In support of New Brunswick’s Climate Action Plan and aligning with federal and provincial goals of shifting to a low-carbon economy, NBIF is partnering again with the Province of New Brunswick to fund for research that addresses climate change and its effects. The Climate Impact Research Fund will support research into technologies with potential to mitigate green house gas emissions (climate change mitigation) or improve our capacity to respond to climate changes (climate change adaptation).
The fund is open to researchers working in all fields of applied research and aims to support a broad range of climate solutions. These include those projects with strong potential for the development of new technology that could be scaled-up for implementation in a commercial and/or industrial context, as well as projects that will give a greater understanding of how climate change will impact our natural environment and communities.
NBIF is soliciting applications for grants of up to $90K for projects to be completed within 2 years. Projects MUST include a non-academic collaborator or partner (e.g., a commercialization or knowledge partner) and MUST include a strong HQP component (students or research professionals).
Projects in both climate change mitigation (GHG reduction, sustainability) and climate adaption (building capacity to address effects of climate change) are eligible for support. Applicants should clearly state the climate change challenge the project is intended to address, and the potential impact the results would have in addressing the province’s climate challenges.
Mitigation projects could include (but are not limited too):
- Energy: Including grid technologies, electrification, renewable energy, and storage
- Reducing GHG emissions from industry. For example, improving efficiencies in manufacturing, reducing inputs for agriculture etc.
- Reducing GHG emissions from transportation (e.g., alternative fuels, enabling electrification of transport)
- Invention or development of materials that enable lower-carbon technologies
- Carbon capture, usage, and storage. Any technology that sequesters or makes useful materials from CO2 or other greenhouse gases.
- Creation or use of carbon-sinks or off-sets (e.g., development of sequestration approaches for natural land or agriculture)
- Resource conservation, recycling, or implementation of technologies enabling circularity.
NB researchers are encouraged to explore the potential of their current research to be applied toward climate challenges that have potential for environmental impact.
Potential projects focusing on climate adaptation could include (but are not limited to):
- Studies that aim to understand impacts of climate change on NB natural resources and and geography and/or how to implement plans to address these changes.
- Studies that address impacts of climate change of NB industries, especially fisheries, forestry, agriculture.
- Building knowledge and capacity to adapt infrastructure susceptible to the effects of climate change
- Research into the effects of climate change on NB communities, including impacts on indigenous communities, NB cities, and coastal communities.
- Research on the impacts of climate change on the health of New Brunswickers.
Interested researchers should reach out to NBIF with questions about project eligibility and focus. The program manager is Paul Thornton, paul.thornton@nbif.ca.
May be awarded to research faculty at any of NBIF’s eligible institutions (see award administration guidelines for details).
Expenses must be directly linked to the activities of the proposed project and can include:
Briefly, the award may be used for:
- Student or research professional salaries
- Small lab equipment purchases or supplies, materials and reagents.
- Costs to travel to collect data or use facilities in the course of the project
- Costs to draft and create intellectual property (patent applications etc.).
- Costs for third-party testing or prototyping
- Knowledge transfer work or engagement with industry
This list is not exhaustive. Please include specifics for proposed expenses in the application budget.
Submit applications via the NBIF Application portal. Once the application is submitted, NBIF will evaluate applications in accordance with program/internal guidelines and evaluation criteria. Notices of decision (NOD) will be sent to the institution’s research administration office and the applicant following review. Annual budgeting for this program is subject to change.
Due to the structure of this funding, all award conditions and proof of matching funds must be received by Feb. 28, 2024. The project can start immediately after the funds are received. Projects should be 2 years or less in duration. Reporting will be due after the first 12 months (an interim status report) and after project completion (final status report). A maximum 6-month extension is possible with written approval from NBIF.