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Research Accelerator Fund

Research Accelerator Funding Call for 2025 is now OPEN

The Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS) is pleased to announce its 2025 call for funding support for research project proposals. This funding from the TISS Research Accelerator Fund is intended to support new ideas and promote innovation and interdisciplinary research in sport science and sport medicine. Project proposals from a wide range of disciplines are welcomed and there is a portion of the funding that is specifically designated for projects related to sports analytics, data modelling and data science research within sport.

Call for Letters of Intent (LOI) to apply for TISS Research Accelerator Funding:

The research funding competition is comprised of two stages:

Stage one: those eligible to apply are welcome to submit a completed Letter of Intent (LOI) with criteria as outlined below. A response to the LOI will be sent to all applicants within the decision timelines listed below.  

Stage two (by invitation only): the completion of the full TISS Research Accelerator Funding Application for those whose LOI results in an invitation to submit the full proposal.  

Eligibility criteria: At least one of the collaborating investigators must hold a research and/or clinical research appointment at one of the following TISS founding partners:

  • University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine,
  • University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, and/or
  • Sinai Health System with associated institutional eligibility to apply for and hold research funds.

While the Principal Investigator (PI) does not need to be appointed at one of the above listed affiliations, any PI must ensure they have institutional eligibility to apply for, and hold research funds, at their institution.

For University of Toronto appointed researchers, UofT's PI policy can be found linked here. For researchers appointed at other institutions please check with your research division for your PI policy.

For external applicants looking to collaborate with a researcher from one of the above partners, listings of researchers and their areas of expertise can be found through the following links:

The LOI submissions should be no longer than two pages, in addition to the cover page and budget pages provided as part of the TISS LOI template and the CVs of each investigator, standard formatting; 11 or 12 pt font, with standard margins (top/bottom: 2.5cm, left/right: 1.9cm). The LOI submission should outline:

  1. The names, positions, and expertise of the Principal and collaborating Investigators plus CV for each investigator
  2. Background and rationale for the proposed research
  3. Research objectives and general description of the proposed methods.
  4. Alignment with the Tanenbaum Institute values, mission & desired research outcomes (see implementation plan)
  5. Planned deliverables (e.g. publications, presentations, equipment prototype, app, model, teaching/training module, basis for larger grant proposal, etc)
  6. Brief budget including specification of any paid positions (e.g. research assistant) as part of the research project and anticipated pay rate
  7. Summary or description of other current or anticipated funding or matching funds for project

TISS LOI Template is linked here.

Priority will be given to proposals that:

  1. are well aligned with the TISS mandate (see implementation plan),
  2. interdisciplinary in nature with collaborating researcher(s) from at least one of the TISS founding partners i.e. Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and/or Sinai Health System
  3. provide a good basis for generating data that are integral for specific future and larger grant proposals from other agencies (“proof-of-principle"),
  4. are highly creative, even if highly risky in terms of the outcome being the generation of novel knowledge and/or applications.

Funding amount and duration: up to $120,000 per project that must be completed within two years.  Renewal applications may be considered.

Full grant applications in Stage two will be around 12-15 pages, no more than a maximum of 20 pages, standard formatting; 11 or 12 pt font, with standard margins (top/bottom: 2.5cm, left/right: 1.9cm) including tables, figures, appendices, references, but excluding CVs. The full application requirements will be provided to successful Stage 1 (LOI) applicants.

Grant timelines

  • LOI Submission Deadline: March 30, 2025, 11:59PM EST — submit completed LOI and CVs as a single combined PDF document via email to tiss@utoronto.ca
  • LOI Decision: April 30, 2025
  • Stage 2 Application Deadline (by invite): June 15, 2025, 11:59 EST
  • Application Decision timeline: as communicated with invited applicants

Institute Overview

The Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS) combines and leverages the immense strengths of three partners—the research enterprises, academic teaching, learning programs, clinical resources, large and diverse varsity athlete base, and training facilities of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE), the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto, and Sinai Health

The Institute will catalyze research into a diverse range of disciplines, driving empirically based outcomes that will serve high performance athletes including para-athletes and athletes representing other diverse and underrepresented communities. This work will lead to new knowledge informed by data and analyses generated by the Institute’s research teams, and the creation of strategies and interventions that will:

  • Enhance and sustain athlete performance, health, wellness, and safety
  • Reduce risk of injuries and maltreatment
  • Accelerate recovery from training, competition, and injuries
  • Advance high-performance sport in a manner that is safe, welcoming, inclusive and accessible to all
  • Contribute to the advancement of diversity, equity and inclusion through the activities of the Institute

Institute Mission

The mission of the Tanenbaum Institute for Science in Sport (TISS) is to support research that advances high performance in sport for professional and non-professional athletes and para-athletes, as well as for members of the wider community, both able bodied and with disabilities, who want to optimize their recreational participation in sport.

Institute Outcomes

With unparalleled resources and talent across University of Toronto and Sinai Health, the Tanenbaum Institute will significantly advance science and its application with the aim to:

  • enhance and sustain competitive performance for athletes of all levels and every background, including para-athletes and athletes representing other diverse and under-represented populations
  • augment and amplify physical and mental training effects
  • reduce threats to athlete safety, including the threat of athlete maltreatment
  • model/predict/reduce the probability of injury
  • improve injury recovery length and outcomes
  • develop effective nutrition and mental health regimens
  • develop more effective measures to identify the severity of sports concussion, and accelerate the rate of recovery and return to play
  • develop and assess new innovative commercial technologies and products for applications to high performance sports
  • use data analytics to predict and augment individual and team performance, health and wellbeing, and to improve athlete recruitment outcomes

Completed LOI applications or questions related to this call for LOI can be sent to tiss@utoronto.ca.
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