John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation Applied Research Fund (Labrador)

Call for Applications

The John and Judy Bragg Family Foundation Applied Research Fund (Labrador) supports applied research projects related to Northern food systems, food security, and food sovereignty.

These competitive research grants will be awarded through an open competition, following the farm research principles and practices identified below, and reviewed through the Pye Centre Advisory Committee and the Pye Centre’s community farm-based research application process. Grants are available through two main streams: Start-Up and Communication.

Start-Up Grants

Up to $10,000

These grants provide support for preliminary farm-based research ideas, and support for bringing the appropriate stakeholders, rightsholders, and partners together to develop research proposals and ideas and/or to pilot a new technique or approach.

Projects may include, but are not limited to: experimental trials and testing for new cold- hardy strains; new technologies for enhancing Northern agriculture; strategies for increasing productivity and yield; and strategies for enhancing soil health.

Communication Grants

Up to $5,000

Research sharing and dissemination is an essential part of community farm-based research at the Pye Centre.

These funds can be used to support a variety of research sharing strategies, including public talks and events, multimedia approaches, visual summaries and clear language briefs, and developing farmer training material.

Application Process

Eligibility

Eligible grant recipients include: academic, community, and government-based researchers; Labrador farmers; researchers; students; and community organizations. Applicants must demonstrate their ability to conduct the proposed farm-based research, the ways in which the proposed research aligns with already-identified farm-based research priorities to support Northern food security and food sovereignty, as well as their commitment to the Pye Centre’s principles and practices of community farm-based research.

These funds must be used for stand-alone farm-based research projects. Consideration may be given to projects that are already supported by another funding source if applicants clearly specify what project outcomes are connected to each funding source in their application and budget proposal.

Priority will be given to local farmers, projects that focus on Labrador farming, as well as projects that focus on Northern food security, North-to-North comparisons, and multi-site agricultural projects that include a Labrador focus.

Funds must be used by March 31, 2024.

Ethics Approvals

All successful research projects must adhere to the principles and procedures outlined in Memorial University’s Research Impacting Indigenous Groups (RIIG) policy. To to be considered in the Pye Centre’s review process, all applicants must demonstrate agreement in principle from the appropriate Indigenous Groups when submitting their applications.

Successful applicants affiliated with Memorial University must obtain full ethics approval from the Interdisciplinary Committee on Ethics in Human Research (ICEHR) (if applicable) before beginning their projects.

Submission Deadline

Please submit your grant application to pyecentre@mun.ca before 11:59pm (Atlantic) on January 31st, 2023. Results will be announced in March 2023 and funds will be released by April 30th, 2023. For additional information or help with the application process, please contact the Project Coordinator, Chelsee Arbour via email at c.arbour@mun.ca.

Review

The Pye Centre Advisory Committee (PCAC) is a committee comprised of members of the Labrador Campus and the Pye Centre, local farmers, Indigenous government representatives, provincial and federal agriculture representatives, local food organizations, and academic researchers. The PCAC is the central review body for all research related to the Pye Centre.

Interested applicants must demonstrate how the proposed application directly meets the research needs and priorities of Northern farmers and adheres to community-based farm research principles and practices. All applications are reviewed by the PCAC, ensuring the grant proposals are rigorously reviewed by an interdisciplinary committee from diverse backgrounds.

Application Form

Before submitting your application to conduct community farm-based research at the Pye Centre, you must review the following: 

1. Principles and Practices of Community Farm-Based Research at the Pye Centre
2. Available Services, Equipment, and Other Resources to Support Community Farm-Based Research
3. Summary of Fees
4. Memorial University’s Policy and Procedures for Research Impacting Indigenous Groups (RIIG)
5. Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research

Please note that if you are submitting a grant application to support a new project that has not yet been approved by the Pye Centre, you do not have to submit a separate community farm-based research application form.