Funding Opportunities

PIMS supports the mathematical sciences community by funding events and collaborations. We provide significant sponsorship for events in active areas of mathematical science research.

Proposals are welcome for funding for the following kinds of activities:

Please note, all events funded by PIMS are required to adhere to the PIMS Code of Conduct.

Preparing, and submitting a proposal

Funding proposals are evaluated annually by the PIMS Scientific Review Panel. Smaller awards are considered on an ongoing basis. Award holders are responsible for completing a final report upon the completion of their event.

All proposals should contain the following information:

Title A descriptive title for your proposed activity.
Organizers A list of organizer(s) and their affiliations. Please highlight any associations with PIMS Member universities.
Proposed locations and dates Summarize where and when the key components of your activity will take place.
Scientific Objectives Provide a high level summary of the anticipated scientific impact of your activity. This should be written for a general scientific/mathematical audience, and be suitable for public announcements. It should also include details of how the proposed event would benefit the PIMS network.
Participants Identify any invited speakers or participants (including whether or not they are confirmed), and, to the extent possible, identify where other event participants will come from.
Proposed Activities Describe any activities (conferences, workshops, visitors etc.) associated with your proposal, particularly primary/showcase events. Describe any connections with other PIMS initiatives.
Proposed Budget Provide an itemized budget for the entire amount requested and indicate other sources of funding and cost-sharing support (committed, anticipated, potential). Please note that all expenditures are subject to the rules specified in the Tri-agency guide on financial administration.
Budget Justification Justify each budget item and highlight any contributions from other sources towards support of the proposed research activities. If you also are applying for logistical support by PIMS Central, please highlight this and supply details of the requested support.
Equity Diversity and Inclusivity The organizing committee and participant list have been crafted with attention to diversity and inclusion, and the program is designed to be inclusive with strategies to welcome and engage people from different groups and career stages. Please note, all proposed events are expected to abide by the PIMS Code of Conduct.
Previous Activities If this is a recurring event, please provide details of any previous iterations over the past five years.

In most cases, proposals should be at most 5 typeset pages. Funding for recurrent events is contingent upon up to date reporting.

 

Proposals are evaluated on:

  • Scientific quality.
  • Mathematical content.
  • Feasibility and preparation.
  • Strategic benefit to PIMS member universities.
  • Equity, diversity and inclusivity.
  • Environmental responsibility.

 

Some priority will be given to events that which take place at a PIMS site or in collaboration with our international partners. Successful activities will be evaluated with the above principles in mind, so applicants are encouraged to address these criteria directly. The deadline to apply is 11:59pm PST, October 1st, 2023.

We strongly encourage applicants to solicit feedback from their site directors, or PIMS Central, where appropriate.

The current call for proposals is now closed.

 

Additional Instructions

Conferences, Workshops and Summer Schools

These activities are central to PIMS mandate. Proposals should address all of the points listed above and organizers should work to ensure diversity among their speakers. If you would like to propose a large event to be hosted by PIMS, please contact the PIMS Central Team for advice on how to do so.

Focus Periods

Focus Periods are special opportunity events centering on current mathematical trends and collaborative prospects. They usually take place in the summer and vary in length depending on the discipline. Coordination/collaboration with other institutes is encouraged.

Distinguished Visitors

PIMS members may submit an application to invite and host a distinguished scientists to visit its member institutions for periods ranging from one week to a few months.

In addition to the above proposal requirements, applications for this program should contain:

  • A 1-2 page abbreviated CV of the scientist.
  • A description for the activities planned, such as public lectures, seminars, and research group meetings.
  • Indications of how virtualization/remote access might be incorporated, including which lectures will be recorded or broadcast.

Innovation Activities (Industrial and other non-academy partners)

PIMS invites proposals to advance collaboration and the use of mathematics and statistics in industrial, government and other non-academy settings for innovation and technology development in Canada. These include joint academic/industrial conferences and workshops, industrial short courses, industrial problem solving workshops, job fairs, networking events and related to HQP development and training.

Collaborative Research Groups

PIMS Collaborative Research Groups are one of our flagship programs and typically involve a three year investment of $240,000. Applicants to this program will normally submit a letter of intent to the SRP and, if selected, will work closely with the PIMS Directorate to craft a full application. Please see the CRG application process page for details of the requirements and the CRG program page for an overview of the program.

PIMS Research Networks

PIMS Research Networks (PRNs) are large scale collaborations between academic, industrial and public sector partners. These partnerships are intended to help the mathematical science community address grand challenges such as the ongoing climate emergency, sustainable resource management, resilience to future epidemics and fairness and justice in human society. Baseline support for each PRN is $100,000 per year with PIMS matching up to $50,000 per year in contributions from the PRN external partner. Please see the PRN application process page for details of the application process.

Activities with small budgets

Proposals to fund short term visitors, hot topic reaction events, and other small budget activities can be submitted for consideration directly using this form for immediate consideration. This call is not meant to fund individual travel. Proposals may take up to six weeks to evaluate, so applicants are advised to submit applications at least six weeks in advance, and may request up to $5000.

PIMS Supported Seminars

Applications for PIMS supported seminars for the 2023 - 2024 academic year should be submitted, preferably before September 15, 2023 via the discretionary funding form. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by late October. We will consider later application if funding is still available.

In addition to the above proposal requirements, please include the following information in the event description area of the form:

  • Approximate number of lectures per year.
  • A 1 paragraph scientific description of the seminar topic.
  • Indications of how virtualization/remote access might be incorporated, including recorded or broadcast details.
  • A strategy to ensure that the speaker list is inclusive and diverse.

We encourage broad participation and may consider remote accessibility (for both speakers and participants) as a factor in funding decisions.

Applications for Distinguished PIMS Seminar funding can be submitted through this process or through the SRP call.

Seminar organizers are responsible for reporting on their use of funds at the end of their award.

Education and Outreach Activities

PIMS believes that training the next generation of mathematical scientists and promoting diversity within mathematics cannot begin too early. We welcome proposals aimed at creating opportunities for students to learn (Math Fairs, Math Mania, Summer Camps, Problem Solving Workshops, Hackathons), for teachers to improve their knowledge of mathematics, statistics and computer science and their capacity to teach (Teacher training workshops). PIMS welcomes proposals that address historical challenges faced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. We encourage submissions with new ideas!

For more information, including deadlines and details of the application process. Please see the PIMS Education Call for Proposals.

PIMS Globalink Student Mobility Program

The PIMS Globalink program offers support for senior undergraduate and graduate students to conduct 12-24 week research programs at PIMS Member Universities or eligible universities and institutions in one of the Mitacs partner countries. Please see the PIMS Globalink Program page for more details and application instructions.

Activities in Statistics

PIMS encourages organizers of activities in statistics to also consider submitting proposals to CANSSI.