The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is offering Connection Grants to realize the potential of social sciences and humanities research for intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence, and benefit and impact on and beyond the campus, by supporting specific activities and tools that facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge.
These grants support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. These events and activities represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and to engage with participants on research issues of value to them. Events and outreach activities funded by a Connection Grant can often serve as a first step toward more comprehensive and longer-term projects.
Objectives
The objectives of the Connection program are to:
enable the multidirectional flow of social sciences and humanities research knowledge among researchers, and across academia and society as a whole, to enhance intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence, benefit and impact;
increase the accessibility and use of social sciences and humanities research knowledge among academic and non-academic audiences;
support the building of reciprocal relationships among social sciences and humanities researchers, and between the researchers and those in a position to either co-create or use research knowledge;
support the development of social sciences and humanities research networks and tools designed to enable scholarly work; and
make such networks and tools more accessible to non-academic audiences.
Funding Information
Connection Grants supporting events are valued at $7,000 to $25,000 over 1 year.
Connection Grants supporting outreach activities are valued at $7,000 to $50,000 over 1 year.
A minimum request of $7,000 is required.
SSHRC is willing to consider amounts higher than $50,000, although such applications must satisfactorily justify the need for the higher amount, as well as provide evidence the entire award can be managed within the one-year timeframe.
Participants and Audiences
Participants or audiences, in Canada and abroad, for both events and outreach activities, can include, among others:
academic researchers;
non-academic researchers;
policy-makers;
professional practitioners;
representatives from public, private or not-for-profit organizations;
representatives from community-based, local or regional non-academic organizations; and/or
students at all levels.
Ineligible Activities
Although applicants can apply for Connection Grants to support eligible events and outreach activities organized by academic associations, the following association activities are not eligible for funding:
annual general meetings or any other activity directly related to an association’s business meetings;
book launches or similar report dissemination;
receptions for association members; and
any activities normally paid for by the association’s operating fees.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants
Applications can be submitted by institutions or by individual applicants and teams.
Institutional Connection Grant applications must be submitted by a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility to conduct an event, outreach activity or a combination of the two that allows the institution to achieve strategic objectives relevant to its mission and mandate.
Individual Connection Grant applicants (except postdoctoral researchers) must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution that holds institutional eligibility at the time of application.
Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant or project director status.
Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to be applicants or project directors if they have formally established an affiliation with an institution that holds institutional eligibility within three months of the grant start date, and maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period.
Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply.
Connection Grant proposals led by students can be submitted, provided the proposals involve both students and researchers and are submitted on behalf of the student by a faculty member at an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution. Students can be collaborators, but not co-applicants. Students who are collaborators on a project team cannot be paid a stipend or wage by the grant.
Federal scientists who are affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution must demonstrate that their proposed research or research-related activity is not related to either the mandate of their employer or the normal duties for which they receive payment from that employer.
Institutions
Grant funds can only be administered by an eligible Canadian institution.
Indigenous not-for-profit organizations wanting to administer multiple Partnership Development Grants, Partnership Grants and/or Connection Grants going forward are encouraged to begin the institutional eligibility application process at least two months prior to the relevant funding opportunity’s application deadline.
Co-applicants
Individuals (including postdoctoral researchers) are eligible to be co-applicants if they are formally affiliated with any of the following:
Canadian eligible postsecondary institutions; not-for-profit organizations; philanthropic foundations; think tanks; or municipal, territorial or provincial governments; or
International postsecondary institutions.
Collaborators
Any individual who makes a significant contribution to the project is eligible to be a collaborator. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution.
Individuals from the private sector or federal government can only participate as collaborators.
Multiple applications and holding multiple awards
Individuals can apply, as an applicant, for only one Connection Grant per calendar year. An applicant cannot apply for or hold more than one Connection Grant for the same event or outreach activity.
Applicants or project directors on an active SSHRC Connection Grant cannot apply as applicant or project director for another individual or institutional Connection Grant.
