Sponsor

The National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Social Sciences Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

Program

South Africa-Canada Seed Grant for Collaborative Research

Description

In recognition of the growing importance of international research collaboration to address global challenges, the National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) and the Social Sciences Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) are pleased to announce a joint funding call, marking the formalisation of a strengthened partnership. The aim of the programme is to enhance universities’ research collaboration between Canada and South Africa on areas of mutual interest, with an additional goal of capacity development and inclusivity. The Seed Grants will support researchers affiliated with eligible South African and Canadian postsecondary institutions to build capacity, foster new and existing partnerships, and develop networks and/or consortia among the Canadian and South African research communities.

NRF and SSHRC will support projects in following six prioritised themes:

1. Just and Resilient Societies (topics: reconciliation, diversity, gender equality, the rule of law, democratization, security, good governance, addressing poverty, ethical environmental practices, quality education, Indigenous knowledge systems)
2. Environmental Sustainability (topics: sustainable and climate resilient agricultural systems, food security, pollution, clean energy, renewable energy, energy transitions, clean water, sustainable sourcing)
3. Artificial Intelligence (topics: technological futures, smart transport systems, nanotechnology, urbanization – smart cities, informed policymaking, digital economy, digital innovation, digital infrastructure, big data and data science)
4. Sustainable Growth (topics: critical minerals and supply chains, advancing AfCFTA, innovation in the Blue Economy, infrastructure, green economy, labour supply/skills development)
5. Mathematics Education

Recognising the different research funding mandates of the NRF and SSHRC, the programme intends to support collaboration within the social sciences and humanities disciplines, or interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary collaboration between Canadian researchers in the social sciences and humanities and South African researchers across all disciplines. 

Eligibility

The Principal Investigator (PI) for the Canadian and South African teams must be in possession of a PhD to be eligible. Each proposal must nominate one main applicant based in South Africa and one main applicant based in Canada. A researcher cannot serve as a PI on more than one proposal.

The Canadian PI must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution that holds institutional eligibility [1] with SSHRC at the time of application and before funding can be released. Canadian PIs must propose to undertake research and research related activities only in disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas that are eligible for SSHRC funding [2].

The South African PI must be a full-time or fixed-term contract employee at a South African university/university of technology.

Individuals are eligible to be co-applicants if formally affiliated with any of the following:

• Canadian: eligible postsecondary institution; not-for-profit organisation; philanthropic foundation; think tank; or municipal, territorial or provincial government.
• International: postsecondary institution.

Researchers from private companies/industries and NGOs cannot serve as PIs but can form part of the joint projects and will be expected to meet their own costs of participation in the joint projects. Neither NRF nor SSHRC grants can be used to support these researchers.

Funding Availability

SSHRC will support Canadian PIs at up to CAD$100,000 over 2 years with a 1 year no-cost extension.

Besides the SSHRC-NRF financial support, universities in both countries are encouraged to solicit other funding resources. Leveraged funds should be clearly indicated in the application.

The call will support a maximum of 8 projects.

Indirect Costs

0% on SSHRC funding

Project Duration

24 to 36 months

Special Notes

Eligible Research Activities

Projects must demonstrate potential for advancing research and capacity development on the proposed themes. Therefore, the funding within this programme will support research and research capacity development activities such as:

• Joint publications, synthesis reports, creative works and/or other research outputs
• General research-related mobility
• Joint workshops, seminars, conferences, symposia
• Lecture presentations
• Capacity-building sessions such as participation in winter/summer schools, master classes, etc.
• Meetings and local/regional dissemination of research results aimed at involving stakeholders and/or end-users from outside the participants

The following will not be funded from the fund allocation:

• Consultant’s fees
• Project management fees
• Educational expenses (scholarships and/or bursaries, etc.)
• Large equipment
• Salaries and temporary staff fees.

How to Apply

Through a lead agency model, the South African PI will submit a single collaborative proposal on behalf of the research team, which will undergo a review process by NRF, the lead agency. The Canadian PI will include all material, including a budget breakdown, within the single application.

Canadian PIs must ensure that the included budget justification meets the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration [4]’s eligibility regulations, and that it aligns with the eligibility requirements for the funding opportunity. 

The South African PI must submit their consortia proposals through an online application process to the NRF on the NRF Connect system [5]. Please use the 'General Application Guide 2026 [6]' for assistance on the steps to follow when applying for international research grants. (To be published soon.)

PIs must attach the required compulsory documents in PDF format in the following order:

1. CVs of PIs partners
2. Project description
3. Detailed budget breakdown of all partners (PI Lead, Co-Leads & Research Partners).
4. Budget division of the South African team, particularly budget sharing between the historically advantaged and historically disadvantaged institutions.
5. Signed Letters of Intent by all Research Partners (Lead, Co-Leads & Research Partners).

Proposals are assessed based on their content with respect to the following six criteria: 

1. Scientific quality of the proposal and/or technology development,
2. Relevance,
3. Project Management and Implementation,
4. Broader Societal Impact,
5. Quality & Adequacy of Resources and Competencies and
6. Human Capacity Development. (See the attached 'Call for Joint Proposals' below for more details.)

Attachment(s)

Attachment	Size
SA-Canada Call for Joint Proposals [7]	328.9 KB