About the fund

The Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence (ORF–RE) provides research institutions with funding to support the operational costs of major projects of strategic value to the province.

The fund provides up to one third of the total value of a project, with the remaining two thirds coming from a combination of private sector and institutional contributions.

ORF–RE Round 12 has 2 application funding streams:

Stream 1: Basic and Applied Research

This stream:

  • is open to all research disciplines
  • is at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 1 or 2
  • funds projects from $500,000 to $2,000,000
  • funds projects up to a maximum of 5 years

Stream 2: Experimental Research

This stream:

  • funds projects that demonstrate strong commercialization potential, where the innovation is at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 or higher
  • requires collaboration with an Ontario-based company
  • funds projects from $300,000 to $2,000,000
  • funds projects up to a maximum of 4 years

For both streams, priority will be given to applications focused on:

  • artificial intelligence
  • automotive (includes electric vehicles)
  • critical minerals (includes research that supports Ontario’s Ring of Fire)
  • genomics
  • life sciences
  • medical devices
  • quantum technology

Projects funded

View information about past supported projects.

Who is eligible

Eligible institutions include Ontario's:

  • universities
  • colleges
  • research hospitals
  • non-profit research institutions

How to apply

The deadline for this round has passed. We are no longer accepting applications.

Visit this web page again in Fall 2024 to learn about the next application round.

Selection process

The peer review panel scores applicants on:

  • research excellence
  • commercialization potential (if applicable)
  • strategic value to Ontario
  • plan for achieving research impact
  • development of research talent
  • project management and governance

Applicants will get a copy of the peer review panel’s comments.

Questions

If you have any further questions, email ORF.Excellence@ontario.ca.