Funding & resources

• Funds are provided by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science to new ENCS faculty members. The level of funding is subject to the offer made by the Dean at the time of the new faculty member's appointment.
• The funds must normally be spent within 2 fiscal years. The grant start date cannot begin prior to the beginning of the faculty member’s appointment. The end date is generally April 30 of the fiscal year following the faculty member’s appointment.

• Travel: No more than 10% of the total grant may be spent on travel.
• Computer: A computer is provided for the faculty member’s office by the AITS unit of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. The cost of this computer must be included in the start-up budget.
• Other Eligible expenses: the use of funds guidelines for Start-Up Funds Research Grant must follow the NSERC Use of Grant Funds guidelines pertaining to Discovery Grants. Please refer to the NSERC “Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide”.
• A minimum of 50% of the total grant funds must be spent by the end of the first fiscal year. In light of this, only lesser of half or the actual balance of funds at the end of the first fiscal year, can be carried forward to the second fiscal year. The second fiscal year generally begins May 1. The grant end date coincides with the University's fiscal year-end, i.e. April 30. Any unspent funds remaining in the start-up fund at the end of the grant will be returned to the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science general revenues fund.

Start-Up Funds grant applications must include the following information:

• A completed and signed Grant Submission Form and Research Proposal (should not exceed 5 pages)
• Proposed budget: should not exceed the approved amount over 2 fiscal years; proposed start and end dates of the budget should be indicated; expense categories should be similar to those of an NSERC discovery grant; and salary/student bursaries expenses should be listed separately by type of employee (i.e. Ph.D. student, Master’s student, postdoctoral fellow, etc.)
• CV not required

The application should be forwarded to the attention of:
Ms. Georgia Michalakopoulos, Research Officer
Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science, EV002.215
Tel. 514-848-2424 ext. 4036
Fax 514-848-4509
Email: researchofficer@encs.concordia.ca

• Research proposal is reviewed by the Dean for decision
• Notification of decision is communicated to the faculty member by the Research Officer
• Start-up grants that are awarded:
  • funds are released once any applicable certification requirements are met
  • a notification of internal award is issued to the grantee
  • the Restricted Funds unit of Financial Services will forward a Banner Fund number to the faculty member once an account is opened
• Expenditures charged to this fund should conform to the budget that is approved by the Dean.
• Any proposed changes to the budget must receive prior approval from the Dean. Requests for changes to the budget must be submitted to Financial Controller, Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science.
• All salary/bursary expenses must be submitted to Research Office (EV2-139) and all non-salary expenses must be submitted to the Budget Office (EV2-219) of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science for approval. The ENCS Budget Office is responsible for the financial administration of the Start-Up Funds.

Updated August 4, 2009.The guidelines apply to new start-up grants offered beginning in fiscal 2009-2010.