FAQ – Connecting Indigenous Research and Leadership in Canada and the Global South

1. Who is eligible to apply for this call?

The Lead Applicant Organisation to this call must:

Be an Indigenous organization or an organization supporting Indigenous-led research programs.
Be headquartered in an eligible country in the Global South (see Annex 1 of the call document).
Have independent legal status and the capacity to receive and manage funds.
Include Indigenous researchers, especially women or gender-diverse individuals, in the research team.

2. What is the funding amount and duration?

Up to 7 grants of up to CAD 100,000 each will be awarded.
The project duration is one year, including all research activities and final reporting.

3. What are the key objectives of this call?

Support Indigenous-defined research priorities.
Promote Indigenous leadership and self-determination in research.
Increase visibility of Indigenous researchers and knowledge systems.
Foster respectful data management and intellectual property practices.

4. What are the expected outcomes?

Projects should aim to:

Support Indigenous talent and research careers.
Engage with Indigenous knowledge systems.
Strengthen Indigenous research capacity and leadership.
Foster mutually respectful relationships in research.

5. What are the proposal requirements?

Proposals must include:

Abstract (300 words)
Project description and justification (2,500 words)
Results and dissemination plan (1,000 words)
Research ethics approach (300 words)
Risk and mitigation strategies (300 words)
Team capacities (1,000 words)
Budget justification (700 words)
Additional documents (CVs, letters of commitment, legal registration, etc.)

6. How should proposals be submitted?

Submit electronically via SurveyMonkey Apply.
Deadline: September 23, 2025, at 23:59 EDT.
Applications can be submitted in English, French, or Spanish.

7. Is a partnership with Canadian Indigenous organizations required?

Yes. Applicants must include a letter of collaboration from a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit organization in Canada.

8. What are the evaluation criteria?

Proposals are evaluated based on:

Challenge (40%): Relevance, engagement, and impact.
Feasibility (30%): Work plan, budget, and leadership.
Capability (30%): Team expertise and Indigenous leadership.

9. When will results be announced?

December 2025: Notification of successful and unsuccessful applicants.
March 1, 2026: Expected start date for funded projects.

10. Where can I get help or ask questions?

Following the launch of the call for proposals, IDRC held an information session on July 9, 2025, to answer applicants’ questions. Watch the webinar recordings.
Email inquiries to: educationandscience@idrc.ca by September 16, 2025.

11. What is considered an “Indigenous organization”?

Our understanding of the term indigenous is aligned with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that states that:

“Considering the diversity of Indigenous peoples, an official definition of ‘Indigenous’ has not been adopted by any UN-system body. Instead, the system has developed a modern understanding of this term based on the following:

self-identification as Indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member;
historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies;
strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources;
distinct social, economic or political systems;
distinct language, culture and beliefs;
form non-dominant groups of society;
resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities.” Source: United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Who are Indigenous Peoples? (https://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/5session_factsheet1.pdf)

Lead Applicant Organization in the Global South

For this call, an Indigenous organization or an organization that supports Indigenous-led research programs must self-identify as such. The Lead Applicant Organization must provide a statement indicating how it is Indigenous or supports Indigenous-led research programs and their connections to Indigenous communities. To support the statement, please provide the most recent copies of the organization’s annual reports, policies, strategies or research plans, if available.

In your statement, you can also make reference to other relevant international or regional frameworks such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), ILO Convention No. 169, or whenever appropriate, national constitutions.

Collaborating Organizations in Canada

The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Indigenous peoples in Canada: First Nations, Inuit and Métis. These are three distinct peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. Source: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Indigenous peoples and communities (rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca)

For this call, lead applicants must provide a collaboration letter from a First Nations, Métis or Inuit not-for-profit organization; an Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction; or an Indigenous postsecondary institution (colleges or universities). . The collaborating organization must be based in Canada. The letter should indicate how it is Indigenous, its connections to First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities, a description of the organization’s current research, and the number of staff conducting research and a brief description of their duties and projects.

12. Can individuals or students apply for this funding?

No. Only organizations based in the Global South are eligible to apply as lead applicants. Individuals, including students, are not eligible to apply on their own.

13. Can Canadian organizations apply as lead applicants?

No. Canadian organizations, including Indigenous organizations in Canada, cannot apply as lead applicants. However, they are required partners in any eligible proposal. If you are an Indigenous organization based in Canada seeking research funding, you can consult the Tri-agency strategic funding opportunity: Indigenous Capacity and Leadership in Research Connection Grants.

14. Are public universities or public research institutions in the Global South eligible?

Yes. Public universities and public research institutes in eligible Global South countries may apply, provided they meet the criteria and support Indigenous-led research. Public research institutes may, in some instances, be arms-length entities that receive government funding. However, government ministries and agencies are not eligible.

15. Can regional offices of international organizations apply?

No. Regional or national offices of international organizations are not eligible to apply, even if they are legally registered in the country.

16. Who is eligible to apply for this funding?

Organizations must be based in an eligible Global South country and be either Indigenous-led or support Indigenous-led research. Non-profit status is required. Newly established organizations may apply if they demonstrate capacity. For-profit companies are not eligible.

17. Is an Indigenous partner in Canada required, and how can my organization find one?

Yes. All proposals must include a formal partnership with a First Nations, Métis, or Inuit organization in Canada. IDRC does not provide matchmaking services and applicants are encouraged to connect through Indigenous, academic, or community networks. Eligible partners include Canada-based First Nations, Métis or Inuit not-for-profit organization, Indigenous postsecondary (colleges or universities) or Indigenous not-for-profit organizations serving more than one distinction.

While IDRC does not have any list of pre-approved eligible organizations, please find below resources to support applicants in identifying a collaborating organization in Canada. Please note that these are non-exhaustive lists and only serve as tools to support the identification of potentially eligible organizations in Canada.

Resources:

18. Can proposals be submitted in French or Spanish?

Yes. Proposals may be submitted in English, French, or Spanish.

19. Can multiple applications contribute to the same event or deliverable?

Yes. Multiple applications may support a shared deliverable, such as a conference, as long as each proposal has distinct objectives and activities.

20. Can organizations from countries not listed as eligible apply?

No. Only organizations based in countries listed as eligible in the call documentation may apply.

21. Can this funding be used to support academic degrees like MA or PhD programs?

No. This funding is intended for organizational research projects. It does not support individual academic studies or tuition.

22. Can individuals contribute to the program if they are not eligible to apply?

Yes. Individuals may contribute by collaborating with an eligible organization that is applying. They may also explore other IDRC research opportunities aligned with their expertise.

23. When is the information session and how can I attend?

The session will be held on July 9, 2025, at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Registration details are available on the IDRC website under the call for proposals page.

24. How can I apply or access the application form?

Application details, including forms and submission instructions, are available on the IDRC website. Please refer to the call page for the most up-to-date information.

25. Can the lead applicant organization be a university based in an eligible country in the global South?

If a university based in an eligible country in the global South can demonstrate that it significantly supports Indigenous-led research programs, then it is eligible to apply as a lead applicant. Such an institution would need to describe the scale and types of research programs supported and the Indigenous governance structures overseeing those programs.

26. Is it mandatory for the project team to include members who self-identify as Indigenous people?

Yes, the research team must include some Indigenous representation.

27. Are there any minimum requirements around the academic qualifications of the project team?

No, there is not a minimum requirement around academic qualifications for principal investigators under this call.

28. Can an eligible organization in the Global South be involved in more than one project? For instance, one as lead and another as an implementing partner?

Yes, an organization can be involved in more than one proposal under this call. However, an organization can submit only one proposal in which it is the lead applicant.

29. Can a project involve multiple collaborating partners in Canada? If yes, do all of the collaborating partners need to meet the eligibility requirements?

A lead applicant may choose to collaborate with more than one organization in Canada in their project. If multiple collaborating organizations are part of a project, the majority of the collaborating partners must meet the eligibility criteria of being either an Indigenous not-for-profit organization or an Indigenous post-secondary institution. If other Canadian organizations that do not meet the eligibility criteria are included in a project, the lead applicant should explain clearly in the proposal what role that organization will play in project activities.

30. Can an organization based in Canada provide collaboration letters for more than one proposal under this call?

Yes, an eligible organization in Canada can be a collaborator in more than one proposal under this call.