Research & Innovation Advancement (RIA) is pleased to offer a variety of funding opportunities (April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025).
NOTE: All applications must be submitted either through email or the ROMEO Research Portal (see competition guidelines for specific instructions) by 11:59 PM on the date specified. When the application due date specified falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be the following business day.
On this page:
Internal Funding Opportunities
Summer Studentship
This award is intended to support promising summer students engaged in research aimed at improving child, youth, maternal or women’s health at the IWK.
Eligibility: Any undergraduate trainee supervised by an IWK researcher and not funded through the Research In Medicine (RIM) Program.
Application Deadline: January 15
Funds Available (no match required): $5,000
Centre Development Grant Phase 1
The purpose of the award is to strengthen the development of new Applications to Establish an IWK Centre for Research. To this end, RIA seeks Development Grant applications from (a) investigators who have a coherent centre vision that has the potential to develop a national reputation (b) a strong team of multidisciplinary investigators with established research records, and (c) centres with a plan to use funds to facilitate the development of the IWK Centre for Research application.
Funding call will be held biannually.
Application Deadline: February 28, 2026
Funds Available (no match required): $35,000
Email Priya Damodaran for more information.
Centre Support Grant Phase 2
Aim: The purpose of the award is to support currently operational IWK Centres for Research. To this end, RIA seeks applications from leaders of IWK Centres for Research who can demonstrate that their centre (a) has a coherent vision (b) has sought and received external funding (c) produced high impact, innovative, nationally recognized research (d) has served local, regional or national needs in alignment with IWK Mission & Values.
Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
Funds Available (no match required): TBD
Email Priya Damodaran for more information.
Project Grant
This grant is intended to support projects that will position IWK researchers to be more competitive for external funding or to complete high-quality projects of more limited scope that will have significant scientific or clinical impact.
Application Deadline: October 15
Funds Available: $25,000 for 1 year (with 1 year no-cost extension)
The following types of applications are accepted:
- Seed/Preliminary Data. The study will provide preliminary data that will support an upcoming application for an external grant.
- New Area. This study is in an area that is distinct from the applicant’s current area of research and is not an incremental progression in their current research program. This study will provide the applicant an opportunity to explore a new area of research.
- Stand-alone Project. This study can be completed within the allocated budget, and yield findings of sufficient originality and import to make an independent impactful contribution to the literature or practice.
Mentored Grant
This grant is intended to support projects that will build capacity in research at the IWK, and facilitate the development of the applicant’s research efficacy by enhancing research skills through actual involvement in research. Trainees, early career faculty, or clinical and administrative staff who are building research expertise are encouraged to apply. Evaluation of applications will be based on the quality of the proposed project and the likelihood that the mentorship relationship will lead to further skill and professional development for the mentee.
Application Deadline: October 15
Funds Available: $5,000 over a two (2) year period
Establishment Recruitment
The purpose of this award is to help in the recruitment/establishment of new research investigators in the field of women’s and children’s health care in the Maritime Provinces. In this context, health care includes all aspects of research related to the health of women and children, including laboratory and clinical research, and research in education and rehabilitation.
Application Deadline: Funding requests are accepted from six months prior to the investigator’s start date through the first 12 months of appointment.
Funds Available: Pending available funds.
Establishment Recruitment Guidelines
Equipment Refresh/Replace
As demands for equipment related funding continue to increase, researchers are encouraged to budget for service contracts and maintenance costs of major pieces of multi-user equipment in all external funding opportunities. Fees from users should also be considered to provide a fund for emergency repairs, maintenance and replacement costs. Applications to the Equipment Refresh/Replace Program may require documentation that funding from external sources, e.g. IOF has been inadequate or unsuccessful.
Application Deadline: September 30
Funds Available: Depending on funds available, the cost of repairs, maintenance, or purchase of equipment may be reimbursed.
Equipment Refresh/Replace Guidelines
Equipment Refresh/Replace Application Form
Matching Funds
Numerous funding programs now require institutional matching funds (in-kind or cash). Matching funds will be available for grant proposals to government and not-for-profit organizations when required by the sponsor or as part of the grant application.
Application Deadline: Applications may be submitted at any time during the fiscal year (April 1–March 31) but no later than one month prior to the funding agency’s application deadline.
Funds Available: Maximum of up to 10% of a $100,000 funding program.
Matching Funds Application Form
Matching Funds for Mitacs Accelerate Program
The purpose of this award is to support collaborations between the IWK and postsecondary institutions by funding an internship (or internships) to enable projects that will improve child, youth, maternal or women’s health.
Terms of support: Base level of support is $15,000 per four-to-six (4-6) month module to support a single internship. If successful, IWK RIA will contribute a stipend of $7,500 and Mitacs will contribute $7,500. Projects including multiple internships and modules will be considered pending available funding.
Matching Funds for Mitacs Accelerate Program Guidelines
Translating Research into Care (TRIC)
The purpose of TRIC is to support Implementation Science which aims to incorporate new findings into practice. Projects will yield strong evidence and facilitate the translation of clinical science into improved improved healthcare policy, service delivery and patient care.
Registration Deadline: November 1
Application Deadline: January 15
Funds Available: There are three levels of TRIC funding available. See the TRIC Guidelines link below for details.
Health System Impact (HSI) Fellowships
Deadlines for the 2024 HSI competitions have not yet been released. Once available, internal HSI deadlines will precede CIHR HSI deadlines by two weeks.
The Health System Impact Program provides highly-qualified doctoral trainees, post-doctoral fellows and early career researchers in health services and policy research, or related fields, a unique opportunity to develop embedded research projects/programs that address the most pressing problems faced by health system organizations and to support evidence-informed-decision-making.
The HSI Fellowships provide a one or two year paid experiential learning opportunity within health system and related organizations where the fellow will dedicate the majority of their time towards a co-developed program of work that advances the organization’s goals and contributes to improved health system performance. Annual calls for applications.
The HSI Early Career Embedded Researcher Stream (ECR) provides a four-year award to establish a career pathway for embedded ECRs, increase their potential for impact and contribution as embedded scholars, and increase the probability that they will secure an embedded scientist position with a Canadian health system organization and/or a faculty position in a Canadian academic institution. To this end, the award will provide protected time for embedded research within the health system organization. The program will be launched bi-annually.
IWK Research Grant Reports and Forms
Researchers who have acquired funds through IWK sources are required to submit a final report documenting the progress and results of their funded project. Please refer to the guidelines for your program to determine whether or not an interim report is required in addition to the final report.
IWK Program Funds - Interim Report
IWK Program Funds - Final Report
IWK Program Funds - Final Report - Establishment Grant
If you would like to request an extension for your IWK funded grant or award please complete the following form (note: this form is for IWK programs and awards only).
IWK Grants Extension Request Form
Any changes to IWK Program budgets are to be requested using the Budget Change Request form (Pulse link).
External Funding Opportunities
The Submission Requirements for Research Applications policy must be followed when applying to an external funding opportunity.
RIA compiles a list of External Funding Opportunities (Pulse link) which is updated throughout the year. Please note that this is not meant to be a complete list of all available external opportunities.
Effective October 1, 2024, anyone applying to an external research funding call must submit their application through the IWK ROMEO researcher portal no later than 10 business days before the competition deadline. Please use the 'External Grants Checklist' form in ROMEO to submit applications. The application must be complete, including the proposal, budget and all supporting documents. This change is necessary to ensure compliance with new Federal policies National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships and the Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern Policy. Applications submitted after the internal deadline via the IWK ROMEO Researcher portal will not be processed for submission to funders.