Discovery Award Program

The Discovery Award grant is intended to support researchers at a pivotal moment in their careers: the early stages of establishing an independent research program. Inspired by the legacy of Frederick Banting who lacked necessary funding for his work on insulin, the Foundation aims to provide critical seed funding to those who are running their first research program. By focusing on individuals with limited existing funds, we seek to ensure that promising ideas are not stalled due to resource constraints, and that emerging investigators can thrive during this formative period. To apply for the Banting Discovery Award, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a biomedical health researcher.
  
  
• Be within the first three years of your first academic appointment at a Canadian university or hospital research institute, and have begun that appointment within eight years of completing your most recent graduate or professional degree (PhD, MD, or MD/PhD).
  
  
• Have not received external peer-reviewed grant funding (e.g., from CIHR, NSERC, or SSHRC) at the time of application. Support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) does not count toward this funding limit.
  
  
• Have been awarded no more than $50,000 per year in external non-peer-reviewed funding (i.e., funding from sources outside your home institution) as of the application deadline, regardless of when the funding becomes available. If external research funding exceeds $50,000 per year, the candidate may still apply for up to $30,000, provided that total operating funds, including the Banting Discovery Award, do not exceed $80,000 in the funding year.

The Banting Discovery Foundation will adjust the eligibility window for eligible leaves such as maternity, parental, medical, family medical, or bereavement. However, no adjustments will be made for professional leaves such as training, sabbatical, or administrative duties. Also, no adjustments will be provided for time spent on non-research related duties or for the pursuit of non-research related career activities. Applicants who experienced a significant gap between degree completion and academic appointment due to extenuating circumstances are encouraged to contact the Foundation directly to discuss eligibility.

Eligibility for Targeted Awards:

• You must meet the above criteria, in addition to the criteria required for the targeted awards.

Departmental Nomination Limit:

To ensure broad and equitable representation across institutions, the Foundation will generally accept ONE candidate per Department (or Division or Faculty) per competition cycle. However, in very large departments, multiple divisions may be permitted to submit candidates.
Applicants and nominators should confirm with the Foundation before proceeding in such cases. Because universities vary in how they define these organizational units, applicants and nominators should follow the internal structure and nomination process used by their institution. Any explanation or justification for submitting more than one candidate from a large department should be included in the letter from the Division Head.

For the purposes of this application, the Department of primary appointment is the department that pays more than 50% of the applicant’s salary, as confirmed by the institution’s Human Resources unit. If you are unsure how your institution defines its nomination units or which unit constitutes the applicant’s Department of primary appointment, please consult your Dean or Research Office for clarification. 

Letter of Support from the primary appointment department/division head:

• Be explicit about the quality of the candidate and their contributions; e.g, critical thinking, independence, perseverance, originality, organizational skills, interest in discovery, leadership, research ability.
  
  
• Description of the space and access to the institutional infrastructure necessary to conduct the proposed research available for the candidate.
  
  
• Description of the mentorship plan that is in place for the candidate as they launch their career. The mentor who will guide the applicant must be identified.

Banting-HRF Clinical Trial Innovation Discovery Award

Focus: Innovative approaches to improve the efficiency, delivery, and accessibility of clinical trials.

Eligibility: Projects may focus on AI and digital tools, clinical trial operations and data management, study coordination, or approaches to improve participant recruitment, engagement, retention, and communication. Preference will be given to early-stage pilot, feasibility, validation, or prototype projects with potential for future implementation, scale-up, or larger follow-on funding.

Banting–Canerector Discovery Awards

Focus: Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), with the goal of building research interest and capacity in Canada.

Eligibility: Research may address any organ system and may include EDS- or HSD-related comorbidities such as mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and other forms of dysautonomia, neurological conditions, cranio-cervical instability, eye involvement, chronic fatigue syndrome, urogenital and pelvic complications, and dental manifestations.

Banting–CANSSI Discovery Awards in Biostatistics

Focus: Biostatistical research that advances health, health equity, and/or patient outcomes.

Eligibility: Projects must propose innovative statistical or computational methodology and demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration with a scientist in biomedicine, occupational health, or environmental health. Two of the four awards are reserved for biostatisticians based in Ontario.

Banting–Data Sciences Institute Discovery Award

Focus: Innovative statistical and computational methodology applied to health and biomedical research.

Eligibility: Projects may involve developing new methodology or implementing existing methodology in novel ways to address a health or biomedical research question. Applicants must hold an appointment in data science at the University of Toronto.

Banting–Dystonia Medical Research Foundation Canada Award

Focus: Research that advances the understanding and treatment of dystonia.

Eligibility: Projects should address one or more of the following:

• Fundamental understanding: Advancing knowledge of dystonia.
  
  
• Disease mechanisms: Investigating mechanisms in the nervous system that contribute to symptoms.
  
  
• Experimental models: Developing models to advance dystonia research.
  
  
• Therapeutics: Identifying targets for new and improved treatments.

University of Toronto 100th Anniversary Discovery of Insulin Banting Award

The Novo Nordisk Network for Health Populations (NHP) and the Banting Discovery Foundation have teamed up to support an early-career investigator at the University of Toronto.

Focus: Diabetes and chronic disease, with an emphasis on health equity, population health, and disease prevention.

Eligibility: Projects should propose innovative approaches to addressing disease burden and inequities, involve cross-disciplinary collaboration and partnerships within Peel Region, and support the co-design and evaluation of locally relevant solutions with potential for broader application. Preference will be given to high-impact research addressing longstanding and emerging challenges in these areas.

Step 1: Notice of Intent (NOI)

The NOI portal is currently open. You must complete the NOI online by October 19, 2026. The NOI form comprises:

• Research proposal title: 125 characters or fewer, including spaces. The same title must be used for the full application in Step 2.
  
  
• Keywords: Five keywords identifying the research focus of the project.
  
  
• Research proposal: An overview of the project objectives, research approach, anticipated outcomes, and potential health impact (500 words or fewer).
  
  
• Impact statement: An explanation of how the award will advance your research program and career (up to 200 words).
  
  
• Relevant experts: Please identify three leading experts in your field whose expertise is relevant to your proposal/work. Briefly explain how each expert’s expertise relates to your proposal/work (up to 200 words). You are not being asked to provide reference letters.
  
  
• Attestation that the applicant anticipates not having received over $50,000 in external non-peer-reviewed research funding or peer-reviewed grant funding at the time of full application. Support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation does not count toward this external funding limit.
  
  
• Please ensure your department or division head is supportive of your application. Refer to the Eligibility criteria – Departmental Nomination Limit.

Applicants must submit a NOI by October 19th, 2026 (9 pm ET).  Applicants will be notified via email by November 27th, 2026 regarding their eligibility.  Those who meet the requirements will be invited to complete a full application by January 25, 2027.

Step 2: Full Application

If we deem you eligible after reviewing your NOI, you will be invited by email to access our online portal to complete a full application.
The letter of nomination from your primary appointment department or division head must address the following:

• Be explicit about the quality of the candidate and their contributions; e.g, critical thinking, independence, perseverance, originality, organizational skills, interest in discovery, leadership, research ability.
  
  
• All eligibility criteria mentioned above have been met.
  
  
• Description of the space and access to the institutional infrastructure necessary to conduct the proposed research available for the candidate.
  
  
• Description of the mentorship plan that is in place for the candidate as they launch their career. The mentor who will guide the applicant must be identified.

Each application is assessed based on:

• The innovative potential of the project.
  
  
• The applicant’s research track record and environment.
  
  
• The merit of the proposal, project feasibility, and justification of the request.
  
  
• The proposal’s consideration of EDI (i.e., equality, diversity, and inclusion).
  
  
• Impact of the Banting Discovery Foundation Discovery Award on the research program.
  
  
• The letter of nomination from the department or division head

The Discovery Award is a year-long grant offering up to $30,000, from July 1 to June 30.

Application Timeline

Notice of Intent submission deadline – October 19, 2026

Invitation to Full Application Stage – November 27, 2026

Full Application Submission – January 25, 2027

Notice of Decision – June 2027

The Banting Discovery Foundation Grant Review Panel consists of University of Toronto faculty members and members from outside the University of Toronto.

Each application is reviewed by a Primary and Secondary Reviewer, who each completes a brief (1-2 pages) report, and a Reader who reviews the grant but does not write a report. Both reviewers independently score each application using the CIHR 0–4.9 scale and rank the applications they review. Only the highest-ranked applications are discussed at the Grant Review Panel meeting. All applicants receive deidentified reviewer comments as feedback on their applications.

To account for differences in reviewers’ scoring tendencies, scores are statistically adjusted using a linear mixed model before final rankings are determined. This ensures that applications are evaluated fairly regardless of whether they were reviewed by stricter or more lenient reviewers. Final rankings are based on the adjusted scores rather than the raw scores.

● 4.5-4.9 Outstanding
● 4.0-4.4 Excellent
● 3.5-3.9 Very Good
● < 3.5 Not fundable

Each application is assessed based on:

• The innovative potential of the project.
  
  
• The applicant’s research track record and environment.
  
  
• The merit of the proposal, project feasibility, and justification of the request.
  
  
• The proposal’s consideration of EDI (i.e., equality, diversity, and inclusion).
  
  
• Impact of the Banting Discovery Foundation Discovery Award on the research program.
  
  
• The letter of nomination from the department or division head

All applicants receive reviewer comments as feedback on their applications, with reviewers’ identities removed.

These are some frequently asked questions about grant eligibility and our granting process. If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact us.

• I am listed as co-PI on other grants. Does my funding as a co-PI count towards the limit for eligibility to the Banting Discovery Foundation?
  
  
• I’ve been awarded an external operating grant over $50,000/yr but the grant does not begin until after the Discovery Award deadline. Can I still apply?
  
  
• May I submit my application in French?
  
  
• Does the grant funding cover indirect costs at our university/ research institute?
  
  
• Is this grant only for medical researchers or can researchers from other fields also apply?
  
  
• Your posting says you fund “all areas of medical research.” Does this include biomedical engineering?
  
  
• I am a new investigator working at a research institute. Whose signatures are required from a research institute, especially in place of Dean of Faculty?
  
  
• I was on maternity leave for one of the last three years since I was appointed. Does that get included in the “first three years of academic appointment”?
  
  
• May I include a co-applicant on my application?
  
  
• Our department is very large. May we submit an application from more than one division?
  
  
• Did my application arrive?
  
  
• When will the results of the competition be posted?
  
  
• What are the terms for acceptable use of the funding?

I am listed as co-PI on other grants. Does my funding as a co-PI count towards the limit for eligibility to the Banting Research Foundation?

Your eligibility depends on the total amount of annual research funding that is available to you. That would include any proportion of funds that is available to you on the grants on which you are co-PI. If you are part of a research group but do not actually have any operating funds allocated to you, then it does not add to your current annual operating funds. You should list the grant and indicate what amount, if any, is available to you.

I’ve been awarded an external operating grant over $50,000/yr but the the grant does not begin until after the Discovery Award deadline. Can I still apply?

No. You must have not been awarded more than $50,000 per annum in external operating funds at the application deadline date, regardless of when the funding becomes available to you.

May I submit my application in French?

While we would like to be able to review applications in both our official languages, at this time the capacity of our Grant Review Panel is limited to reviewing applications in English.

Does the grant funding cover indirect costs at our university/ research institute?

No, our grant funding supports only the direct costs of research and may not be applied to indirect costs of research.

Is this grant only for medical researchers or can researchers from other fields also apply?

As long as the research project itself is medical in nature, investigators from other fields may apply.

Your posting says you fund “all areas of medical research.” Does this include biomedical engineering?

Yes, as long as the work relates to medical research, it is eligible. I am a new investigator working at a research institute. Whose signatures are required from a research institute, especially in place of Dean of Faculty? Please check with your research administration office to find out whose signatures are appropriate. At least one official authorized to sign for the institute must sign the application form. If there is no equivalent to “Dean of Faculty,” just indicate that on the form.

I was on maternity leave for one of the last three years since I was appointed. Does that get included in the “first three years of academic appointment”?

No, it is not included. Eligible interruptions, such as parental leave, do not count in calculating your eligibility period. You should indicate this clearly on your application in the Personal Data section, and be prepared to provide a letter of verification from your institution.

May I include a co-applicant on my application?

No, this competition is for individual applicants only.

Our department is very large. May we submit an application from more than one division?

In cases of very large departments, like Medicine, it is acceptable to submit applications from more than one division. Just check with us before you proceed. The explanation should be included in the letter from the division head.

Did my application arrive?

You will be notified within 3 days that your email-submitted application was received.

When will the results of the competition be posted?

Results will be sent out via email in July. Applicants will also receive reviewers comments in July.

What are the terms for acceptable use of the funding?

Funds from the Discovery Award can be used to purchase equipment and for general operating expenses specified in the budget proposal, including salaries for technicians, postdoctoral fellows, and students. Funds cannot be used to pay the salary of the applicant, travel expenses, or overhead. 

Equipment purchased with grant funds is the property of the institution where the grant is held. Any unspent balance must be returned to The Banting Discovery Foundation.