SSHRC Partnership Grants - Stage 2

Partnership Grants must advance research and/or knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities through mutual co-operation and sharing of intellectual leadership, as well as through resources, as evidenced by cash and/or in-kind contributions. Partner organizations may be Canadian or international institutions or organizations (public, private, not‑for‑profit) of any type. Proposals must meet the objectives outlined in one of the following programs, or may include a combination of the two programs:

• The application (by invitation) is completed on SSHRC’s website (Web CV, application and instructions are located here). The application consists of online forms and text documents that are uploaded to the application in the system. Refer to SSHRC's Resource Centre for tips and information on preparing and submitting an application.
• Partners and participants (co-applicants and collaborators) must create a SSHRC User ID in order to accept the online invitation that will be generated when they are added to the proposal. This includes the creation of a SSHRC CV for the project director and co-directors, co-applicants and collaborators. It is important to advise your partners and participants of these requirements, particularly those who are unfamiliar with SSHRC and its online application system. Please plan enough time in advance to complete these activities.
• Western lead applicants, and co-applicants on another institution's application (inter-institutional applicants), must complete a ROLA proposal.

• Applicants are encouraged to present a compelling proposal that explains the need for a partnership approach for the proposed project. Details of the partnership are to be included in any relevant formal partnership documents. These documents can be created in a variety of formats and the Institutional Research Program Officer (IRPO) can advise project directors on this requirement. Applicants must include a robust plan for knowledge dissemination and mobilization to all current and potential stakeholders.
• Host Institution Letter of Support (Western letter of support): Partnership Grants are institutional/organizational applications. At Stage 2, you must attach a letter of engagement from your host institution/organization, written on official letterhead and signed by appropriate officials. The letter should include the following information:
  • a statement that the institution/organization has read the proposal and agrees to its role and level of participation as outlined;
  • a statement that the institution/organization is willing and able to complete activities assigned to it;
  • a statement confirming the institution/organization’s financial and non-financial contribution(s), including intended support for the project director in leading these large grants (e.g., administrative support, course release, etc.);
  • an overview of the institution/organization’s research-related priorities/strategy, and of how the partnership will advance those objectives; and
  • a statement confirming the institution/organization’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and details about the support it will provide to advance the partnership’s EDI plan. Refer to SSHRC’s Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications.
• By the mid-term of a Partnership Grant, teams must have secured 35% in matching cash and/or in-kind contributions to the total amount funded by SSHRC.
• Co-directors, co-applicants and other participants can be from all sectors: Academic, government, community-based organizations, industry, domestic and international.
• Partners must provide a letter of support that explains their interest and role in the project and any commitments of cash or in-kind support they are offering (if applicable).
• A well-developed plan for training students is essential.
• The proposal must present a description of the formal partnership, evidence of formal partnership documents, and governing structure for managing the project and its various activities.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) requirements have been introduced as part of a pilot initiative in the Partnership Grants funding opportunity. Applicants are required to consider both EDI in research practice (EDI-RP) and EDI in research design (EDI-RD):
  • EDI-RP involves promoting diversity in team composition and trainee recruitment; fostering an equitable, inclusive and accessible research work environment for team members and trainees; and highlighting diversity and equity in mentoring, training and access to development opportunities.
  • EDI-RD involves designing the research so that it takes EDI into account through approaches such as intersectionality, gender-based analysis plus (GBA+), anti-racist approaches and disaggregated data collection, and analysis that includes consideration of diversity and identity factors such as, but not limited to, age, culture, disability, education, ethnicity, gender expression and gender identity, immigration and newcomer status, Indigenous identity, language, neurodiversity, parental status/responsibility, place of origin, religion, race, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.

  EDI-RP and EDI-RD will be evaluated as part of the Challenge and Feasibility evaluation criteria and consideration of EDI-RP and EDI-RD should be embedded throughout the relevant sections of the application, as applicable.

  For more information, see the Guide to Addressing Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Considerations in Partnership Grant Applications. 

A Western Research IRPO will complete an administrative review of the application to confirm eligibility of the Western applicant and any Western co-applicants. In addition, we will review your application to confirm all cash/in- kind contributions. Once complete, we will submit your application to SSHRC.

For Western invited applicants, Western Research provides services and supports to strengthen proposals as they are developed, including editorial review and written feedback. The IRPO works with applicants to identify the support required, and develop a suitable timeline in order to provide those services. Program Contact: Please contact Shruthi Polla Ravi, Institutional Research Programs Officer for program support.

The Western Research Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team is available to provide consultations and supports for scholars applying to the program. Please contact:

• Mariam Hayward, Director, Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact
• Katie Big-Canoe, Indigenous Research Specialist
• Alexandra Levine, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization Research Specialist
• Kristen Reilly, Knowledge Mobilization & Research Impact Specialist

Additional Resources