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Research & Innovation

Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF)

Plan for the Operation and Maintenance of Infrastructure funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) June 2023

Guiding Principles

As one of Canada’s most research intensive universities, McMaster recognizes that access to leading-edge infrastructure and technical expertise is essential to research and innovation. To this end, McMaster supports the operation and maintenance of research infrastructure throughout its useful life.

In addition, as noted in our Strategic Research Plan, McMaster is committed to developing a university-wide approach to the management and support of research infrastructure in a sustainable fashion through the consolidation of equipment and expertise for the most efficient use of resources. As part of that approach, McMaster has established a University Research Infrastructure Oversight Board (Oversight Board) consisting of the Vice-President Research, Associate Vice-President Research, and Vice or Associate Deans Research of McMaster’s six Faculties. The Oversight Board is responsible for ensuring that the University’s research platforms have the governance structures, management plans, state-of-the-art infrastructure and resources required to ensure efficient, long-term, and optimal operation and use, and thereby support the research objectives of our community, collaborators and partners. The Oversight Board fulfills its mandate by encouraging, guiding and providing the required financial support to 1) develop, maintain or expand existing research platforms, 2) achieve operational efficiencies and share best practices, and 3) promote, enhance and optimize the use of research platforms.

CFI Infrastructure Operating Fund

McMaster’s efforts to secure and ensure optimal use of research infrastructure are supported by funding provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). In addition to providing funding for the acquisition of research infrastructure, the CFI contributes to the operation and maintenance costs of funded research infrastructure through its Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF). The amount of IOF funding allocated to the University is equivalent to 30% of the funding awarded in support of research infrastructure projects led by McMaster researchers.

The IOF helps cover a portion of the operating and maintenance costs of CFI-funded research infrastructure to enable optimal use during its useful life. The CFI defines the useful life of research infrastructure as “the period of time over which the infrastructure is expected to provide benefits and be usable for its intended purpose, factoring in normal repairs and maintenance”. (CFI Policy and Program Guide 2023, page 15)

Allocation of CFI IOF

Although the amount of IOF funding allocated by the CFI to McMaster is determined by the amount of funding awarded by the CFI in support of research infrastructure projects, the University has the discretion to allocate its IOF allocation based on identified infrastructure operating and maintenance needs.

Recipients of a CFI infrastructure award are eligible to request IOF funds to support the operating and maintenances costs associated with the CFI-funded infrastructure. IOF funds can be accessed once the CFI infrastructure award finalization process has been completed and the fully-executed CFI agreement has been received.

There is no maximum number of years for which IOF funding can be requested to support CFI-funded infrastructure. CFI-funded infrastructure remains eligible for IOF funding as long as it continues to be used for research purposes.

In the case of awarded research infrastructure projects that involve partner institutions, IOF funds are allocated to each participating institution in accordance with the established Inter-Institutional Agreement. The amount of IOF funding allocated to partner institutions is usually in proportion to the amount of CFI funding for infrastructure allocated to the partner institutions.

Procedures for accessing CFI IOF

As part of a CFI infrastructure award application, researchers are required to identify anticipated infrastructure operating and maintenance costs and develop a plan for financing those costs. The financing plan must be reviewed and approved by the appropriate Faculty Dean (or designate) prior to submission of the infrastructure award application to the CFI. The Dean’s (or designate’s) signature indicates approval of the financing plan for the purposes of the application. The plan is revisited and reconfirmed at the time of award.

Researchers requesting IOF are asked to provide a detailed infrastructure operating and maintenance budget demonstrating their need for support. IOF requests from recipients of CFI Innovation Fund awards since 2020 will be reviewed by the University Research Infrastructure Oversight Board.  IOF requests arising from other CFI awards will be reviewed by the appropriate Faculty Dean (or designate).

Regular updates regarding available IOF are shared by McMaster’s Research Finance Office with the Oversight Board, the Vice President Research, and the Vice or Associate Dean Research of each Faculty. Decisions regarding IOF requests are made based on demonstrate need for support and the availability of funds.

Other available sources of infrastructure operating and maintenance support

In addition to IOF funding, other sources of support for research infrastructure operating and maintenance costs include:

  • Researcher-held grant funding from external sponsors;
  • Start-up awards;
  • Department and/or Faculty contributions;
  • User fees;
  • McMaster’s Research Platforms Pool; and
  • Other institutional resources.

Appendix – Costs Eligible for CFI IOF Support

(CFI Policy and Program Guide 2023, page 20)

An eligible operating and maintenance cost for the IOF must meet the following conditions:

  • The item to which it relates must have been funded by the CFI (i.e., it appears on the proposal or updated budget and/or the final financial report).
  • The CFI-funded infrastructure project to which it relates must have been approved after July 1, 2001 and must not have been funded through the Canada Research Chairs Infrastructure Fund (2000–06), Career Awards (2002–06) or the international funds (2002 and 2007).
  • The CFI-funded infrastructure project to which it relates must have passed the stage of award finalization. An award agreement must therefore be in place for the project.
  • The operating and maintenance activities must be needed to ensure the infrastructure can be used to carry out the proposed research.
  • The infrastructure must still be used for research purposes.
  • Only the portion of operating and maintenance costs associated with research is eligible.

Eligible costs

  • Salaries (including benefits) for technicians and professionals directly involved in the operation and maintenance of the CFI-funded research infrastructure (The full salary of the assigned personnel may be eligible if the infrastructure cannot be operated without their assistance.)
  • Training for the main operator(s) of the research infrastructure, not included in the infrastructure award (It is expected that the main operator(s) will train other users. Alternatively, a group training session may be provided by the vendor at the institution.)
  • Extended warranties and/or service contracts not included in the infrastructure award
  • Extensions to warranty coverage, service contracts and software licences
  • Maintenance and repairs
  • Replacement parts
  • Replacement of a CFI-funded infrastructure item needing repair, only if the replacement is more cost effective than the repair (The replacement item must have similar functionality.)
  • Services (e.g., electricity, security, cleaning) that directly support space funded by the CFI or for space that is essential to house and use CFI-funded infrastructure, which may include common areas, if applicable
  • Supplies and consumables needed to operate the research infrastructure (not to exceed 10
    percent of the cumulative total IOF funding claimed by the institution)

Non-eligible costs

  • Purchase or lease of real property
  • Cost of equipment, installation and construction or renovation deemed eligible under an
    infrastructure award
  • Upgrades related to the infrastructure
  • Telephone, internet and cable or satellite television services that are not necessary to ensure the infrastructure can be used for research
  • Insurance
  • Costs not directly related to the CFI-funded infrastructure
  • Trainee stipends (undergraduates, graduates and postdoctoral fellows) and researcher salaries
  • Administrative, secretarial or clerical personnel not directly related to the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure (e.g., research services office, library, finance services)
  • Any cost to conduct research activities
  • Costs attributed to the dissemination of information such as promotion, publications or conferences
  • Expenditures reimbursed by another funding source