The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Innovation Fund provides investments in infrastructure across the full spectrum of research. The CFI has announced its intention to release a draft Call for Proposals for the next round of the Innovation Fund in October 2021.
Timelines: In an effort to maximize the development time and support for potential Innovation Fund applicants Western Research has developed an internal timeline designed to engage and prepare application teams in advance of the anticipated CFI Call for Proposals. Please note that this pre-call framework is based on expected CFI timelines, and is therefore subject to change as new information is provided by the CFI.
Information Session – July 20, 1:30–2:30 p.m. (ZOOM): An information session will be held to provide general information on the Innovation Fund and detail Western’s internal processes for this round. All interested Western faculty and staff are welcome to attend. A recording of this webinar will be made available following the session. Register for the Information Session.
Mandatory Internal Notice of Intent – Due August 5, 2021: The internal Notice of Intent (NOI) form is available on the Western Research Innovation Fund page. Completed forms – including signatures from Deans (or Dean’s designate) of Faculties that will house some or all of the proposed equipment – must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 5, 2021 to tara.maccrone@uwo.ca.
The internal NOI is mandatory but not binding. All applicants at Western and affiliated research institutes and hospitals planning to submit a proposal must go through Western’s internal selection process and submit an NOI, but the proposed infrastructure, team, scope of the project, etc. can be changed prior to the submission of a full internal proposal. The NOI is intended for Western Research and Faculties to get a sense of groups intending to apply for the Innovation Fund and will not be competitively assessed or used in the adjudication process.
Virtual Pitch Your Proposal Events: Applicants can choose either the afternoon of Tuesday, August 10th or the morning of Wednesday, August 25th. Times and more specific details will be shared in the next few weeks. Teams interested to pitch their proposals can email tara.maccrone@uwo.ca to sign up.
Internal Proposal Deadline: October 5, 2021, 5:00 pm ET Submission of completed, signed Internal Proposal (Project Description, Budget, CVs, and Equipment & Space Needs form) to tara.maccrone@uwo.ca
Western researchers who are participating in an Innovation Fund proposal being led by another institution where a contribution from Western’s CFI envelope is being requested do not need to submit an internal Notice of Intent. Instead, the Western researcher(s) must complete the forms and follow the process outlined on the Western Research website. Forms will be accepted on a rolling basis.
More Information on Western’s CFI Process
Questions: Tara MacCrone, Research Development Officer
Read the Internal Call for Proposals
Western Research strongly encourages all interested applicants to discuss their infrastructure requests and space needs with their Faculties as early as possible.
