Canada Foundation for Innovation

Mission and Mandate
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.

Budget and Funding Formula
Since it was created in 1997 the CFI has been entrusted with $3.65 billion by the Government of Canada. The CFI normally funds up to 40 percent of a project’s infrastructure costs which are invested in partnership with eligible institutions and their funding partners from the public, private, and voluntary sectors who provide the remainder. Based on this formula, the total capital investment by the CFI, the research institutions, and their partners, will exceed $11 billion by 2010.

Benefits of Supporting Research
Support from the CFI enables institutions to set their own research priorities in response to areas of importance to Canada. This allows researchers to compete with the best from around the world, and helps to position Canada in the global, knowledge-based economy. CFI support is intended to:

• strengthen Canada's capacity for innovation;
• attract and retain highly skilled research personnel in Canada;
• stimulate the training of Highly Qualified Personnel through research;
• promote networking, collaboration, and multidisciplinarity among researchers, institutions, and sectors;
• ensure the optimal use of research infrastructure within and among Canadian institutions.

The research enabled by CFI support is also creating the necessary conditions for sustainable, long-term economic growth, including the creation of spin-off ventures and the commercialization of discoveries, and supporting improvements to society, quality of life, health, the environment, and public policy.

What is research infrastructure?
Research infrastructure consists of the state-of-the-art equipment, buildings, laboratories, and databases required to conduct research.

Selection Process
Eligible Canadian institutions can apply for CFI support. Applications are assessed using the following criteria:

• Quality of research and need for infrastructure;
• Contribution to strengthening the capacity for innovation;
• Potential benefits of the research to Canada.

CFI support is awarded following a thorough merit-based assessment process that involves researchers, research administrators, and research users from Canada and abroad who review proposals and make funding recommendations. These volunteers are selected based on their expertise and reputation.

External Projects/Facilities

* [http://www.innovation.ca/projects/index.cfm CFI List of Funded Projects]
* Canadian Light Source Synchrotron
* SNOLAB

External links

* [http://www.innovation.ca/ The Canada Foundation for Innovation's website]

* [http://www.innovationcanada.ca/ InnovationCanada.ca]

The Canada Foundation for Innovation's online magazine featuring some of the most exciting, leading-edge research taking place in universities and research institutions across the country]