NOVA – FRQNT-NSERC PROGRAM for junior researchers (4th Edition)

1. Objectives

Offered in partnership with NSERC, the main objective of the NOVA program is to support research projects led by junior Québec researchers in collaboration with researchers from other Canadian provinces and territories. Funded projects must be in the natural sciences, mathematics or engineering (NSE).

The specific objectives of the NOVA program are to:

• Increase and stimulate the capacity for research collaborations between junior Québec researchers and researchers from other Canadian provinces and territories.
• Strengthen the international competitiveness of researchers from Québec and the other Canadian provinces and territories.
• Generate new knowledge or knowledge applications likely to produce social, environmental, technological or economic benefits or influence public policy in Québec and/or the rest of Canada on issues of importance to the community.
• Create a plan to mobilize the results of the research in Québec and the rest of Canada.

2. Characteristics

The grant is for a maximum of three years and a maximum of $75,000 per year. This grant is non-renewable.

The grant is in the form of two awards, and the amounts are distributed as follows:

• FRQNT portion : up to $30,000 per year
• NSERC portion: up to $45,000 per year

Indirect research costs (IRC) of 27% are paid to the principal investigator’s institution for the financial portion of the FRQNT and is added to this grant.

An additional amount of up to $50,000 (taxes included) from the FRQNT may be requested by the principal investigator for the purchase of scientific equipment. The unit cost of each piece of equipment is $7,001 or more. This amount is granted according to the quality of the research project, the identified needs and within the budget envelope.

The application for funding must be submitted via the FRQnet portal. All members of a NOVA team (principal investigator and co-investigators) must also have an account in the NSERC online system. Additional information is available in the section 4.2 and in the NSERC Frequently Asked Questions document.

The NOVA program is part of continuum of funding and career advancement, within a portfolio of three FRQNT programs:

• Resarch Support for New Academics
• NOVA
• Team Research Project.

Each of these three programs has eligibility requirements related to the career stage of the principal investigators of the application. Please refer to the diagram below to see if NOVA applies to your situation.

3. Eligibility

All research projects, principal investigators, research teams and participants must comply with the eligibility requirements in effect at the time of application for funding and for the duration of the grant. Eligibility requirements include the program eligibility rules, the CGR rules and NSERC’s eligibility rules. Any project, researcher, research team or individual that does not meet or no longer meets the eligibility requirements listed below will be declared ineligible. Failure to comply with program rules or to provide information to establish eligibility or to evaluate the proposal may result in ineligibility.

Application eligibility is determined jointly by the FRQNT and NSERC, based on the information and documents received by the competition deadline.

3.1     Team Composition

The team consists of at least the principal investigator from Quebec, as well as at least one co-investigator from Quebec and at least one co-investigator from other Canadian provinces and territories (excluding Quebec).

The complementarity of the required expertise for the realisation of the research project must be reflected in the team composition, bringing together the best expertise from across Quebec and the other Canadian provinces and territories.

3.2     Principal investigator (PI)

The PI of the application shall:

• Be a researcher in a Quebec university AND
• Correspond to Status 1 definition i) as defined in the FRQ’s CGR AND
• Have held a first career position in a university between September 2nd, 2018, and September 1st, 2021[1].

Career Interruptions – Exceptional Extension of the Eligibility Period (PEPA):

A PI who has interrupted or delayed their research career due to parental leave, major family obligations, a disability, bereavement, a period of career outside the research field, or for health reasons may have their eligibility period extended.

1. In the case of an interruption due to parental leave, family leave, health leave, or bereavement leave, the extension granted is equivalent to twice the duration of the leave.
2. In the case of an interruption for a career period outside the research environment, the extension granted is equal to the duration of the interruption.
3. In the case of a slowdown, the Fonds determines the extension to be granted after analyzing the supporting documents provided with the PEPA application.

A PI who wishes to submit a request for an exceptional extension of their eligibility period is invited to complete the designated form by clicking on this link: PEPA Request.

This form, along with any supporting documents, can be submitted at any time before September 4th, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. The Fonds will determine the exceptional extension to be granted, based on the documents provided, and will communicate the response through the FRQnet portfolio.

Status 1 researchers salaried according to the definition ii) of the CGR cannot be PI under this program but can join the team as co-investigators.

Retired researchers are not eligible to be PI.

Contracted researchers with status 1 of the CGR who hold a non-tenure-track position at their university must provide a letter from their university.

Limits on participation as a PI apply (Section 3.7).

[1] A career position involves supervising students and conducting research. Similar positions held outside Quebec are within this eligibility period for a first-career position. A researcher having occupied such a position before September 2nd, 2018, or after September 1st, 2021 is ineligible, with the exception of a declared career interruption granting a PEPA.

3.3     Co-investigators

From Quebec:

• At least one co-investigator from a Quebec university or college with status 1, 2 or 3 as defined in the CGR.

Co-I from Quebec can be at any stage of their career, and may be contracted or retired researchers, if they have university affiliation that allows them to supervise students on their own.

From other Canadian provinces and territories (Outside Quebec):

• At least one co-investigator from a university or college in another Canadian province or territory AND
• Who is from an eligible institution recognized by NSERC (List of Eligible Institutions).

Co-investigators from Quebec and other Canadian provinces and territories may be contracted or retired researchers, if they have university affiliation that allows them to supervise students on their own.

College-level co-investigators from outside Quebec must hold or have a firm offer of an appointment at an eligible Canadian college and must occupy this position for the duration of the grant. The appointment can be a permanent position or a term or contract position of no less than three years. The position held must allow the co-investigator to engage in research-related activities without the supervision of another researcher.

3.4     Collaborators

Any person meeting status 1 to 4 as defined in the CGR may join the team as a collaborator. A CV is not required. In addition, international researchers are also eligible.

Collaborators do not have access to FRQNT and NSERC funds, they must provide their own resources.

3.5     Research project

Note that only applications in research areas covered by the FRQNT and NSERC are eligible for funding. Should there be any doubt as to the compliance of their research topic with the fields and sub-fields of the FRQNT and NSERC, researchers can contact the program officer to ensure that their project falls within the areas covered.

Under all Continuum programs and in accordance with section 6.12 of the CGR, FRQNT reserves the right to rule ineligible research proposals submitted by the same researchers that involve the same activities or that are described in a way that suggests overlap.

Research projects jointly funded by the FRQNT and NSERC cannot be concurrently funded by other granting agencies.

3.6     Intersectorality

The FRQNT and NSERC encourage applicants to include university and college Co-I in fields other than NSE in the team. Research costs associated with work that is not in NSE-related fields must not exceed 30% of the NSERC funding portion. The eligibility requirements for non-NSE participants are the same as for Co-I or collaborators as described above.

3.7     Participation limits

As a PI :

In any given Continuum competition year, researchers may participate in a maximum of ONE application as a PI, regardless of the program.

As a Co-I :

In any given Continuum competition year, researchers may participate in a maximum of TWO applications as a Co-I, regardless of the program.

* A researcher in their final year of a Continuum grant is eligible for additional participation in this competition.

3.8   Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

It is the responsibility of the research team to create a more diverse, inclusive and equitable research environment with a climate and culture in which all individuals feel supported and respected. The concrete practices and actions that will be put in place to integrate EDI considerations must be described in the training plan, using the NSERC guides (EDI in your training plan; Guide for Applicants) as a reference. Implementing EDI considerations in the training plan is an eliminatory criterion for application eligibility.

Notification of the result of the application eligibility analysis will be transmitted to the PI in October 2024.

4. Application

Applicants will not be asked to provide any items missing from the application. All documents received after the deadline for submitting applications to the Fund will not be considered and applications will not be updated. Any excess pages will be removed from the file. These rules will be strictly enforced. Incomplete applications are not eligible. Please refer to section 3 of the CGR for information on how to submit an application.  With regard to the language of submitted forms and documents, please refer to Section 3.6 of the Common General Rules.

The application for funding must be submitted in the PI’s FRQnet Portfolio.

All members of a NOVA team (PI and all Co-I from Quebec and other Canadian provinces and territories) must have an FRQnet account.

All members of a NOVA team (PI and all CO-I) must also have an account in the NSERC online system. Additional information is available in the NSERC Frequently Asked Questions document.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

In accordance with the Stratégie québécoise de recherche et d’investissement en innovation 2022-2028 (SQRI2), the Stratégie gouvernementale de développement durable 2023-2028 (SGDD 2023-2028), and in line with their 2022-2025 strategic plans, the FRQ are seeking to promote the role of science and the scientific community in meeting the challenges addressed by the SDG.

To that end, applicants are invited to indicate, if appropriate to their project, the contribution of their research to attaining the SDGs in the “Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals” section of their application form. This information will not be sent to the review committees. See the “FRQ SDG Guide” for further details.

5. Evaluation

The applications are evaluated by multidisciplinary assessment committees (MAC), which may request the opinion of experts to complete the committee’s expertise. MAC members also make recommendation on the amount of equipment to be awarded, if any.

Applications for funding are evaluated according to the following criteria:

Criterion 1: Quality of the project (30 points)

• Innovativeness in relation to the state of the art.
• Clarity of the objectives and deliverables; appropriateness of the scope of the planned activities for the intended outcomes; justification of planned expenditures.
• Appropriateness of the identified indicators and methods for monitoring progress during the project and for assessing outcomes at the end of the project.

Criterion 2: Research team (25 points)

• Extent to which the collaboration brings together the best expertise from Quebec and the rest of Canada to achieve the stated objectives.
• Complementary nature of the expertise required to carry out the research project.
• Contribution of collaborators, where applicable.

Criterion 3: Relevance and outcomes for Québec and all of Canada (20 points)

• Significance of the intended outcomes and of the social, environmental, cultural, technological, economic or other benefits.
• Potential for generating new scientific knowledge.
• Extent to which the strategy chosen to apply the research results is likely to achieve the intended outcomes.

Criterion 4: Training plan (20 points)

• Opportunities for enriched training experiences that let undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows develop both their research skills and their interdisciplinary professional skills (such as leadership, communication, collaboration, entrepreneurship).
• Experience of project members in mentoring students.
• Capacity to integrate highly qualified personnel into the labour market.

Criterion 5: Consideration of the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (5 points)

This criterion assesses the team members’ efforts to promote equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), not the composition of research teams*.

• Training: specific actions already taken and/or planned to promote EDI in the training of the next generation (recruitment, mentoring and career development practices, etc.).
• Research: where relevant, the consideration of EDI in the design and execution of research projects (research questions, methodology, etc.) and the dissemination and mobilization of knowledge to a diverse audience.
• Involvement: specific actions already taken and/or planned to promote EDI in the team’s community or field or within the research community in general (committees, inclusive scientific events, awareness activities, etc.).

*The applicant should not provide any information as to whether they, or members of their team, belong to marginalized or underrepresented groups.

For more information, please refer to the document EDI guidelines FRQNT available in the program toolbox.

6. Expenses

The grant must be used only for current expenses directly related to the conduct of the research project, within the eligible expenses of each organization. These must be rigorously justified in the application. Any unjustified expenses may be removed from the budget during the evaluation.

Terms and conditions for persons whose salary is charged to the regular budget of an institution subsidized by the government or any other government agency.

Except in the specific case of college researchers (Status 3), the Fonds’s granting must not be used to pay salaries or salary supplements to any PI, Co-I or individual whose salary is paid out of the regular budget of a government-funded institution such as a university, a government department or its institutions, or any other government agency. Refer to the CGR for further details.

6.1     Eligible expenses

Under this program, the PI will receive two grants, one from NSERC and the other from the FRQNT.

All budget items provided for in the CGR (Section 8) are eligible for the financial portion of the FRQNT, with the exception of expenses covered by subsection 8.7. The specificities of this program are described below.

As a reminder, the allocation from the FRQNT must be used in Quebec: fund transfers outside Quebec are not allowed except when explicitly covered in the common general rules.

Eligible expenses under this program for the NSERC funding portion must comply with the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration.

Research costs associated with work that is in non-NSE-related fields must not exceed 30% of the NSERC funding portion and must be clearly indicated in the project’s budget justification.

Salary support for eligible Status 3 college researchers eligible for the program who do not have teaching duties

Part of the grant awarded by the FRQNT may be used as salary support for college researchers on the team who have no teaching duties. This amount must be entered in the Budget section and can be transferred by the PI’s institution directly to the college, or to the college with which the CCTT is affiliated in the case of a CCTT researcher.

Supplement for Release from teaching duties for eligible Status 3 college researchers eligible for the program who do not have teaching duties

For each college researcher on the team who has teaching duties, a maximum additional amount of $16,000 will be paid directly to the college to cover the portion of the salary dedicated to the release from teaching duties. This amount, paid directly to the managing college institution, may be used to compensate for the portion of the researcher’s salary dedicated to release time from teaching duties or to ensure that the researcher’s teaching duties are performed by another college faculty member.

Grant for equipment purchases

A grant may be added to the operating grant for the purchase of scientific equipment whose individual cost is above $7,000 and the sum of the pieces of equipment does not exceed $50,000 (including taxes). This equipment grant is awarded on the basis of the justification of the need for the equipment and according to the criteria mentioned below. Where applicable, the reuse of scientific equipment and the purchase of second-hand equipment are encouraged. Due to budget limitations, the equipment grant is not automatically offered in the event of an award.

The acquisition of equipment must take place within the first 12 months following the date the award letter is sent. The full amount granted for the equipment will be disbursed during this period. The grant for purchasing equipment is awarded, if applicable, specifically for the item(s) identified in the equipment budget of the funding application, which are otherwise in compliance with program rules and recommended by the evaluation committee.

Only the PI is eligible for this grant. Equipment purchased must remain at the managing institution.

For equipment whose total cost exceeds $50,000, the equipment grant comes into effect as soon as applicants submit supporting documents indicating they have obtained other sources of complementary funding for the purchase of the requested equipment. The supporting documents must be sent to the FRQNT within one year following the grant announcement.

Eligible equipment applications are evaluated by the multidisciplinary review committee based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of the equipment requested to the research project.
• Non-overlap between this equipment request and any other sources of funding already obtained since the start of the position (CFI equipment grant, NSERC, etc.).
• Availability (physical or in use) of similar equipment at the institution or in the region.
• Structuring effect of the equipment on the sustainability of the laboratory and the training plan for users.
• Possibility of repairing and reconditioning equipment (if applicable).
• Possibility of using computing and genomic platforms (if applicable).
• Risk management plan if equipment is not funded.

6.2     Maternity and parental leave (Students and postdoctoral fellows)

Maternity allowance for students and postdoctoral fellows

This measure is designed to encourage the retention of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, where they have historically been under-represented.

A female postdoctoral fellow or student enrolled at a Québec postsecondary institution who receives remuneration (in the form of an award or salary) funded by a grant under this program may receive a maternity allowance paid by the FRQNT for a period of up to eight months for the birth or adoption of a child.

To be eligible, the postdoctoral fellow or student must have been receiving the remuneration under the FRQNT grant for at least six months. In addition, she may not hold a FRQ excellence award and may not receive benefits from the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (RQAP).

The maximum amount of the allowance is calculated on the basis of the annual value of an FRQNT excellence award. If the postdoctoral fellow or student receives other supplements or payments in connection with the maternity leave, these amounts must be declared to the FRQNT. The allowance will then be adjusted to top up the amount already obtained, up to the maximum calculated by the FRQNT.

To obtain the maternity allowance, the postdoctoral fellow or student should contact the program officer by email. She will be asked to fill out a maternity allowance request form in her FRQnet electronic Portfolio. The following must be attached to the form:

• A copy of the medical certificate confirming pregnancy, or proof of adoption of the child;
• Proof of interruption of studies issued by the Québec postsecondary institution;
• A copy of the postdoctoral fellow or student’s remuneration contract;
• If applicable, supporting documentation indicating the amount of any other supplements or payments received in connection with the maternity leave must be provided in order to calculate the FRQNT top-up amount.

The maternity allowance may begin up to eight months before the birth or adoption of the child. The FRQNT will transfer the maternity allowance to the postdoctoral fellow or student upon receipt and analysis of the required documents. The FRQNT reserves the right to reject any request with insufficient supporting documentation.

The principal investigator of the grant must agree to resume supervision of the postdoctoral fellow or student after her absence.

IMPORTANT: The maternity allowance offered by the FRQNT is not cumulative with the maternity leave offered by NSERC, regardless of whether the Quebec student’s scholarship is awarded by the FRQNT portion or the NSERC portion. It is therefore up to the Quebec student to identify the maternity support (FRQNT allowance or NSERC leave) she wishes to use.

Maternity and Parental Leave Paid to Students and Postdoctoral Fellows (NSERC)

Within 12 months following the birth or adoption of a child, the agencies provide maternity or parental leave supplements to eligible students and postdoctoral fellows (as outlined in Part 5 of the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide) who are the primary caregivers of the child. The amount of these supplements, paid from agency grants for a maximum period of 12 months to cover the leave period, is determined based on their salary or stipend rate at that time.

If both parents receive grant funds, they may share the leave provided that the total duration of both leaves does not exceed 12 months. If the student or fellow is engaged in part-time research training, the supplement is calculated on a pro-rata basis.

7. Management and Follow-up

Grants are awarded for a maximum period of three years. The first disbursements of the FRQNT and NSERC grants are expected in March 2025, shortly after adjudication.

All requests for modifications during the grant period must be submitted to the Fund via the “Manage my funding” section of the FRQnet Electronic Portfolio (article 6.5 of the CGR).

Each agency will provide grant letters with the terms and conditions of the grant. Each grant letter will outline the respective grant terms for FRQNT and the Alliance program at NSERC, and any specific conditions, if applicable.

FRQNT portion. The unspent funds at the end of the grant may be carried forward, but only for one additional year. They are subject to the conditions of section 6.10 of the CGR.

NSERC portion. NSERC will allow residual unspent funds to be retained by the managing institution under certain conditions determined by their Finance and Awards Administration Division. These funds will be transferred to a General Research Fund (GRF).

Annual financial report:

• FRQNT portion: the managing institution must submit, no later than September 30th of each year, an annual financial report via the FRQnet E-portfolio.
• NSERC portion: the managing institution must submit, no later than June 30th of each year, an annual reconciliation report to NSERC as well as a final statement of account expenditures.

Progress report – FRQNT:

• The principal investigator is required to submit a final report no later than 15 months after the end date of the grant (not including the additional year, where applicable). This report must be completed and submitted in the FRQnet e-portfolio.

In the event that the final report is not filed within the time frame specified by the Fonds or if the report is not to the satisfaction of the Fonds, the grantee is not eligible to receive another funding both as a PI and a Co-I from any of the three Fonds or may have its payments suspended until this condition is met.

8. Open Access Dissemination Policy

Peer-reviewed publications resulting from the research made possible by this award must be made freely accessible immediately (without embargo), under an open license, in accordance with the FRQ Open Access Policy for the Dissemination of Research (revised in 2022).

9. Effective date

These rules apply to the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

10. Contact persons for this program

For any questions about the NOVA program :

Stéphanie Boutin
Program Officer FRQNT
NOVA program
nova@frq.gouv.qc.ca 

For questions regarding the NSERC only :

Robert Déziel
Deputy director
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Robert.Deziel@nserc-crsng.gc.ca