The goal of the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) - Exploration competition is to inspire high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research.
Exploration grants support research that pushes boundaries into exciting new areas. Researchers are encouraged to think “outside of the box,” undertake research that would defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. With the Exploration stream, there is recognition that innovation often carries risk; proposals for high-risk research projects that have the potential to deliver game-changing impacts are strongly encouraged.
Updates
There are no notable changes from the previous competitions. The 2024 competition will continue with two stages: Notice of intent to apply (NOI) and full application. The Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration serves as the general guideline for eligibility of expenses and use of funds related to the direct costs of research. Exceptions to those policies for Exploration grants are noted in the competition overview.
The links to the recordings of the Notice of Intent webinar presented on May 22 for the 2024 Exploration competition can be found below, alongside a link to the slides used during the presentation.
Webinar
The Vice-Principal Research Portfolio will host a panel discussion about the NFRF Exploration Stream on August 8, 2024.
The following table is a summary of key agency / Queen's deadlines. Please see the note on Research Services' internal processes below.
|
Event |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Notice of Intent to apply deadline* * Email application documents to Dora Baczyk (d.baczyk@queensu.ca) for review. |
Monday, August 19, 2024 at 9:00 AM (Eastern) |
| EDII Review** ** If you don’t have a clear EDII plan in place, please reach out to Aleks Bergier (a.bergier@queensu.ca) as soon as possible to initiate the conversation and the planning process. If you haven’t already, we also strongly recommend that you take the EDI in Research Training Modules. |
Tuesday, September 3, 2024 |
| TRAQ deadline (hospital-based research) |
Tuesday, October 22, 2024 |
| TRAQ deadline (non-hospital-based research) |
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 |
| Application Review deadline (optional but recommended) |
Monday, October 21, 2024 (Queen's internal process) |
|
Application Convergence Portal Deadline*** *** Applications are forwarded to the agency by Research Services. Strict adherence to internal deadlines is required to ensure applications are submitted on time. |
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 by 9am |
| Results Announced | March 31, 2025 |
| Funding Start Date | March 31, 2025 |
Notice of Intent (NOI):
The deadline to receive a NOTICE OF INTENT REVIEW (not mandatory but is strongly recommended) from a Research Projects Advisor (RPA) is Monday, August 19, 2024. NOIs will be used, by the agency, for administrative purposes (identifying external reviewers and composing the multidisciplinary review panel). The NOI is not adjudicated; however, your proposed project must be clearly defined and must show that it fits the requirements of the NFRF Exploration Call (i.e., high-risk, high-reward, interdisciplinary).
If you would like to have your NOI reviewed by an RPA, please email your document to Dora Baczyk (d.baczyk@queensu.ca) by Monday, August 19, 2024.
Full Application:
The deadline to receive a FULL APPLICATION REVIEW from a Queen’s RPA is Monday, October 21, 2024. Please note that this is not a scientific review (i.e., a review by a researcher in your discipline). The review will be performed by an RPA. The advisor will:
- Perform a detailed reading and content review of your full application (including editing suggestions)
- Perform a budget review
- Provide detailed comments/feedback
If you would like to have your application reviewed, please email your application to an assigned RPA no later than Monday, October 21, 2024. Please remember that the more complete the application, the more useful the review process will be. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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Your application must be submitted using the agency's Convergence Portal . When you click submit your application will be electronically directed to the Research Services for review and approval. Then, administrators at Research Services will forward your application to the funding agency on your behalf. Please note the deadlines for Queen's are shown in the "Important Dates" tab above.
- A TRAQ DSS is required at the full application stage for this funding opportunity. The TRAQ DSS deadline for research that is hospital-based (i.e., projects that will use hospital resources, space, staff, and/or require access to hospital patients, patient samples, and/or data) is Monday, October 21, 2024. The TRAQ deadline for research that is not hospital-based is Tuesday, October 29, 2024.
The TRAQs must include:- a DRAFT of the research proposal;
- a DRAFT of the budget/budget justification, and;
- a copy of the hospital-impact form (if the research would be considered hospital-based)
See the TRAQ Resources section in the "Information & Resources" tab below for more information.
Research Summaries from previously successful NFRF applications from Queen's.
Please note that these sample applications are intended for internal use at Queen’s only. You must enter your Queen's NetID and password to access the files.
It is prohibited to circulate the sample applications outside of Queen’s or to host the example applications elsewhere online. Similarly, it is strictly prohibited to duplicate any of the text provided.
NFRF Exploration 2023
- Chris McGlory: Fatty acid therapy to enhance skeletal muscle health in older adults
- Graeme Howe: Leveraging ambient ionization mass spectrometry for the development of a high-throughput genetic engineering platform
- Lindsay Fitzpatrick: Engineering living photosynthetic algal-based wound dressing for chronic wounds
NFRF Exploration 2021
- Cao Thang Dinh: Electro-bio hybrid systems for converting carbon dioxide to bioplastic
- Jason Gallivan: Understanding the neurobiology of social distancing and the impact of staying digitally connected ‘online’
- Anna Panchenko: Unraveling the landscape of oncohistone mutations
- Zongchao Jia: Developing a new class of P. aeruginosa antivirulence drug using a novel microsensor and electrokinetics technology
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion:
- NFRF Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research - An NFRF guide that describes best practices for EDI in Research, and includes a list of question questions applicants should consider.
- Guide to EDI Resource (PDF 230 KB) (Net ID & password required) - An overview of EDI guidelines, best practices and resources available to researchers at Queen’s.
- Integrating Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigenization (EDII) in Research - a “toolkit” created by Research Services of useful EDII resources to help our research and innovation community implement EDII policies and practices into their respective research programs, projects and research environments.
- Natural Sciences & Engineering Council (NSERC) – Guide on integrating equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in research - This guide provides the research communities served by NSERC with information and resources to help include EDI considerations in their research.
- Queen’s Faculty of Health Sciences Style Guide: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: The FHS EDI Style Guide is to be used by FHS learners, staff, and faculty to make communication with diverse audiences more equitable and inclusive. The guide provides advice on how to engage with issues concerning race, gender, and sexual orientation, among other intersecting identities.
- A list of Further Reading and EDI Concepts and Terms (PDF 416 KB)
- Sex- and Gender-based analysis - CIHR website that provides an overview of key terms, online training, and key resources for researchers
- Appropriate integration of sex & gender in research - CIHR website outlining key considerations for the appropriate integration of sex and gender in research
- SGBA online training - short training videos on SGBA from CIHR
- Women and Gender Equality Canada – Services, information, and resources towards advancing equality with respect to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression through the inclusion of people of all genders
- Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) – Learn about GBA+ and strategies to apply GBA+ to your work
- GBA+ training – Women and Gender Equality Canada training course on GBA+
Completing the TRAQ DSS for Hospital-Based Research
- View the TRAQ DSS form Hospital-based Research Checklist page for step-by-step -by-step explanation for how to complete the TRAQ DSS Form for hospital-based research.
- A Hospital Departmental Impact & Information Form is required for all hospital-based research conducted at KGH, HDH, and Providence Care. View the Hospital Departmental Impact & Information Form & Tips page on the TRAQ website to download the Hospital Impact form and helpful tips to completing it.
- To view FAQs for hospital-based research, including the definition of hospital-based research please consult “Hospital-based Research Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” on the TRAQ Awards Supportive Documents website.
Completing the TRAQ DSS for Research that is not Hospital-Based
- View the TRAQ DSS form General Checklist page for step-by-step instructions for how to complete the TRAQ DSS Form for research that is not hospital-based.
Contact Information
Research Services Contacts
All Research Projects Advisors (RPA) are working collaboratively to support this program. Please contact your discipline-specific RPA if you have any questions about the program.
|
Health Sciences |
Natural Sciences and Engineering |
Social Sciences, Humanities and Creative Arts |
EDII & Indigenous Initiatives |
|---|---|---|---|
Jennifer Robinson j.robinson@queensu.ca Faculty of Health Sciences Dora Baczyk |
Bei Cai Adam Jeziorski Merline Fonkwe |
Diane Davies diane.davies@queensu.ca All faculties Adrian Kelly |
Aleksandra Bergier a.bergier@queensu.ca All faculties |