Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program
Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grants enhance the discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering by supporting the purchase of research equipment and installations.
RTI grants are one-year awards that assist in purchasing or developing research equipment that is greater than $7,000 in cost. (NSERC will consider multiple-year requests in exceptional cases that are compellingly justified by the applicant.) Items that are less than $7,000 can be purchased with Discovery Grant funds or be included as a complement to the main piece of equipment being requested.
RTI Grant Funding Categories
RTI grants are divided into three categories according to the total net cost of the equipment, (e.g. excluding taxes, shipping and handling.) These categories are:
• RTI grants – Category 1: $7,001 to $150,000 (available for all disciplines that come under the Evaluation Groups)
• RTI grants – Category 2: $150,001 to $325,000 (Subatomic Physics only)
• RTI grants – Category 3: more than $325,000 (Subatomic Physics only).
NSERC will accept Category 1 applications with net costs of up to $250,000, provided that the applicant is able to secure funding from other sources in order to reduce the amount requested from NSERC to $150,000 or less. In this case, the other source(s) of funding must be in place and confirmed at the time that the application is submitted.to NSERC.
Important Dates
RTI Category 1 Applications:
• Internal Deadline: October 19, 2011
• NSERC Deadline: October 25, 2011
RTI Category 2 & 3 (Sub-Atomic Physics):
• Internal Deadline: September 22, 2011
• Sponsor Deadline: October 1, 2011
Information Sessions
Discussion of the RTI program will be included in the NSERC Discovery Grant Information Sessions being held at the following locations and dates:
St. George Session 1 - September 8, 2011, 10AM – Noon in Room 2118 Sidney Smith RSVP to Martina Simmonds, martina.simmonds@utoronto.ca
UTM - September 9, 2011, 1PM – 3PM in Room 3130 William G Davis Building (South Bldg) RSVP to Carmen Bryson, carmen.bryson@utoronto.ca
St. George Session 2 - September 13, 2011, Noon – 2PM in Room 2172 Medical Sciences Building RSVP to Martina Simmonds, martina.simmonds@utoronto.ca
UTSC - September 14, 2011, 2PM – 4PM in Room AA160 Arts & Administration Building RSVP to Michele McDonell, mcdonell@utsc.utoronto.ca
Who Can Apply
Generally, those eligible to apply for NSERC funding hold (or have a firm offer of) an academic appointment such as: tenured, tenure-track or lifetime professor emeritus, or a term/contract position of no less than three years. If you have questions about NSERC’s or UofT’s eligibility rules, please contact us. If you have questions about your appointment, please contact your department chair.
Applicants must currently hold, or be applying for, an NSERC research grant (e.g., Discovery, Strategic, Research Partnership, Canada Research Chairs) at the time when they submit an RTI application. NSERC only considers applications for equipment that has not yet been purchased, or that has been purchased within the one-year period immediately prior to the current deadline for receipt of applications.
How to Apply
To apply, visit the NSERC website to complete an Application for a Grant (Form 101) and a Personal Data Form (Form 100). A Personal Data Form (Form 100) must also be completed for each co-applicant. Your application must be complete and submitted on or before 5:00 p.m. on the internal deadline date indicated above (e.g. for Category 1 RTI applications, your completed application must be submitted by 5:00 pm on October 19, 2011.) Research Services will then e-approve your application, after confirming your eligibility. E-approval by Research Services automatically transmits your proposal to NSERC. You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt from NSERC.
For all RTI Categories (1, 2 and 3) if a cash contribution is being made towards the purchase cost of the equipment specified in your application (other than from the applicant's institution), a letter is required from the organization confirming their commitment.
A letter from the applicant’s department chair must accompany every RTI Category 2 or Category 3 application (Subatomic Physics only). The Chair’s letter must indicate the importance and priority that the department places on the proposed equipment and the extent to which the department proposes to provide support.
Applications for RTI – Category 3 grants (Subatomic Physics only) must be accompanied by a letter from the University President or equivalent (to be arranged by Research Services) indicating the importance and priority placed on the proposed equipment or facilities. The letter should explain the extent to which the university will provide support, such as the provision of space, financial contributions to the purchase and installation, the purchase of ancillary equipment, and funding technical support staff.
Letters from supporting organizations, if submitted, should clearly explain the support that the organizations will provide, such as their involvement in the research, and their financial contribution (cash or in-kind) to the purchase and installation of the equipment.
NSERC’s Adjudication Criteria: NSERC reviews RTI applications using the following criteria:
• excellence of the applicant as demonstrated in their Form 101.
• merit of the proposed research program
• need and urgency for the equipment, including availability of, and access to, similar
equipment
• suitability of the proposed equipment for the proposed research program
• importance of the equipment for the training of highly qualified personnel
Additional criteria for RTI Categories 2 and 3 can be found on NSERC’s website
What Does Research Services Require
The following documents must be submitted to Research Services on or before the internal deadline as these will be the basis for e-approving the online application:
• A completed RIS form with all required signatures from the department and division (i.e., unit head or one-up, Vice Principal-Research (UTM/UTSC), Vice Dean-Research and/or Dean, as applicable).
• Any additional documentation required to support your NSERC eligibility (e.g., letter of appointment, and, where applicable, Form 100 Appendices B and/or C) and that of your UofT co-applicants who hold irregular appointments (such as non-tenured, status-only).
Additional Information
For information on applying to this program please contact Jessica Keating at Research Services by email at jessica.keating@utoronto.ca
Additional information on the RTI program can be found on the Research Services website or the NSERC website
Jessica Keating
Research Funding Officer, Natural Sciences & Engineering
Agency & Foundation Funding
Office of Research Services
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, 3rd floor
12 Queen's Park Crescent West
Toronto, ON M5S 1S8
Tel: 416.946.7517
Fax: 416.946.3707
Email: jessica.keating@utoronto.ca
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