Canada Foundation for Innovation
John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF)
The John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF) is a Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) program designed to help universities attract and retain the best researchers at a time of intense international competition in priority areas as identified in the university’s Strategic Research Plan. It allows UBC to acquire infrastructure for their UBC Okanagan research faculty to undertake cutting-edge research and create competitive packages of research support for infrastructure, direct research costs and operating funds.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Information on UBC-wide procedures is available on the Applying for CFI Funding page on the Institutional Programs website. A detailed description of the UBC Okanagan CFI Application Instructions & Deadlines (for UBC Okanagan applicants) is available below.
One month following the submission to CFI, a matching funds application must be submitted to the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF). A full BCKDF Step 1 proposal is part of the internal adjudication and selection of proposals. Refer to the BCKDF website for guidelines and application forms.
EVALUATION
Proposals are vetted internally and only strong proposals are selected for submission to CFI. As internal screening is rigorous, applicants are encouraged to prepare well-developed applications.
APPLY
- IPO Notice of Intent (online form; CWL login required)
- UBCO Equipment Pre-Purchase
- CFI Policy and Program Terms
- JELF Guidelines
- BCKDF Guidelines and Forms
For internal timelines and submission procedures, please contact Nishat Tasnim.
| NOI deadline (internal): | October 7, 2024 |
| CFI deadline (external): | February 17, 2025 |
| BCKDF Step 1 application deadline (external): | March 17, 2025 |
For internal timelines and submission procedures, please contact Nishat Tasnim.
| NOI deadline (internal): | February 25, 2025 |
| CFI deadline (external): | June 16, 2025 |
| BCKDF Step 1 application deadline (external): | July 16, 2025 |
For internal timelines and submission procedures, please contact Nishat Tasnim.
| NOI deadline (internal): | June 6, 2025 |
| CFI deadline (external): | October 15, 2025 |
| BCKDF Step 1 application deadline (external): | November 17, 2025 |
Contact
Nishat Tasnim
Institutional Programs Officer
250-681-4133 Ext. 79451 | ADM006
nishat.tasnim@ubc.ca
Innovation Fund
CFI’s Innovation Fund program is a large-scale, team infrastructure grants program within CFI that requires a minimum request of $1 million. The fund provides continued investments in infrastructure across the full spectrum of research, from fundamental to applied, and also supports technology development.
Reminder: Researchers with private-sector partners and/or whose work advances a sensitive technology research area will be required to submit additional research-security documentation at the time of application. See CFI’s Guidelines on Research Security for more information. For support at UBCO, contact chris.hendershot@ubc.ca or UBC’s Research Security team for further assistance.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The next CFI Innovation Fund competition is anticipated to be launched in early 2026, with decisions to be made by the CFI’s Board of Directors in fall 2027. The overall budget for the 2027 competition will be up to $325 million in capital costs, with up to $97 million in associated infrastructure operating funding.
Like in 2025, the 2027 Innovation Fund competition is expected to be divided into three streams:
- Stream 1: Leading edge of exploration and knowledge generation (open)
- Stream 2: Leading edge of exploration and knowledge generation in the social sciences, humanities and arts
- Stream 3: Renewal and upgrade of core facilities
CFI’s 2025 Call for Innovation Fund Proposals
INTERNAL PROCESS
Pre-competition support is available to advise research teams on the development of competitive IF proposals. Proposals should be at an advanced planning stage when the details about the CFI IF competition are released.
Tentative timeline for 2027 launch
- Pre-competition support launch: June 5, 2025
- UBCO information session: June 16, 2025, 10–11 a.m.
Register now - UBCO IF consultations (by request): June 17, 18, 19, 2025
- UBCO project registration deadline: August 18, 2025
- UBCO deadline to submit proposal briefs: September 10, 2025
- UBCO Review & pre-selection results communicated: End of October 2025
Information on UBC-wide procedures is available on the 2027 Innovation Fund page.
Key Dates
(Tentative timeline—deadlines will be updated later in 2025)
- CFI issues draft call for proposals: Early 2026
- Deadline to submit feedback on the draft call for proposals: TBC
- CFI issues call for proposals: TBC
- Deadline to submit notices of intent: TBC
- Deadline to submit proposals: TBC
- Decision by CFI Board of Directors: Fall 2027
* For internal timelines and submission procedures, please contact Pierre Rondier.
Contact
Pierre Rondier
Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Operations
250-807-9438 | ADM006I
pierre.rondier@ubc.ca