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Overview

Since its founding, the Brace Centre has engaged in partnered research in pursuit of water management solutions that benefit communities internationally. This work has been grounded in the mandate of the original Brace Endowment, which called for research into ways of 鈥�eliminating or reducing the salt content of sea water so that it may be used economically and effectively for irrigation,鈥� and for research into 鈥�methods of irrigation or other means for making desert or arid lands available and economically useful for agricultural purposes.鈥� The Brace Water Centre鈥檚 Partnership Initiation Grant Program aims to assist interested members with continuing this vision of partnered international water research for development.

Program Scope

The Brace Water Centre Partnership Initiation Grants support the identification and development of new international research and training partnerships that aim to advance practical, affordable, and energy-efficient solutions to water challenges, particularly in rural, arid, or water-stressed environments.

Eligible projects will advance applied water research in one or more of the following areas:

• Water treatment, purification, or desalination of saline or brackish water for agricultural or community use;
• Low-cost, high-efficiency irrigation systems for water-stressed regions;
• Compact, reliable water technologies suited to rural, remote, or island contexts;
• Renewable-energy-powered water systems (e.g., solar- or wind-driven pumping and purification);
• Applied solutions improving agricultural productivity through better water access or management;
• Broader contemporary water challenges, including groundwater management, water quality, and equitable access, where these align with the endowment鈥檚 original focus.

Program Objectives

The Brace Water Centre Partnership Initiation Grants aim to:

• Support the development of new water research and training partnerships with other academic and/or non-academic institutions internationally.
• Enable the co-design and early development of joint research and/or training relationships.
• Generate preliminary outcomes (research proposals) that can position newly formed teams to apply for larger-scale funding.

Available Funding and Future Funding Commitment

• Maximum award amount: up to $15,000 CAD per project
• Number of awards: up to two (2)
• Grant duration: 12-24 months

• Awardees are expected to submit at least one internal or external research funding proposal as a direct outcome of the initiation grant.

Eligibility

• Lead applicant (PI) must be a Brace Faculty Member
• At least one non-91黑料网 academic and/or non-academic international partner must be included.
• The funding is to develop new collaborations through face-to-face meetings and workshops.

Eligible Expenses

• Stakeholder engagement and co-design activities (in-person meetings, workshops, design scoping exercises, etc.)
• Travel related to the development of international partnerships, including field visits, feasibility assessments, or pilot testing.
• Research assistance or short-term technical expertise
• Modest equipment or materials directly related to partnership initiation activities
• Knowledge mobilization activities that support partnership development

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Alignment with the Brace Endowment mandate and Brace Water Centre priorities (25%)
• Quality, clarity, and feasibility of proposed partnership initiation activities (25%)
• Potential for realizing ongoing water research and training relationships (25%)
• Potential for future funding and societal impact (25%)

Award Conditions and Reporting Requirements

In exchange for the financial support provided by the Brace Water Centre, the research team agrees to:

• Ensure the PI and trainees attend the annual Brace Water Day and present the research (i.e. student poster presentation, oral presentation, etc.)
• Acknowledge the Centre鈥檚 support during activities and presentations related to the project
• Include the Centre鈥檚 logo in any presentations or promotional material related to the project
• Submit a brief final report (2鈥�3 pages) summarizing activities, outcomes, and next steps
• Identify subsequent funding opportunities, partnerships, or implementation pathways enabled by the grant and submit at least one funding request related to the project to a granting organization (e.g., NSERC/SSHRC, FRQ, Mitacs, ministries, municipalities, etc.) as soon as possible.

Application Requirements

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF and include the following components:

1. Project Description (maximum 2 pages)
   • Partnership objectives and problem statement
   • Alignment with the Brace Endowment mandate
   • Description of potential local stakeholder partner(s) and their role
   • Proposed partnership initiation activities and timeline
   • Anticipated outcomes at the end of the initiation period
2. Budget and Budget Justification (maximum 1 page)
3. A signed Partnership Commitment Letter from identified international partners indicating their interest and support for the proposed activities.
4. Short academic CVs of all Brace Faculty Members involved in the project (3 pages max)

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Submission Deadline: 8 May 2026. Awardees will be notified by 29 May 2026.

Submission Process: Completed applications must be submitted as a single PDF file to听. Please save your document in the following format 2026 Brace Initiation Grant [PI Last Name].pdf

Inquiries regarding the grants can be directed to Monika Skonieczny, Brace Water Centre Manager at monika.skonieczny [at] mcgill.ca.