Early Researcher Awards
How to apply for government funding to build a research team in Ontario.
How it works
The Early Researcher Awards program gives funding to new researchers working at publicly funded Ontario research institutions to build a research team.
Who is eligible
You are eligible if you:
- are a full-time faculty member or principal investigator based at an eligible research institution in Ontario
- have started your academic career on or after January 1, 2018
- have completed your first Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, Medical Doctor or terminal degree on or after January 1, 2013
- have not already received an Early Researcher Award
- are not a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair
Eligible institutions include Ontario's:
- universities
- colleges
- research hospitals
- non-profit research institutions
Funding amount
Each award to a leading researcher is a maximum of $100,000 and must be matched by an additional $50,000 from the researcher's institution.
The government will provide up to $40,000 to your research centre for overhead costs.
How to submit your application
The deadline for this round has passed. We are no longer accepting applications. Continue to visit this page for updates on the next application round.
Selection process
The review panel scores applicants on:
- excellence of the researcher
- quality of the proposal
- development of research talent
- benefits for Ontario
Projects funded
Find information about projects supported through the Early Researcher Awards on the Ontario Data Catalogue.
If you have questions, please contact: