Institutional Capacity Building Grant

The broad mandate of internal grants is to support faculty research programs and encourage them in preparing and applying for external funding opportunities. In alignment with this goal, the Institutional Capacity Building Grant is designed to support one-time initiatives that enhance the university’s research infrastructure, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and build long-term capacity for impactful scholarship. The maximum award for an Institutional Capacity Building Grant is $5,000 for a period of 12 months, and up to 5 awards may be awarded in a year.

Applications are now open for the Institutional Capacity Building Grant. Competition is open throughout the year with no deadline to apply.

Online Application Process

Applications to the Internal Research Grants Program are to be submitted via the myTrent portal: sign in to myTrent and then click "Services" and then "Learning and Research." Open the “Internal Research Grants” folder beside the eFin and Romeo logos and follow directions there to submit the application.

The online application consists of several sections:

General Information
Research Program Details
- A 250-word abstract
- Project impact statement (no word limit)
- Need for funding (no word limit)
Supporting Documents
- 5-page proposal (including references) -Text must use a minimum 12 pt font and margins no smaller than ¾ inch.
  - Suggested structure: Project title and team members, description of the initiatives, relevance to institutional research capacity, project objectives, activities, timeline, and expected outcomes, and impact.
- Budget and budget justification- Download the budget template.
- Curriculum Vitae (no page limit).

Terms of Reference

Purpose

The Institutional Capacity Building Grant is intended to support one-time initiatives that enhance the research capacity of the university across any discipline. The grant encourages collaborative efforts among faculty researchers to strengthen institutional research capabilities and impact.

Projects funded under this grant should aim to:

Foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation.
Improve access to research tools, resources, or training.
Support strategic initiatives that advance the university’s research mission.

Eligibility

The opportunity is open to groups of researchers (2+) or research organizations affiliated with the university. Each application must include more than one faculty researcher as a co-applicant. Projects should be one-time initiatives and not part of ongoing operations or recurring activities.

The researcher must be:

A tenure-stream academic faculty member or academic librarian, or professor emeritus; or
A Limited Term Appointment (LTA) faculty member provided their contract begins before the application due date and the contract end-date falls after the grant end-date.

Applicants may submit only one application as the Primary Investigator to this internal grant competition. Applicants may apply for this competition even if they hold another internal grant (e.g., Knowledge Mobilization Grant, Research Development Grant, or Strategic Initiatives Research Grant) due to the unique nature of this funding stream.

Applicants who were successful in the previous internal grant competition may apply for the Institutional Capacity Building Grant once they have,

demonstrated submission of external funding applications following a successful internal grant, and
submitted a final report for a completed internal grant.

Evaluation Criteria

The overarching evaluation criteria are the enhancement of institutional research capacity, the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration, and the strategic value of the initiative to the university’s research mission. Applicants must also demonstrate that the proposed initiative contributes to a broader plan for strengthening research ecosystem and positioning the institution for future external funding success.
Specific evaluation criteria include:

Alignment with Trent University’s research priorities: The project should clearly support and advance the university’s established research goals and strategic directions, demonstrating relevance to institutional priorities.
Potential to build or enhance institutional research capacity: The initiative should contribute to strengthening Trent’s research ecosystem, capabilities, or expertise, either by developing new resources or improving existing ones.
Feasibility and clarity of the proposed implementation plan: The application should present a well-defined and realistic plan, outlining clear objectives, timelines, methodologies, and anticipated outcomes.
Evidence of meaningful collaboration among faculty members: The project should involve active and substantive collaboration between faculty members, demonstrating shared leadership and interdisciplinary engagement.
Value for money and appropriate use of funds: The budget should be reasonable, well-justified, and aligned with the project’s goals, ensuring efficient and effective use of university resources.

Duration and Value

The Institutional Capacity Building Grant is awarded for a period of 12 months. The maximum award available for this grant is $5,000.

Allowable Expenses

Trent University Institutional Capacity Building Grant provides support for a one-time initiative, with allowable expenses including, but not limited to:

Events and/or activities that bring researchers together in support of external funding applications
Purchase of small research-related equipment or software
Costs associated with hosting workshops, training sessions, or symposia
Initial setup of a new research organization
Development of research tools, databases, or protocols

The program does not provide funding for:

Ongoing operational costs
Student tuition or scholarships
Travel and other activities not directly related to capacity building

All student hires must follow university employment procedures and be paid in accordance with the Handbook for Hiring Research Project Personnel. Please refer to the Hiring Personnel website for more information.

All budget items must be essential to the conduct of the proposed initiative and must be carefully justified. Expenses incurred or committed prior to the award date, or expenses committed for costs to be incurred after the end date, are not eligible and are not to be included in the proposal budget.

Budget items must comply with the research expenses eligibility guidelines as set out in the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration, or any related document as may be amended by the Tri-Agency, as well as Trent University’s financial policies and procedures, including but not limited to the following:

Application Process

Applications are open throughout the year with no deadline to apply, and up to 5 awards may be awarded in a year. Applications will be submitted electronically in a format that shall be directed by ORI.

Applicants must submit:

A completed application form online and
A project proposal (maximum 3 pages) including:
- Project title and team members.
- Description of the initiative and its relevance to institutional research capacity.
- Objectives, activities, and timeline.
- Expected outcomes and impact.
- Detailed budget and justification.

Please use this template for all internal research grant applications: Internal Research Grant Budget Template.

Evaluation Process

Applications for this internal research grant are reviewed and adjudicated by members of the Trent University Strategic Initiatives Research Grant Committee. This Committee is comprised of the Vice-President Research and Innovation (Chair), two Deans, and the Senior Director, Office of Research and Innovation (Consultant, non-voting).

ORI will convene the committee to review and rank the applications for their scholarly merit, relevance, and compatibility with the research priorities of the fund. Funding will be administered by ORI based on committee recommendations and the availability of funding. The evaluation grid for the Institutional Capacity Building Grant can be accessed from this link.

Conditions of the Award

The maximum length of the Trent University Institutional Capacity Building Grant is 12 months, as will be indicated in the award letter. Successful applicants may hold a Institutional Capacity Building Grant concurrently with an active Research Development Grant, Knowledge Mobilization Research Grant, or Strategic Initiatives Research Grant. However, larger projects should not receive simultaneous funding through multiple small grants from the internal grants program.

The Trent University Institutional Capacity Building Grant funds can only be used for the project and purposes described in the application, taking into consideration any suggestions or restrictions provided in the award letter. Any variance to the project budget must be approved in advance by the ORI. Please send your request to researchsupport@trentu.ca.

Research supported by the Trent University Institutional Capacity Building Grant must comply with all relevant University policies as they relate to the conduct of research, specifically research involving human participants, animals, biohazards, and/or national security. Researchers are responsible for submitting applications for the appropriate approvals prior to beginning the work, and funds will only be released once the ethics compliance has been confirmed.

All student training funded through this program should incorporate the appropriate dimensions of the Guidelines for Effective Research Training and Trent University student hiring policies and procedures.

The award recipient is responsible for the use of the funds and for any over-expenditure of research accounts. Expenditures must comply with the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration regulations concerning the use of research funds and must be made in accordance with standard University financial procedures, including those related to travel, employment, and hospitality (where applicable).

Following completion of the research project, the successful applicant must submit an end of grant report to the Office of Research and Innovation. The report is due no later than three (3) months following the end of the grant date. Please submit the report to researchsupport@trentu.ca.

It is expected that the projects supported by a Trent University Institutional Capacity Building Grant will result in the submission of a research proposal to an external funder within 12 months of project completion.

Books, equipment, and other materials purchased with funding from the Institutional Capacity Building Grant must be available for general research use, as feasible, following the completion of the Grant. All materials purchased from this funding remain the property of Trent University.

Following completion of the research project, or at the termination date of the award, any remaining funds will be returned to the ORI for the next competition. An extension may be granted by the ORI should justification detailing reasons for the delay be submitted at least one month before the end date. Please send your request to researchsupport@trentu.ca.

Appeals

The university's Strategic Initiatives Research Grant Committee will not consider appeals of its decision.