Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)
General UW Information
All proposals should reference, as appropriate, the Ontario Innovation Agenda when discussing regional impacts / benefits, and the national Science & Technology Strategy when discussing national impacts / benefits.
Funding Programs
NIF/LEF ‘Major’ Competition - 2012
LOF Programs
Other CFI Programs
NIF/LEF ‘Major’ Competition - 2012
The ‘Major’ competition is comprised of two programs with final application deadlines in early 2012.
- New Initiatives Fund (NIF) - for new projects.
- Leading Edge Fund (LEF) - for funding that builds on previously received CFI awards.
An internal evaluation was held for this competition in Fall 2011. Only those with successful internal NOIs were invited to submit full proposals.
Important Documents from CFI
NIF/LEF call for proposals
Guidelines for Completing a Proposal
LEF/NIF Technical Instructions
Documents from the CFI Budget Workshop, held January 27, 2012
Sample Internal CFI Budget Spreadsheet
Budget Workshop Notes
Forms and Samples
Download Internal NOI form (due October 14, 2011) Provincial NOI form LEF Template (for reference only – all forms must be completed online) NIF Template (for reference only – all forms must be completed online) Sample Application Internal CFI Budget Sheet
Deadlines:
| Date | Activity | Notes |
| October 14, 2011 | Internal NOI due to Office of Research | This is a mandatory deadline for proposals being submitted
|
| End of October | Deans’ Council Decisions | Projects approved by Deans’ Council will proceed to the full competition. |
| November 9, 2011 | First draft of Ontario NOIs due to Office of Research | This is only for proposals invited by Deans’ Council to proceed. We will provide extensive edits/commentary. |
| November 30, 2011 | Final Ontario NOIs due to Office of Research | This is only for proposals invited by Deans’ Council to proceed. |
| December 7, 2011 | Final Ontario NOIs due to MEDI | This is a mandatory deadline. A final high-level review will be done to ensure proposals comply with MEDI’s guidelines. |
| January 13, 2012 | CFI NOIs due to Office of Research | This is only for proposals invited by Deans’ Council to proceed. |
| January 20, 2012 | Final NOIs due to CFI | This is a mandatory deadline. If missed, a full proposal cannot be submitted. |
| February 27, 2012 | First full draft due to Office of Research | We will provide extensive edits/commentary. |
| March 26, 2012 | Second full draft due to Office of Research | We will provide extensive edits/commentary. |
| April 18, 2012 | Final applications due to Office of Research | A final high-level review will be completed to ensure proposal comply with CFI’s guidelines. |
| April 26, 2012 | Final applications due to CFI | This is a mandatory deadline. |
| May 4, 2012 | First full MEDI draft due to Office of Research | We will provide extensive edits/commentary. |
| May 18, 2012 | Final MEDI application due to Office of Research | A final high-level review will be done to ensure proposals comply with MEDI’s guidelines. |
| May 25, 2012 | Final applications due to MEDI | This is a mandatory deadline. |
| November 13, 2012 | CFI Board decisions | |
| January, 2013 | MEDI Decisions |
LOF Programs
The LOF application process has three streams. The first stream (LOF-regular) is for small projects of less than $1M total costs; applications are submitted three times per year. LOF projects between $1M and $2M are submitted once per year. The second stream (LOF-CRC) is for infrastructure projects tied to Canada Research Chair nominations. And the third stream twins infrastructure applications with proposals being submitted to CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (SSHRC has two competitions). Applications for CFI infrastructure are normally submitted at the same time that applications are submitted for NSERC, SSHRC or CIHR operating support.
All three streams are tied to UW's CFI 'envelope'. Persons interested in any of these streams must secure their Dean's approval to proceed. See below for the forms. Once approval is secured, applicants should contact the Office of Research well in advance of the date they intend to apply - there are earlier internal deadlines for all programs.
LOF Stream 1
- Leaders Opportunity Fund - regular (LOF - regular)
- Internal Nomination Form
- LOF Sample Application
- CFI Deadlines - Feb. 15, June 15 and Oct. 15 annually
- Note Earlier Internal Deadlines
- Leaders Opportunity Fund (LOF - $1M-$2M)
This program is for projects between $1M - $2M total costs.
- Internal Nomination Form
- Notice of Intent (to be completed online)
- CFI deadline of December 15 for NOI.
- CFI deadline of February 15 for full proposal.
- NOTE earlier internal deadlines.
Deadlines:
LOF Stream 2
- Leaders Opportunity Fund - Canada Research Chair (LOF-CRC)
- Refer to the UW CRC information
LOF Stream 3
- Leaders Opportunity Fund - CIHR (LOF-CIHR)
- Internal Nomination Form
- LOF-CIHR deadlines - see CIHR information
- OR deadline is one month prior to relevant CIHR deadline
- Leaders Opportunity Fund - NSERC (LOF-NSERC)
- Internal Nomination Form
- LOF-NSERC deadlines - see NSERC information
- OR deadline is one month prior to relevant NSERC deadline
- Leaders Opportunity Fund - SSHRC (LOF-SSHRC)
- Internal Nomination Form (if tied to Partnership Grant)
- Internal Nomation Form (if tied to Insight Grant)
- LOF-SSHRC deadlines - see SSHRC information
- OR deadline is one month prior to relevant SSHRC deadline
Other CFI Programs
- Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF)
- University of Waterloo Internal IOF process
- Internal Deadline – set by Faculties ~early June each year
(contact your Associate Dean Research) - CFI Deadline - June 15 annually
- Automotive Partnerships Canada
CFI has partnered with APC to provide infrastructure tied to industry-relevant projects.
- See: APC for further information.
Waterloo CFI Contact
Contact Andrew Barker for further information (ext. 36004)
