Polar Regions Research and Activities Grants Program

On this page

• Introduction
• Eligibility
• Selection process
• Apply
• Application due date
• Additional information
• Contact us

Introduction

Polar Knowledge Canada’s Polar Regions Research and Activities Grants Program supports projects proposed by Indigenous or Northern institutions, local governments, universities, not-for-profit organizations, northern community organizations, or businesses that undertake work directly contributing to one of the following three priority areas:

• support the development of the next generation of polar researchers,
• grow understanding of the role of Indigenous knowledge in research in the North, and
• grow knowledge and understanding of either the Arctic or Antarctic environments.

Applicants seeking project funding through the Polar Regions Research and Activities Grant must include at least one of the following four activities:

• Community-based science,
• Training and capacity building in science, technology, or research in Northern and Indigenous communities,
• Knowledge engagement and outreach in Northern and Indigenous communities that promotes awareness of polar science and Canada’s role in it, and
• Directly supporting science research or monitoring activities in either the Arctic or Antarctic regions.

Applicants can qualify for up to $50,000 in funding to support projects that integrate Indigenous Knowledge into scientific studies, embrace local leadership, and follow co-development principles.

Eligibility

The applicant must:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, and
• be associated with a Canadian institute, local government, organization, or community group.

Through the application, the applicant must demonstrate that:

• the project falls within one of the three priority areas,
• the project includes at least one of the four eligible activities,
• they can complete the activities between April 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, and
• they can spend the funds by March 31, 2026.

Selection process

Projects that align with one or more of the following asset criteria will be considered first. Other projects may be considered if any funding remains.

Asset criteria:

• Projects whose main project lead is a northern-based organization, institution, or individual,
• Projects that are led by Indigenous Peoples,
• Projects that include Indigenous Knowledge, and
• Projects that integrate community engagement activities.

Apply

To apply, you must create an account on the Polar Knowledge Canada’s Online Application and Reporting site. Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email. Use your account to submit your application.

IMPORTANT: It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application package is complete before submitting. Applications that do not meetall eligibility criteria or are incomplete will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered further.

Notifications will only be sent to successful candidates.

For applicants with limited connectivity or issues with the web portal, please contact the Grants and Contributions team.

Apply for the Polar Regions Research and Activities Grant.

Application due date

June 3, 2025, at 3:00 PM (EDT).

Additional information

What expenses are eligible?

Travel, hospitality, conferences, and events

All expenditures related to travel, hospitality, conferences, and events must comply with the Travel Directive.

• Travel: Expenditures to and from a destination.
• Hospitality: Food and beverages being provided, facility rental, information technology, and audio-visual equipment rental.
• Meals and Incidentals: Daily meals and incidental expenditures.

Tuition and training

Includes other compulsory student fees. Detail the fees incurred.

Rentals

Costs for rentals that may include office/lab space, storage fees, equipment (truck, boat, etc.).

Communications

Translation costs, promotional materials, methods for dissemination of results (e.g., reports, videos, web pages, or other), publication fees, page charges for articles published, printing, and photocopying.

Materials, equipment, and supplies

Purchase costs that may include office/laboratory supplies, electronic devices, lab/field consumables, miscellaneous field supplies/equipment, repair, maintenance, and upgrade costs.

Personnel

Salaries of staff directly involved in carrying out project activities. This can include full-time and part-time staff, trainees (college, undergraduate, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows).

Other costs

Includes all other costs directly related to the project that have not been captured within any of the other categories. These may include honoraria for Indigenous Elders and community experts, administrative fees, etc.

Applicant responsibilities

Research ethics, permits and licensing

The applicant is responsible and accountable to determine and obtain all applicable permits, ethics approvals, and licenses required by territorial, federal, Indigenous governments, or land claim organizations before conducting project activities.

If you need more information on research ethics, permits, and licensing requirements, you can refer to Conducting Research in Canada’s North - Canada.ca.

Community engagement

Community engagement is essential for fostering meaningful connections between communities and researchers. By actively involving communities throughout the project, stronger and more relevant outcomes that benefit everyone can be achieved.

Official languages

Projects must be available in one or both official languages, depending on the project’s reach and audience. If you would like additional details about how this might apply to your project, contact the Grants and Contributions team.

Indigenous languages

Polar Knowledge Canada recognizes the importance of supporting the preservation, revitalization, and promotion of Indigenous languages. Where possible, applicants are encouraged to consider measures to incorporate Indigenous languages.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion

The Government of Canada is committed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in research. The applicant is encouraged to think about how their research can be inclusive and representative. Projects should consider EDI in their applications.

Contact us

For all questions regarding POLAR’s 2025–2026 Polar Regions Research and Activities Grants program application process, contact the Grants and Contributions team.