Conference Grant Program

The Canada Conference Grant Program supports conferences that address important and timely issues about Canada, its relationship with the United States, and its international affairs. The Conference Grant is designed to assist an institution in holding a conference and publishing the resulting papers and proceedings in a scholarly fashion. We welcome conferences that engage local government representatives, NGOs, the business sector, students and the general public as well as promote linkages with Canadian academics and institutions.

We are particularly interested in projects that have policy relevance for Canada and Canada-U.S. relations. Topics that are highly relevant to Canada-U.S. relations include smart and secure borders; North American economic competitiveness; regulatory cooperation; Canada-U.S. trade and investment partnership; energy security and sustainability; environmental sustainability; emergency planning and management; Canada-U.S. security and defense cooperation; Canada in Afghanistan; global health policy; and changing demographics in North America. We strongly encourage projects that include collaboration with researchers at Canadian institutions.

Applications will be considered in accordance with the procedures, guidelines and conditions described below. Over the past three years applicants have had a 44 percent success rate.

Eligibility

This grant is intended for U.S. four-year colleges and universities or research institutions that undertake a conference on a Canadian, Canada-U.S. or North American issue.

Terms and Conditions

The International Council for Canadian Studies, through the Canadian Embassy, Washington, D.C., will provide the successful candidates with funds to help meet expenses for the period of time for which an award is sought in accordance with the following conditions:

1. grants are provided to help defray only direct costs related to the proposed conference. These costs include travel, honoraria, and publishing costs. No provision is made for released time stipends, salaries, or for overhead costs to the institutions;
2. the conference period begins August 3, 2009, and ends January 3, 2011;
3. applicants may request funding up to US$15,000; applicants whose project focuses on the priority topics above and who can demonstrate matching funds from others sources may request funding up to US$20,000;
4. 70 percent of the total amount granted will be forwarded to the successful institution to the attention of the conference coordinator upon receipt of a signed and dated Notice of Grant. The second payment will be made only after the ICCS, through the Embassy receives an electronic copy of the papers or conference proceedings and clear evidence that they will be published. These materials are due by January 17, 2011 unless an extension is approved by the Embassy. Failure to do so may result in the cancellation of the second payment;
5. conference papers will remain the exclusive property of the writers. Two copies of the published papers or proceedings or an electronic version should be forwarded to the Embassy.

Application Requirements

Applicants must complete the online application form and submit the following materials electronically in a single file (in Rich Text (RTF) or Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format).

1. an abstract, approximately 200 words in length, that outlines the focus of the conference, its rationale and relevance, the target audience, any partner institutions, conference date and venue, and publication plans. The abstract is the first item a reviewer typically reads and is an indispensable part of the proposal;
2. a concise proposal (four to eight pages, double-spaced) which will:
   1. identify the key issues to be addressed by the conference and explain the context of the project as well as its relevance for Canada or Canada-U.S. relations;
   2. present a complete schedule of activities, including a timetable for the publication of papers/proceedings; and identify expected participants, partner institutions or organizations, if any, and the intended audience;
3. detailed budget that describes and justifies anticipated expenditures and indicates other funding sources, particularly those from the institution itself. Cost sharing from other sources must be documented;
4. a curriculum vitae of the conference coordinator(s) (not to exceed five pages per CV);
5. the names and contact information of two scholars from whom the applicants will solicit recommendations. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that letters of recommendation are sent directly by the letter writers to the Embassy. The letters must be sent electronically to AcademicRelations@CanadianEmbassy.org, no later than June 30, 2009.

Applications must be sent electronically no later than June 30, 2009. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For inquiries, please e-mail AcademicRelations@canadianembassy.org or call (202) 682-7727.

Evaluation of Applications

Upon receipt of the application:

1. the Embassy will send a notice of receipt to the applicant;
2. the Embassy will send a copy of the application to the appropriate Canadian Consulate General in the United States for appraisal and comments;
3. the assessment process may involve consultation with the applicant's referees and others who can comment on the merits of the proposal. In some cases, an applicant may be invited to submit an amended application;
4. applications will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary, pre-selection committee comprised of representatives of the U.S. and Canadian academic communities. Key review criteria are the academic merit, relevance for Canada or Canada-U.S. relations, and originality of the project; the applicant's scholarly promise and ability to accomplish the proposed research; and the likelihood that the research will advance the knowledge and understanding of Canada or Canada-U.S. relations. All applicants will be notified of the results of their applications by the Canadian Embassy, normally within 90 days of the deadline for submission of applications.

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• Past Recipients