Open Future opportunities Closed
Open 
Research Collaboration Support
Researcher Collaboration Grants support researcher-led activities that foster sharing of ideas and development of new knowledge and solutions. These activities could include: meetings, networking events, lecture series, or training sessions.
Objectives
The objective of the Research Collaborations Grants are:
- To support investigator or network-initiated collaboration activities to bring researchers together.
- To support collaboration among researchers, and between researchers and the broader diabetes stakeholder community (e.g., healthcare providers, policy makers, people with lived experience).
- To foster sharing of research ideas and development of new knowledge and solutions.
Funding
Applicants can request between $3,000 and $10,000 per research collaboration activity. Diabetes Canada will award $60,000 through this program in 2026.
Depending on the volume of applications received, the program may be re-opened for a second round of applications in July 2026. It is recommended to apply early where possible as funds will not be held back if strong applications are received at the first deadline.
Eligibility
The Nominated Principal Applicant must be a researcher. The Nominated Principal Applicant and Co-Applicant(s) must have an academic or research appointment with an eligible Canadian institution. The Nominated Principal Applicant can only apply to this program once per year but can be a Co-Applicant on more than one application.
This funding initiative will support collaboration activities that are diabetes-focused and include a broad audience; events for one institution are not eligible.
How to Apply
Application submissions must be made online through ProposalCentral. ProposalCentral is a secure grants management platform for applicants to electronically submit grant applications and obtain funding-related information.
To begin an application:
- Visit https://proposalcentral.com/ and select the Applicant or Awardee tab
- Login with an existing account or register for a new account
- Select the Grant Opportunities tab
- Search “Diabetes Canada” in the search bar
- Find the Research Collaboration Grant program and select “Apply Now” to begin the application.
Please review the 2026 Research Collaboration Grant Guide before applying. This guide includes full details on the grant being offered, including eligibility and assessment criteria, application and grant policies, and the application requirements.
Applications can be submitted to support research collaboration initiatives up to one year in advance of the planned event start date. The applications will be reviewed by Diabetes Canada’s National Research Council.
Review Process and Evaluation
All applications determined to be eligible will be reviewed by Diabetes Canada’s National Research Council. The National Research Council will conduct a thorough review and score the application based on rationale, feasibility, and impact.
Timelines
- Application submission deadline: May 8, 2026
- Notification of funding decisions: approximately one month following application deadline
- Funding begins: as required in application
Future opportunities 
Research Trainee Awards
Diabetes Canada is exploring opportunities to offer trainee funding in the future, as part of our strategy to increase how much research we support while also maximizing progress towards our goal to End Diabetes. This program is early in development, and the stage of trainee and type of support will be shared when the program is closer to launching.
Diabetes Impact Funds
Diabetes Canada intends to offer larger grants focused on priority research topics. This program will support the research strategy by advancing knowledge and solutions that address the issues and challenges identified by the diabetes community. More information will be shared when the program is closer to launching.
Closed 
End Diabetes Awards
The 2026 End Diabetes Awards will begin accepting applications at the beginning of May 2026. Full program details and application instructions will be available at that time.
Objectives
The objective of the End Diabetes Awards are:
- To support researchers in the discovery of biomedical, clinical, health services, and/or population health factors that lead to the onset and progression of all types of diabetes and its complications.
- To develop solutions to improve the quality of life of people living with diabetes.
- To address challenges in diabetes health services, and design and implement solutions that improve healthcare delivery, health policies, and access to care for all communities and populations affected by diabetes.
Nominated award opportunities
Each year Diabetes Canada recognizes the outstanding achievements of diabetes researchers through two prestigious nominated awards:
The Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon a prominent Canadian MD or PhD medical scientist who is recognized and nominated by their peers for longstanding contribution to the Canadian diabetes community and a leader in diabetes research. Details on nomination eligibility can be found here. Nominations for this award can be made completing the online nomination form.
The Early Career Researcher Award
The Early Career Researcher Award was established for the purpose of encouraging, by appropriate recognition, outstanding research conducted in Canada in the field of diabetes. Details on nomination eligibility can be found here. Nominations for this award can be made completing the online nomination form.