Sponsor
Canada Research Chairs Program
Program
Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity
Description
The objectives of the annual Robbins-Ollivier award are to:
- fund bold and potentially game-changing institutional-level initiatives that will challenge the status quo, spark change and take action to address persistent systemic barriers within the institution research ecosystem and academia more broadly;
- recognize faculty members who contribute their time, expertise and lived experience to help address inequities in their institution, the research ecosystem and academia; and,
- provide opportunities for students and trainees to contribute to this important work.
The objective of the award is not to fund research in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) disciplines, but rather to fund initiatives to be implemented within the institution to identify and/or address systemic barriers.
The award provides a total of $100,000 over one year, with the potential for a one-year no-cost extension, to a faculty member or a team of faculty members nominated by an eligible institution, to fund the implementation of bold and potentially game-changing initiatives led by the nominated individual or team that:
- contribute to the understanding of the persistence of systemic barriers in the nominating institution and, by extension, the research ecosystem and academia more broadly; and/or,
- identify innovative measures that could be implemented within the institution to change the status quo and break down those barriers in the long term.
See examples of winning nominations at Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity
Eligibility
To be eligible for nomination by their institutions, the faculty member(s) must:
- be eligible to receive grant funding from the agencies;
- be holding a full-time academic appointment at the institution at the time of nomination and for the duration of the award (adjunct professors are not eligible; and,
- be in good standing with CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (e.g., they cannot have eligibility limits placed on them due to not meeting grant reporting requirements for the CRCP or have sanctions in place tied to the agencies’ responsible conduct of research policy).
Current and former Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) are eligible, as are individuals who are not CRCs. Institutional administrators who are eligible to hold grant funding from the agencies are also eligible to be nominated.
As the CRCP is an institutional program, the Robbins-Ollivier award does not accept applications from or fund individuals directly. A senior manager responsible for the administration of the CRCP at the institution, at the vice-president level, must submit the nomination. Institutions may only submit one nomination.
Prize
$100,000 (for a one-year project). Three prizes of $100,000 each will be awarded nationally.
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:
- Teaching/administrative release for the individual(s)
- Student/trainee stipend(s) or salary
- Research costs according to the Chairs Administration Guide
The list above is not comprehensive.
The primary awardee (not the nominating institution) is to manage the spending of award funds according to the initiative proposal submitted.
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | Notification of Interest Inform the IEDI Advisor in Research Services of your interest in being nominated. Email jmoores@uoguelph.ca copying your College Research Manager. | |
Internal Deadline | Expression of Interest - Internal deadline to be considered for nomination If you wish to be considered for nomination, please provide:
| |
External Deadline | External Deadline for Nominations The VP Research will submit 1 approved nomination. |
How to Apply
- As soon as possible or by August 27, 2025, inform the IEDI Advisor in Research of your intent to apply. Email jmoores@uoguelph.ca (and copy your CRM) at your earliest convenience.
- Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by the second internal deadline. See further details on what to include under the “Nomination package” heading of the Robbins-Ollivier Award webpage. Expressions of Interest will be evaluated by a review committee that includes EDI and Indigenous research experts and practitioners.
- If your initiative is selected as the institution's nomination, work with the IEDI Advisor in Research to develop the nomination by the external deadline.
For More Information
Please contact jmoores@uoguelph.ca or visit the Robbins-Ollivier Award webpage.