Catalyst Project Funding

Catalyst Grants are awarded to O’Brien Institute members seeking seed funding for early-stage research that builds the evidence, partnerships, and momentum needed to pursue larger external funding and generate meaningful academic and societal impact.

Funded projects are expected to:

• Support new research activities and interdisciplinary collaboration 
• Align with the O’Brien Institute’s strategic focus areas 
• Demonstrate strong potential to leverage external funding within approximately 24 months 
• Lead to academic outputs and societal benefits 

The O’Brien Institute offers two Catalyst Grant competitions each year, aligned with its strategic priorities. Awards of $10,000–$15,000 can be requested for projects of 1-2 years. Partner contributions are encouraged. Applications are reviewed by a panel of Institute Directors, members, and, where relevant, funding partners. Successful applicants are required to submit annual outcomes reports and at least one knowledge mobilization output for a non-academic audience. Outputs arising from Catalyst project awards must acknowledge the funding source.