NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grants

Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grants foster and enhance the discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) by supporting the purchase of research equipment.

• RTI grants provide up to $150,000 in support for research tools and instruments with a net cost between $7,001 and $250,000. 
• NSERC will only accept requests for:
  • tools and instruments that form a comprehensive system intended to support NSERC-funded research in the NSE. A comprehensive system is one in which each tool or instrument forms part of an integrated system of operation to support the research program(s). Requests that bundle unrelated tools and instruments together will not be accepted.
  • the purchase of new, used or refurbished equipment, for the repair, upgrade or rental of equipent, or for the fabrication of equipment that is not readily available off the shelf. 
  • equipment that is purchased or rented after the application deadline.

Note: Equipment and items that are part of laboratory infrastructure or intended to render other equipment compliant with health and safety standards are ineligible for RTI support.

See the tabs below for a summary of competition updates and resources available to UBC applicants. Please note there is no longer an internal competition for the RTI competition.

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