Instructions for partner organizations on how to complete the partner module in Convergence

Table of contents

• Who completes the partner organization sections in Convergence?
• Help
• How the partner organization information is used
• I am the authorized contact and I have been invited by the applicant, what do I do next?
• Completing the partner organization sections

Who completes the partner organization sections in Convergence?

All organizations (except postsecondary institutions and other funders) participating in an Applied Research and Development (ARD) grant application as a partner are required to create a  Convergence Portal account. The applicant is responsible for inviting the authorized contact for each partner organization to complete the module. The partner organization contact will receive an email asking them to accept the invitation and will be re-directed to Convergence to log-in (or create an account) and complete the My information section. The authorized partner organization contact must complete the My information section of the application, which consists of the following sub-sections: Partner details, Partner contributions and Supporting documents (letter of support).

Help

If you have questions about the program, or if your partner organization is unable to complete the module, contact NSERC at colleges@nserc-crsng.gc.ca. You may also consult the  tutorial video on the partner module for more information.

How the partner organization information is used

ARD grants support projects undertaken by college researchers with partner organizations from the public, private or not-for-profit sectors. If you are a partner organization, your collaboration with the applicant in preparing the application lays a strong foundation for your partnership. The information you provide about your organization through the partner organization module and the proposal submitted by the applicant confirm that your organization will be able to contribute to the project as planned. Your organization is expected to participate actively in the project and contribute in a meaningful way to its success.

I am the authorized contact, and I have been invited by the applicant; what do I do next?

You are an authorized contact from the partner organization, and you have received an automated email stating that the applicant has invited you to participate as a partner. The next steps you must complete are detailed below.

1. Accept the invitation.
2. Log in to the  Convergence Portal or create an account. After accepting the invitation, you will be re-directed to the Convergence log-in page. If you don't have an account, you must create one.
• When creating your account, you are not required to complete any My profile sections.
3. Accept the terms and conditions of applying for partner organizations.
4. Complete My information.

Note: You will be able to see the application's shared information while it's being completed, such as names of collaborators, proposed budget, summary, supporting documents, etc. The information may not have been fully completed by the applicant yet; it may be completed or updated in the future.

Completing the My information section as the partner organization

The following will guide you through the My information section of the application in the Convergence Portal.

Partner details

Contact person information

As the authorized contact person for the partner organization, enter your name, position, telephone number and email address.

Organization information

Enter your organization's name, department or branch, full street address, country, business number (optional), and sector (private, public or not for profit).

For private sector organizations, additional questions will be asked, such as number of employees, location of operations and headquarters, etc.

Partner contributions

Enter the cash contributions your organization is committing to the project.

Cash contributions are those made to accounts for which the applicant has signing authority.

Select the check box next to As the authorized representative, I confirm the financial commitments from my organization.

Supporting documents

In the Supporting documents section upload the letter of support and, if applicable, the supplemental information form.

Letter of support

Using a maximum of two pages, provide a letter of support that includes

• the nature of the specific problem faced by the organization
• the reasons for its involvement in the proposed collaboration
• the ways in which the organization expects to integrate the results into its operations
• the benefits that the anticipated outcomes will bring to the organization
• the further efforts required to exploit the results in Canada
• the potential for benefit to the Canadian economy and the relevant timeframe
• the anticipated interaction of the organization's personnel with the college(s) and university(ies) (if applicable)
• the organization's support for, contribution to and agreement with the proposal

Supplemental information (as applicable)

A Partner organization supplemental information questionnaire must be completed by organizations in the private sector with fewer than five full-time employees if they have not completed this questionnaire within the last 12 months or if it has been specifically requested by NSERC.

Personal information

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC are outlined in the following policy statements:

• The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (including the Use and disclosure of personal information provided to NSERC)
• Data retention information
• Privacy notice

The information you provide in your application is collected and stored in a series of NSERC data banks described in  Information about programs and information holdings. Your information is protected under Canada's laws providing access to information and protecting privacy.