Exploration
The Exploration grant from SSHRC supports interdisciplinary, high-risk research that unites unconventional fields to drive transformative breakthroughs and innovation.
Funder: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Due Dates: August 18, 2026: Notice of intent | October 20, 2026: Full application | August 19, 2025: Notice of intent | October 21, 2025: Full application | August 27, 2024: Notice of intent | November 5, 2024: Full application
Funding Amounts: Up to $125,000 per year (including indirect costs), for up to 2 years; minimum of 88 grants per competition
Summary: Supports high-risk, high-reward, interdisciplinary research projects that push beyond traditional boundaries and may lead to significant breakthroughs.
Key Information: Mandatory notice of intent is required before full application; teams must include at least two members from different disciplines.
Description
The Exploration stream, part of the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), is designed to foster bold, innovative, and interdisciplinary research that challenges conventional paradigms and explores new frontiers. This funding opportunity encourages research teams to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects that integrate approaches from at least two disciplines not traditionally combined, with the potential for transformative impact in areas including economic, scientific, artistic, cultural, social, technological, environmental, or health-related domains. The program welcomes applications from teams in any discipline, including social sciences, humanities, health, natural sciences, and engineering.
