Greetings,
The NFRF International Joint Initiative for Research Harnessing Disruptive Technologies to Address Global Challenges represents a collaboration among research funders from the Åland Islands, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom to support international, interdisciplinary and transformative research aimed at harnessing disruptive technology to address major global societal challenges.
This callhttps://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/funding-financement/nfrf-fnfr/international/2026/competition-concours-eng.aspx aims to harness the potential of disruptive technology to offer novel solutions to global challenges and accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). More research is needed on how disruptive technologies can be used in contextually appropriate interventions to have transformative economic or societal impacts to improve the lives of people and the planet.
Projects in this call must directly address at least one of the SDGs. The 17 SDGshttps://sdgs.un.org/goals are: 1. No Poverty - End poverty in all its forms everywhere. 2. Zero Hunger - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. 3. Good Health and Well-Being - Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. 4. Quality Education - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. 5. Gender Equality - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. 6. Clean Water and Sanitation - Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. 7. Affordable and Clean Energy - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. 8. Decent Work and Economic Growth - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. 9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. 10. Reduced Inequalities - Reduce inequality within and among countries. 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 12. Responsible Consumption and Production - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns. 13. Climate Action - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. 14. Life Below Water - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. 15. Life on Land - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. 16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. 17. Partnerships for the Goals - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. 18. Other - In recognition that there are gaps in the SDGs, particularly related to Indigenous communities, projects may also apply if they are addressing a global challenge that is not captured by the SDGs. If "other" is selected, the proposal will have to justify that its focus is a relevant global challenge for this call, and it will be up to the review panel to assess fit-to-program. Projects that do not pass fit-to-program at the letter of intent (LOI) stage will not be invited to the full application stage.
In this call, "disruptive technology" is defined as "an innovation whose application replaces or radically alters systems, processes and/or behaviours to have transformative economic or societal impacts. The impact may be localized or far-reaching. Disruptive technology may include cutting-edge and novel innovations, or the application of an existing innovation in a new context, bringing about substantial change or paradigm shifts."
Research harnessing disruptive technologies to address global challenges requires an interdisciplinary approach involving expertise across disciplines-including the natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, social sciences and humanities-and across sectors, including academia, government, not-for-profit organizations, community organizations and private industry. Co-development of research and solutions in partnership with affected stakeholders is essential for long-term success.
Applicants must apply as a transnational research project partnership. Project teams must be interdisciplinary, incorporating required disciplinary expertise. It is strongly recommended that all project teams include at least one expert in social sciences or humanities among the co-principal investigators (co-PIs), fostering successful implementation for maximum impact.
Value: $1,500,000 (CDN) Term: 3 years
Timeline Date (External deadlines, where applicable)
Internal Deadlines (where applicable) January 2026 Competition Launch
February 3, 2026 (English) February 4, 2026 (French) Information Webinars (Details Below)
March 3, 2026 Deadline to submit a required NOI February 27, 2026 March 9, 2026 Convergence Portal opens for LOIs
June 9, 2026 Deadline to submit an LOI June 2, 2026 August 26, 2026 LOI results released
August 27, 2026 Convergency Portal opens for full applications
November 3, 2026 Deadline to submit full application September 25, 2026 March 2027 Notice of Decision - Start date of awards
For questions contact oris.health@uleth.camailto:oris.health@uleth.ca
WEBINAR INFORMATION:
NFRF - 2026 International Competition - Information Webinar - English Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM | (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) Join Linkhttps://track.smtpsendemail.com/9079200/c?p=KBgVspKNMwO2y5iIOrob7jvyCwP4UHfOWsLYsQ2Mo2opTCRDeFH1cxtkEiSg0H_2MO8rI9uLret75DxWFSC6RQnNYEnIL1AEo8PDwgJDp2s_tduK74XK85vJcg6SzMOT3jKQykHclGpqU0A0ptRCYcOJnXZ0rnP4ErLUv2vguX_NxkKOGj_8Abwg6K3-kddRfnZ2dMg7sZEzcaNLLSd7seIC7AbDiQEvDLR_Jp3SzJpBTYnJLbQcSgKp8w4gumidWzoKWLZM6P1X1UBuLB_meHLNZByI-5tapMHED9XvrEw= Webinar number: 273 763 573 256 3 Webinar password: 2wK7Bp3Y Join by phone: (888) 896-2137,,459710223# Canada Toll (Ottawa), Access code: 459 710 223# NFRF - 2026 International Competition - Information Webinar - French Wednesday, February 4th, 2026, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM | (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) Join Linkhttps://track.smtpsendemail.com/9079200/c?p=VQjaKGo4RF9FW31G6scg66l-E16hZ1PRhUyj1EMut6peqod7aSWs_hhDZTuo9Vory-xoNXXqORqs-SAZGsqw7fXBdx0zi32EBtpUzCxS64phjungM2KAJNilsUHWlWd5bZHCpQIFkgKeNT13AgHIN2PGa82z8i3Wi-5wYZpr7V6kiGd4J9VhXSCFankpzEJRrKxaQ-6SYNwQQc1vyj8YEGkFYtcdp-bqtpgLfVV_JN_kMy2pzFw8n2Gkw3moIVflNKwOrhYqENeTbePi7P8HEXwQK5xziAKgMyLNDt6_nWY= Webinar number: 275 656 553 648 9 Webinar password: wT6fF3aL Join by phone: (888) 896-2137,,94934988# Canada Toll (Ottawa), Access code: 949 349 88#
Please let me know if you have additional questions. Best, Keiko
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J. Keiko McFarland (McCreary), PhD. (she/her) Research Facilitator, Health/Medical Sciences Office of Research and Innovation Services
Office B634 oris.mailto:Oris.director@uleth.cahealth@uleth.camailto:Oris.director@uleth.ca 403-332-4433 ULethbridge|Researchhttps://www.ulethbridge.ca/research 4401 University Drive Lethbridge AB, Canada T1K 3M4 ulethbridge.ca
The University of Lethbridge's Blackfoot name is Iniskim, meaning Sacred Buffalo Stone. The University is located in traditional Blackfoot Confederacy territory. I am grateful to live and work on the traditional land of the Blackfoot people, and continue to learn and honour their traditional ways of knowing in caring for this land, as well as all Indigenous Peoples who have helped shape and continue to strengthen our University community.
All applications/proposals/notices of intent must be approved by the Office of Research & Innovation Services (ORIS) using the Research Proposal Form (RPF) on the Bridgehttps://bridge.uleth.ca/selfservicetwbkwbis.P_GenMenu?name=bmenu.P_MainMnu with a copy of the application. Therefore, applicants and co-applicants should allow sufficient lead time for a thorough review at each approval level. The RPF must be received before an application is submitted electronically to a funding agency. The faculty member's responsibility is to ensure that the ORIS receives a completed RPF well before the agency deadline. Visit this pagehttps://www.ulethbridge.ca/research/external-grant-deadlines for more information.
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