Canada Impact + Research Infrastructure Fund (CIRIF)
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) Canada Impact+ Research Infrastructure Fund (CIRIF) is designed to support Canada Impact+ Research Chairs and, where applicable, Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders (administered by the Triagency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS)) with the tools, facilities and infrastructure they need to undertake world-class research and transform their groundbreaking discoveries into innovative products, policies and solutions that benefit Canadians.
Request for Information (RFI) Intake
The RFI for the CIRIF Intake 1 is now OPEN. Please note that CIRIF intake 1 is only open to applicants who were nominated for the Canada Research + Research Chair Intake 1.
The RFI for the CIRIF Intake 1 will close on May 31 at 11:59 p.m.
If you have any questions regarding this competition please contact rsoinnov@ualberta.ca.
CIRIF Information Session
The CFI will be holding an information session on May 6, 2026 from 11-12 MDT.
CIRIF Timeline
The U of A internal timeline is based on the information provided by the CFI.
CIRIF Intake 1 timeline
| Task | Responsibility | Date* |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Impact + Research Chair Intake 1 submission | Applicants/Faculty | March 24, 2026 |
| CIRIF RFI opens | RAS | April 8, 2026 |
| CIRIF RFI closes | RAS | May 31, 2026 |
| RAS reviews the RFI to ensure completeness and shares with USOF for their review | RAS/USOF | June 1, 2026 |
| Canada Impact + Chair Intake 1 results | TIPS | June 2026 |
| Specific application development deadlines will be released at a later date once CFI has released the CIRIF Intake 1 submission deadline. | ||
Please note that the timeline for CIRIF Intake 1 and Intake 2 will be different due to the different submission dates. The CIRIF Intake 2 timeline will be released at a later date.
CIRIF Call for Proposals
CFI has released the CIRIF call for proposals. Additional information regarding this competition can also be found on the CFI website.
In June 2026, an additional document titled, “How to apply to the Canada Impact + Research Infrastructure Fund”, will be released containing more information about the application process.
Step 1: Request for Information (RFI)
The Request for Information (RFI) collects information about potential CIRIF applications. It will be used by the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Research Administrative Services (RAS) to coordinate successful development and submission of these applications.
After the RFI intake closes, the RFIs will undergo administrative review by RAS and University Services, Operations + Finance (USOF).
Once the Canada Impact+ Research Chair results are released by TIPS in June 2026, the proposal development for the CIRIF competition will begin.
Step 2: Proposal Development
The assessment criteria for this competition will have a 5-page limit, and focus on the justification of the infrastructure and Operation & Maintenance costs proposed for the project.
The assessment criteria should:
- Describe how the research infrastructure supports the chairholders research program and strategic priority area.
- Explain how the requested infrastructure complements the existing capacity at the institution in this area.
- If applicable, describe how the infrastructure supports the Canada Impact + Emerging Leader's research program
- Describe the Operating and maintenance costs (O&M) and how they will be used to support the requested or existing infrastructure in support of the chairholder and/or the Emerging Leader, including the role of any personnel for whom funding is requested.
- For construction or renovation, provide a description of the space, including its location, size and nature.