Current Funding, Awards and Learning Opportunities
Research Funding Flashes
The Office of Research sends out Research Funding Flashes by email to our faculty. These contain important information about internal competitions, funding and award opportunities and training sessions.
Current Issue
Archive of Past RFFs
| Issue 79 | Issue 78 | Issue 77 | Issue 76 |
| Issue 75 | Issue 74 | Issue 73 | Issue 72 |
| Issue 71 | Issue 70 | Issue 69 | Issue 68 |
| Issue 67 | Issue 66 | Issue 65 | Issue 64 |
| Issue 63 | Issue 62 | Issue 61 | Issue 60 |
Find Funding
Pivot
Pivot is a funding database which allows you to search for funding in any discipline and includes both Canadian and international funding opportunities.
Pivot is available to all faculty within the University of Toronto. To access Pivot, you need to first claim your profile using your utoronto email address.
University Toronto Research & Innovation
The university maintains a list of funding opportunities and has important information on internal deadlines, upcoming webinars etc.
UofT Funding Opportunities Database
Sign up for the UofT Research Alerts to be notified of upcoming research related news and opportunities.
University of Toronto Research Alerts
CIHR
CIHR is Canada’s primary federal agency for health research. More information about their full range of programs can be found on the CIHR website.
NOTE: All new applicants must register to ResearchNet and obtain a CIHR PIN before applying.
See all CIHR funding opportunities
NSERC
NSERC is Canada’s primary federal agency for research in science and engineering. More information about their full range of programs can be found on the NSERC website.
See all NSERC funding opportunities
SSHRC
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is Canada’s primary federal agency for social science and humanities research. More information about their full range of programs can be found on the SSHRC website.
Additional Resources for Partnership and Partnership Development Grants:
Evidence of a formal partnership document draft
Examples of PG LOI, PG, and PDG applications (UTORid may be required)
See all SSHRC funding opportunities
Public Health Agency of Canada
Funding
NIH
NIH is the United States’ medical research agency –supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health.
NIH Submission Guide U of T Resource Guide for faculty applying to NIH
NIH Subaward Submission Guide U of T Resource Guide to Completing & Submitting Subaward-Consortium documents
Grants.Gov Find application instructions and download application packages
NIH ASSIST NIH’s new web-based application system
See the common NIH funding opportunities
Awards
Honours, awards and prizes recognizing significant achievements in research and innovation are awarded by many national and international academies, foundations, scholarly associations, and academic institutions. We welcome both self nominations and suggestions of colleagues to nominate for awards.
For a list of upcoming awards, please visit:
AWARDS LIST
Find Training & Learning Opportunities
| Name | Description | Date(s) |
| MRHP (Online Research Ethics) Training |
MRHP Basics for PIs, PI Assistants and Students |
Continuing. Click on the registration link for latest dates. |
| Centre for Research Innovation & Support (CRIS) | Resources and Training Opportunities are offered regularly | See the calendar for the latest events. |
DLSPH and University of Toronto Internal Competitions
Available Canada Research Chair Opportunities
No Canada Research Chairs currently available.
2025/26 Research Excellence Postdoctoral Fellowship
Important Dates
- DLSPH Notice of Intent to Apply: 4:00 pm on Thursday, January 15, 2026
- Complete Application Package: 4:00 pm on Monday, February 2, 2026
View application instructions here.
2025 University of Toronto Excellence Awards (UTEA) – Undergraduate
NOTE: This competition is now closed.
The UTEA program provides eligible UofT undergraduate students with funding support to conduct summer research projects directly under the supervision of UofT faculty members, augmenting the formal research courses offered at UofT and helping students better understand investigative methodologies. This year DLSPH has been allocated 2 social sciences & humanities (SSH) awards and 4 health & life sciences (HLS) awards.
Duration
14 full weeks during the summer term, beginning no earlier than May 1, 2025 and ending no later than September 30, 2025.
Value
$5,250 from the UTEA program with a mandatory match from the faculty supervisor of $2,250. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to secure the matched minimum of $2,250.
Supervisor Eligibility
As stipulated by UofT policy, only full-time faculty members whose primary employer is UofT are eligible to supervise a UTEA award and they must be the principal investigator on an active tri-agency grant or pending tri-agency grant application at the start date of the award (May 1, 2025). A faculty member can supervise a maximum of 2 UTEA awards per year.
New this year: An MRA must be submitted by the supervisor at the time of application to the division (i.e. either IHPME or PHS). See the tipsheet linked below to guide applicants on how to properly complete an MRA for this program.
Eligibility and Program Guidelines
Application Form
UTEA MRA Tips Sheet
DLSPH Application Deadline
Please submit an MRA with the completed UTEA application uploaded in the “Document Attachments” section by 4:00 pm ET on Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Please also send a confirmation email to research.dlsph@utoronto.ca once your MRA has been submitted.
2025 Tri-Agency Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA)
NOTE: This competition is now closed.
The Tri-Agency Undergraduate Student Research Awards (USRA) program has been designed to provide research experience for undergraduate students that complements degree programs in the natural sciences and engineering (NSERC), health and life sciences (CIHR) and the social sciences and humanities (SSHRC). Please note that the USRAs can be held by any faculty supervisor who is eligible to hold research funds at UofT.
Duration
16 full consecutive weeks in the summer term (between May 1 and September 1, 2025).
Value
$6,000 from NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR with a mandatory contribution from the faculty supervisor’s other research funds of a minimum of $1,500. It is the responsibility of the supervisor to secure the minimum of $1,500.
This year there are 3 streams for applicants to consider:
1a) NSERC USRA: DLSPH has an allocation of 1 NSERC USRA. See the 2025 USRA Guidelines for details and eligibility. If more than 1 application is received, an internal DLSPH committee will choose the successful application with priority given to early career supervisors, followed by faculty members who hold grants at DLSPH or have submitted grants through DLSPH in the past 12 months.
1b) NSERC Black USRA: NSERC no longer provides an unlimited number of USRAs for students who self-identify as Black. Instead, they have placed a limit on the number that each institution can award – UofT’s allocation is 24. All NSERC applications will first be considered for the general NSERC USRA (#1a above). The applications of those students who were not selected for the general NSERC USRA and who self-identified as Black will be forwarded to the UofT Research Services Office (RSO). RSO will then coordinate a VPRI-led central selection process to award additional Black Student USRA’s from the University-wide allocation. Details and eligibility can be found on the NSERC Black Student & Indigenous Student USRAs Research Alert page.
2) NSERC Indigenous USRA: No limit. Details and eligibility can be found on the NSERC Black Student & Indigenous Student USRAs Research Alert page.
3) CIHR/SSHRC Black USRA: UofT has an allocation of 30 CIHR and 12 SSHRC URSAs. VPRI will lead a central selection process to award these USRA’s from the University-wide allocation. More details and eligibility can be found on the CIHR & SSHRC Black Student USRAs Research Alert page.
DLSPH Application Deadline
Please submit a downloaded pdf copy of the full application from the NSERC portal by 4:00 pm ET on Tuesday, March 18, 2025 to research.dlsph@utoronto.ca
For Program Guidelines and How to Apply: USRA Guidelines
2024/25 Connaught Mid-Career Researcher Award
NOTE: This competition is now closed.
The Connaught Mid-Career Researcher Award is a nomination-based program that provides one-time funding of up to $250,000 to support mid-career researchers in leading significant, innovative research and continuing to grow their research programs, with the goal of attracting large scale external research funding, particularly from the Tri-Agencies. All UofT Divisions receive an annual allocation of nominations, determined by the proportionate 3-year rolling average of NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR funding. For 2024, DLSPH has been allocated 2 nominations.
Nominations must be submitted through one of two streams:
1. Accelerator stream: for those investigators aiming to lead larger or significantly different research programs than they have previously, while developing leadership skills and training the next generation of scientists. Goals may include but are not limited to: establishing national/international networks, changes in research direction or incorporating new disciplines.
2. Resurgence stream: for those investigators experiencing mid-career challenges, including but not limited to: expanding team sizes, increased committee/administrative duties, or a lack of success in securing external funding in an increasingly competitive climate.
In both streams, nominees are required to indicate, amongst other objectives, at least one specific external research funding opportunity that they intend to apply for. Priority should be given to Tri-Agency funding programs given the importance of these in driving CRC and other allocations for the University.
Mentorship is a critical component of this program, and nominees must identify one or more faculty members who will provide professional and academic mentorship during the Connaught-funded project.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the Mid-Career Researcher Award is limited to tenure-stream faculty members at the University of Toronto in any discipline, who hold the rank of Associate Professor and are between 5 and 15 years of their first academic appointment.
DLSPH-Specific Application Instructions
Interested DLSPH mid-career faculty members must submit the following materials to research.dlsph@utoronto.ca by 4:00 PM ET on Wednesday, December 4, 2024:
- A completed submission form, and
- a current CV.
Results of the internal competition will be shared with all applicants by December 20, 2024. The material requested by DLSPH is only a subset of the information needed for a full application; if a nomination is selected to be endorsed by DLSPH, the individual must complete the full application, described on the UofT Connaught website, in advance of the March 15, 2025 deadline.
Supporting Documents
For complete details including eligibility and the application process, please refer to the UofT Connaught website.
2024 Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship
NOTE: This competition is now closed.
Past submission details:
The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships program provides funding to the very best postdoctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country’s economic, social and research-based growth.
All applications to be held at UofT must be approved by the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) to receive the University’s endorsement. SGS is requesting that Faculty Research Offices nominate their most competitive candidate(s) as there are quotas imposed on the number of applications Canadian Universities can submit. For the 2024-2025 academic year, DLSPH is allowed to submit two applications.
- Please note that affiliated hospitals hold their own competitions and applicants should apply based on where their research will take place. DLSPH will prioritize applicants who will be employed by UofT or have paid fellowships held at UofT and the applicant will be required to be based at DLSPH.
How to Apply
- Submit a Notice of Intent by 4:00 pm EDT on July 9, 2024 by filling out this short form. NOIs will not be adjudicated but will be used to proactively identify review committee members.
- Submit the internal application package by 4:00 PM EDT on July 29, 2024 to the DLSPH Office of Research (research.dlsph@utoronto.ca). A complete internal application package includes:
- Submission form
- Canadian Common CV (CCV)
- Research proposal
- Supervisor’s statement
In addition, 3 reference letters (Arm’s Length Referee, 2nd Referee, 3rd Referee) must be sent by the referees directly to research.dlsph@utoronto.ca by the deadline.
Supporting Documents
For complete details including eligibility and the application process, please refer to the SGS Award Announcement. In an effort to strengthen the applications from UofT, SGS has put together a Banting Application Tip Sheet for applicants and supervisors. You are also encouraged to fully review the CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship awards website.
Network for Improving Health Systems
The Network for Improving Health Systems is a collaboration between the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Dalla Lana School of Public Health. The Network is creating a strong engine for evidence and knowledge transfer around improving the health care system including evolving pharmacy practice and related health policy. It provides a crucial forum to identify opportunities in the health system for impactful change and to address barriers and challenges to innovation. Find out more.