CFI Innovation Fund
Funds large Canadian research infrastructure and capacity needs across disciplines at universities and research institutions.
The CFI Innovation Fund sits under the Canada Foundation for Innovation, an arm's-length federal corporation that invests in research infrastructure at Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions. It is CFI's flagship capital competition and supports infrastructure across the full research spectrum, from fundamental investigation to applied technology development. The 2027 competition budget reaches up to CAD 325 million for infrastructure, with an additional CAD 97.5 million available through the companion Infrastructure Operating Fund. The programme funds up to 40 percent of eligible infrastructure costs, and projects must exceed CAD 1 million in total cost. It is a biennial competition in practice, with a 2027 timetable that includes a notice of intent deadline on 29 September 2026 and a proposal deadline on 26 January 2027. Three streams are open: one for leading-edge work across all disciplines, one for social sciences, humanities and the arts, and one for creating, renewing, or upgrading core facilities. Eligible applicants are Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions. Applicants do best when the infrastructure case is strong, the team is credible, and the longer-term operating and sustainability plan is already worked through. Assessment turns on research merit, team quality, the infrastructure itself, sustainability, and the benefits it will create, so the proposal has to read as a serious institutional investment rather than a narrow equipment request. Research security obligations also apply, which makes governance and compliance part of the competitive case.
Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.