Details
| Opportunity Name | Scotiabank Economic Resilience Research Fund (SERRF) |
| Agency | Mitacs and Scotiabank |
| Value | $15,000 (+$1,500 if the main intern self-identifies as a BIPOC) |
| Indirect Costs | Ineligible |
| Duration | 4 months |
Deadlines
Expression of Interest (EOI)
| EOI due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for full review | 03-22-2023 |
| EOI and fully signed ORS checklist due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review | 03-29-2023 |
| EOI and fully signed ORS checklist due at ORS for mandatory review | 04-03-2023, by 9:00AM |
| EOI due at agency | 04-05-2023 |
Full application (by invitation only)
| Application due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for full review | 10 business days prior to agency submission |
| Application and fully signed ORS checklist due to FSc RO at sciapps@yorku.ca for mandatory review | 5 business days prior to agency submission |
| Final application and fully signed ORS checklist due at ORS for mandatory review | 2 business days prior to agency submission, by 9:00AM |
| Application due at agency | June 2023 (date TBA) |
Objective
- Reduce financial barriers for Canadian not-for-profit organizations (NFPs) and charitable organizations to access talent from academic institutions in order to provide insights related to the economic resilience of Canadian
- Support the next generation of problem solvers to ensure that students are actively engaged in innovative, useful, and relevant community research
- Strengthen relationships between Canadian NFPs and academia through collaboration and knowledge sharing
- Increase the number of researchers representing the Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) community
- Continue to inform Scotiabank’s social impact strategy to ensure that it invests for impact
The call is focused on the following types of projects:
1. Accelerate newcomer integration
Successful and rapid newcomer integration enables financial self-reliance and contribution to society. Canada’s prosperity and economic resilience are closely tied to the number and success of its immigrants.
Proposed research projects will explore the experiences of newcomers to Canada (in the past three years) including immigrants, refugees, and temporary foreign workers to help fast track meaningful employment for newcomers to the country. Integration essentials might include language, culture and life skills, training and help qualifying for and finding employment, and support networks.
2. Increase high school graduation and post-secondary participation
Secondary and post-secondary education increases employment prospects, life opportunities and the likelihood of financial success.
Proposed research projects will target disadvantaged populations, including Canadian Indigenous communities and at-risk youth to ultimately facilitate a higher rate of high school graduation and post-secondary participation. Post-secondary education is defined broadly, to include university, college, and trades programs.
3. Remove barriers to career advancement for disadvantaged groups
To help disadvantaged people and groups overcome obstacles rooted in sexism, racism or homophobia and other forms of bias and discrimination to gain an employment foothold and to progress in their careers.
Proposed research projects should be focused on one or more equity seeking groups that face obstacles of sexism, racism, or homophobia (e.g., people with disability, Indigenous, veterans, LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC). The project should determine how to remove barriers to meaningful employment and find solutions to career entry and advancement.
Eligibility
Intern eligibility criteria
- Full-time graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Mitacs partner colleges and universities in Canada
- Students must have a supervisor at their academic institution who is willing to supervise them on this project and administer the funds through the institution
- Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and international students over the age of 18
- All academic disciplines
Partner organization eligibility
- Not-for-Profit (NF) or charitable organizations operating in Canada
- The partner organization cannot be a post-secondary institution
How to Apply
York University researchers are reminded that all applications for external research funding, including Letters of Intent, must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Research Services before they are submitted to the granting agency. For internal approval, the application must be accompanied by a completed ORS Checklist, which requires the Dean’s signature. Please send the complete application, with the finalized budget and a completed ORS checklist to sciapps@yorku.ca, five days prior to agency deadline.
ORS is accepting electronic applications – the process is outlined here.