Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award
The Early Career Researcher (ECR) Award provides individual research grants to support early career investigators in establishing independent research programs. The ECR Award is a unique opportunity for early career researchers to contribute to and participate in MEOPAR’s broad interdisciplinary, multi-sectoral research effort, thereby growing and extending their network of collaborators and partners. MEOPAR recognizes the need to support early career researchers (researcher within ten years of receiving their highest academic diploma and within five years of the date of their first independent research-related appointment) to maximize their considerable potential.
The ECR must demonstrate a firm appointment with a Canadian organization that supports research (including post-secondary institutions, not-for-profit organizations, Indigenous organizations and governments, municipalities, etc.) and will be in place by the time the award would be accepted. For the duration of the award, the ECR must hold such a position with that organization. See full list of eligibility criteria in the ECR Award Call for Proposals document.
Funded projects must align with MEOPAR’s Science Strategy 2025-2030 and must have a clear impact for communities, environment, science, etc.
MEOPAR is committed to actively moving forward on the path of Truth and Reconciliation and advancing Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) initiatives in all its activities. Thus, MEOPAR requires that the proposed projects engage in practices that apply an EDIA lens to all activities. Priority in awarding funding will be given to applications that effectively demonstrate a commitment to EDIA and Truth and Reconciliation principles.
The maximum funding level available is $75,000 per year for up to 2.5 years for a total of $187,500 per award. MEOPAR will support research projects that are 2 to 2.5 years in length, beginning before 31 March, 2026 (project must be completed by 31 October, 2028).
The submission deadline is January 6th, 2026 23:59 EST. Submit your proposal via our online portal: https://meopar.smapply.io/. The portal will open in late November, 2025.
IMPORTANT – Small update was made to an eligibility criteria for the ECR Award as followed:
“For the duration of their MEOPAR ECR Award, an ECR not eligible to hold two individual multi-year awards from MEOPAR on the same research topic and is not eligible to receive two different awards for the same research topic.“
Projects documents
MEOPAR will offer online information sessions:
4 December 2025 at 1pm EST/10am PST (English)
11 December 2025 at 1pm EST/10am PST (French)
Review relevant MEOPAR documents such as the Science Strategy and IP Policy to ensure alignment.
FAQs – English / Français
