Hello all,

See below and attached with updated info regarding the upcoming CFI IF 2027. Mario is holding an engagement session with unit heads and project leads on April 30. If any of you are keen on attending the session, please let me know. Best,

Fei

Begin forwarded message:

From: Office of the Vice-President Research and International VPRI@umanitoba.ca Subject: [Adr-rlo] CFI IF 2027 (DRAFT CALL) - Action required - Engagement session April 30 Date: April 21, 2026 at 3:59:33 PM CDT To: "'adr-rlo@lists.umanitoba.ca'" adr-rlo@lists.umanitoba.ca, Allison Abra Allison.Abra@umanitoba.ca, Anastasia Cholakis Anastasia.Cholakis@umanitoba.ca, Brian Mark Brian.Mark@umanitoba.ca, Asper Dean asperdean@umanitoba.ca, Lisa O'Hara Lisa.Ohara@umanitoba.ca, "Rector St. Pauls College" Rector.StPaulsCollege@umanitoba.ca, Douglas Brown Douglas.Brown@umanitoba.ca, Heidi Marx Heidi.Marx-Wolf@umanitoba.ca, Hope Anderson Hope.Anderson@umanitoba.ca, Jan Stewart Jan.Stewart@umanitoba.ca, Josee Lavoie Josee.Lavoie@umanitoba.ca, Kelley Main Kelley.Main@umanitoba.ca, Kellie Thiessen Kellie.Thiessen@umanitoba.ca, Marcia Friesen Marcia.Friesen@umanitoba.ca, Dean Environment Dean.Environment@umanitoba.ca, Mimi Locher Mira.Locher@umanitoba.ca, Dean Agriculture agdean@umanitoba.ca, Peter Donahue Peter.Donahue@umanitoba.ca, Peter Nickerson Peter.Nickerson@umanitoba.ca, Reg Urbanowski Reg.Urbanowski@umanitoba.ca, Richard Jochelson Richard.Jochelson@umanitoba.ca, Stephen Runge Stephen.Runge@umanitoba.ca, Ute Kothe Ute.Kothe@umanitoba.ca, "Rector St. Pauls College" Rector.StPaulsCollege@umanitoba.ca Cc: Ivan Froese Ivan.Froese@umanitoba.ca, Dawn Silva Dawn.Silva@umanitoba.ca, Tracy Foster Davidson Tracy.Foster@umanitoba.ca, Janel Loeppky Janel.Loeppky@umanitoba.ca, Grace Bamigbade Grace.Bamigbade@umanitoba.ca, Bonnie Warkentine Bonnie.Warkentine@umanitoba.ca, Jennifer Palichuk Jennifer.Palichuk@umanitoba.ca, Jonas Brandt Jonas.Brandt@umanitoba.ca, Melissa Stamm Melissa.Stamm@umanitoba.ca, Elsie Besana Elsie.Gomez-Besana@umanitoba.ca, Janela Ledda Janela.Ledda@umanitoba.ca, Janine Drennan Alsip Janine.Drennan@umanitoba.ca, Rebecca Harasym Rebecca.Harasym@umanitoba.ca, Susan Hirst Susan.Hirst@umanitoba.ca, Dean Environment Dean.Environment@umanitoba.ca, Kelly Pokorny Smilinski Kelly.Pokorny@umanitoba.ca, Tara Vogelsang Tara.Vogelsang@umanitoba.ca, Mya Kraft Mya.Kraft@umanitoba.ca, Tammy De Jong Tammy.DeJong@umanitoba.ca, Karen Soares Karen.Soares@umanitoba.ca, Tamara Lewsey Tamara.Lewsey@umanitoba.ca, Liane Allen Liane.Allen@umanitoba.ca, Jodi Petch Jodi.Petch@umanitoba.ca, Sarah Rout Sarah.Rout@umanitoba.ca, Marion DeJong Marion.DeJong@umanitoba.ca

Dear Deans and ADRs/RLOs

IMPORTANT NOTICE – ACTION REQUIRED

The Canada Foundation for Innovationhttps://www.innovation.ca/apply-manage-awards/funding-opportunities/innovation-fund (CFI) has released the draft call for proposals for the 2027 Innovation Fundhttps://www.innovation.ca/sites/default/files/2026-04/IF2027-Draft-Call-for-proposals_20260414%20%281%29.pdf. This call reflects a significantly changed global context and signals CFI’s readiness to support mission-driven research and dual‑use technologies, including initiatives aligned with Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy (Summary attached). The University of Manitoba’s CFI envelope is $22.1M.

This competition presents a strategic opportunity—and expectation—for the University of Manitoba to advance large, highly aligned initiatives. Competitive proposals will be characterized by:

* Mission-driven research contributing to a stronger, more sustainable economy, including areas such as defence, national sovereignty, and dual-use technologies * Mandatory inter-institutional collaboration that positions Canada as a coordinated, globally influential research leader * Shared, strategically located research infrastructure that supports internationally competitive research teams * Strong leveraged partner contributions, including from relevant federal programs * Indigenous research grounded in community-identified needs and priorities

To prepare for the 2027 competition, UM initiated its internal process in December 2026. To date, we have received the following Expanded Expressions of Interest (E-EO1) from12 Project Leaders and briefly summarized in the attached document. [cid:5fe119be-cab6-4bda-a699-09ebbe4e797b@CANPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM] Action Required: Please review the draft CFI Call with a focus on identifying opportunities to propose mission-driven projects; and consider combining or aligning proposals already submitted into larger, more strategic collaborative initiatives. To support this effort, I will host an engagement session with unit heads and project leads on Thursday, April 30, 2026, 10:00 – 11:00 am in Room 100 Administration Building. Hybrid option available. Please RSVP by noon April 29 to Yuliana.Bagan@umanitoba.camailto:Yuliana.Bagan@umanitoba.ca and an invitation will be sent.

Please also note some key CFI Dates

* Notice of Intent: September 29, 2026 * Full Proposal: January 26, 2027

CFI Information Workshops

* English: June 17, 2026 (12:00-1:00pm CDT)http://link.innovation.ca/c/7/eyJhaSI6ODQ5OTc3MDMsImUiOiJtZy1lbmM6bnB6MlJCSUF1UTV2dTYvVXNvQ1dBRHZucnJrOHJaYWRSekgwdFBGaVdrYz0iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtOWNkY2E2MWIzZjRjZTgxMWE5NWEwMDBkM2FmNDYxMzYtNzVmYjc5ZmIxNzkxNDNjMWI2ZmJmYjVhYWI1YTllODIiLCJycSI6IjAyLWIyNjEwNC1mZGY5MzkzZGU2OGQ0NzNlYTQzZGVmYWZkZGUxOWQzYyIsIm0iOmZhbHNlLCJ1aSI6IjIiLCJ1biI6IiIsInUiOiJodHRwczovL2V2ZW50cy50ZWFtcy5taWNyb3NvZnQuY29tL2V2ZW50L2ZhNjVjNzFiLTUwZjgtNGZkNC1hYjg3LThiMzI0ZGVhMTNiYkBlNmE1MWM2My04NGIwLTQ2MTEtYTQ2Mi0yYjc0YTg2YjY3MTc_X2NsZGVlPXJkVVJOMTVGd3VhbExxR0wtdFdJd2dUeFVMWFZQVGxKOGlhTWZNVjNQeklfUVU4QXNsMG5jZ3dCMnhRc09PN0kmcmVjaXBpZW50aWQ9Y29udGFjdC05Y2RjYTYxYjNmNGNlODExYTk1YTAwMGQzYWY0NjEzNi03NWZiNzlmYjE3OTE0M2MxYjZmYmZiNWFhYjVhOWU4MiZlc2lkPTA0NjA5MmU2LTJlMzgtZjExMS04OGI0LTcwYThhNTBmMzBlMSJ9/uqUGviXK02VkryQOwXx7DQ * French: June 18, 2026 (12:00-1:00pm CDT)http://link.innovation.ca/c/7/eyJhaSI6ODQ5OTc3MDMsImUiOiJtZy1lbmM6bnB6MlJCSUF1UTV2dTYvVXNvQ1dBRHZucnJrOHJaYWRSekgwdFBGaVdrYz0iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtOWNkY2E2MWIzZjRjZTgxMWE5NWEwMDBkM2FmNDYxMzYtNzVmYjc5ZmIxNzkxNDNjMWI2ZmJmYjVhYWI1YTllODIiLCJycSI6IjAyLWIyNjEwNC1mZGY5MzkzZGU2OGQ0NzNlYTQzZGVmYWZkZGUxOWQzYyIsIm0iOmZhbHNlLCJ1aSI6IjMiLCJ1biI6IiIsInUiOiJodHRwczovL2V2ZW50cy50ZWFtcy5taWNyb3NvZnQuY29tL2V2ZW50LzFkMjE1NDYxLTNlMjktNDJiMi1iOGNlLTVhYjU0YTNkMGFlZkBlNmE1MWM2My04NGIwLTQ2MTEtYTQ2Mi0yYjc0YTg2YjY3MTc_X2NsZGVlPXJkVVJOMTVGd3VhbExxR0wtdFdJd2dUeFVMWFZQVGxKOGlhTWZNVjNQeklfUVU4QXNsMG5jZ3dCMnhRc09PN0kmcmVjaXBpZW50aWQ9Y29udGFjdC05Y2RjYTYxYjNmNGNlODExYTk1YTAwMGQzYWY0NjEzNi03NWZiNzlmYjE3OTE0M2MxYjZmYmZiNWFhYjVhOWU4MiZlc2lkPTA0NjA5MmU2LTJlMzgtZjExMS04OGI0LTcwYThhNTBmMzBlMSJ9/zrqNzi9jfUXb_WMYTAVOaA

With this new directive, and following the engagement session, we will provide revised deadlines for receipt of additional and/or merged E-EOIs (template attached) along with decision dates.

Your engagement at this stage is critical to positioning UM competitively.

Best regards, Mario

B. Mario Pinto, Ph.D., FRSC Vice-President (Research & International) [cid:27f75451-491c-45f5-aea3-3c02d7609c1d@CANPRD01.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM] University of Manitoba 406 Administration Building 66 Chancellors Circle University of Manitoba Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3T 2N2 Phone: (1) 204-474-9404 (office) Phone: (1) 431-374-2313 (mobile) Email: mario.pinto@umanitoba.camailto:mario.pinto@umanitoba.ca Web: www.umanitoba.ca/researchhttp://www.umanitoba.ca/research

The University of Manitoba campuses and research spaces are located on original lands of the Anishinaabeg, Ininiwak, Anisininewuk, Dakota Oyate, Dene and Inuit, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis.

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