Office of Research and Ethics

At Saint Paul University, we promote the “human” side of research

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Research Funding

The University actively supports its research community by offering a wide range of internal and external funding opportunities across various fields of inquiry. These resources enable researchers to develop strong, competitive proposals while enhancing their visibility and success in external funding competitions.

Internal Bursaries

Research Funding at Saint Paul University

1 – RESEARCH GRANTS:

Research grants aim to support first and foremost the activities that form the preliminary steps in a program of research to be submitted to an external funding agency.

a) Guidelines

b) General Rules and Regulations

c) Application Form

2- AID TO PUBLICATION:

The Aid to Publication Program has four sections.

Section A – Scholarly Books

Section B – Preparation of a Scholarly Work

Section C – Learned Journals and Open-Access Publishing

Section D – Translation of a Book or an Article

a) Guidelines

b) General Rules and Regulations

c) Application Form

3- SCHOLARLY CONFERENCE PROGRAM:

The mandate of the program is to support the dissemination of research findings that have been assessed by peers or an external funding agency. It also supports the dissemination of research findings contributing to the University’s areas of excellence, of a faculty member’s ongoing program of research, or that of new faculty members.

a) Guidelines

b) General Rules and Regulations

c) Application Form

4- GRADUATE STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM:

The mandate of this program is to support graduate students in activities related to their thesis, such as academic papers, field research, or other related expenses.

a) Guidelines

b) General Rules and Regulations

c) Application Form

5- DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE:

The program has two sections:

Section I – Conferences and Workshops on Campus

Section II – Shaping of New Knowledge

a) Guidelines

b) General Rules and Regulations

c) Application Form

External BURSARIEs

SSHRC and CIHR Annual Funding Opportunities

Selecting the Appropriate Federal Granting Agency
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

SSHRC supports postsecondary-based research, research training and knowledge mobilization activities in the social sciences and humanities.

SSHRC funding opportunities are available through three programs: Talent, Insight and Connection.

Funding opportunities

For the most up-to-date information on all funding opportunities, see the SSHRC webpage funding search tool.

All applicants are invited to consider addressing in their research proposal one or more of the 16 future global challenges identified under SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future.

SSHRC, in alignment with its Indigenous Research Statement of Principles, also welcomes applications involving Indigenous research. Interested applicants are invited to visit the Indigenous Research web page for more information.

For individuals or teams
SSHRC provides funding for research carried out by individual scholars and teams of researchers.

For postdoctoral researchers

For formal partnerships

SSHRC provides funding for research, research training and knowledge mobilization carried out by new and existing formal partnerships.

Partnership Engage Grants
Partnership Development Grants
Partnership Grants

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) supports excellence across all four pillars of health research: biomedical; clinical; health systems services; and population health.

Funding opportunities

CIHR accepts applications for funding support that fall within its mandate, subject to agency policies and the specific requirements of the applicable funding opportunity.

Project Grant Program

The Project Grant program is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential to advance health-related fundamental or applied knowledge, health research, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes. It supports research projects proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers in all areas of health. The best ideas may stem from:

new, incremental, innovative, and/or high-risk lines of inquiry; or,
knowledge translation approaches.
For more information, please see the list of current funding opportunities.

New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF)

The New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) supports world-leading interdisciplinary, international, high-risk / high-reward, transformative and rapid-response Canadian-led research. About the NFRF

Funding streams

The NFRF has three streams that each support specific goals, and the flexibility to launch special calls:

Exploration

Exploration generates opportunities for Canadians to conduct innovative high-risk / high-reward interdisciplinary research.

International

The International stream enhances opportunities for Canadian researchers to partner on international projects.

Transformation

Transformation provides large-scale support for Canada to build strength and leadership in interdisciplinary and transformative research.

Special calls

Special calls are targeted to support emerging research as needed.

Other Funding Agencies

Canada Arts Council
Fulbright Program

The current competition, for awards in the 2014–2015 academic year, opens May 15, 2013, and closes November 15, 2013.

Eligibility
Applicants must have received a Ph.D. or equivalent professional/terminal degree by December 31, 2012, or have equivalent professional experience.

 Fulbright Scholar

Traditional Fulbright Scholar awards for Canadian scholars are open to scholars in all fields and are designed to enable emerging and established scholars, post-doctoral researchers and experienced professionals to conduct research, teach or undertake a combination of both activities for one semester or a full academic year at a university or research centre of their choice in the United States.

 Visiting Research Chairs

Canada–U.S. Fulbright Visiting Research Chairs enable promising and prominent Canadian scholars, as well as experienced professionals, to conduct research, develop collaborations, guest lecture and/or teach at select American universities and research centres, normally for one semester, though this may be extended to a full academic year. In addition, successful candidates will have the opportunity to deliver public lectures, give seminar presentations, participate in conferences and otherwise contribute to ongoing research activities at the host institution.

Louisville Institute

The Louisville Institute offers four grant programs to support both research and inquiry by scholar/pastors and scholar/educators that strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions while simultaneously advancing American religious and theological scholarship. These grant programs aim to serve three strategic constituencies whose competence and well-being are essential to the future of the Church: pastors, younger scholars, and researchers and scholars for the broader Church.

Pastoral Study Project

The program offers pastoral leaders an opportunity to conduct serious investigation of issues related to Christian life, faith and ministry. Grants of up to $15,000 are available for study projects involving full or partial leave from the responsibilities of ministry.

Deadline: September 1

Project Grant for Researchers

The program supports a diverse range of research and research-related projects undertaken in the interest of believing communities. Projects might include short-term periods of research, consultations about one’s research involving pastors and academics, or collaborative, innovative projects that promise to enhance learning and strengthen the Church. Particularly attractive to the Louisville Institute are projects that involve both academics and pastors in genuinely collaborative inquiry. All funded projects should involve substantial opportunity for learning that will benefit the Church. Grant amounts up to $25,000 are available.

Deadline: October 1

Sabbatical Grant for Researchers

The program assists research and writing projects that will advance religious and theological scholarship in ways that also address practical issues concerning Christian faith and life, pastoral leadership, and/or religious institutions. Ordinarily applicants will be fully employed in accredited academic institutions and will be eligible for up to a full academic year leave from teaching. While pastoral leaders are eligible to apply, their proposals will likely be more competitive in the Pastoral Study Project program. Grant amounts up to $40,000 are available.

Deadline: November 1

Wabash Center

The Wabash Center provides funds for activities that enhance teaching and learning in the fields of religion and theology. It seeks to fund projects that promote a sustained conversation about pedagogy through the improvement of practical applications of teaching and learning methods, the encouragement of research and study of pedagogical issues, and the creation of a supportive environment for teaching. All proposals should maintain a reference to specific classroom practices and challenges.

Eligibility Requirements

The Wabash Center gives grants to accredited universities, colleges, or seminaries in the United States and Canadaand occasionally to non-profit organizations providing services to improve teaching and learning at institutions of higher education. The project director will ordinarily be a full-time faculty member in religion or theology. In colleges or universities without a department of religion or theology, we will consider, on a case-by- case basis, project directors from other departments whose primary teaching responsibility is in the area of religion.

Grant Levels

Small Project Grants (for amounts up to $2,500) have a short application process and can be approved anytime throughout the year. Rolling Deadline
Project Grants (for amounts up to $20,000) require a full application process and are awarded at twice a year. Deadlines: March 1 and October 1.

Annual Deadlines

March 1
October 1
Small Project Grants (up to $2,500) can be submitted at any time during the year.
The Wabash Center also offer particular grant programs specific to particular workshop, colloquy and conferences, such as:

  • Workshop Summer Fellowship and Grant Program
  • Colloquy Follow-up Grants
  • Graduate Programs Teaching Initiative
  • Workshops on Teaching College Introductory Courses
  • Educating Clergy Grants

Veuillez consulter le site Web des organismes pour de plus amples renseignements.

Post-award and Use of Funding

MANDATE AND OBJECTIVES

The Office of Research and Ethics is responsible for the sound management of the research accounts in light of the policies of Saint Paul University and of the funding agencies. This ensures a follow-up that best meets the needs of the researchers and of graduate students.

  1. Four Principles Governing the Appropriate Use of Grant Funds
  2. Saint Paul University Policies and Tri-Agency Guidelines
  3. Examples of Relevant and Non-Relevant Research Expenses
  4. Soft-Funded Research Bursary

INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS

Research Support Fund (RSF)

In 2003, the Government of Canada established the Indirect Costs Program (ICP) as a permanent program.  This program provides Canadian universities and colleges with an annual grant to help pay for a portion of their hidden or “indirect” costs of research – administrative expenditures that support research but are not chargeable to specific research projects.  In 2015, the program was renamed the Research Support Fund (RSF).  Please visit the Research Support Fund website for additional information on the program.

At Saint Paul University, the Research Support Fund is used to support activities such as the purchase of library holdings, assistance in preparing and managing grant proposals.

For 2025-2026, Saint Paul University (SPU) will receive $204,449 (an increase of $23,321 that reflects well on our performance) to be spent in one or more of five eligible categories.

The Research Support Fund (RSF) amount to be awarded to SPU will be spent as follows:

  • $60,000 – Research Resources: library operations and administration costs (costs related to Library staff salaries).
  • $144,449 – Management and administration of the institution’s research enterprise: human resources and salaries (salaries and benefits for employees who support research in the Office of Research).

INDIRECT COSTS AT SAINT PAUL UNIVERSITY

The amount of Saint Paul University‘s grant will be based on the amount of funding received by researchers from the three federal granting agencies – CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC – in the three most recent years for which data is available.

These investments will help to:

  • Attract and retain researchers and provide them with the resources and infrastructure they need to succeed;
  • Support the development of the future generation of researchers; and
  • Attract additional funding to support the University’s research environment.

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Institutional Performance Objectives

Research Support Fund Distribution ( RSF)

Testimonies

SSHRC Institutional Grants (SIC)

The SSHRC Institutional Grants (SIG) are funds provided by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to Saint Paul University (SPU). These grants support small-scale research projects and related activities conducted by our faculty and students in the humanities. Proposals are evaluated through a peer-review process based on merit. As a small-scale institution, Saint Paul University benefits significantly from these funds, which help enhance the excellence of our researchers’ work.

Depending on the budget allocated under the SIG program, this funding enables the university to offer internal SSHRC-supported exploration grants and knowledge exchange grants.

The SIG program is managed by the Vice-Rectorate Academic and Research, which acts as the university’s primary representative and ensures compliance with applicable policies and regulations.

Applications for the SIG program are reviewed by Saint Paul University’s Research Committee.

General Research Fund (GRF)

The General Research Fund (GRF) is a special trust account into which the unspent funds of expired or terminated grants  are transferred with the authorization of the granting agencies.

Description

Saint Paul University is required to keep a separate GRF account for each agency: namely, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The financial administration of these two GRFs must also be kept separate. The funds must be administered in a centralized manner and the institution must manage the funds meticulously.

Transfer conditions

Transfers to the GRF are authorized by the agencies under the following conditions:

  • The amount to be transferred corresponds to the definition of a residual balance. A residual balance is an amount corresponding to 50% or less of the allocated grant. Any higher amount is deemed to be an unspent grant and a reimbursement is required;
  • The institution has completed the  annual reconciliation of active awards by submitting the statements of account;
  • The institution has spent at least 50% of the opening balance of its GRF during the current year.

Procedures and policies: Managing the use of the GFR

  • Saint Paul University uses GRF funds to grant assistance to start-up projects, for the production of edited academic works and for special research activities.
  • In all cases, and subject to the availability of these funds, professors who wish to obtain funding must submit a complete application to the Office of Research and Ethics within the Saint Paul University research support programs.
  • The policies and requirements of the agencies stipulated in the  Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide apply at all times to the use of GRF funds.
  • Saint Paul University is responsible for ensuring that GRFs are used to cover eligible expenses related to the direct costs of research and that all expenses charged to the GRF are authorized by the person responsible within the institution.
  • Each year, Saint Paul University is required to submit a  statement of account (F300) for each GRF (SSHRC and NSERC) to the agencies.
Graduate Studies Fund (GGSF)

The General Graduate Studies Fund (GGSF) comes from the federal granting councils (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR). It is made up of award balances that have not been fully utilized. It is used to support full-time graduate students (master’s and doctoral) in carrying out their studies through the Graduate Student Support Program.