Research Support Fund

Cape Breton University is a recipient of support from the Government of Canada through the Research Support Fund (RSF). The program assists Canadian post-secondary institutions with the costs associated with managing their research enterprise, helping universities and colleges to maintain a world-class research environment. Funded by the three federal research granting agencies (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC), RSF is essential to CBU’s research work, providing funds to support the indirect costs of research. 

The term “indirect costs of research” refers to the cost institutions incur to allow scholarly research activities to take place. These might include central and departmental administrative costs which are not attributable to specific research projects, costs associated with maintaining and upgrading labs, offices, libraries, and other facilities, or costs incurred while meeting regulatory requirements and research compliance. Examples of expenses incurred by Cape Breton University in managing the funded research are: maintenance, repairs and utilities costs associated with research facilities; library periodicals, electronic resources and access copyright fees; research office staff and research finance salaries; legal, intellectual property service fees; and commercialization and industry partnership support costs.  

More information on the Research Support Fund program can be found on the RSF website.

Research Support is divided into five expenditure categories:

• Research facilities
• Research resources
• Management and administration of an institution’s research enterprise
• Regulatory requirements and accreditation
• Intellectual property

How much is CBU allocated?

Current Allocation (2026-2027)

CBU’s Research Support Fund allocation is calculated based on the amount of Tri-agency funding awarded in the three most recent years for which data are available. CBU’s current allocation of Research Support Funds for the 2026-2027 fiscal year is $599,968 and will be distributed across the following categories: 

Cape Breton University has entered a new phase of research growth, reflected in an increased Research Support Fund (RSF) allocation. This enhanced level of support recognizes the continued expansion of CBU’s research activity and capacity. As institutions receiving more than $530,000 in RSF funding are required to publicly report on their planned use of funds, the Objectives Table below outlines CBU’s research support objectives, performance indicators, and expected outcomes for the coming year.

Previous Allocation (2025-2026)

CBU’s Research Support Fund allocation for the 2025–2026 fiscal year totaled $531,841 and was distributed across the following categories: 

Research Support Fund Outcome Summaries: