How does U of T support my funding application?
The University of Toronto (U of T) supports the research funding life cycle, from application to the award and post-award stages, through online systems. The university also provides useful application resources.
Students wishing to apply for research funding should contact their department for a faculty sponsor.
Why do funding applications need to be submitted via MRA?
Applications for research funding must be submitted via the My Research Applications (MRA) online system for numerous reasons, including the following.
- To facilitate securing the university’s endorsement of the researcher’s funding application
- To ensure only eligible researchers apply for funding
- To help ensure research projects comply with applicable laws, policies, regulations, guidelines, and sponsor requirements
- To support the review of an application
What do I need before I can begin?
Before applying for funding, please complete the following steps.
- Ensure that you meet the U of T’s Principal Investigator eligibility requirements
- Ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements of your funding sponsor and are familiar with the sponsor guidelines
- Be familiar with the application process and fund management resources
- Know the internal U of T deadlines
- Ensure you have institutional approval (if applicable)
- Ensure that you a valid UTORid to access to My Research Application (MRA)
List of Topics
Eligible researchers can apply for funding through the University by completing the following steps.
- Create the application based on the sponsor’s requirements
- Obtain the required institutional endorsement or ‘sign-off’ by submitting the application on the
- Understand and adhere to the process for submitting the application to the sponsor
See below for more details on each step.
1. Create the Application
The guidelines established by the sponsor are your primary reference when completing an application, supplemented by U of T’s policies in cases where the sponsor defers to the university’s practices.
2. Obtain Institutional Endorsement
There are two key deadlines to keep in mind when applying for research funding.
- Sponsor deadline
- U of T’s internal deadline
After preparing your application by U of T’s internal deadline, submit the application (or a current draft) through the My Research Applications (MRA). MRA will automatically route your application through the university’s internal approval process (e.g., from Chair to Research Services Office).
The University will then provide endorsement following the sponsor’s requirements. For example, some sponsors use an electronic approval system while others will ask for hard-copies with ‘wet-signatures’. Staff in the Research Services Office (RSO) or the Innovations and Partnerships Office (IPO) will know the process required and can assist you if you have any questions.
3. Submit the Application to the Sponsor
Once you obtain institutional endorsement through MRA, you can then submit your application and any required supporting materials by following the procedure established by the sponsor.
Depending on the application submission process, a University-approved application may be submitted directly to the sponsor by an institutional representative (e.g. through a sponsor’s online system) rather than directly by the researcher.
- Support PIs in applying for research funding to external sponsors
- Provide guidance about internal approvals and sponsor approvals
Find the appropriate VPRI staff member to assist you by checking our staff directory. You may search by discipline area (e.g. Social Sciences, Health & Life Sciences, Natural Sciences or Engineering, etc.) or funding agency name.
