NSERC PromoScience

NSERC PromoScience is sponsored by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). NSERC PromoScience provides multi-year funding for hands-on STEM promotion to youth and educators. NSERC invests over $1.

PromoScience | Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada The value of the grant will be based on the budget proposed in your application, up to a maximum of $200,000 per year for three years. Your application must be submitted to NSERC before 8:00 pm (ET) on September 15 . If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, your application must reach NSERC before 8:00 pm (ET) the following working day.

Late applications will not be accepted. Application link PromoScience application summary form NSERC’s PromoScience program offers financial support for organizations working with young Canadians to promote an understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). PromoScience grants support hands-on informal STEM learning experiences for young Canadians and their educators in Canada.

NSERC invites applications for initiatives that promote natural sciences and engineering (NSE) to Canada’s young people, particularly to underrepresented groups in NSE careers. In the context of PromoScience, underrepresented groups include, but are not limited to, girls; Indigenous youth (First Nations, Inuit and Métis); youth with disabilities; members of visible minorities/racialized groups; and members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

Recognizing the need to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the NSE, NSERC may support additional meritorious applications with targeted programming for underrepresented groups if sufficient funds become available.

Furthermore, NSERC encourages organizations to consider the needs of official language minority communities in their area while developing the activities to be proposed in the application and to strive to have official documentation and promotional material in both official languages. Eligibility to the PromoScience program is tied to the organization and the programming, not an individual.

The principal applicant, as identified on the application, is the primary individual who leads the direction of the proposed activities, as well as coordinates the financial and administrative aspects of the application as the recipient, on behalf of the organization.

PromoScience encourages a wide variety of organizations to help young Canadians in elementary school and high school (including the equivalent first year of college in Quebec), and their educators, develop skills and interests in science and engineering. Organizations that encourage Indigenous undergraduate students to pursue graduate studies in natural sciences and engineering (NSE) are also eligible.

PromoScience grants support organizations that: work with young Canadians to inspire an interest in science and engineering motivate young people to study science and engineering and to pursue careers in these fields bring interactive, hands-on science experiences to young people These include organizations that: focus on underrepresented groups in NSE careers provide instruction and resources to science, math and technology educators Eligibility of your organization To be eligible, you must: be a Canadian registered non-profit organization, post-secondary institution or a non-federal museum or science centre deliver ongoing programming in the promotion of NSE to young Canadians Examples of ineligible organizations include: federal departments and agencies federal museums and “friends of a federal museum” societies provincial, territorial, regional and municipal government departments organizations running one-time, project-specific activities elementary schools, high schools and school boards Eligibility of your activities A broad range of activities promoting NSE are eligible for funding.

The following points answer common questions about eligibility. Ongoing programming Activities must be delivered on a continual basis from year to year. One-time, project-specific activities are not eligible.

Youth-focused programming Activities and content must be designed for young Canadians in elementary school, high school (or the equivalent first year of college in Quebec) and/or their educators. Activities and content that specifically encourage Indigenous undergraduate students to pursue graduate studies in the NSE are also eligible. Programming for youth that involves their families is encouraged.

We do not support activities for preschool-age children, the general post-secondary student population or the general public. Educator-focused programming PromoScience supports the development of resources and tools for educators that make it easier for them to teach science well, as well as professional development for educators to improve their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for teaching science to youth.

Proposed programming must be independent of accredited courses or degree requirements. Programming in the NSE Proposed activities must include significant NSE-focused content and be primarily focused on promoting interest and careers in the NSE. Programming focused primarily on health, medicine, social sciences or arts is not eligible for support, nor is programming primarily focused on advocacy.

New/pilot programs Such applications must include strong evidence of the feasibility and anticipated impact of the activities (i.e., support letters, data from similar successful programs). Proposals with broad impact and reach We encourage proposals at the national, provincial, territorial and regional levels. We will not support local activities unless they are part of targeted programming for underrepresented groups in NSE.

Interactive, hands-on programming Activities must involve social or technology-mediated interaction with a two-way flow of information and influence between youth and their facilitators. We will not support the production of books, videos, lectures, etc., that are not part of an interactive program.

Research experience Applications must demonstrate how their program meets the objectives of the PromoScience program by going beyond simply providing work experience. Grants may not be used to support research but should motivate young people to study science and engineering and to pursue careers in these fields.

University-based activities The proposed science and engineering activities must address the PromoScience objectives and must not be primarily for recruitment purposes. If an activity is linked to university course work (i.e., university students as instructors or mentors), the course work must be clearly delineated from the youth-based outreach component for the application to be eligible.

Current award holders If your organization received the last payment of an active award in January of this year, it is eligible to apply in September for continued support of these activities. If you anticipate having remaining funds by the end date of your current grant, you have two options: you can either request an extension before the end date of the grant or apply in September for ongoing support of these activities.

Opting for the latter will require the return of the residual balance of your current grant. If the last payment of an ongoing award is scheduled for next January, wait until the following September to apply for continued support for the same activity. A new full application will be required at the time of application.

Multiple awards PromoScience will allow a non-profit organization, a non-federal museum or science centre, or a department in a post-secondary institution to hold multiple, concurrent awards as long as they clearly demonstrate in the application that there is no overlap in any way with the activities already supported through their active PromoScience grant(s) as indicated in the Organization’s financial status section below.

The onus is on the organization to know what other activities are currently supported by a PromoScience grant. The expansion of currently funded activities into new geographical areas or to a new audience is considered overlap. Applications proposing such expansions are ineligible.

You may reapply when your active grant has ended with your new outreach area/audience clearly defined. Only one application may be submitted per non-profit organization, non-federal museum or science centre, or department in a post-secondary institution per competition year.

NSERC encourages organizers of science and engineering promotion activities for youth to coordinate and prioritize their activities within their own organization and to collaborate with other organizations. Umbrella group members NSERC defines an umbrella organization as an association of groups that work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources.

The umbrella organization provides services, support, resources and/or an identity to the smaller organizations. Members of umbrella groups may submit individual applications but must include an explanation of any relationship and/or overlap with PromoScience grants awarded to their head office (see the Organization’s financial status section below).

The value of the grant will be based on the budget proposed in your application, up to a maximum of $200,000 per year for three years. PromoScience grants may be used to cover improvements to program content or delivery, as well as for new programs and activities.

Grants can also be used to cover operational costs such as salaries (except the principal applicant’s salary), travel, postage, materials and supplies, provided that they relate to the promotion of science and engineering. Note that grants may not be used to support research. NSERC will not fund 100% of the costs of a proposed activity.

NSERC’s contribution is generally up to one-third of a program’s funding. If your request deviates significantly from the one-third guideline, justify the deviation and demonstrate your efforts to secure other sources of funding in the budget justification section of your application. The PromoScience program follows Part 2: Use of Funds of the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration .

The following exceptions apply to PromoScience grants.

salaries and benefits for program delivery staff, except for the salary of the principal applicant costs for program evaluation (maximum 20% of the grant instalment per year) costs of prizes awarded through a fair and open process salaries and stipends for youth participants in the program or activity costs for substitute teachers scholarships for program participants be direct costs of the activity for which the funds were awarded, with benefits directly attributable to the grant be effective and economical not result in personal gain for the principal applicant Complete the PromoScience application summary form .

In section B, it is recommended that equal amounts are requested each year. Applications must be submitted electronically using NSERC’s ICSP secure submission site . All the parts of your application must be combined into a single document in portable document format (PDF).

Zip files and PDF portfolios will not be accepted. Material or updates to your application received separately (before or after the deadline) will not be accepted. For technical inquiries and assistance with online applications: Toll free: 1-855-275-2861 Email: webapp@nserc-crsng.

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ca Free-form section Your submission (maximum 5 pages if written in English and 6 pages if written in French) must include: an executive summary of up to 150 words, including the nature and goals of the program, the number of young people or educators to be reached and an overview of how the PromoScience funding would be spent a description of how your proposed program addresses the selection criteria Divide your application into three sections; use the selection criteria as headings and use the indicators as subheadings.

Organization’s financial status Your PromoScience application must also include the financial information listed below. This information is not counted in the five-page limit and must also conform to the general presentation guidelines . Before completing this section, review the guidelines on the eligibility of expenses .

Proof of non-profit status (not applicable to institutions on NSERC’s List of eligible institutions )—e.g., certificate of incorporation, audited financial statement including notes, notification of registration General budget forecast covering each year of the requested granting period (January to December); the sample budget is intended as a guide for your organization to follow; some items may not be listed or may not apply to your organization; adapt the template according to your needs—include the following: projected revenues of your program(s) (breakdown by source: PromoScience, federal government, provincial government, private sector, foundations, self-generated, university, etc.) estimated in-kind contributions (salaries, equipment, space, etc.) anticipated expenses of your program(s) (breakdown by expenditure: salaries, equipment, materials and supplies, travel costs, publicity, etc.) Justification for each budget item (one-page maximum): explain and justify each budget item and any contributions from other sources in support of the proposed programming.

This could include specifying which sources of revenue have been secured as well as details on the salaries (position, hours, etc.), equipment (list of items) and travel (mode of transportation, distance to destination(s), etc.).

Explanation of any relationship and/or overlap, conceptual or financial, with other PromoScience grants or federal funding held by the non-profit organization, non-federal museum or science centre, or department in a post-secondary institution (one-page maximum, see Multiple awards ).

Organizations that are members/chapters of an umbrella group should include an explanation of any relationship and/or overlap with PromoScience grants awarded to their head office. Environmental impact The Impact assessment form (Appendix A) may be required. For more information, consult NSERC’s guidelines on impact assessment .

Letters of reference/commitment Your organization may provide up to six letters to support your application. Your organization should choose which letters make the most convincing case in support of your application. Applications without letters of reference may be at a disadvantage in the competition.

There are two types of letters: Letters of reference (or equivalent documents) Organizations are encouraged to include letters of reference in support of the program(s) proposed in the application to demonstrate the need and/or impact of the activities. Organizations proposing targeted programming are strongly encouraged to include a letter of reference from an organization linked with their underrepresented audience.

For targeted programming with Indigenous youth, a letter of support from an individual in a community leadership position is strongly encouraged; evidence of community support may be verified. In all cases, the process of obtaining a letter of support should be as efficient as possible and mindful of any unique circumstances the community is experiencing.

Organizations are encouraged to include letters of commitment to confirm funding agreements or in-kind contributions from outside sources. If the application is from a post-secondary institution, it is strongly recommended to include a letter of commitment from the institution. Do not submit contracts or agreements as letters of commitment.

Signatures For principal applicants Before you, as the principal applicant, can submit the application to NSERC, you must read and agree to the terms and conditions listed on the Terms and conditions of applying form . It is your responsibility to retain a copy of the agreed terms and conditions for your records.

Note: This form must be signed by the principal applicant identified on the PromoScience application summary form, not the contact person.

For post-secondary institutions The signatures of the institutional authorities certify that the institution will abide by the roles and responsibilities set out in the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions with the three federal granting agencies, including the Tri-agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research .

Presentation standards You are responsible for submitting a complete application that conforms to the presentation standards established by NSERC. A checklist to help you ensure that your application is complete is part of the PromoScience application summary form .

Incomplete applications and applications that do not meet the presentation standards may be rejected or be at a disadvantage in comparison with those that are complete and respect the presentation standards. Where page limits are stated, pages in excess of the number permitted will be removed. Only the documents requested by NSERC will be made available to the selection committee.

Links to websites should not be included in application documents. Committee members are expected to ignore any links in documents received. Your application must be submitted to NSERC before 8:00 pm (ET) on September 15 .

If the deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, your application must reach NSERC before 8:00 pm (ET) the following working day. Late applications will not be accepted. Application link PromoScience application summary form All eligible applications are peer reviewed by the PromoScience Review Committee .

Members are chosen from the science and engineering promotion community and the education community based on their expertise and experience. Committee members are responsible for respecting the confidentiality of application material and the review process and for declaring real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. All members are required to sign a declaration of confidentiality and non-disclosure.

The three selection criteria and associated indicators that the selection committee will use to evaluate each submission are presented below. In your application, use the criteria as headings and indicators as subheadings to structure your proposal. Your submission must clearly demonstrate how your proposal meets each criterion.

It is highly recommended that you address all indicators and provide all relevant requested evidence in your application. New organizations/pilot programs must include strong evidence of the feasibility and anticipated impact of the activities through support letters and/or data from similar successful programs. NSERC is committed to promoting the integration of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in its practices.

As a result, EDI considerations have been integrated into the selection criteria below. Inclusive programming consists of activities in which all people are respected and have access to the same opportunities, and where all individuals—including those from under-represented groups—can reach their full potential, unimpeded by inequitable practices.

Organizations should describe specific actions that acknowledge and address barriers to participation (such as physical, procedural, visible, invisible and unintentional barriers) in order to broaden access to the largest pool of potential participants and to improve the impact of the activities.

Additionally, the following elements are important to consider when developing targeted programming for Indigenous youth, and should be discussed, as appropriate, in the proposal: Establish meaningful engagement with First Nations, Inuit, Métis, or other Indigenous Peoples, nations, communities, societies or individuals. Ensure the programming aligns with and responds to the goals and needs of the Indigenous communities involved.

Promote the participation of community members and foster a culturally safe, equitable, inclusive and accessible environment. Integrate and respect Indigenous ways of knowing throughout the programming. Engage and recognize the role of Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and/or Knowledge Holders, and ensure appropriate remuneration for their contributions.

For additional guidance on NSERC’s expectations, read the CCI guide for research involving Indigenous Peoples and communities .

Selection criteria Excellence of the organization (30%) Ability of the organization and its collaborators to deliver the proposed program(s) successfully Relevant background of the organization Education/experience of staff and how this supports the organization’s science or engineering promotion to young people Program delivery team representative of audience (especially for programming involving underrepresented youth) Continuity of the organization Evidence of sustainability Contributions to the science, engineering and education communities Publicity activities of the organization and its program(s) aimed at the public Examples of networking with and/or mentoring others involved in science and engineering promotion to share best practices Financial status (not included in five-page limit) Realistic budget forecast and budget justification Ability to raise funds from non-federal sources Letters of commitment from outside sources Letter of commitment from the host organization (for post-secondary institutions only) Quality of the program (30%) Objectives consistent with those of PromoScience Plans to show how objectives will be attained Need for activity or activities Detailed description of the program(s) and what participants will do Suitability for intended audience (e.g., integration of Indigenous knowledge, roles of appropriate contributors/mentors especially for programming involving underrepresented youth) Focus on the natural sciences and engineering Differences from other groups (i.e., originality/creativity) Impact of program(s) on audience Quality of the program interaction (number and depth of interactions per participant) Evaluation plan and highlights from past program evaluations Participant feedback (testimonials, survey results) Impact of PromoScience funding Explanation of the added value or benefits that funding will bring to the organization, its program(s) and, ultimately, its participants Profile of participants (age, numbers reached) Geographical reach (i.e., national, provincial) Transferability to other geographical areas Focus on underrepresented groups (include evidence relevant to your strategy) Plans and strategies to make activities inclusive for participants Plans and strategies to reach specific groups based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, language, geographical location and/or socio-economic status, as applicable Plans and strategies to include members of Canada’s Indigenous communities (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), if applicable Letter of reference from organization linked to underrepresented audience, if applicable Sample budget This sample budget, covering each year of the requested granting period (January to December), is intended as a guide for your organization to follow; some items may not be listed or may not apply to your organization.

Adapt this downloadable template according to your needs. Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Revenue Anticipated funding ($) Funding (%) Anticipated funding ($) Funding (%) Anticipated funding ($) Funding (%) Federal government 6,000 6. 0 6,000 5.

7 6,000 5. 4 Provincial government 20,000 20. 0 20,000 19.

0 20,000 18. 2 Foundations 10,000 10. 0 15,000 14.

4 20,000 18. 2 Private sector 10,000 10. 0 10,000 9.

5 10,000 9. 1 Self-generated 10,000 10. 0 10,000 9.

5 10,000 9. 1 University - - - - - - PromoScience 30,000 30. 0 30,000 28.

6 30,000 27. 3 Other - - - - - - In-kind contributions Salary 10,000 10. 0 10,000 9.

5 10,000 9. 1 Equipment/materials 4,000 4. 0 4,000 3.

8 4,000 3.

6 Facilities - - - - - - Total revenue 100,000 100% 105,000 100% 110,000 100% Expenses Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Expenses Anticipated costs ($) Expenditures covered by request ($) Anticipated costs ($) Expenditures covered by request ($) Anticipated costs ($) Expenditures covered by request ($) Salaries/benefits 59,600 25,000 65,000 25,000 70,000 25,000 Consulting fees 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 Travel 12,500 2,500 13,500 2,500 13,800 2,500 Accommodations/meals 9,200 - 9,500 - 9,800 - Materials/equipment 15,000 - 13,300 - 12,700 - Advertising 500 - 500 - 500 - Translation 700 500 700 500 700 500 Program evaluation 500 - 500 - 500 - Total Expenses 100,000 30,000 105,000 30,000 110,000 30,000 The PromoScience program uses the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA) as its general guideline.

All applicants and grant holders must comply with NSERC’s policies and guidelines . While these policies were written for research-related activities, in the context of PromoScience they may also apply to outreach, teaching and instructional activities. In addition to post-secondary institutions, eligible institutions for PromoScience grants include non-profit organizations, science centres and museums.

If an organization is not awarded all the funding it originally requested, it can modify the scope of its activities based on the funding it receives. Modified activities must still address the objectives of the original application. All adjustments should be documented in the year-end progress report (if applicable) and in the final report.

Any significant changes to the programs or activities supported with NSERC funds must be approved by NSERC. A revised budget may be required. Any large deviations in the budget (greater than 20% of a budget line) also require NSERC approval in advance.

New grantees can expect to receive their first instalment in February. NSERC will inform all applicants electronically of the results of the annual PromoScience competition in mid to late January. NSERC will not provide results by telephone.

Principal applicants will receive an email with a link to access their notification of decision letter through the NSERC Extranet for Applicants. Additionally, results for applications from post-secondary institutions will be posted on NSERC’s Grants and Scholarships Administrative Portal (GSAP). A list of the successful grantees will also be posted in the Results section below once the new grants are made public.

Activity reports The requirements for PromoScience activity reports are outlined in the notification of decision letters sent to all new grantees after each competition. Progress reports may be required. Final reports are mandatory.

Payment of future PromoScience instalments or future grants may depend on receipt of satisfactory activity reports. Reminders and updates on the requirements for reports will be sent to organizations by email at least three months before the report is due. Transfers PromoScience grants are awarded to the organization, not to the principal applicant.

NSERC must be notified immediately of any change in the responsibility of administering the grant. PromoScience grants are not transferable from one organization to another, and funds from one PromoScience grant cannot be transferred to another. Residual balances All grants that have not been extended, or that have been terminated, may contain residual balances of funds allocated in prior years and/or issued in the current fiscal year.

NSERC will request reimbursement for any current-year funds not required for the purpose for which they were granted if no future payments are scheduled. Email: promoscience@nserc-crsng. gc.

ca Toll free: 1-855-275-2861