TCA Training and Connectivity Support Fund

The Transforming Climate Action (TCA) Training and Connectivity Support Fund (TCSF) is designed to enhance early career researcher mobility across the TCA network, with the overarching goal of strengthening collaboration, improving knowledge mobilization and research impact, and supporting the professional development of highly qualified personnel (HQP). Through this fund, TCA aims to foster meaningful exchanges that accelerate interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research, encourage action-oriented approaches to climate challenges, and deepen engagement with diverse communities.

This fund is intended to support early career researchers, including students and postdoctoral fellows.

This fund can support:

• Inter-institutional travel between TCA partner universities within Canada to strengthen collaboration and support co-supervision, shared research activities, and networkwide engagement.
• Travel (domestic and international) that advances knowledge mobilization and research impact, including presentations, community outreach, engagement, and activities that disseminate and facilitate the impact of TCA findings to broader audiences.
• HQP training and professional development, such as specialized workshops or placements that enhance technical skills, leadership capacity, and career readiness.

Additional opportunities may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants must be, or have been recently, actively involved with TCA. Active involvement includes:

• A student or postdoctoral researcher engaging on a TCA LRP
• Current TCA international or industry postdoctoral researcher
• An early career researcher on a Seed Fund or Opportunities Fund project

Prospective applicants should connect with the Training and Early Career Development Program Manager to discuss alignment with the program prior to applying.

Applicants must clearly outline how the opportunity will broaden or encourage connections of scientific expertise across the TCA network or on the international stage and/or advance awareness of and collaborations for TCA. Travel funds normally can only be awarded once per applicant. Applications must be made and approval received prior to travel taking place.  

Applicants funded through LRPs must justify why LRP funding is not available. Eligible expenses will vary by partner institution and may include travel to and from the applicant’s home city (lowest airfare), accommodation, registration fees, per diem (home institution rates), and local travel expenses. Expenses must fall within institutional travel policies and Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) guidelines. Reimbursement of expenses must follow institutional policies and procedures. The traveller will be reimbursed by submitting a travel claim to the responsible partner institution.

Funding administration will vary by partner institution and will be available until the budget is depleted.

Normally, costs up to $5,000 CAD will be considered for eligible applicants unless there is an exceptional circumstance. Amounts awarded are at the discretion of the awarding institution and in consultation with the TCA Scientific Directorate.

Applicants must provide realistic estimates for expenses at the time of application.

Prospective applicants to this fund should first connect with the Training and Early Career Development Program Manager to discuss eligibility. If invited to move forward with an application, the following supporting documentation should be provided:

• Travel plan, including dates, location, event or meeting details, etc.
• Description of how the travel increases collaboration, provides a training or professional development opportunity, and/or facilities knowledge mobilization and/or increases the reach of TCA research.
• Budget, including flight costs and other expense estimates.
• Supervisor support for and justification of the application and explanation of why other sources of funding are not available.

Transforming Climate Action (TCA) partner institutions are committed to fostering a research and collegial culture grounded in respectful engagement and balanced representation. We encourage applications from Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, racialized individuals, Black individuals, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, including trans and non-binary individuals.