Skills, hiring and training programs for researchers and research institutions

Ranked programs

9 open, ongoing or intake-based programs, best score first.

1. Mitacs Accelerate

   Mitacs

   Matches partner contributions to fund research internships connecting businesses and organizations with university researchers and trainees.

   OngoingFederalGrants
   41

   Strong

2. Mitacs Elevate

   Mitacs

   A one- to two-year program that places postdoctoral fellows with partner organizations to solve R&D challenges, with an academic supervisor and professional development...

   OngoingFederalGrantsUp to $60K
   32

   Worth a look

3. Mitacs Globalink Research Award

   Mitacs

   Funds senior undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows for 12 to 48 weeks of research with a host supervisor, inbound to Canada or abroad from Canada...

   OngoingFederalGrants
   28

   Worth a look

4. NSERC Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grants

   Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

   One-year grants that let colleges buy applied research equipment so they can better respond to the innovation needs of local partners and give students hands-on training.

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $200K
   28

   Worth a look

5. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral program (CGRS D)

   CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

   A tri-agency doctoral scholarship supporting a high-quality research training experience for students pursuing a doctoral degree in health, natural sciences and...

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $40K
   27

   Worth a look

6. Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Master's program (CGRS M)

   CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

   A tri-agency scholarship that supports high-calibre master's students across health, natural sciences and engineering, and social sciences and humanities so they can...

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $27K
   26

   Worth a look

7. Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur

   Mitacs

   Funds internships for college, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral entrepreneurs to grow their startup, with Mitacs and the startup each contributing equally.

   OngoingFederalGrants
   26

   Worth a look

8. Canada Foundation for Innovation - Canada Impact+ Research Infrastructure Fund (CIRIF)

   Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)

   Provides research infrastructure funding for newly recruited Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and Emerging Leaders, part of the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent...

   Intake-basedFederalGrantsUp to $6M
   22

   Long shot

9. Canada Postdoctoral Research Award (CPRA) program

   CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC (Canada Research Training Awards Suite)

   A federal research talent investment for outstanding postdoctoral researchers, in Canada or abroad, at a pivotal point in their careers across health, natural sciences...

   OpenFederalGrantsUp to $70K
   22

   Long shot

Questions

How many skills, hiring and training programs for researchers and research institutions are open right now?

Of the 15 skills, hiring and training programs for researchers and research institutions in our database, 8 are open or ongoing and 1 take applications only in intake windows. The rest are closed, paused or of unknown status, so they are not ranked on this page. Counts reflect our last check on Oct 11, 2026; programs can change without notice.

What is the largest published amount among these programs?

NSERC Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grants publishes the largest figure on this page, shown as "Up to $200K". Published figures are program maximums, caps or limits, not what an applicant should expect to receive; many programs pay a share of eligible costs and amounts depend on your project and eligibility.

Which skills, hiring and training programs for researchers and research institutions rank highest?

Right now the top three by our score are Mitacs Accelerate (41, Strong), Mitacs Elevate (32, Worth a look), Mitacs Globalink Research Award (28, Worth a look). The score combines the size of the published amount, how much work an application takes, how likely an eligible applicant is to succeed and how many people qualify.

Do I have to pay this money back?

It depends on the program. Grants and incentives are generally not repaid, loans always are, and some contribution agreements are partly or fully repayable, so read the terms of each program. Among the 8 open or ongoing programs here, 8 are in our Grants category, 0 are loans and 0 are other incentives such as tax credits and rebates.

Are these federal or Ontario programs?

8 of the 8 open or ongoing programs here come from the federal government and 0 from the Ontario government. Both levels can usually be combined, but many programs have stacking rules that cap total government funding for the same costs, so check them before you apply.

Is this an official government website?

No. Grants & Loans Finder is an independent research tool. Each program page links to the official source, and applications are always made with the government agency or lender that runs the program.