Support for initiatives on Québec

This category aims to encourage major projects about Québec in American universities.

These initiatives can take various forms such as the following:

• The creation of a research center or unit pertaining to Québec
• The creation of a university program about Québec within an existing structure
• The establishment of interuniversity cooperation between Québec and the United States
• A major research project about Québec
• The establishment of a scholarship program for students wishing to study in Québec

This category is for full-time professors who hold permanent positions or are on their way to becoming permanent and who are currently working in an accredited American university or college that offer four-year programs.

The grant from the Ministry of International Relations and la Francophonie (MRIF) may not exceed $20,000 USD for a selected project, spread out over no more than two years.

MRIF’s financial commitment, subject to the prerogatives of the National Assembly with regard to the adoption of annual appropriations, covers a fiscal year beginning April 1 and ending March 31. MRIF will grant funding solely to the American partner in charge of the project.

The projects must be developed and carried out with at least one Québec university.

The grant shall be paid in two installments: 50% of the total amount upon the signing of the grant agreement or the letter of agreement. The other half shall be paid upon reception of a mid-term report that includes the results obtained in the first year, the activities planned for the second year, and supporting documents for expenses incurred.

Failure to provide the mid-term report by the date agreed to in the letter of agreement or grant agreement may result in the cancellation of the second installment.

Research on highly specialized subjects—applied sciences, health sciences, methodology—is not eligible unless it involves multidisciplinary projects (humanities, social sciences, or applied sciences).

Applications must clearly fall into one of the categories of the two components and touch on one or more of the themes of the component in question. For projects of an amount equal to or greater than CAD $10,000, a grant agreement must be signed between the parties. For all other projects, the partner must sign a letter of agreement and return it to the Québec office in their territory, who will then send the first installment.

Eligible

• Round-trip airfare (economy class) between Québec and the United States to conduct the research
• Transportation costs (to and from the airport) in the United States
• Daily subsistence allowances for each person on the mission, as per Québec government standards in effect
• The salary of a research assistant
• The purchase of specialized books
• The cost of publishing or distributing the results of the project, requiring prior justification and approval

Ineligible

• Expenses related to the regular financing of an institution or the remuneration of its staff
• Expenses that have already received support from another government program for the same expenses
• First class airfare and excess baggage fees
• Travel expenses and daily subsistence allowances for stays outside the American territory where the project takes place
• The acquisition of equipment
• Free time and general overhead or administrative costs

The main project evaluation criteria:

• The relevance of the project with regard to the objectives, targeted sectors, and expected benefits
• Links with Québec’s International Policy
• The innovative nature of the project
• The researcher’s interest in Québec and their university career The quality of the theoretic approach and objectives
• The justification for the grant application and the rigor of the proposed budget
• The feasibility of the timeline and the work program
• The contribution of the partner(s) and the complementarity of their expertise with regard to that of the applicant
• The expected visibility, the promotion of the project, as well as the results and the enhancement of Québec’s image in the United States and abroad

The funding requested may not exceed $20,000 USD and must make up no more than 50% of the total budget of the project.

The application must include:

• The grant application form (PDF 1.08 Mb)
• A letter of support from the applicant’s home university
• The CV of the American(s) in charge of the project
• Any other relevant documents

To apply or for further details concerning the Québec government’s Québec studies programs in the United States, contact the Québec Government Office serving your state.