Dairy Farmers of Canada - Nutrition Research Funding Program 2025-2026

Sponsor

Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC)

Program

Nutrition Research Funding Program

Description

DFC’s Nutrition Research Funding Program offers financial support for research projects in the area of human nutrition and health, food science and sustainable diets, in relation to dairy products. Projects are peer-reviewed and evaluated by an expert advisory committee comprised of renowned Canadian researchers with expertise in various areas of food science, nutrition, health and medicine.

The objective of the Nutrition Research Funding Program is to gain a better understanding of the specific role of dairy products in attaining and maintaining optimal health, as well as their contribution in a sustainable diet. DFC considers proposals that have nutrition and health implications for Canadian dairy products and that are relevant to Canadian dairy farmers.

Eligibility

Researchers from Canadian universities and/or federal or provincial research centres are eligible to apply to the Program. Non-Canadian researchers could be considered as co-investigators or collaborators. 

The principal investigator (the "Principal Investigator") is responsible for the complete direction of the approved project (the "Project") and for other activities related to its efficient execution. The role of the co-investigator(s) in the Project must be clearly defined. Students and trainees are normally not eligible to act as co-investigators. 

A researcher cannot be the Principal Investigator for two projects simultaneously carried out under this Program. However, the same researcher can be a co-investigator for no more than one additional project. 

Whenever possible, projects should involve complementary teams of researchers from across Canada. 

Commercial product research and development is not eligible.

Download the complete Guidelines - DFC Nutrition Research Funding Program for all competition details.

Maximum Project Value

The total amount requested from this Program can be up to $150,000. For studies requiring more than $150,000, it is strongly recommended to secure additional funding from other sources.

DFC encourages the Principal Investigator to obtain matching funds from federal funding agencies and/or other sources. The funds that will be requested must be described in the Budget section of the PDF Forms, along with the objectives or parts of the Project that will be funded by these other sources. Principal Investigators must have verified with the funding agencies if the Project complies with their research priorities and guidelines. 

Note that DFC is an eligible organization for Mitacs programs. Principal Investigators are encouraged to apply to Mitacs to support a portion of the graduate student and postdoctoral fellow scholarships.

Indirect Costs

0%: DFC will not pay the research institution, the Principal Investigator and/or the coinvestigator(s), as the case may be, for any indirect costs for DFC funded projects. 

Matching funds will be subject to the Full Cost of Research Policy. 

Project Duration

Up to two (2) years.