1. Log onto the CFI website and create an account in CAMS [12], the online application system
2. Select "Create New Proposal" and from the list provided, select “John R. Evans Leaders Fund – Funding for Research Infrastructure"
3. To learn how to navigate the online portal, see Getting Started with CAMS [13]

1. Project Information: Complete online in CAMS.
2. Plain Language Summary: Complete online in CAMS. A 1,500 character plain language summary that may be used by the CFI in public communications. Focus on expected outcomes and benefits to Canada, beyond the academic accomplishments. DO THIS LAST—not adjudicated and needs to be written for news release
3. Researchers: Complete online in CAMS. Up to 3 candidates may be listed on the proposal when there is demonstrated need. Each will need to create a CAMS account and upload a CV. Justification for the need for the infrastructure needs to be articulated for each candidate. If you plan to have multiple applicants, please talk to the Manager, Strategic Research Programs for advice on how to proceed.
4. Assessment Criteria: Use the Assessment Criteria Template [3] and submit as Word document to stratprg@uoguelph.ca [2]. The number of criteria to address and the page limits for this document depend on the amount requested from the CFI in the proposal. The distribution of pages for each criterion is at the applicant’s discretion. To gain a better understanding of these criteria, consult the Common comments from reviewers [14]. 

5. Financial resources for operation and maintenance: Complete online in CAMS. The upper rows shows how much funding you require to operate and maintain the equipment. The lower rows indicate how you will fund these operational needs. The columns for each year should equal. You will explain how you derived these figures in the Assessment Criteria section 4: Sustainability.
6. Attraction and retention of leading researchers (to be completed by RSO)
7. Past/current CFI investments (to be completed by RSO)

Ensure that suggested reviewers are NOT in conflict of interest.  If you wish to exclude potential reviewers, please email names, titles, and affiliations of excluded reviewers to stratprg@uoguelph.ca [2] along with a brief reason for exclusion.

1. Construction/Renovation quotes: A Physical Resources estimate is encouraged even for minor changes such as adding a power outlet. Institutions are expected to have completed planning and development work for such projects at the proposal stage. Applicants must include floor plans of the proposed area(s), showing the location of the infrastructure and the scale of the plans (when renovation involves multiple rooms and is over $500,000). Floor plans must be provided in a pdf attachment that is clearly legible.

   Physical Resources requires 8 weeks to create an estimate, so the Needs Assessment Form should be submitted to Strategic Programs 12 weeks before the first internal deadline.

2. Collect vendor quotes for eligible costs. See the CFI program guide [15] for explanation of eligible costs. See quote guidelines [6].

   Each quote must:

   1. Include three prices: the regular list price, the academic or best customer price, and the CFI price (only the discount above the academic price will count as an in-kind contribution), or: 
   2. If the supplier does not offer an academic or best customer price and any discount on offer applies only to the CFI, a statement must be provided to that effect.An example would be “Supplier X does not offer an Academic or Best Customer Price. The discount pricing offered is specifically related to the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) grant program.”
   3. The cost of shipping and handling/freight must also be identified, unless the quote states that it is included in the price of the equipment.
   4. State the currency (CAD, USD, etc)
3. Enter quotes into budget spreadsheet (use Excel template [16]):
   • Fill in only columns B-G and V-X as indicated.
   • See Cost Requirements [17] to find current exchange rates used by Research Financial Services.
4. Ensure that your budget is justified in the Assessment Criteria “Infrastructure” section.  See Sample Justification [18].
5. Research Financial Services will review your vendor quotes and spreadsheet to populate the financial module, which will result in a summary of expenses organized according to the following categories.

CFI’s Research Security requirements are dependent on the nature of your research and if you are working with a partner. See Research security | Canada Foundation for Innovation [19]. 

1. If your research is aiming to advance a Sensitive Technology Research Area [20], then the PI along with ALL named researchers need to complete STRAC Attestation.
   • Form: Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC) Attestation [21]
   • Internal Guidelines: U of G Guide to the STRAC Policy [22]
2. If your research involves a private-sector partner, then the PI will need to complete the NSGRP RAF.
   • Form: National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) Risk Assessment Form (RAF) [23]
   • Internal Guidelines: U of G Guide for Completing the NSGRP RAF [24]

MCU’s Research Security requirements are required for all MCU applications, regardless of the nature of the research or if a partner is involved. See Research Security Guidelines for Ontario Research Funding Programs [25]

3. The Application Attestation needs to be completed by all named researchers
   • Form: Attestation Application  [26]
   • International Guidelines: U of G Guide to MCU’s Research Security Requirements [27]
4. The Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk Checklist needs to be completed by the PI.
   • Form: Mitigating Economic and Geopolitical Risk Checklist [28]
   • Internal Guidelines: U of G Guide to MCU’s Research Security Requirements [27]

Important Notes:

•  All Research Security forms (both CFI’s and MCU’s) need to be submitted at the time of the CFI JELF internal deadline.
• If completing both the NSGRP RAF and MEGR, you can use the same risk mitigation plan.
• For any additional questions, please contact research.security@uoguelph.ca [29].

To create a CFI CV you can either work within the CFI CV module, or you can “transfer” information from the CCV website to the CFI CV. 

To transfer from CCV to CFI CV, you will need first to create a CAMS account. Then, within your CCV, you can select “transfer” to export data. You can then cut/paste the exported data into the CFI CV. After transferring information from the CCV to the CFI CV, please review the CV module to ensure accuracy.

The CAMS system also allows you to “share” a CV, which gives another party access to view or edit your CV. See Getting Started with CAMS [30] Section 6.3

Complete the Ontario Research Fund - Research Infrastructure - Small Infrastructure Fund (ORF-RI-SIF) application [31] and the Research Security Requirements The SIF proposal is largely the same as the CFI JELF application, except for the Project Abstract and Benefits to Ontario section which require clear and compelling value for Ontario. Refer to the UGuelph Guide for MCU ORF Small Infrastructure Fund [9] for detailed guidance and instructions.

Learn how the JELF Award Finalization will proceed by visiting the Award Finalization [32] page