Program Enhancement Grant

The Program Enhancement Grant is designed to encourage scholarly inquiry and multidisciplinary professional academic activities that contribute to the development or expansion of a program dedicated to the study of Canada or Canada-U.S. relations. We are particularly interested in innovative projects that promote awareness among students and the public about Canada and Canada-U.S. relations. We strongly encourage programs that foster student mobility (exchanges, study tours, internships, scholarships) to Canada and that promote institutional linkages and research collaboration in priority areas with Canadian institutions.

Institutions must demonstrate their funding support for the program and that they are bringing innovative ideas to the program.

Applications will be considered in accordance with the procedures, guidelines and conditions described below. The program is administered by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, through the Canadian Embassy, Washington, D.C., in cooperation with Canadian Consulates General throughout the U.S.

Eligibility

This grant is intended for U.S. four-year colleges, universities, and research institutions that undertake professional academic activities to further the development of a program dedicated to the study of Canada or Canada-U.S. relations at their institution.

Terms and Conditions

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, through the Canadian Embassy, Washington, D.C., or the responsible Canadian Consulate General, will provide funds to help meet expenses for the period of time for which a grant is sought in accordance with the following conditions:

1. grants are provided to help defray only direct costs related to professional activities initiated by the institution. These costs include travel, honoraria, research and promotion materials, printing, website development, student mobility, linkages and research collaboration with Canadian universities, and faculty and course development. Faculty and student first-time membership fees for the Association for Canadian Studies in the United States or a Canadian academic association are allowable budget items. No provision is made for released time stipends, secretarial services or overhead costs to the institution;
2. the program begins August 1, 2009, and ends August 31, 2010;
3. institutions may request funding up to US$18,000 per year;
4. the total amount granted will be forwarded to the successful institution to the attention of the program director or coordinator once approved;

Application Requirements

Applicants must complete theonline 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 key objectives and proposed activities that would be supported by the requested funding. 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 include:
   1. an overview of the program, noting key faculty involved, areas of program specialization (speaker series, publications, research focus, outreach activities, study programs in Canada, etc.), degrees or certificates offered, the school or program within which the program is based;
   2. a statement that identifies the goals and objectives of the program and indicates how the program advances the study of Canada and/or Canada-U.S. relations and broadens student awareness and appreciation of Canada and Canada-U.S. relations;
   3. a schedule of recent and projected activities, including names of participants; names of all faculty members active in the program; articles, monographs and books published on Canada in the past year; a list of all courses taught on Canada along with enrolment figures, and courses to be taught with anticipated enrolments;
3. a detailed budget that describes and justifies anticipated expenditures and indicates other funding sources, particularly those from the institution itself.
4. a curriculum vitae of the program director or coordinator (not to exceed 5 pages);
5. a letter from an appropriate university official indicating institutional agreement to the proposed program development (enhancement).

Requests for funding for successive years should include a detailed report and financial accounting, indicating what was accomplished with Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada support in the past year.

Applications must be sent electronically no later than June 15, 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 referee and others who can comment on the merits of the proposal. At the discretion of the Embassy, 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 program's academic merit and innovativeness, the relevance of proposed activities; institutional commitment for the program; the likelihood that the proposed activities will be accomplished; and the likelihood that the program will advance knowledge and understanding of Canada and Canada-U.S. relations among students, faculty members, and the public. 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