Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program

The Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) grants program provides the primary avenue for university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering to obtain up to $150,000 in support for research tools and instruments with a net cost between $7,001 and $250,000. The program is intended to foster and enhance the discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers by supporting the purchase of research equipment. NSERC accepts requests for tools and instruments that form a comprehensive system intended to support NSERC-funded research, for the purchase of new, used or refurbished equipment, for repair, upgrade or rental of equipment, or for fabrication of equipment that is not readily available off the shelf. Applications are reviewed by experts on a competitive basis and assessed on need, urgency and suitability (40%), feasibility and impact (40%), and training of highly qualified personnel (20%).