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1. Program Objective

 

The CentrEau Infrastructure Program aims to support the maintenance, improvement, or acquisition of new research infrastructures (tools, instruments, and equipment) necessary for research, innovation, promotion, and knowledge transfer activities in the field of water.

 

2. Available Funding

 

Two (2) non-renewable grants of $20,000 are available each year. These amounts are intended to cover research-related expenses.

 

An additional non-renewable grant of $10,000 per project is available for a project involving a researcher from a College centre for the transfer of technology and innovative social practices (CCTT) who is a member of CentrEau, as well as one of their college-level students.

 

3. Financial Criteria

 

For the $20,000 non-renewable grant, funding must be spent according to the Common General Rules of the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the Strategic cluster rules of the FRQ, on:

  • Salary for highly qualified personnel (HQP): technical and research staff, university or college students, postdoctoral fellows, etc.

  • Equipment and materials

  • Supplementary scholarships (remuneration for students)

 

For the $10,000 non-renewable grant, if applicable, funding must be spent, according to the General Rules of the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the strategic cluster rules of the FRQNT, on:

  • Salary for highly qualified personnel (HQP): college students

  • Equipment and materials

  • Supplementary scholarships (remuneration for college-level students)

 

4. Eligibility and Selection Criteria

 

To obtain funding under the CentrEau Infrastructure Program, the funding application must:

 

  • Promote inter-institutional collaboration by involving at least 2 regular status researcher members from CentrEau affiliated with 2 different institutions.

  • Target a research infrastructure that aligns with the mission of CentrEau, has structural value for CentrEau’s scientific programming, and presents potential for the future.

  • Aim for one of the following uses of the funding:

    • Maintenance of a research infrastructure (tool, instrument, or equipment);

    • Improvement of a research infrastructure (tool, instrument, or equipment);

    • Leverage for obtaining additional funding for the acquisition, maintenance, or improvement of a research infrastructure (tool, instrument, or equipment) necessary for research, innovation, promotion, and knowledge transfer activities.

 

Considered assets will include:

 

  • Involvement of a CCTT in the application.

  • Infrastructure with potential for international collaboration.

  • Infrastructure used in a research project aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

  • Infrastructure used in a major research project. Indicators used to determine the project’s scope include the number of institutions involved, the number of researchers involved, the number of students involved, and the project’s size.

  • Diversity of involved CentrEau research axes, institutions and disciplines.

 

5. Evaluation

 

The CentrEau Evaluation Committee will assess applications based on the eligibility and selection criteria described above, as well as based on a complete application (i.e., all required elements in point 6 have been provided) to determine the recipients of the funding grants. The Committee is committed to respecting the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion in its evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, the response will be sent by email to the principal investigator as soon as possible.

 

6. Submission of the Application

 

There will be one (1) call for applications per year. To submit an application, the research team must submit its application (PDF format, maximum of 3 pages) using the form at the top of this page. The application must include:

 

  • A presentation of the research infrastructure.

  • A description of how the infrastructure aligns with the mission of the CentrEau.

  • Project timeline.

  • A budget breakdown for the $20,000 and, if applicable, a budget breakdown for the $10,000 granted for the involvement of a college-level researcher and student.

  • For the CentrEau Infrastructure Program application: the name and affiliated institution of the principal investigator, as well as the involved researchers and highly qualified personnel.

  • For the subsequent funding application planned with a granting organization (if applicable): the name and affiliated institution of the principal investigator, as well as the involved researchers and highly qualified personnel (if possible), and the name of the granting organization where the subsequent application will be submitted, along with a brief description of the requested support.

  • An explanation of how the data and/or infrastructure will be shared with the CentrEau community.

  • Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations: what measures are in place to ensure that EDI principles are applied within the team? The goal is not to know the composition of the research team but to ensure that necessary EDI conditions are in place. Please refer to the EDI toolbox on our website.

 

7. Disbursement of Funding

 

Financial support will be provided through an inter-institutional fund transfer via the CentrEau institutional representative of the principal investigator’s institution (or multiple fund transfers if the involved researchers wish to distribute the funding among themselves).

 

8. Accountability

 

In exchange for the financial support provided by CentrEau, the research team commits to:

 

  • If applicable, promptly submit its funding application to a granting organization.

  • Six (6) months after receiving financial support, submit a progress report to CentrEau by completing this follow-up form.

  • At the end of the financial year, complete a financial statement on FRQnet for the institutions through which funds have been transferred under this program.

  • Indicate the affiliation of the project with CentrEau – Quebec Water Management Research Center in all communications surrounding the infrastructure.

  • Acknowledge CentrEau and use its logo during activities and presentations involving the infrastructure.

  • Acknowledge the FRQ and use its logo, when possible, during activities and presentations involving the infrastructure.

  • Manage and organize data related to the use of the infrastructure to facilitate its sharing. If the data is made public, share where it can be accessed.

  • Organize a visit or presentation of the infrastructure as part of a CentrEau activity.

 

9. Modification or Cancellation of the Application

 

Anyone who has submitted an application must inform the Scientific director of the cluster in writing at direction@centreau.org of the abandonment, cancellation, or modification of their original application as soon as possible and reimburse any unused amounts, if applicable.

 

Questions? Contact us at info@centreau.org

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