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The Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund (CRCEF) is part of the Government of Canada's COVID-19 Economic Response Plan.  Stage 3 of CRCEF will provide funding for incurred costs associated with maintenance and ramp-up of research activities.

All Dalhousie researchers with active research accounts are encouraged to review account expenses and identify eligible CRCEF Stage 3 costs (see Eligible Costs list below).  Research funding may be from government or non-government sources.  "Only direct costs of research that are extraordinary and incremental to those already covered by existing sources of funds and have been incurred between March 15 and November 15, 2020 will be reimbursed, at up to 75%."  Note: "The costs of research personnel can be eligible for partial reimbursement at up to 75% in Stage 3 for the period of August 30, 2020, to November 15, 2020, provided that the costs meet the Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria."

Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria

• unanticipated additional costs that would not have been incurred in the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot be funded by existing sources of funds;
• for direct costs associated with maintenance and ramp-up of research activities;
• costs borne by research projects; and
• approved by the decision-making group identified for CRCEF.

Projects with considerable, financial balances at the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2020) are not eligible (i.e., less than 10% of total budget has been spent).

To be eligible for Stage 3, institutions must meet equity, diversity and inclusion requirements.  For CRCEF Stage 3, the highest priority for funding will be for applicants from equity-seeking or underrepresented groups.  Other priority groups include applicants who have been personally impacted by the pandemic, applicants who undertake non-traditional or unconventional research, and early career researchers.  (There is an opportunity to self-identify on the application form.)  Projects that are close to their grant end date will be of lower priority.

To request CRCEF Stage 3 support, please complete and submit the application form on the ORS Romeo Researcher Portal:

• To access the CRCEF Stage 3 application form and schedules, log into the ROMEO Researcher Portal:  https://dal.researchservicesoffice.com/Romeo.Researcher/
• Click APPLY NEW
• Open the Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund (CRCEF) – Stage 3 form from the list of available forms
• In Title box, enter CRCEF Stage 3  
• Go to the Canada Research Continuity Emergency Fund (CRCEF) – Stage 3 tab 
• Review the information provided on the CRCEF Program Overview, Eligible Expenses, PI Eligibility, Evaluation Criteria, and Instructions tabs
• Go to the Questions for Researchers tab to complete the application questions 
• Go to the Attachments tab to download the Maintenance and/or Ramp-Up Costs schedule template
• Upload the completed schedule(s) to the Attachments tab 
• Click the Submit button

Researchers are encouraged to read all tabs before completing the form.  Forms should be submitted as soon as possible and no later than Monday, November 9, 2020.

For more detailed information on the CRCEF program: https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/crcef-fucrc/index-eng.aspx

Frequently Asked Questions: https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/funding-financement/crcef-fucrc/faq/ramp-up_costs-couts_de_reprise-eng.aspx

For more information on the CRCEF program at Dalhousie:  https://www.dal.ca/dept/research-services/resources/CRCEF.html

For questions on CRCEF at Dalhousie, please contact research@dal.ca

From the CRCEF website:

CRCEF Stage 3

Eligible expenses

Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria

• unanticipated additional costs that would not have been incurred in the absence of the COVID-19 pandemic and cannot be funded by existing sources of funds;
• for direct costs associated with maintenance and ramp-up of research activities;
• costs borne by research projects; and
• approved by the decision-making group identified for CRCEF.

Stage 3 funding will be awarded to support direct costs associated with maintenance and ramp-up of research activities. Applicants must justify the need for the funds based on actual costs incurred between March 15 and November 15, 2020. Eligible expenses include costs associated with the following categories:

a) Maintenance costs:

• Costs incurred within the eligible period and associated with maintaining essential research-related activities during the pandemic that are exceptional and incremental to those already covered by existing sources of funds, funded at up to 75%. This includes:
  • animal and specimen care through the crisis period;
  • maintenance of equipment, software, cohorts, datasets, including warranties, licenses and service contracts;
  • technological equipment for remote access to maintain assets; and
  • safety equipment for personnel dedicated to maintenance.

b) Ramp-up costs:

• Costs incurred within the eligible period and associated with full ramp-up of research activities, as physical distancing measures are eased and research activities can resume. Only costs that are exceptional and incremental to those already covered by existing sources of funds will be supported, at up to 75%. Eligible expenses include those incurred at the project level and associated with:
  • re-organizing the research environment and activities;
  • additional costs to bring the research back to its pre-pandemic level, including experiments or related to the restart of collections and datasets (e.g., population-based, environmental);
  • user fees charged by shared platforms to researchers to restart research activities (e.g., animal- care facilities, digital labs);
  • re-scheduling and restarting human and clinical trials;
  • exceptional costs to access special facilities, shared platforms and resources, knowledge transfer meetings and workshops;
  • restarting, reassembling and safety checks of equipment and facilities;
  • reacquiring lost and donated laboratory and field supplies and equipment, reagents, perishable materials, laboratory animal and other living specimens; and
  • personal protective equipment and related items for research-related personnel.

Other Costs:

• Salaries – Research Personnel - The costs of research personnel can be eligible for partial reimbursement at up to 75% in Stage 3 for the period of August 30, 2020, to November 15, 2020, provided that the costs meet the Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria.
• Working Remotely - Internet connection, land line, cell phone connection and equipment for working remotely can be eligible if they meet the Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria.
• PPE/Disinfectant/Furniture Modifications - The purchase of personal protective equipment, disinfectant products and onsite furniture modifications (e.g., expanding table lengths to allow for social distancing) are eligible if they meet the Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria.
• User Fees - User fees related to COVID-19 from institutional platforms are eligible ramp-up costs as long as they are paid from a specific research project. For example, an institutional animal care facility charges extra fees to projects to cover COVID-19-related expenses to clean-up the cages and restart a line would be eligible if the expense is traceable up to the research project's account.
• Animal Care - Animal per diems for research maintenance and animal purchase costs to ramp-up the population are eligible, provided they are paid from a specific research project and they meet the Stage 3 eligible expenses criteria.
• Replacement Costs - Replacement costs are eligible as long as they are paid from a specific research project. For example, if samples spoiled during the pandemic and had to be replaced, then the replacement costs would be eligible, but not the costs incurred for the original spoiled samples.

Ineligible Expenses

• regular research costs
• ramping-down expenses including cancellation fees and non-refundable travel fees
• lost costs
• administrative/indirect costs, overhead