Overview:
ResearchNB’s mission is to power discovery together. ResearchNB Challenges Program aim to support research projects that align with evolving provincial or national priorities through dedicated funding and focused call for proposals. These projects have the potential to generate transformative impact and foster meaningful collaboration across sectors, while driving advancement in priority areas.
In light of the current geopolitical climate and Canada’s commitment to strengthening its economy and national security, the development of dual-use technology has become the focus of many conversations. Dual-use technologies are technologies that serve both civilian and military purposes and are seen as vital to economic stability, business innovation, and national defense.
With millions of federal dollars committed to advancing and commercializing dual-use technologies across various sectors, this Call for Proposals seeks to support New Brunswick researchers in the exploration of dual-use technologies for existing civilian and/or defense applications.
Eligibility
- The research team must demonstrate experience in one or more of the following areas: aerospace, ammunition, digital systems, maintenance support, personal protection, sensors, space, specialized manufacturing, training and simulation, and uncrewed autonomous system.
- The principal investigator must be employed at an institution listed in Appendix B of the ResearchNB Award Guidelines
- The application must include at least one partner. The PI needs to provide at least one (1) letter of support from a partner or research user. The partner must be a legally constituted Canadian entity operating in the private, public, or not-for-profit sector. A research user refers to an individual or group who plans to implement or commercialize the resulting technology.
This program is currently:
Open (Closes April 16, 2026)
Funding Program Details
Applications open (1:00pm ADT):
February 25, 2026
Applications close (11:59am ADT):
April 16, 2026
Anticipated notice of decision date:
June 5, 2026
Award Term:
Up to 18 months
Award Amount:
Up to $50,000
Leverage:
N/A
Eligible Expenses:
All expenses are deemed eligible apart from paying compensation of the award recipient, overhead / indirect costs or any retroactive expenses.
Application Process:
Applications for this fund are only accepted through the ResearchNB application portal and are evaluated against the evaluation criteria for this fund
Award Duration & Reporting:
The award is for a maximum of 18 months, with a status report due after the first year and a final status report due three months after the award end date.
Final report is completed through ResearchNB’s application portal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every project need to align with the priority sectors listed on the ResearchNB website? The website lists Health, Energy, Forestry, Oceans, and Agriculture, but there are also Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, and Data & AI included in the portal application?
Advanced Manufacturing, ICT, and Data & AI are enabling platforms that support and enhance advancement within the priority sectors. While some funding programs don’t require direct alignment with these sectors, they do require a demonstrated impact on New Brunswick. Within these funding programs, projects that don’t directly address a priority area will be evaluated equally, as long as the impact on New Brunswick is clearly outlined in the application.
Will the Knowledge Translation Grant be available? What funding is available to support the dissemination of research findings with knowledge users?
The Knowledge Translation Grant will not be offered in the upcoming year. After gathering feedback from across the province, we’ve re-designed our programs for 2025-2026 to focus on funding talent, equipment, ideas and strategic projects. However, knowledge translation related costs are eligible expenses under projects funded by ResearchNB.