Canada Research Chairs Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity 2027

Sponsor

Canada Research Chairs Program 

Program

Robbins-Ollivier Award for Excellence in Equity

Description

The objectives of the annual Robbins-Ollivier equity award are to:

• Fund bold and potentially game-changing institutional-level projects that will challenge the status quo, spark change and take action to address persistent systemic barriers in the research ecosystem and academia
• Recognize faculty members who contribute their time, expertise and lived experience to help address inequities in their institution, the research ecosystem and academia
• 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 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/or the research ecosystem and academia more broadly
• Identify innovative measures that could be implemented to change the status quo and break down those barriers in the long term

Eligibility

To be eligible for nomination, 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
• 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)

Institutional administrators who are eligible to hold grant funding from the agencies are also eligible to be nominated.

The CRCP is an institutional program and does not accept applications from or fund researchers 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 primary awardee (not the nominating institution) is to manage the spending of award funds according to the initiative proposal submitted.

Institutions may choose to devote additional funds to support the proposed initiative(s), though it is not a requirement.

Indirect costs are not an eligible expense. The salary of faculty is not an eligible expense.

The award is not intended to “top up” or be added to pre-existing, ongoing initiatives.

How to Apply

1. By Sept. 9, 2026, inform the IEDI Advisor in Research of your intent to apply. Email jmoores@uoguelph.ca and copy your CRM. 

2. Submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by the second internal deadline. The EOI will comprise:

   1. Description of the proposed project of at least 1 page or up to 4 pages
   2. Budget of up to 1 page 

   See further details on what to include under the “Nomination package” heading of the Robbins-Ollivier Award

For More Information

For more information, visit the Robbins-Ollivier Award webpage.