CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants 2026

The Canadian AI Safety Institute (CAISI) Research Program at CIFAR is pleased to launch a call for Catalyst Project proposals for projects on sociotechnical considerations in artificial intelligence (AI) safety. We invite applications led by researchers in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) whose work addresses the pressing social, ethical and governance considerations of AI safety.

The CAISI Research Program at CIFAR is independently leading Canadian, multidisciplinary research to tackle the safety challenges posed by advanced AI systems. As a core component of the government's broader Canadian AI Safety Institute, the program leverages Canada's robust AI research ecosystem to advance critical knowledge.

• Table of Content
• About Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)
• CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants
• Aim and Benefits of CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants
• Requirements for CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants

Aim and Benefits of CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants

In this call for Projects, funding will be up to $70,000 per year for up to two years. By advancing research in this important and urgent area, we aim to build on Canada’s existing strengths in sociotechnical AI safety research and to bring together researchers from various disciplines and build a community of SSH researchers working on AI safety across Canada.

Requirements for CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants Qualification

• Projects can be submitted by 1 or 2 Principal Investigators (PIs)
• PIs must have a faculty affiliation at a Canadian university
• The primary PI must have expertise in SSH, including but not limited to: sociology, political science, economics, history, philosophy/ethics, legal studies, science & technology studies, or media studies

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit CIFAR AI Catalyst Grants webpage