College Research Team Projects (PEC) 2024-2025

1. OBJECTIVES

Through this program entitled College Research Team Projects, the FRQSC aims to:

• Promote, consolidate and maintain a diversified and high-quality research base in HASS fields within colleges and college centres for technology transfer (CCTT) in the social sphere
• Contribute to the emergence and retention of outstanding researchers in the college network
• Enhance the competitiveness of Québec researchers in federal competitions through the implementation of innovative projects
• Introduce college students to the practice of research in HASS fields, notably by awarding them research mandates in the form of scholarships or contracts
• Promote the transfer of knowledge and networking between researchers.

2. ELIGIBILITY

Only funding applications in research fields covered by the FRQSC are eligible.

A table specifying the eligibility requirements is provided in the Toolbox below. It is updated regularly as new cases arise. If in doubt, please contact the program manager.

Individuals funded under this program remain eligible for the role of principal investigator or co-investigator in other FRQSC programs and competitions.

2.1 Eligibility of the principal investigator

In addition to the conditions indicated in the CGR, the applicant must meet the eligibility requirements specific to this program at the time of application and throughout the duration of funding, if awarded.

The person assuming the role of principal investigator must meet the following requirements:

Person who has a PhD and who is employed in the equivalent of a full-time position in the college-level institutions recognized by the FRQ to manage funding and/or in the Québec college centres for technology transfer (CCTT).

This person must also possess the professional autonomy required to supervise research projects and hold: i) a position as a college-level institution professor, OR ii) a position as a CCTT researcher, OR iii) a position in a college-level institution in which at least 75% of their time is dedicated to research activities. 

Precarious (i.e., non-tenured) teachers or researchers are eligible for the role of principal investigator or co-investigator (CGR, Roles in the application), provided that they maintain an employment relationship with a college or CCTT in Québec throughout the period covered by the grant. The managing institution must confirm at each grant year that that the employment relationship with the funding holder is maintained.

A college researcher may be principal investigator for only one project submitted or funded under this program.

2.2 Eligibility of co-investigators

In addition to the principal investigator, the team must include at least one co-investigator with one of the following statuses, as defined in the CGR:

Status 1: University researcher

Status 3: College researcher

Status 4 c): Practitioner

Status 4 d): Artist

There is no limit to the number of co-investigators on a funding application.

It is possible to have the role of co-investigator in several projects submitted or funded under this program. However, the relevance and feasibility of this type of multiple participation will be examined by the evaluation committee.

Part-time college researchers are eligible for the role of co-investigator.

2.3 Eligibility of collaborators

The team may also include collaborators with any of the four research statuses defined in the CGR, as well as postdoctoral fellows, researchers outside Québec, or retired college researchers. The CVs of collaborators are not required for evaluation. An individual may be a collaborator on an unlimited number of funding applications.

3. APPLICATION (see also Section 3 of the CGR)

Before applying, applicants must create a user account on the Fonds website, if this has not already been done. The forms will be available in FRQnet no later than one month before the competition deadline.

3.1 Electronic forms 

Anyone wishing to apply to this program must complete the form available in the FRQnet electronic Portfolio.

To properly format any attachments to the application, please consult the Presentation standards for files (PDF) attached to FRQnet forms document.

Please refer to Section 3.6 of the CGR for information on the language of submitted forms and documents.

3.2 Documents to attach to the form 

– CANADIAN COMMON CV and DETAILED CONTRIBUTIONS FILE  of the principal investigator and each co-investigator associated with the project.

The Fonds requires the Canadian Common CV and detailed contributions file to be attached in the appropriate section of the FRQnet electronic Portfolio.

Applicants must complete the Fonds Société et culture version of the Canadian Common CV, update this document within 12 months prior to the competition deadline, and complete in due form the Detailed Contributions file specific to grants.

To ensure that it is properly transmitted to the Fonds, the file attached to the CCV must be saved in PDF format in the Canadian Common CV section of the FRQnet electronic Portfolio.

– Co-investigators with Status 4 as defined in the CGR do not need to submit a CCV. However, they must provide an abridged CV (maximum 2 pages) prepared according to the standards set out in the FRQ Abridged CV – Presentation Rules document.

– A letter from the institution for each co-investigator with Status 3 confirming the employment relationship at the time of application.

– A letter from the employer for each co-investigator with Status 4 c) and d) confirming the employment relationship at the time of application.

– A six-page text presenting the project in relation to the evaluation criteria.

– A bibliography (maximum 10 pages)

– If the project includes a partnership dimension, proof of partnership may be provided to support the evaluation. This may take different forms, ranging from a letter of support from the partner(s) to a formal agreement co-signed by the team and its partners. It is suggested that the documents submitted for this purpose be explicit with regard to the nature of the partnership and the role of the parties involved.

3.3 Submission

An incomplete application that does not contain the information necessary to establish eligibility or which cannot be evaluated will be deemed ineligible by the Fonds.

No document received after the deadline for application will be considered.

Documents that are not required will not be submitted to the evaluation committee.

A college administrator must approve and forward each application from their institution or CCTT using the FRQnet Portal. The administrator of a college that does not have access to this system must contact the program administrator in order to designate a system manager for their institution, no later than two weeks before the application deadline.

All applications received by the Fonds are assessed for eligibility. A notice will be sent via email no later than December following the competition deadline, informing the applicant of the status of their application and, where applicable, its transmission to the evaluation committee. Applicants whose application is not forwarded to the evaluation committee will also be informed of this by email.

4. EVALUATION

5. DESCRIPTION AND NATURE OF FUNDING

5.1 Type of funding

The funding consists of an operating grant of up to $60,000 per year for a period of 24 months. It must be used to cover the direct costs of carrying out the research project.

Indirect costs of research (FIR) (CGR, Section 8.2) of 27.5% of the amount of the grant are paid to the managing institution by the FRQSC. They are funded in addition to the $60,000.

5.2 Eligible expenses 

All budget items listed in the CGR (Section 8) for the conduct of research projects are eligible.

Costs associated with a release from teaching activities to carry out research or coordination activities are allowed for the principal investigator and co-investigators who hold a doctoral degree. This amount is to be taken from the $60,000 annual funding envelope. The appropriateness of this teaching release expense will be assessed by the scientific committee

In addition, a portion of the grant at the discretion of the principal investigator may be used for salary support for Status 3 co-investigators working in a CCTT without teaching duties and who may or may not have a doctoral degree. This amount must be included in the budget and may, if awarded, be transferred by the principal investigator’s institution directly to the college institution with which the CCTT researcher is affiliated.

6. ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESULTS

For information on the results of the competition, consult the Fonds website.

7. FOLLOW-UP AND FINANCIAL REPORTING

The conditions regarding the management of funding and reporting mechanisms are set out in the CGR (sections 5 to 8).

Peer-reviewed publications resulting from the research made possible by this grant must be released as immediate open access (without embargo), under an open license, in accordance with the FRQ Open Access Policy (revised in 2022).

8. EFFECTIVE DATE

These rules apply to the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

Technical assistance 
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 418 646-3669
Toll free: 1 866 621-7084

centre.assistance.sc@frq.gouv.qc.ca

Email requests for technical assistance are given priority. Nevertheless, we would like to draw the attention of applicants to the fact that, in the event of a large volume of requests in the 48 hours preceding the application deadline, the Fonds cannot guarantee adequate assistance. Applicants are therefore encouraged to plan accordingly for the completion of their funding application in order to ensure submission in a timely manner.

Updated July 7, 2023, subject to the approval of the Ministre de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie.