Strategic Grant Matching Fund

Updated October 2025

Purpose

This program seeks to encourage and facilitate the submission of strategic grant applications (i.e., those that leverage and enhance existing and emerging research expertise, resources and opportunities at UTM) that require matching funding, especially to programs operated by the Tri-Councils. The UTM Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) will contribute up to $15,000 to help support such applications, with that funding being provided only if the application to the external funding sponsor is successful. Applicants to the Strategic Grant Matching Fund program (SGMF) are expected to have sought funding support from all other possible internal (e.g., Departmental funding, faculty start-up funding, PERA) – and if applicable, external – sources. SGMF funding is not available to support grants that have already been awarded. The SGMF supersedes and expands upon previous OVPRI matching fund programs (i.e., SSHRC Connection Grant Matching Fund and the NSERC RTI Matching Fund programs) insofar as it considers applications to a larger range of external grant programs. 

NB: This is a pilot program that will be re-evaluated after the current cycle.

 

Eligibility Guidelines

Applicants must be faculty members with a full-time continuing status appointment (tenured/tenure- or teaching-stream) at UTM. SGMF funding must be administered through a UTM unit. In the case of applications involving faculty groups, the lead applicant must be a UTM faculty member. Successful applicants will be eligible to reapply for SGMF funding 24 months following the competition deadline in which they were successful. 

 

Adjudication Process & Evaluation Criteria

Applications to the SGMF will be adjudicated by OVPRI leadership. 

Applications will be evaluated based upon the following criteria: 

  • the quality of the proposed project
  • the value of the grant being sought from the external sponsor
  • the matching funding requirements of the grant program to which an application will be submitted
  • the funding being provided by other sources
  • the extent to which the proposed project advances UTM strategic research objectives (e.g., enhances existing and emerging research expertise, resources and opportunities [current and future] at UTM) 

Applicants are expected to write their applications for review by non-specialist reviewers. Proposals written in a highly specialized or technical prose will likely receive a lower score/ranking due to the impact that such prose has on the ability of non-specialists to fully understand the proposal. 

Due to finite funding, not all eligible applications for matching funds can or will be supported. Additionally, the adjudication committee may recommend a lower amount of funding than requested.

 

Application Format and Submission Deadline

The application package must include all the following materials in the order listed below:

  1. A cover sheet that includes applicant's name, department, email, and amount requesting.
  2. Proposal (2 pages maximum), including a brief project description; the name of the grant program to which the applicant(s) will be applying and the value of the grant; the matching funds required by the grant program and the amount (if any) required from the University; the strategic character of the opportunity; and anticipated outcomes of the proposed project.
  3. List of project participants (separate page), including the project lead and/or co-leads, collaborators/partners, and any other participants – name, position, affiliation, role, email address).   
  4. Budget and justification (separate page), including a budget and budget justification that offers sufficient detail to enable reviewers to understand the amount of the grant being directed to broad categories of expenses (e.g., human resources, travel/accommodations, knowledge mobilization activities, etc); a list of contribution to the project from other sources. Standard Tri-council expense eligibility requirements apply. 

SMGF applications must be submitted in a SINGLE pdf file via an online application form at least 6 weeks prior to the external sponsor’s deadline for the grant competition to which the applicant is applying. All text in the SMGF application must be in 12pt Times New Roman font, and margins must be set at a minimum of 3/4 inch (1.87cm). The application file name should be: SMGF Application_Last Name_First Name.

 

Conditions

Requirements: successful applicants will be required to:

  • contact Ana Pogoutse (a.pogoutse@utoronto.ca), or Kate Steinmann (kate.steinmann@utoronto.ca) to discuss the proposed grant application, and submit for review/feedback a complete draft of the application to grants.ovpri.utm@utoronto.ca at least 2 weeks before the U of T Research Services Office (RSO) deadline.
  • agree to participate in the future as application reviewers in at least two OVPRI-adjudicated funding competitions (e.g., Research Seed Grant, Black and Indigenous Research Excellence Fund) should their application to the external funding program be successful.

 

Application Results 

Notification of the outcome of their application will be emailed to the lead applicant by the Office of the Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation (OVPRI). To respect the confidentiality of adjudicators, individual scores/rankings will not be provided, but if adjudicators have provided comments on an application, that feedback can be shared with applicants upon request. 

 

Post-Award Details

Successful applicants whose grant application to an external sponsor is successful will have their SGMF funding transferred to the relevant account established by the RSO.

 

Questions 

Questions about the program, eligibility, the application process, deadlines, etc., should be addressed to funding.ovpri.utm@utoronto.ca.