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Funding Opportunities

The Connaught programs are open to emerging and established University of Toronto researchers in the categories of People, Partnerships, and Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

People


International Doctoral Scholarship

To support the recruitment and research pursuits of top international PhD students. Eligible applicants must: 1) be internationally-based – citizens and permanent residents of Canada are ineligible, 2) have been offered admission to a full-time U of T doctoral program beginning September of the upcoming academic year, and 3) have achieved an A- average in each of the last two years of full-time study.


Award Value: $10,000 stipendiary top-up; approximately 120 awards funded annually (both new and continuing).


Submission Timeline:

Deadline are set by U of T’s individual graduate units and can be viewed on those units’ respective websites. Nominations are then made by graduate units in the Winter session of the academic year.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their prospective graduate unit when applying for admission to the University of Toronto.

 

McLean Award

To support an emerging research leader conducting basic research in physics, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, engineering sciences and the theory and methods of statistics. Eligible applicants must be nominated by their division heads (Dean/Chair/Principal) and must be within 12 years of having completed their PhD.


Award Value: $125,000; 1 award annually


Full Proposal: December 02, 2024

 

New Researcher Award

To help early-career faculty members establish their research programs and increase competitiveness for external funding. Eligible applicants include all full-time tenure stream faculty at the Assistant Professor level who are within five years of their tenure stream appointment and within ten years of having completed a PhD or equivalent.


Award Value: Up to $30,000; approximately 50 awards funded annually.


Full Proposal: November 15, 2024

 

PhDs for Public Impact Fellowship Program

To support PhD students pursuing public impact scholarship - an inquiry that makes meaningful contributions to our local and global communities. Connaught Public Impact Fellows focus on engaging the public through a scholarly agenda. This could involve a range of activities, from describing their work in a public forum (E.g. In a tweet, a personal blog post, a podcast interview, or an op-ed) to partnering with a school, community organization, or cultural institution (E.g. Museum, theatre, archive) in an ongoing two-way exchange of knowledge and practices.


Award Value: $12,500 ($10,000 as stipendiary top-up, $2,500 for project/professional development expenses); 15 awards funded annually.


Submission Timeline:

Late 2024

 

Partnerships


Community Partnership Research Program

To create new or nurture early-stage research partnerships between the University and community partners, fostering access to each other’s unique knowledge, expertise and capabilities on issues of shared interest. Over time, these collaborations may evolve into more established relationships that can attract external funding through, for example, the SSHRC Partnerships Grant program.


Award Value: Up to $50,000 per year for one or two years, for up to a total of $100,000. A total of $300,000 is available through this competition.


Submission Timeline:

Spring 2025

 

Community Partnerships Research Program – Indigenous Stream

Program currently under review – details forthcoming.



Major Research Challenge for Black Researchers

Coordinated with the Black Research Network (BRN), to address and develop solutions to major research challenges faced by Black Researchers. Challenge teams will initiate collaborations that may seed subsequent external funding opportunities, nurture partnerships, establish new research-oriented academic programs, and provide unique training opportunities.  Eligible teams must be led by a Black Researcher with a faculty appointment at the University of Toronto, with a team consisting of faculty representing a minimum of two SGS divisions, including junior and senior level faculty members.


Award Value: Up to $250,000; 1 award funded annually


Submission Timeline:

Fall 2024

 

Innovation & Entrepreneurship


Innovation Award

To accelerate the development of promising technologies and to promote the commercialization and/or knowledge transfer of innovations arising from the University of Toronto. The proposed project must be based on an existing invention disclosure filed to U of T’s Innovations & Partnerships Office (IPO).


Award Value: Up to $100,000; up to 15 awards funded annually.


Notice of Intent: September 09, 2024
Full Proposal: October 07, 2024

 

University of Toronto Early Stage Technology (UTEST)

To support U of T entrepreneurs to create research-based companies. As an accelerator in partnership with Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP), UTEST provides companies with investment capital, mentoring, business strategy and incubation space.


Award Value: Investments of up to $150,000


Submission Timeline:

Investments are identified in January-February annually