Global Engineering Seed Fund

The Global Engineering Seed (GESeed) is a catalyst fund administered by CGEN which is dedicated to supporting community-engaged engineering research projects which address major challenges facing marginalized populations (low-income regions in the Global South, Indigenous communities in Canada, or others as applicable). Round 2 of the GESeed will be announced in December 2022.

Eligibility Criteria

Proposals must:

• Involve the participation of at least one PI/co-PI from any Department in Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering (FASE) except BME.
• Address a major global challenge facing marginalized populations in the Global South or Indigenous communities in Canada.
• Involve at least one external partner (e.g. NGO, research organization, academic institution, or social enterprise) who would assist in data collection, pilot testing, or execution of the research outcomes with beneficiaries. A letter of support from the partner is not necessary but highly desirable.

Through its staff, CGEN can assist you brainstorm ideas for research proposals and find external partners for your project. Please contact cgen@utoronto.ca if you require this support. Depending on demand from faculty, this support will be on a first-come, first-served basis

Having two or more FASE co-PIs with complementary domains of expertise collaborating on a project is highly recommended. Collaborators outside of FASE are welcome, but funding cannot be expended on stipends for non-FASE graduate students.

Funding Available and Deadline

• Up to $30,000/year for two years may be requested in any given proposal

Two thirds of the requested funds are disbursed by CGEN. The remaining one third is provided by the PI’s department. All applications must include a letter of support from the PI Department’s Chair. If there are multiple eligible FASE co-PI’s, the departmental contribution is divided between their Departments.

• Funding in Year 2 of the project is contingent upon a satisfactory progress report.

Adjudication Process

CGEN will internally assess proposals based on their research merit and their alignment with the priorities outlined in the call above.

Notes

• For faculty who will request CGEN’s help with brainstorming or partnership development prior to submitting their proposal, our staff will prioritize assisting applications which align with either of the Centre’s cornerstone initiatives on peri-urban development in the Global South and indigenous participatory engagement.
• Faculty may be PIs/co-PIs on more than one application.
• If you cannot secure participation from an external partner organization, social enterprise, or research group by the application deadline, you may still apply but you must highlight in the proposal how you intend to identify and establish that partnership in the first 6 months of the project.

Awarded Projects

For Round 1 of the GESeed, CGEN awarded grants to six projects. Learn more about those projects here.