Fisheries and Oceans Canada science funding opportunities: 2025-2026 Guide to Submitting a Letter of Intent

Introduction

For fiscal year 2025-2026, the process of applying for science funding from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) involves two-stages:

Stage 1: Submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI)
Stage 2: Proposal submission (detailed guidance to come soon)

Only those applicants selected following the LOI stage will be invited to complete a full proposal.

1. Purpose of this application

1.1. As part of its commitment to the advancement of scientific inquiry in ocean and freshwater science, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) makes available a suite of programs that encourage scientific research and related scientific activities and dissemination of scientific knowledge in areas that are relevant to the mandate of the Department.

1.2. The specific objectives and scientific priorities of each particular priority area (i.e., program) under a call for applications will vary, and each call process may involve the solicitation of letters of intent and proposals from multiple different priority areas. Applicants are responsible for clearly identifying the priority area to which they are applying (please select one priority area only). Detailed information for each funding program application as part of an upcoming open call process is available on the Ecosystems and Oceans Science Contribution Framework (EOSCF) website.

1.3. The number of individual priority areas accepting applications in the course of each open call process will vary. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are clearly directed at priority areas that are open during the relevant call process. Letters of intent (LOIs) and proposals that are not clearly directed to an open priority area will not be considered.

2. Principles of Government of Canada financial contributions

2.1. A Government of Canada financial contribution to an organization is premised on a request for financial contribution by that organization to support a project aligned with government objectives. Financial contributions are provided at arm's length, and the Government of Canada neither expects to receive nor shall it receive any benefits as a result of financial contributions or rely on financial contributions to meet internal requirements. Therefore:

If an application indicates that it will deliver any products or services to DFO or that the proposed project will generate any scientific information needed by DFO the application will not be accepted.
If an application is premised on collaboration with DFO and any employee of the Department is identified as a member of the project team, the application will not be accepted.

2.2. DFO's involvement in a funded project is restricted to providing scientific knowledge unique to DFO, if needed by the organization to meet the objectives of the project; DFO may not manage or direct the activities related to a funded project.

3. Completing the Letter of Intent (LOI)

3.1. The letter of intent (LOI) form is available for download from this page (see Guides and Help)
3.2. Applicants should ensure to complete all sections of the LOI form.
3.3. Applicants should select one (and only one) Priority area the project is meant to address.
1. Detailed information for each funding program priority area will be available from the Ecosystems and Oceans Science Contribution Framework website during the period of the open call.
2. Applicants should clearly and concisely demonstrate linkages between the proposed work to the objectives of the priority area they are applying to.
3. Applicants should pay particular attention to the years and amounts of funding available for the priority area to which they are applying, to ensure their proposal is in alignment with program requirements.
3.4. Letters of intent must be received by January 12th, 2025 in order to be considered.

4. Starting date of the proposed project

DFO financial contributions may never be used by a funded organization to pay or cover costs incurred before a project has officially begun. In general, a project begins and is permitted to incur expenses once a contribution agreement has been signed by both DFO and the funded organization.

Since it will take some time for DFO to both complete its review of a proposed project and negotiate the terms of a contribution agreement with your organization, the starting date of the proposed project (section 9.c. of the LOI) must take into account the timing of activities that would be undertaken if the proposed project was approved for funding. This also means that the budget of the proposed project must only include costs that would be incurred no less than at least 12 weeks from the date the full application is submitted to DFO for consideration. Given this timing, it is strongly recommended that activities should commence on or after June 1, 2025.

Please note

The Government of Canada fiscal year is defined as April 1 to March 31 of the following calendar year. Example April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.

5. Project Eligibility

To be considered for funding, applications must:

be submitted and led by an eligible recipient organization (see below);
include project activities eligible for program funding (see Section 6); and,
align with the objectives of the specific priority area from which funding is being sought.

Eligible recipient organizations include:

Canadian post-secondary academic institutions;
Canadian non-governmental organizations;
Indigenous organizations or groups including:
- First Nations/ Inuit/ Métis
- Bands/Settlements (land, reserves, trusts)
- Indigenous governments referred to in a self-government or modern treaties
- Indigenous communities or groups
- District Councils/Chiefs' Councils/ Tribal Councils
- Organizations/ Societies/ Associations/ Institutions that are Indigenous led and/or serve an Indigenous population)
- Corporations (major shareholder is Indigenous)
Canadian provincial, territorial and municipal governments;
Businesses and industry, including business and industry associations;
Community Groups;
Canadian not-for-profit organizations;
Foreign governments and international non-governmental organizations;
Foreign Academic Institutions; and,
Port Authorities.

Applicants must ensure that their proposal clearly identifies the registered corporate name of the recipient organization.

6. Eligible activities

Eligible project activities include scientific research and related science activities, such as data collection, integration, monitoring and communication, including communication via conferences and symposia.

Additionally, building scientific capacity is an eligible activity for Indigenous applicant organizations or groups only.

7. Eligible Costs

Salaries, stipends, scholarships, wages, and similar payments;
- Only salary costs incurred as a direct result of the project (i.e., incremental salary costs) are eligible for DFO funding. Regular employees may not be funded by DFO, as these salary costs would be paid to the employee whether the proposed project is funded or not and therefore are not incremental to the project. Such non-incremental salary costs may count as the applicant’s own contribution (in kind) towards the project.
Mandatory employee benefits;
Professional fees;
Rental and/or purchase costs of motorized vehicles (cars, trucks, ATVs, snowmobiles, outboard motors), boats and boat trailers ("Motorized vehicles”).
- Note that any request to purchase motor vehicles must clearly demonstrate both project need, as well as value-for-money for the Crown, when compared to a comparable rental arrangement. Rental of motor vehicles is the preferred project delivery method for such expenses, for projects other than those focused on building Indigenous scientific capacity.
Purchase costs of laboratory and field equipment and instruments, including hydrophones and similar monitoring equipment but excluding Motorized vehicles;
Rental and maintenance costs of laboratory, field equipment and instruments;
Rental cost of space such as laboratory, rooms, office space and facilities;
Travel and related costs (consistent with the National Joint Council's Travel Directive);
Conference and symposia costs, including registration costs;
Publishing costs;
Communication costs;
Data management costs;
Costs of materials and supplies;
Other costs that directly support scientific research and related scientific activities, pre-approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada up to a maximum of 10% of total eligible costs;
- The organization should be able to clearly demonstrate how such costs directly support scientific or related science activities and that the cost does not fit into any other eligible cost category; and
DFO may reimburse administrative support costs up to 15% of all eligible costs reimbursed by DFO. The total DFO contribution amount is inclusive of this administrative support. For example, if DFO is contributing $100k towards the eligible costs of the project (before overhead costs); the maximum that DFO will reimburse for overhead is $15k.

Additional costs eligible only to Indigenous organizations or groups:

Ceremonial costs, including any ceremonial offerings, gifts and/or feasts
Honoraria for, but not limited to:
- Elders, and/or
- Indigenous knowledge holders in recognition of providing Indigenous knowledge or community knowledge relevant to the initiative.

8. Completing the budget estimates in the LOI: Elements to consider

8.1. The project budget must be completed based on the Government of Canada fiscal year (April 1 to March 31 of the following calendar year). For example, April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
8.2. Applicants should also ensure that:
- The DFO requested amount is necessary to the successful achievement of the objectives of the project;
- The DFO requested amount is reasonable and represents good value-for-money to the project and the Crown; and,
- The proposed expense item is eligible for funding under one of DFO's eligible cost categories
8.3. The budget corresponding to the LOI must reflect all cost items of the project including:
1. Costs an organization will incur and for which the organization is requesting financial assistance from DFO; and
2. Cost items corresponding to DFO in-kind contribution in support of the project.
8.4. The other sources of funds include costs an organization will incur for the project using financial resources other than DFO financial resources. This would include its own financial resources as well as financial resources received from third parties other than DFO in support of the project.

9. Requirements of DFO financial contributions

9.1. DFO's financial contribution may only be used for eligible costs (see section 7 above).
9.2. Except for the specific applicants mentioned below, the total DFO contribution to an organization toward a project (including DFO in-kind) will not exceed 75% of the total cost of the project. This means that a project proposal that does not include at least 25% of expenses funded from non-DFO sources will not be accepted.

Exceptions

If an organization is a business or an industry recipient, including business and industry associations, the total DFO contribution shall not exceed 50% of the total cost of the project.
If the organization is an Indigenous organization or group, the total DFO contribution shall not exceed 100% of the eligible costs of the project.
If the organization is a Canadian not-for-profit organization or community group possessing four or fewer permanent employees (including zero employees), the total DFO contribution shall not exceed 100% of the eligible costs of the project.

For all other organizations not falling under the exceptions listed above, the total DFO contribution shall not exceed 75% of the eligible costs of the project.

For business and industry recipients, including business and industry associations, the maximum level of total Canadian government assistance (i.e. federal, provincial, territorial and municipal contribution) for the same eligible costs shall not exceed 50% of total eligible costs per project.

For all other recipients, including port authorities, the total Canadian government assistance (i.e. federal, provincial, territorial and municipal contribution) for the same eligible costs per project can be up to 100%.

Date modified:: 2024-12-23

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