Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

Answers

Can I purchase equipment up to $7,000 in each year of an NSERC Discovery Grant?

Yes, you may request up to $7,000 in equipment in each year of an NSERC Discovery Grant. The NSERC Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) program is available to fund larger requests (i.e., over $7,001).

How do I complete the OR-5 form when applying to a Tri-Council Agency?

When completing the budget section of the OR-5, please note that the Tri-Council Agencies are exempt of indirect costs/overhead costs and are therefore not included.

An OR-5 form is no longer required for CIHR Doctoral applications. The Office of Graduate Studies is signing authority for the Signature of Institution Paid page required for the application.

NSERC/SSHRC/CIHR Post-Docs: The Office of Graduate Studies is not involved with processing these applications. If signatures are required, please contact the Research Services Office.

How do I verify if the foundation in which I am applying for a grant is a registered charitable organization?

You can verify this by visiting the Canada Revenue Agency’s website. Here you will find a searchable database for all registered charitable organizations.

What are eligible and ineligible expenses for grants received through the Tri-Council agencies?

While the list below is not exhaustive, it highlights some common expenses that may or may not be claimed against grants received from Tri-Council agencies. The general principle is that award monies must be put towards the direct costs of the funded research project. Supporting documentation, such as original receipts, invoices, and statements justifying the expenses are required by the funding agencies. Indirect costs such as basic utilities, administrative costs, and office equipment are supplied by the institution. For a more detailed breakdown of the proper use of grant funds, please visit NSERC Use of Grant Funds.

Note: The items listed below were extracted from the Tri-Agency (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) Financial Administration Guide, but they may also apply to other funding agencies.

Salaries

Eligible Expenses

  • Salaries and benefits for work performed by research personnel that contributes to the direct cost of the funded research.
  • Stipends paid to trainees (e.g., students) in accordance with institutional policies.
  • Honoraria for individuals who are not eligible to hold a Tri-Council award, e.g., researchers/faculty from non-Canadian institutions.
  • Fees related to participant recruitment and remuneration (if approved by the Research Ethics Board).
  • Consulting fees.
  • Clerical salaries directly related to the dissemination of research, e.g., manuscript preparation.

Ineligible Expenses

  • Grantee's salary or consulting fee.
  • Honoraria for individuals who are eligible to hold a Tri-Council award.
  • Administrative charges.
  • Any form of compensation for co-applicants and collaborators of the grant.
  • CIHR: Payments to practicing clinicians; Release Time Allowance (RTA).

Travel

Eligible Expenses

  • Air Travel (economy fare only).
  • Meals and accommodation.
  • Travel cancellation insurance and seat reservation charges.
  • Entry Visa fee (for grantees and/or research personnel when required for research purposes).
  • Travel health insurance (for research personnel who do not receive any such benefits from their institution and/or other sources).
  • Safety-related expenses for field work, e.g., immunizations.
  • Trips limited to 125 days per person per year (SSHRC/NSERC).

Ineligible Expenses:

  • Passport and immigration fees.
  • International driver's licenses.
  • Commuting costs between home and place of employment, or between two places of employment.
  • Reimbursement for airfare purchased with frequent flyer points programs.
  • Living expenses during sabbatical leave.

Equipment and Supplies

Eligible Expenses

  • Stationery used for data collection, e.g., questionnaires, workshops, and seminars.
  • Printing of manuals and e-journal articles relevant to the research project.
  • Extended warranty for equipment.
  • Transportation costs for purchased equipment.
  • Costs for training staff to use research equipment.

Ineligible Expenses

  • Insurance costs for equipment.
  • Costs of the construction, renovation, or rental of research facilities.
  • Basic utilities such as heat, water, and light.
  • Purchase or rental of standard office equipment.
  • Sales taxes to which exemption or rebate applies.
  • Monthly parking for vehicles.

Computers and Electronic Communications

Eligible Expenses

  • Computers, hardware, software, modems, and cellular phones when necessary for data collection (with adequate justification).
  • Monthly plan fees for electronic devices required for research purposes, e.g., for data collection.

Ineligible Expenses:

  • Home internet costs.
  • Standard monthly connection, installation, or rental fees for telephones.
  • Voicemail.
  • Library acquisitions.

Dissemination of Research Results

Eligible Expenses

  • Costs of developing web-based information, including website maintenance fees.
  • Costs associated with the dissemination of findings, e.g., videos, CD-ROMs.
  • Page charges for articles published.
  • Manuscript preparation.
  • Translation costs.
  • Costs for hosting workshops or seminars directly related to the funded research (including meals and non-alcoholic refreshments).

Services and Miscellaneous Expenses

Eligible Expenses

  • Costs of purchasing books, periodicals, and specialized office supplies.
  • Hospitality costs for networking.

Ineligible Expenses

  • Entertainment or gifts other than those specified under eligible costs.
  • Alcoholic beverages.
  • Computer and language training.
  • Patenting expenses.
  • Costs of memberships in professional associations.
What are the current graduate tuition fees - including international student fees?

A breakdown of current graduate student tuition fees is located in the Office of Registrarial Services Student Financial Services webpage.

What can I include as in-kind contributions for SSHRC Partnership Grants?

Please refer to the SSHRC website - Guidelines for Cash and In-Kind Contributions. Here you will find a list of eligible and ineligible contributions. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and can be used as a guideline when applying for other grants.

What is the current mileage rate for the University and what other costs can I claim when I travel?

According to the Travel and Business Reimbursement Policy & Procedure, current mileage rate for the University is $.55/km (see section 2.5.2).

Where can I find a list of Open Access Journals and the costs associated with publishing in Open Access Journals?
Where can I find information about hiring undergraduate students (including wages)?

Salaries/stipends (not including benefits) for undergraduate students is discipline-specific and varies according to academic qualifications and specific job duties. For Tri-Council applications, it is imperative that you provide justification for salary/stipend amounts. Please consult your peers and department admins for typical amounts provided in your departments. Otherwise, for information on salary for graduate students, you may use the Human Resources Student Wages Webpage as a guide.

For a breakdown of benefit rates please refer to the Benefits Allocation Rates for Employee Payroll Costs. The current benefit rate for undergraduate student labourers is 9.25%.

Where can I find information about salary and benefit rates for graduate students?

Salaries/stipends (not including benefits) for graduate students is discipline-specific and varies according to academic qualifications and specific job duties. For Tri-Council applications, it is imperative that you provide justification for salary/stipend amounts. Please consult your peers and department admins for typical amounts provided in your departments. Otherwise, for information on salary for graduate students, you may use the Memorandum of Settlement between the University of Guelph and CUPE 3913, Unit 1, Article 14 as a guide only. Until August 31 2016, the current hourly wage for GTAs is $40.65/hour.

For a breakdown of benefit rates please refer to the Benefits Allocation Rates for Employee Payroll Costs. The current benefit rate for graduate students is 0.50%.

Where can I find information to help me calculate the indirect costs of research?

The Research Services Office has prepared guidelines on Indirect Rates for Research at the University of Guelph.

In Table 1 you will find a summary of indirect costs taken from the Policy on Indirect Cost Rates.

Where can I find more information about Tri-Agency financial administration?

Please consult the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.

Where can I learn more about knowledge mobilization?

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