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 the following 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.
  • For 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. 
  • For 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.

There have been several changes to the RTI program and selection criteria in recent years:

• As of competition year 2021, there are updated instructions for the Budget Justification attachment and Confirmation of Financial Contributions section
• As of competition year 2020, the RTI selection criteria includes several new sub-criteria regarding Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
• As of competition year 2019 the RTI selection critieria changed from five to three assessment criteria. 
• As of competition year 2018:
  • 1) Institutional quotas have been eliminated, therefore UBC researchers are no longer required to submit an RTI pre-selection application; and
  • 2) The RTI competition is open to all eligible Canadian university researchers. However, researchers are permitted by NSERC to participate in only one RTI application per competition, either as an applicant or a co-applicant, but not both. There is no restriction on participation as an "other user".

Please address the current assessment criteria and see SPARC's resources for assistance. 

Open All