SSHRC Salary Research Allowances

Salary research allowances

Under certain SSHRC programs, postsecondary institution-based researchers and nonacademic researchers form partnerships to do research, research training and knowledge mobilization. SSHRC recognizes that some not-for-profit organizations could face financial difficulty in replacing staff members who are participating in a SSHRC-funded research project.

To help address this situation, SSHRC has made salary research allowances an eligible expense within a grant. SSHRC salary research allowances are a contribution to a not-for-profit organization to help compensate for the time an employee will spend participating in a SSHRC-funded research project.

Only not-for-profit organizations that have applicants, co-directors or co-applicants listed on the grant team can request salary research allowances. Postsecondary institutions and governmental organizations are not eligible for salary research allowances.

Eligible programs

Not-for-profit organizations can request a salary research allowance as part of an application for a research grant. The funding opportunity description and accompanying application instructions specify if a salary research allowance is eligible under the funding opportunity to which you are applying.

Value and duration

SSHRC salary research allowances are a contribution to a not-for-profit organization to help compensate for the time an employee will spend participating in a SSHRC-funded research project.

Applicants can apply for up to 50% of the annual salary of the person who is to be replaced to cover the percentage of time that person will be devoting to the project. For example, if an employee whose annual salary is $100,000 is devoting 10% of their time to a SSHRC-funded research project, the not-for-profit organization can request a salary research allowance of $10,000 toward replacing this employee. Applicants can request the salary research allowance for each year of the award.

Restrictions

  • The 50% amount must be based on total salary costs, including all benefits.
  • Those hired by a not-for-profit organization to replace employees working on a SSHRC-funded research project are not considered SSHRC employees.

Note that a salary research allowance is not a salary for the project director or co-applicant, but is paid to the Canadian not-for-profit organization to offset the costs of replacing its employee.

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