Updated: September 2024
The Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) administers a Bridge Funding program to provide financial aid for researchers in the UTM community. This fund will support the research of UTM-appointed faculty whose Tri-Council grant applications have not been awarded, and who have demonstrated need. Anyone who has been successful with an application to any of the identified granting programs in the preceding grant cycle (August 1-July 30) is ineligible. The Bridge Funding program is intended to allow researchers to continue their research endeavours and strengthen their Tri-Council proposals for subsequent competitions, and is not intended to support on-going research activities. The OVPRI reserves the option to prioritize first time applications for the program.
Principal Investigators (PIs) eligible for Bridge Funding must have submitted to one of the following Tri-Council granting programs:
- SSHRC Insight Grant & Insight Development Grant
- NSERC Discovery Grant
- CIHR Project Grant
Eligibility:
- To be eligible, a PI must hold their primary, full-time faculty appointment at a UTM academic department.
- Graduate-only appointments, other types of cross-appointments, and emeritus faculty are not eligible.
Please note: Eligibility for Bridge Funding does not guarantee that one will receive such funding.
Conditions:
Bridge Funding recipients must commit to:
- Re-apply as a primary applicant in the subsequent competition; and
- Submit their next proposal to the OVPRI for internal grant-editing review.*
*Please submit proposals to grants.ovpri.utm@utoronto.ca, Ana Pogoutse (a.pogoutse@utoronto.ca), or Kate Steinmann (kate.steinmann@utoronto.ca) at least 2 weeks before the sponsor deadline.
Program Funding Levels:
The OVPRI is responsible for maximizing the benefit of this program to the advantage of all eligible UTM faculty. Bridge Funding levels will depend on the grant amount requested in the Tri-Council proposal, and the researchers’ demonstrated need.
General funding levels have been established as follows:
- SSHRC Insight Grant & Insight Development Grant – up to $15,000
- NSERC Discovery Grant – up to $30,000
- CIHR Project Grant – up to $40,000
The envelope available for the Bridge Funding program is limited, and availability will be confirmed year-to-year.
Application Process:
- Upon receiving results from a Tri-Council competition, the OVPRI will reach out to unsuccessful applicants, with a cc to the Department Chair, to let them know about the program.
- Department Chairs may be asked to prioritize Bridge Funding requests and communicate their prioritization strategy, in the event that the total requests exceed the total funding envelope available.
- The OVPRI will collect all requests, and apply prioritization criteria if necessary, to arrive at individual funding levels.
- Bridge Funding awards will be communicated to relevant Department Chairs and PIs, and funds subsequently transferred into the recipient’s PI account.