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Societal Impact Seed Grant

Research Admin Offices:

  • ROADS

Funding Type:

Grant

Opportunity Type:

  • Grant

Value:

$20,000 per award. Two awards available.

Disciplines:

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

Sponsors:

Deadlines:

Internal Deadline:

March 18, 2024

Sponsor Deadline:

March 18, 2024

Additional Dates:

  • Internal Review Due Date (optional) - February 25, 2024

Description:

The Associate Vice-President, Research for Society & Impact is pleased to announce the inaugural Societal Impact Seed Grant Competition.

This funding opportunity is open to all disciplines and consists of two awards of $20,000 each that will be made to successful research teams and their societal partners. The competition aims to facilitate the generation and mobilization of co-created knowledge that helps solve, or places a societal partner on a clear path towards solving, a challenge.

The competition is guided by the overall aim of creating responsible and ethical positive change in society through meaningful campus-society collaborations.

Value: $20,000/award, 2 awards available
Duration: 1 year
Application Deadline Extended: March 18, 2024
Results Announced: May 30, 2024

Eligibility:

  • Research teams must consist of McMaster faculty researchers, their trainees, and a societal partner (or partners).
  • The proposed project must be new (i.e., not previously funded), and involve the co-creation of knowledge that will help solve a societal challenge.
  • The impact that the work seeks to have must be responsible, ethical, and rooted in trust and mutual respect between researchers, societal partners and other relevant stakeholders.
  • The approach to the research should adhere to principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as appropriate and relevant.
  • The research team and societal partner(s) must be involved in contributing intellectually to the project.
  • The application form must be completed by the researcher and the societal partner and both parties must sign the form for it to be eligible for consideration (department chair and faculty Dean also required to sign).
  • The call is open to researchers from all disciplines in all faculties at McMaster university, and we encourage multi-disciplinary efforts where appropriate.
  • Although societal partners from any segment of society are welcome to take part, we are especially interested in involving partners from communities who have been historically underserved.
  • The funds should be used within a 12 month period from the date of the award and a final report on the project must be submitted to the office of the Vice President Research within 3 months thereafter.
  • This seed grant is not meant as a match or institutional contribution towards other external funding programs. If matching funds or institutional support are required for other opportunities, researchers should discuss this with their respective Deans.

Application/Nomination Process:

Apply here.

Contact:

For more information and how to apply, contact Helen Bartens, ROADS.