knowledge related to promising policies and practices; and
   • use effective knowledge mobilization methods to facilitate the sharing of research findings with cross-sectoral stakeholders and Indigenous rights holders.

This KSG funding opportunity is guided by the following questions:

1. Drawing on domestic, international and/or cross-sectoral evidence, what can researchers tell us about these issues?
2. How might the findings guide public policy, practice and research agendas for Canada (Stream 1) and Canada and/or the Nordic countries (Stream 2) in the immediate and long term?

SSHRC and NordForsk welcomes applications involving Indigenous research, as well as those involving research-creation.

Expected outcomes

Knowledge syntheses are comprehensive analyses of literature and other forms of knowledge on a particular question or issue. All types of knowledge synthesis approaches, tools and protocols, such as scoping reviews, systematic reviews and narrative syntheses, are encouraged under this funding opportunity. Synthesized results can include qualitative, quantitative or multimethod research.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and identify knowledge gaps. This call is particularly focused on the state of research produced over the past 10 years.

In support of these objectives, Knowledge Synthesis Grants will help identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including Indigenous rights holders, can play in developing and implementing robust policies, best practices and tools.

Successful applicants will be required to:

• complete a synthesis report (maximum 40 pages due May 2028) and two-page evidence brief (due December 2027);
• in compliance with the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications, deposit their final synthesis report into an institutional or disciplinary repository that will make the report freely accessible, and include the resulting link in their evidence brief;
• participate in a virtual kick-off webinar (tentatively scheduled for May 2027);
• participate in a virtual knowledge mobilization forum after the grant has been awarded (tentatively scheduled for spring 2027) to share research findings with community practitioners and knowledge users in various sectors (further details about the forum will be shared with successful applicants when finalized); and
• provide the names of at least two to three potential knowledge users (individuals) to be invited to the knowledge mobilization forum.

Successful applicants will receive guidelines for completing their synthesis report and two-page evidence brief. SSHRC will make all evidence briefs publicly available on its website as appropriate. See examples of final reports and evidence briefs produced through recent Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunities for additional guidance.

Signals of change and thematic questions

The questions and subthemes listed below aim to demonstrate, through some examples, the breadth of the global challenge of The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict. As this is not intended to be an exhaustive list, we welcome proposals on all other topics/issues relevant to this future challenge area.

Emerging technologies and innovation

• As AI becomes increasingly integrated into military decision-making, how can states balance technological advantage and the need to preserve human judgment—particularly in situations where de-escalation may hinge on ethical or contextual nuance?
• As drone use becomes more widespread, what are the risks of its spillover into criminal use, and how can law enforcement effectively prepare for this potential threat?
• To what extent should emergency management strategies include prevention and response to disinformation?
• As military history demonstrates the strategic value of creative adaptation, particularly in asymmetric warfare where opponents have uneven military capabilities, what lessons from the past could foster future innovation?
• To what extent should ethical considerations influence policy decisions on countering information warfare, and how can governments reconcile these principles with national security objectives?
• What measures could the government and defence industry implement to protect AI systems in finance, health care or defence from hostile actors attempting to corrupt training datasets through “data poisoning”?

Intergenerational equity and inclusion

• How can the impact of prevention campaigns aimed at protecting youth from recruitment into cybercrime or violent extremism by criminal organizations be measured, and to what extent are successful approaches from other countries transferable to the Canadian and/or Nordic context?
• What strategies could be developed to meaningfully engage young citizens around complex conflict and postconflict dynamics abroad through civic education?
• With a whole-of-society approach to defence, what could be the potential long-term societal impacts of conflict (e.g. trauma, social order)?
• How can Indigenous knowledge systems, governance models, and community security practices guide holistic approaches to Arctic defence and resilience?
• In light of increased youth radicalization, what innovative or comparative approaches could be explored that would better equip the correctional system to support effective rehabilitation?
• As investment to strengthen Arctic security will require building new civilian infrastructure, what key considerations should guide these efforts to ensure they deliver meaningful and long-term benefits for Northern and Indigenous communities?

Environmental considerations

• What could be done to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events on military equipment, infrastructure and capabilities while adapting personnel training to ensure operational readiness, particularly in the context of the Arctic?
• To what extent does strengthening domestic food supply chains to protect sovereignty align with the objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals?
• How might gender and environmental considerations be systematically integrated into conflict resolution strategies? What are potential implications?
• To what extent can investments in renewable energy pave the way to true energy independence and support national security and defence?

Geopolitical and international perspectives

• To what extent could the international legal framework be strengthened to prevent arbitrary detentions in state-to-state relations, commonly referred to as “hostage diplomacy”?
• What would be the implications of redistributing the key roles in international aid and development to empower regional and Global South actors in response to shifting global dynamics?
• How can diplomacy be transformed and leveraged to address emerging threats and prevent or de-escalate conflict?
• What innovative bilateral and multilateral efforts can be developed and leveraged to prevent conflict, de-escalate conflict, and ensure holistic and sustainable postconflict solutions?

Strengthening public-private sector collaborations

• What approaches could be explored to encourage private sector-led initiatives—such as the 2025 creation of a who’s who by Microsoft, Alphabet and others to list cybercriminal organizations and their state sponsors—to strengthen the collective response to cybercrime?
• To what extent can the private sector help strengthen bilateral relations between states and prevent conflict escalation?
• What would be the most effective approaches to improving information sharing between government and the defence industry on procurement processes, and enhancing government’s understanding of supply chain constraints? How might lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response be relevant in this context?
• The consolidation of essential community services in fewer centres of power may increase their vulnerability to hostile activities. What policy tools could be introduced to bolster market resilience while promoting healthy competition?

The call for proposals invites applications from researchers in any discipline that can inform and contribute to the objectives of this funding opportunity. Future challenges cross multiple sectors and research disciplines and require broad collaboration to address them; applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that feature multidisciplinary research teams.

All researchers are encouraged to consider the themes through an intersectional lens to yield a better understanding of how this challenge can affect different people, communities and populations in a variety of environments. Knowledge syntheses related to First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Saami communities should be participatory and collaborative, prioritizing research completed by Indigenous communities and Indigenous-led organizations, and grounded in Indigenous worldviews and approaches to research. For guidance and resources, see the SSHRC Indigenous Research web page.

Value and duration

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are valued at:

• Stream 1: $10,000 to $40,000 for one year
• Stream 2: $10,000 to $78,000 for one year (NordForsk’s increased contribution to projects in Stream 2 (international) reflects the higher cost of doing research in Nordic countries)

Knowledge mobilization activities (i.e., conference presentations and outreach activities) can take place throughout the year. All evidence briefs must be completed before the virtual forum.

By applying for this funding opportunity, applicants consent to SSHRC sharing the applications with NordForsk, and, if successful, to SSHRC sharing the resulting synthesis reports and evidence briefs with other interested organizations and individuals. This does not in any way limit how researchers may otherwise publish or use the results of their research.

Stream 1: SSHRC may fund up to 16 projects. Applications should include considerations for policy-makers in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Stream 2: SSHRC, along with NordForsk, may fund up to 15 projects. Applicants should use the Bank of Canada exchange rate on the day the application is submitted. For projects selected for funding, each country’s applicant or team will receive a grant from their respective funding organization for their portion of the project.

International teams should include balanced budget requests for both portions of the project with their application, directed to SSHRC or NordForsk, respectively. Budgets must be reasonably split between SSHRC (approximately one-third) and NordForsk (approximately two-thirds), with the SSHRC budget accounting for a minimum of one-quarter of the total budget.

The Canadian researchers’ portion of the project will be funded by SSHRC based on the funding request submitted through the itemized budget.

The NordForsk’s researchers’ portion of the project will be funded by NordForsk based on the funding request submitted through the itemized budget. The NordForsk budget form is available in the Convergence portal. For more details on eligible costs, see the NordForsk guide.

Eligibility

Subject matter

Proposals can involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. See the guidelines on subject matter eligibility and the guidelines on selecting the appropriate federal granting agency for more information.

Applications submitted to SSHRC that would be more appropriately evaluated by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council or the Canadian Institutes of Health Research will not be accepted.

Projects whose primary objective is curriculum development are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Committees may consider failing a project on the Feasibility criterion if they determine 50% or more of the overall budget request is insufficiently justified and/or not appropriate to the proposed objectives or outcomes of the project.

Applicants

Stream 1

Applications can be submitted by an individual researcher or a team of researchers (consisting of one applicant and one or more co-applicants and/or collaborators).

Applicants must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution or Indigenous not-for-profit organization that holds institutional eligibility before funding can be released. Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant status.

Applicants 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.

Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to be applicants if they have formally established an affiliation with an eligible institution at the time of application and maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period. Before applying, postdoctoral researchers must confirm with their institution’s research grants officer that the institution can administer the funding if awarded.

Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply.

Stream 2

Applications must include two applicants (principal investigators), with one based in Canada and one based in one of the Nordic countries, as well as a co-applicant from a different Nordic country. If you are looking for a new or additional Canadian or international team member for this funding opportunity, add your research interests and contact information to the networking form.

In the application form, ensure the Canadian principal investigator is the primary applicant. The primary applicant from a Nordic country should be included in the NordForsk budget form.

Co-director title

The co-director title should only be used for the principal investigator from the primary Nordic country and for the co-applicant from a different Nordic country.

Applicants affiliated with a Canadian institution

Stream 2 applicants affiliated with a Canadian institution follow the same eligibility guidelines as in Stream 1.

Applicants affiliated with a Nordic research-performing institution

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, you must be at an eligible research-performing organization in one of the Nordic countries. This is any Nordic research-performing organization that receives grant funding from NordForsk, or a NordForsk-recognized research institute or organization.

Standard NordForsk eligibility criteria for named NordForsk investigators and research organizations apply to this call.

Co-applicants

Individuals (including postdoctoral researchers) are eligible to be co-applicants if their primary affiliation consists of any of the following:

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

Only co-applicants who meet the same eligibility criteria as those described under the Applicants section are able to:

• have some responsibility for financial aspects of the grant; and
• be named principal investigator in the event of the original principal investigator’s death or resignation.

Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply as co-applicants. 

Stream 2

Each project must include one co-applicant from at least one Nordic country different from that of the primary Nordic applicant.

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 Canadian postsecondary institution.

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

Institutions

Stream 1

Only eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions or Indigenous not-for-profit organizations can administer grant funds. Institutions or not-for-profit organizations interested in administering SSHRC individual or institutional grants must meet the institutional eligibility requirements for the administration of grants and awards, which is independent of this application process.

To begin the institutional eligibility process, institutions or not-for-profit organizations should contact SSHRC’s Institutional Eligibility team at least 10 business days before the application deadline to be added to the application platform.

Stream 2

This is an international competition and only accepts international, collaborative knowledge synthesis projects. Proposed projects must involve a minimum of three researchers, one affiliated with an eligible institution in Canada and two from different Nordic countries and each affiliated with an eligible research-performing organization (see Co-applicants section). The institutions must be eligible to administer SSHRC and NordForsk funding, respectively.

Multiple applications and holding multiple awards

Individuals can apply, as an applicant, for only one KSG per competition.

See SSHRC’s regulations regarding Multiple applications for grants and fellowship and scholarship 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 applicants will be informed of reporting requirements when they receive their notice of award.

Stream 2

In addition to the monitoring requirement above, Nordic researchers will be required to submit their project outcomes to Researchfish.

Application process

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

For Stream 1, applicants must complete and attach the SSHRC budget form.

For Stream 2, applicants must complete and attach both the SSHRC and NordForsk budget forms.

Applicants needing help while preparing their application should communicate with SSHRC or NordForsk well in advance of the application deadline.

Merit review

Applications are reviewed, and available funds awarded, through a competitive merit review process. SSHRC bases funding decisions on the recommendations of the merit review committee and on the funds available. Committee discussions are guided by the principle of minimum essential funding.

The goal of SSHRC and its partners is to support syntheses covering a range of The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict themes. In addition to using the evaluation criteria below, and in keeping with established KSG practices, SSHRC and its partners will consider the overall coverage of themes among recommended applications to ensure the synthesis reports address a broad distribution of topics. Grants may not necessarily be allocated evenly across themes. However, more than one grant could be allocated to a single theme where there are value-added differences in approach and coverage.

KSGs are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and identify knowledge gaps.

SSHRC’s Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research are relevant for researchers (applicants) and students preparing SSHRC applications related to Indigenous research. SSHRC provides these guidelines to merit reviewers to help build understanding of Indigenous research and research-related activities, and to assist committee members in interpreting SSHRC’s specific evaluation criteria in the context of Indigenous research. SSHRC relies on a community of merit reviewers with experience and expertise in Indigenous research to judge the extent to which the guidelines can be applied to a particular research proposal. The guidelines may also be of use to external assessors, postsecondary institutions and partner organizations that support Indigenous research.

Evaluation criteria and scoring

The following criteria and scoring scheme are used to evaluate the applications:

• Challenge—The aim and importance of the endeavour (40%):
  • expected contribution to the funding opportunity’s stated objectives; 
  • significance of the applicant’s chosen topic or area(s) for synthesis, based on the issues identified in this call for proposals; 
  • potential influence and impact in informing policy and practice in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors; and 
  • identification of research gaps that might be addressed by a forward-looking research agenda in the chosen area(s). 
• Feasibility—The plan to achieve excellence (30%):
  • ability to meet the objectives of the funding opportunity; 
  • appropriateness of the methodology or approach and of the work plan, including timelines for the design and conduct of the activity; 
  • quality and appropriateness of knowledge mobilization plans, including effective dissemination, exchange and engagement with stakeholders within and/or beyond the research community, where applicable; and 
  • appropriateness of the requested budget. 
• Capability—The expertise to succeed (30%):
  • qualifications of the applicant/team to carry out the proposed project (such as expertise in the research area, synthesis methods, information retrieval and Indigenous research); and 
  • evidence of other knowledge mobilization activities (such as films, performances, commissioned reports, knowledge syntheses, experience collaborating/interacting with stakeholders, and contributions to public debate and the media) and of impacts on policy and practice. 

Scoring table

Merit review committee members assign a score for each of the three criteria above, 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 three criteria to be recommended for funding.

Score	Descriptor
5-6	Very good to excellent
4-4.9	Good to very good
3-3.9	Satisfactory to good
Below 3	Unsatisfactory

Communication of results

SSHRC makes competition results available to applicants (via the SSHRC Extranet for Applicants) and institutions (via the Grants and Scholarships Administration Portal).

Regulations, policies and related information

SSHRC and NordForsk reserve the right to determine the eligibility of applications, based on the information included. SSHRC also reserves the right to interpret the regulations and policies governing its funding opportunities.

All applicants and grant holders must comply with the regulations governing grant applications and with the regulations set out in the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration. Applicants are advised to consult the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration to determine whether an expenditure is an appropriate use of grant funds.

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

The Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC Policy) does not apply to KSGs. If you have questions about research security, contact researchsecurity-securiterecherche@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca.

Specific rules for the use of grant funds

Team members affiliated with a Canadian institution (Stream 1 and Stream 2)

• Grant funds cannot be used to remunerate team members (applicants, co-applicants or collaborators) regardless of an individual’s eligibility to apply for grants. This includes postdoctoral fellows serving in any of these capacities.
  • Exception to the rule: In some cases, Indigenous team members (i.e., co-applicants, collaborators) 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 applicant eligible to be compensated from grant funds.
• Grant funds cannot be used for course release time to allow an individual to engage in research activities.
• 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.

Team members affiliated with a Nordic research-performing institution (Stream 2)

For specific rules applying to the Nordic teams, see the Nordic guidelines.

Guidelines and related support material

Team members affiliated with a Canadian institution (Stream 1 and Stream 2)

All applicants for SSHRC funding should consult the following guidelines while preparing their application:

• SSHRC’s Definitions of Terms for terms used in the grant application process;
• SSHRC’s Guidelines for effective research training, which can also be useful to reviewers and postsecondary institutions;
• 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; and
• SSHRC’s Guidelines for support of tools for research and related activities for applicants requiring funding for research and research-related tools.

Team members affiliated with a Nordic research-performing institution (Stream 2)

All applicants from Nordic teams should consult NordForsk’s guidelines for KSG grants 2026.

Contact information

Stream 1 and Stream 2—Applicants affiliated with a Canadian institution

• Email: KSG-SSC@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca
• Toll-free: 1-855-275-2861

Stream 2—Applicants affiliated with a Nordic research-performing institution

• Email: KSG26-QA@nordforsk.org