The general objective of the Partnership Research Projects program is to foster interactions and partnerships between university and college researchers, economic and government partners and potential users of research, in areas or strategic importance to Québec. In particular, it aims to:

• Boost the development of new scientific and technological skills and expertise urgently needed in Québec through research;
• Stimulate the interest of Québec researchers in the priority research and training needs expressed by government, institutional and industrial partners;
• Encourage the training and development of new teams of emerging researchers and the consolidation of existing teams;
• Enhance research potential in fields considered to be a priority for Québec and train a new generation of researchers;

Foster links between researchers from Québec and Canada and international researchers with recognized scientific merit.

The process begins with the signature of a memorandum of understanding between the FRQNT and the partner. Research needs are determined by the partner with input from the FRQNT. A call for proposals guide is jointly developed, followed by a launch within the Québec scientific community.

Stage 1: Evaluation of relevance - letter of intent

All researchers wishing to take part in the program must submit a letter of intent. The letter of intent is evaluated by a relevance committee made up of representatives of the program partner(s) and a resource person from the FRQNT. The purpose of this first stage is to assess the appropriateness and relevance of the letter of intent in relation to the objectives and needs presented in the call for proposals guide. The relevance evaluation criteria and their weighting are specified in the call for proposals guide.

Stage 2: Scientific evaluation – funding application

Only those researchers whose letters of intent are deemed relevant are invited to submit a funding application. The funding application is evaluated by a scientific committee made up of national and international research experts in the fields of the applications submitted. Partner representatives attend the scientific evaluation meeting as observers. A resource person from the FRQNT is also present. The scientific evaluation criteria and their weighting are specified in the call for proposals guide.

A period of around 6 weeks is required between the announcement of the relevance decisions and the submission of funding applications. Once the applications have been submitted, a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks is required for their evaluation by the scientific committee. Therefore, a minimum period of 6 months is to be expected between the launch of a call for proposals and the announcement of grant awards.

Research projects must be carried out as a team. Only a researcher with one of the following statuses (see researcher status definitions in the Common General Rules) and who holds a position as a professor in a Québec teaching institution may lead a research project:

• University researcher;
• College researcher.

An obligatory minimum of 30% of the grant must be dedicated to the training of new researchers. These funds must be used to contribute to salaries, scholarships and scholarship supplements for college or university students, award holders and postdoctoral fellows involved in project activities.

The research project cannot be concurrently funded by another granting agency, unless it is possible to demonstrate that the two funding mechanisms are complementary.

To qualify for a grant, the applicant must be employed by a managing institution at the time the application is submitted. Every funding year, the managing institution must confirm that it continues to employ the researcher on an ongoing basis (including the maintenance of appropriate visas, if applicable).

Specific eligibility requirements may be set out in the call for proposals guide, such as the requirement that the project partner(s) must contribute a minimum of 10% of the total project budget.

The maximum grant amount is generally set at $100,000 per year for up to three years. This amount may vary and is specified in the call for proposals guide.

In determining eligibility of expenses, the Fonds adhere to the principles of sound management of public funds. They require all expenses to be directly attributable to and necessary for the execution of the activities specified in the grant application, and permitted under the program rules. The Fonds are committed to ensuring that no expense should serve to provide personal gain or be used for a purpose that is not directly related to the funded research activities. Public funds need to be tightly and wisely managed.

Fonds funding must not be used to pay salaries or salary supplements to persons whose salaries are paid out of the regular budget of a government-funded institution such as a university, a college, a government department or its institutions, or any other government agency. See the Common General Rules for further details.

The following budget items are generally eligible under the Partnership Research Projects program:

Remuneration according to prevailing institutional standards (including social benefits)

• College students
• Undergraduate students
• Master's students
• PhD students
• Postdoctoral fellows
• Research professionals
• Research technicians

Scholarships and scholarship supplements

• College students
• Undergraduate students
• Master's students
• PhD students
• Postdoctoral fellows

Other expenses

• Travel costs related to the research*
• Conferences (seminars, symposia, lectures)*
• Research materials and supplies (including analysis costs)
• Laboratory animals (purchase and maintenance)
• Study participants
• Scientific services or expertise
• Safety and secure disposal of waste
• Equipment (item purchase under $7,000, rental, operating costs, maintenance, installation, repairs)
• Transport of material and equipment
• Telecommunications
• Computer supplies
• Databank purchase and access
• Publishing, reproduction and translation
• Publication
• Dissemination and knowledge transfer †
• Website related to the grant
• Organization of events or activities

* See also work-family balance measures in the Common General Rules.

† Expenses related to the dissemination of research results to the public (e.g.: media relations, video production, general public activities, production of popularized content for mass media, the web and social media) and those generated through ethics activities are also eligible.

Budget items may be modified, added or removed depending on the call for proposals.

Salary support for college and college centres for technology transfer (CCTT) researchers

In addition to the operating grant, salary support of up to $16,000 (equivalent to 0.2 FTE of duties) may be granted annually to a college or CCTT researcher.

Salary support is intended for full-time college or CCTT researchers. College or CCTT researchers who do not have a permanent position are eligible provided they maintain their employment relationship with a college institution throughout the period covered by the research project. Any person who does not hold a teaching position in a college or a research position in a CCTT is not eligible for salary support.

Maternity leave for students

A student who receives an award funded by a grant under this program can get paid parental leave for a period of up to eight months for the birth or adoption of a child. To be eligible, the student must have been paid from the FRQNT grant for at least 6 months. In addition, she may not hold an award from another granting agency and may not receive benefits from the Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP).

To obtain paid parental leave, the student must send a request by e-mail to the program manager and provide a copy of the medical certificate attesting to the pregnancy and, when the time comes, the child's birth or adoption certificate and proof of interruption of university enrolment. In addition, a copy of the student's award contract must be provided. Only one parental leave is granted per child.

Parental leave may begin before the birth or adoption of the child. If permitted by the institution, the student may extend the leave for an additional period of four months without pay. The FRQNT will transfer the parental leave grant to the student upon receipt of the required documents.

Parental leave is authorized by the Fonds provided that the institution allows parental leave. The grant director undertakes to resume supervision of the student after her leave. The Fonds reserves the right to reject any request that is not adequately justified.

Grants are awarded for two-year and three-year projects and are not renewable. Unexpended funds may be carried over from one year to the next for the duration of the grant. The balance remaining at the end of the grant period may be carried over to complete research activities for which the grant was awarded, but only for an additional period of one year ending on March 31. At the end of this period, the balance is returned to the FRQNT.

Two-year project

Funding for the second year is contingent on the submission of a progress report twelve months after the project start date.

Three-year project

Funding for the second year is contingent on the submission, twelve months after the project start date, of a form detailing any changes that have been made to the project. Funding for the third year is contingent on the submission of a progress report eighteen months after the project start date.

Progress report

Produced at the mid-point of the grant period, the progress report describes the progress of the work and the training of new researchers.

Final report

A final report presenting the results of the work must be produced three months after the end of the research project. In some cases, the research results may be communicated at a forum organized by the FRQNT and the partner.

The progress report and final report may be written in French or English. If the final report is written in English, it must be accompanied by a title and abstract in French.

The progress report and final report are subject to scientific evaluation coordinated by the FRQNT. Both reports are also transmitted to the project partners to allow them to assess the progress of the work. Partners may comment on the content of the reports to the FRQNT. The final decision to accept the progress report and final report is the prerogative of the FRQNT.

If the progress of the work is deemed unsatisfactory by the FRQNT following evaluation of the progress and final reports, this could result in the reduction, suspension or termination of funding. Failure to submit a report by the date indicated is interpreted as a decision on the part of the project leader not to continue the work. From that point on, grant instalments will no longer be paid and a final report must be provided by the project leader.

If a final report is not submitted within the prescribed time or the final report is not accepted by the FRQNT as described above, the grant holder will be ineligible to receive further funding from the Fonds until the situation has been remedied.

Any individual or institution that receives funding must demonstrate the highest standards of research ethics and scientific integrity. See the Common General Rules for further details.

At no time may applicants or their institutional authorities make contact with evaluation committee members, unless such contact is specified as part of the evaluation process. Similarly, evaluation committee members must not make contact with applicants, unless such contact is specifically indicated in the evaluation process. The identities of evaluation committee members are kept confidential to avoid any attempt at collusion. The Fonds reserve the right to withdraw an application from competition if there is any inappropriate intervention, lobby, undue influence or collusion during the evaluation process, as stipulated in the Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

The Fonds make all reasonable efforts to ensure optimal service. However, they cannot be held liable for any direct or indirect damage resulting from their handling of applications for funding. Furthermore, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Fonds are not liable for any direct or indirect damage resulting from the disclosure of personal or confidential information that was not authorized by the Fonds

The Fonds presume the good faith of the declaration provided in funding applications or in any other document submitted at any time during the funding cycle, from the initial funding application to the final report. Applicants and funding holders must be transparent and provide accurate and precise information. They must be conscientious about advising the Fonds of any changes in their situation, where applicable.

Under the Act Respecting the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie (CQLR, c. M-15.1.0.1), any individual who submits an application containing false or misleading information to obtain or procure financial support is committing an offence, is liable to a fine and could be barred from receiving financial support for a period of up to five years. Where a legal person commits such an offence, every director or representative of that legal person who was aware of the offence may be liable to a fine. Furthermore, such a declaration constitutes a breach of responsible research conduct, as set forth in the Fonds de recherche du Québec Policy for the Responsible Conduct of Research, and may be subject to sanctions in accordance with this policy.

The Fonds reserve the right to take immediate measures to stop the use of public funds obtained through false or misleading information, and to take legal action to recover fraudulently obtained funds and claim compensation for damages caused where appropriate.

Please refer to the Common General Rules for any questions regarding the responsible conduct of research, confidentiality and the protection of personal information, intellectual property and the protection of academic freedom.

Researchers and institutions must meet the general eligibility requirements in effect at the time of submission of the letter of intent and the funding application. All specific program rules set out in the call for proposals guide and the Common General Rules must be followed throughout the period covered by the grant.

Hélène Munger
Program manager
Partnership Research Projects program
418 643-3469
helene.munger@frq.gouv.qc.ca