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NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program (RTI)

Research Admin Offices:

  • ROADS

Funding Type:

Grant

Opportunity Type:

  • Grant

Value:

up to $150,000

Disciplines:

  • DeGroote School of Business
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Humanities
  • Faculty of Science
  • Faculty of Social Sciences

Sponsors:

Deadlines:

Internal Deadline:

September 28, 2026

Sponsor Deadline:

October 26, 2026

Description:

RTI grants foster and enhance the discovery, innovation, and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering by supporting the purchase of research equipment. 

Additional Program Information:

 Policy on Sensitive Technology Research: 
  • Grant applications that involve conducting research that aims to advance a sensitive technology research area will not be funded if any of the researchers involved in activities supported by the grant are currently affiliated with, or in receipt of funding or in-kind support from, a named research organization.

Eligibility:

  1. Meet NSERC’s eligibility requirements for individuals to apply for or hold NSERC grant funds.
  2. Hold at least one of the following NSERC research grants (either as an applicant or co-applicant):
    • Alliance grant
    • Canada Excellence Research Chairs (NSERC)
    • Canada 150 Research Chairs (NSERC)
    • Canada Research Chairs (NSERC)
    • Collaborative Research and Development grant
    • Discovery Development grant
    • Discovery Grant
    • Discovery Horizons grant
    • Industrial Research Chairs grant
    • Strategic Partnership grant
Applicants and co-applicants may apply for any of the above grants while concurrently applying for the RTI program. However, if any applicant or co-applicant does not hold one of the above grants by the RTI award start date or is not successful in obtaining one of these grants while concurrently applying to the RTI program, the applicant and/or co-applicant will be deemed ineligible and removed from the application.
Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grants applicants and co-applicants who were successful in the previous year’s RTI competition are ineligible to apply for one year. Eligibility will be reinstated the following competition year.
Researchers can submit one RTI application per competition, either as an applicant or a co-applicant, but not as both.

Application/Nomination Process:

Resources:

Information Webinars hosted by NSERC:
NSERC offers a series of pre-recorded videos and live Q&A sessions which are meant to assist the research community on how to complete an application using the Research Portal and the NSERC Canadian Common CV (CCV).
Pre-recorded videos for the RTI Program can be found at:  https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6ox0GB7vXYnVnGUKq96dmP9_mCos23IR
Live Q & A Sessions -English (Sept 8 & Sept 24) & French (Sept 2 & Sept 22)

Contact:

For more information on how to apply contact Nicole Fiorillo, Senior Advisor, ROADS.