Applying for funding
What financial support does IDRC offer to international development researchers?
IDRC provides grants, funding and awards to researchers and institutions to support research on topics aligned with our priorities and programming aimed at finding solutions for development challenges.
How does IDRC select grantees?
Solicited grants
Most of IDRC’s funding is through solicited open or closed calls for proposals. For the details and requirements specific to a call, please check the current list of open calls.
Unsolicited grants
IDRC rarely funds unsolicited proposals. If you are interested in submitting an unsolicited proposal, the first step is to submit an idea to be discussed with a member of the relevant IDRC Program Division Team using the contact us function.
Submitting an unsolicited idea does not guarantee that it will be assessed. It must meet minimum requirements and be aligned with our programming priorities to be reviewed. It is also important to note that being invited to submit a concept note or a full proposal is not a guarantee for funding. Funding is only assured once a grant agreement is signed by both parties.
Types of grants
Contributory grants
These grants are awarded only to institutions and on the condition that the grantee makes a financial or in-kind contribution to the overall cost of the project (for example, paying salaries or assuming overhead costs). Payments are made based on the achievement of predefined outputs or results.
Non-contributory grants
In some instances, IDRC may award grants with no expectation of a financial or in-kind contribution. Payments are typically made up front or in annual installments. These grants include:
Grants-in-aid
Grants-in-aid include all grants awarded to an individual (for example, travel grants, fellowships, research internships, and scholarships, in addition to research-related awards) and grants awarded to an institution where progress reporting is minimal.
Core grants
Core grants are intended to provide financial support to cover the basic (or core) organizational and administrative costs of an institution such as salaries, office costs, IT, equipment, etc.
Program grants
Program grants are similar to core grants, but the funding is limited either to one specific program, a predefined set of activities within a program, or for a purpose common to several programs.
How do I know if my proposal is eligible?
For requirements specific to a call, please see current open calls. In general, the following conditions apply:
The research topic is aligned with IDRC’s priorities and programming in such a way that:
- it relates to one of the Centre’s programming areas;
- its intention is to generate new knowledge and avoid duplication of previous research; and
- it is evidence-based.
The research location is in an area of interest
IDRC funds research in many countries in the Global South, but the Centre is bound by Canadian law, which may restrict or prohibit funding for research and organizations in specific countries and/or regions. For example, if the law limits banking transactions by Canadian financial institutions in a particular country, IDRC will not undertake any form of programming in the country.
The right stakeholders are involved
IDRC will not undertake any form of programming with individuals or organizations prohibited by Canadian law.
Note that IDRC aligns with the Government of Canada’s Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern. If your proposed research advances one of the Sensitive Technology Research Areas identified by the Government of Canada AND if one of your research team members is affiliated with one of the Named Research Organizations, IDRC may not be able to fund your research.
The applicant is a legal entity and is financially solvent
The proposing institution must possess a legal status (or “legal personality”) and have the ability to enter into contracts independently and under its own name. Additionally, any applicant selected to receive IDRC funding must be financially solvent and will be subject to a financial and administrative assessment before the grant agreement is finalized.
Before you apply
✔ Read and complete the DMP template as directed by the funding opportunity or IDRC staff.
✔ Review the General Terms and Conditions of the Grant Agreement to ensure that your organization understands and has the capacity to respect the terms. These terms represent the standard working practices of IDRC and reflect the underlying financial and governance framework in place.
✔ Verify the legal status of your organization. IDRC can only provide funding to legal entities. Canadian organizations must be a legal entity with a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) number.
✔ Ensure that your concept/idea is aligned with IDRC’s priorities and programming.