2025 NFRF Exploration

Program Description

The objective of the Exploration stream is to support high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. It seeks to inspire projects that bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches by research teams with the capacity to explore something new that might fail, but that has the potential for significant impact.

Exploration stream grants support projects that:

• bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches;
• propose to explore something new, which might fail; and
• have the potential for significant impact.

Exploration grants support research with a range of impacts—economic, scientific, artistic, cultural, social, technological, environmental or health-related.

Proposals must be submitted by research teams with at least two individuals. Individuals can participate in only one application of the NFRF Exploration grants stream at a time, as either an NPI, co-PI or co-applicant

The Government of Canada’s Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) applies to the 2025 NFRF Exploration Competition. Grant applications involving research aiming to advance a sensitive technology research area must include attestation forms from those with named roles on the grant. These attestations certify those with named roles are not affiliated with or in receipt of funding or in-kind support from Named Research Organizations (NRO). Furthermore, the entire project team must remain unaffiliated with and refrain from receiving funding or in-kind support from any NROs for the duration of the grant.

Full Program Terms

Proposal Development Support

For support in preparing a UBCO-led application, please get in touch with the contact below:

How to Apply

RPIFs must be received at least 5 business days ahead of the deadline.

To abide by eligibility requirements an NFRF External Co-applicant Signature Page is required from all external co-applicants, as well as an Internal Co-applicant Signature Page for all internal co-applicants.

ORS is responsible for forwarding the NOI in the Convergence Portal. The internal e-submission deadline is August 18, 2025. An RPIF is not required at the NOI stage.

UBC Okanagan submission guidelines