Research Guide for Library Faculty: External Grants

This section outlines two main categories of grants: SSHRC grants (below), and grants awarded by relevant professional organizations (right-hand column). Announcements about these and other grants may also be shared via email from time to time.

(For more information about each funding opportunity and access to the guidelines and application forms, click on the name in green.)

Connection Grants (February 1, May 1, August 1, November 1)

• support workshops, colloquiums, conferences, forums, summer institutes or other events or outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives
• events and outreach represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and to engage on research issues of value to those participating.
• typically valued at $7,000 to $25,000 over one year
• SSHRC will not fund the entire event—must have a minimum 50% funding from other sources of funding and/or sponsorship

Insight Development Grants (February 2)

• supports research in its initial stages
• enables the development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas
• valued at between $7,000 and $75,000 over 1 to 2 years
• available for two distinct categories of scholars: emerging (with in 6 years of their terminal degree or beginning their tenure-track position) and established

Partnership Grants (LOI due February 15)

• provides support to formal partnerships for initiatives that advance research in the social sciences and humanities including knowledge mobilization and the meaningful involvement of students and new scholars, by fostering new partnerships for research and related activities involving existing and/or potential partners
• institutional grant: project directors apply for the grant on behalf of the institution and the partners
• typically valued at $500,000 to $2.5 million over four to seven years
• 2 stages: 1) Letter of Intent (more than just a letter, is a full application) and 2) formal application
• requires a minimum of 35% in additional resources from sources over and above SSHRC contribution
• LOI successful: up to $20,000 grant to help with full application (travel, workshops, meetings, administrative support, and communication/ dissemination)

Partnership Engage Grants (March 15, June 15, September 15, December 15)

• provides funding to support partnered research activities that involve a partnership between a post-secondary based researcher and a single organization from the public, private, or non-profit sector.
• $7,000 to $25,000 over one year

Insight Grants (October 15)

• available to both emerging and established scholars for long-term research initiatives
• may be undertaken by an individual researcher or a team of researchers working in collaboration
• 2 to 5 years
• Stream A: proposals requesting $7000–$100,000
• Stream B: proposals requesting $100,000–$400,000
• Internal Review deadline: August 15

Partnership Development Grants (November 30)

• provides support to foster new research and/or related activities with new and/or existing partners; and to design and test new partnership approaches for research and/or related activities
• valued at $75,000 to $200,000 over 1 to 3 years.
• requires resources from sources over and above SSHRC contribution (no minimum contribution)

Research in Librarianship Grant (August 15)

• 2 grants of up to $2,000 each are awarded annually
• supports librarians and current LIS students actively conducting research in academic librarianship with the intent to publish the results
• promotes research in the field of academic librarianship by and/or about Canadians

Grants awarded through the ALA can be found here.

Additional awards can be found here.

Grants awarded through ALISE can be found here.

Deadline: March 1

The CHLA has several grants available, including a research grant. All can be found here.

The Community Initiatives Fund is a Saskatchewan organization that supports initiatives benefitting communities or nonprofit organizations in the province. The funds can’t be used for research, but outreach and knowledge mobilization activities that can demonstrate community benefit in Saskatchewan are eligible. Other research facilitators report that researchers in other colleges have had good experiences with the grant and the application process. The organization aims to say yes to as many applications as possible, and the grant currently has about an 85% success rate. Full info, including program guidelines and a sample application, are here.