2025 Exploration Competition

The New Frontiers in Research Fund – Exploration stream 2025 call has now been launched. This call supports high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research. Applications from all disciplines are encouraged; projects proposed should push boundaries, defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in new and unexpected ways with disruptive potential. Researchers are encouraged to think “outside the box” in new innovative ways that:

• bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches;
• propose to explore something new, which might fail; and
• have the potential for significant impact.

This is a two-stage call with a mandatory Notice of Intent (NOI) followed by a full application. At the full application stage, assessment will include a pass/fail criterion for both interdisciplinarity and equity, diversity, and inclusion in research practice. Please note below, the deadline dates for this program have changed.

Value

Grants are valued at up to $250,000 over two years, including $50,000 in indirect costs (25% of the value of the direct costs request).

Eligibility

Application teams must include a minimum of two researchers. Teams may be composed of a Nominated PI, up to one co-PI, and any number of co-applicants and/or collaborators. Note that:

• individuals can participate in only one application of the NFRF Exploration grants stream at a time, as either an NPI, co-PI or co-applicant.
• If an NPI, co-PI or co-applicant also had such a role on a previous Exploration grant-funded project, they must have submitted their final report for the previous project at least one month before the full application deadline for the present Exploration competition.
• These limitations apply only to Exploration, not to past participation on NFRF International, Transformation, or special call-funded grants.

Important Links and Resources

• NOI and Full Application Guides

• Best Practices for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research Practice and Design Guide
• Upcoming Webinars: