2022 Special Call – Research for Postpandemic Recovery: Full Application Guide

On this page

• Completing the application
• Required information
• Submitting an application
• Submitting the application as the research administrator
• Contact information

Completing the application

You must complete your application using the Convergence Portal. The Portal is only supported on the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox.

Follow the instructions provided in the Portal to complete your application. The information needed to complete an application is outlined below.

The NPI must complete all sections of the full application and submit the application via their institution’s research administrator. Any new team members (co-PIs and co-applicants) must each complete their own profile in the Portal before the NPI submits the application. Team members will be able to see all sections of the application, but will not have edit access.

NPIs must verify the page lengths and formatting of any attachments uploaded to the application. Should a submitted application contain one or more attachments that do not comply with the page length or formatting standard, the application may be withdrawn from the competition.

Required information

All relevant information from the NOI will be prepopulated in the full application. You must include the following content to complete an application. Complete sections a. to e. within the Convergence Portal.

1. Proposed budget

   Enter the planned amount of funds to be spent in each category (direct and indirect costs) for each year of the project. Contact your research administrator for direction on how much to request for indirect costs.

2. Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)

   Indicate whether GBA+ considerations have been integrated into the proposed research.

3. Socio-economic objectives

   Select the socio-economic objective from the Canadian Research and Development Classification (CRDC) codes that relate to the potential outcomes of the research. This selection is for information purposes only and will not be used in the review process.

4. Certifications, licences and permits

   Answer the questions as they relate to the proposed research project. Consult the Requirements for Certain Types of Research for more information or clarification, if needed. With the exception of research taking place outdoors, which may require submission of an Impact Assessment at the time of application (follow the instructions in the Portal), no forms or certifications are required at the time of application. If you are awarded a grant, the necessary certification requirements must be met in accordance with the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions.

5. Equity, diversity and inclusion

   Applications must not include any self-identifying information about members of the research team in the equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) section. Focus on the team’s commitment to EDI, not on its EDI profile. See NFRF’s Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research guide for more details.

   Applicants may draw on institutional EDI policies and practices where these exist, but they must be tailored to the particular context of the fields and teams involved. Applicants are encouraged to be specific and concise.

   In this section, provide the following:

   1. information about the team’s specific circumstances related to EDI, including identification of structural biases that could affect members of underrepresented groups (character limit: 2500);
   2. the best practices that will be applied to each of the following elements (character limit: 250):
      • team composition and recruitment processes
      • training and development opportunities
      • inclusion

   For each, a brief explanation must be provided, including: how each practice applies to the team’s specific context; how it will be implemented; the expected impacts; and how the impacts will be measured (character limit: 2500).

   Information that reveals team members’ affiliations (including departments, lab groups, etc.) can be included in this section, if relevant.

6. Research proposal

   The following sections must be included in one document and uploaded following the instructions for attachments. The page limits indicated for each section are suggestions, but the maximum limit of 11 pages for proposals written in English or 13.2 pages for proposals written in French is firm. The order of the sections must be followed, and the use of headings is highly encouraged. Use language that can be understood by a multidisciplinary review panel.

   1. Research proposal (maximum 5 pages if written in English; maximum 6 pages if written in French, including diagrams and illustrations)
      • Describe the UN Research Roadmap for the COVID-19 Recovery priority that is being addressed and how the project responds to it.
      • Describe the proposed research project outlining the major short- and medium- term changes that are expected and how it will contribute to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Explain how likely it is that the objectives will be achieved.
      • Describe the research methodology and design highlighting how the approach is different from other approaches, including:
        • how interdisciplinary perspectives will be applied and integrated;
        • how they relate to current and relevant research, prior art or knowledge; and
        • how it incorporates different regional or disciplinary perspectives.
      • Provide a work plan with a timeline.
      • Describe how the project will engage with potential end users and/or other measures the project will use to position the research for uptake.
      • Discuss approaches to Indigenous research (if appropriate) and how Indigenous communities will be engaged in the project (see the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC’s) Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research).
   2. GBA+ Analysis (maximum 1 page if written in English; maximum 1.2 pages if written in French)
      • Include a thorough analysis of the research design to demonstrate that it has been informed by GBA+ (refer to Merit Indicators for the Review Process). The research design/methodology should showcase how GBA+ considerations have been embedded within the design and implementation of the proposed solution in order to address the dual objectives of gender equity and sustainability, articulated in the UN Roadmap.
   3. Include biographical information about the research team (maximum 3 pages if written in English; maximum 3.6 pages if written in French).
      • Provide a brief overview of the research team’s knowledge, background and expertise, from the perspective of how they will contribute to the project. Identify the anticipated contributions of each team member (NPI, co-PI, co-applicants and collaborators, as applicable) and explain how their contributions will be coordinated and integrated.

      If a team member’s self-identification (gender, Indigenous identity, disability or racial background) is relevant to the research project, that self-identifying information may be included here, but only with their consent.

   4. Budget justification (maximum 2 pages if written in English; maximum 2.4 pages if written in French). This document will be uploaded separately from the proposal.
      • Provide a breakdown and explanation of the direct costs of the research project. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess the appropriateness of the requested resources. If necessary, you can also use this section to describe other resources, including funding, materials or equipment, that will contribute to the project. Securing other sources of funding is not expected for this funding opportunity. A breakdown of the indirect costs of research is not required and should not be included.
      • Using the following categories, describe in broad terms where the funds will be used, also indicating whether they will be supporting research activities in Canada or abroad (and, if abroad, where):
        • research team compensation
        • student salaries and benefits
        • non-student salaries and benefits
        • equipment
        • travel
        • all other costs
7. Literature references (maximum 5 pages if written in English; maximum 6 pages if written in French)
   • Provide a list of literature references cited in the application. This document will be uploaded separately from the proposal.

Submitting an application

Review your application to ensure that it is complete.

From the “Finalize Application” section, follow the prompts to submit your application.

After you accept the terms and conditions, the status of your submission will change to “Received by Administrator.” If you want to make any changes at this point, you may request that your research administrator return the application to you.

Once your research administrator has approved and submitted your application, the application status will change to “Received by Agency.” No changes can be made at that point and your application will not be returned to you.

Submitting the application as the research administrator

When you receive an application submitted by an NPI at your institution, you will be asked to approve the application and submit it. By submitting it, you are confirming that:

• the participants meet the eligibility requirements; and
• the proposed research project meets the eligibility requirements.

By submitting the application, the research administrator, on behalf of the institution, will also be certifying that the NPI:

• is affiliated with the institution or organization;
• has the necessary time and resources to carry out the activity; and
• will email NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca if there are any changes during the tenure of the grant, including changes in the composition of the partnership, such as the addition of co-PIs, co-applicants, collaborators, etc.

Contact information

If you have questions:

• about the NFRF program, contact NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca;
• about the Convergence Portal, contact the Online Services Helpdesk at websupport@convergence.gc.ca or 613-995-4273.