KILLAM PROGRAM
Building Canada’s Future Through Research
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Izaak Walton Killam
Dorothy J. Killam
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“My purpose in establishing the Killam Trusts is to
help in the building of Canada’s future by
encouraging advanced study. Thereby I hope, in
some measure, to increase the scientific and
scholastic attainments of Canadians, to develop and
expand the work of Canadian universities and to
promote sympathetic understanding between
Canadians and the peoples of other countries.”
From the Will of Dorothy J. Killam
The Killam Trusts are valued at about $400 million
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Institutions with a Killam Endowment
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Canada Council for the Arts
Dalhousie University
The Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill
The University of Alberta
The University of Calgary
The University of British Columbia
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Canada Council Killam Program
 funded by the revenues from an endowment of $57 million
(at 31 March, 2014)
 funds donated by Dorothy J. Killam in memory of her
husband, Izaak Walton Killam
 Killam Research Fellowships (KRF)
 Killam Prizes
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KILLAM RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
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Killam Research Fellowships (KRF)
 awarded for projects in humanities, social sciences,
natural sciences, health sciences or engineering, and for
interdisciplinary projects
 adjudicated by an expert 15-member multidisciplinary
selection committee of senior researchers from Canadian
universities
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Killam Research Fellowships (KRF)
Designed for established career scholars in Canadian universities,
primarily, who:
 have demonstrated outstanding research ability
 have published research through substantial publications in
their field over an extended period
 are Canadian citizens or permanent residents
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Killam Research Fellowships (KRF)
 worth $70,000 per year – a release-time award
 KRF must be for two years, with an interim report
required at the end of the first year
 to support a specific research project
 most recipients are full professors in Canadian
universities
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 “release-time” fellowships (full release from teaching and
administrative work for two years)
 applicants must describe administrative and teaching load
for current year, last year and next year (expected)
• name and number of courses
• number of class hours per course
• graduate/undergraduate level
• number of students per course
• supervision
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 most projects received are individual ones
 for a team or multidisciplinary project, the applicant’s
role must be the principal one and clearly defined
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Evaluation criteria
The project
The applicant
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The project
 scholarly significance
 creativity and originality, potential contribution to the
advancement of knowledge
 appropriateness and clarity of the theoretical approach,
formulation of hypotheses and statement of problems
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The project cont’d
 appropriateness of research plans and methods with respect to
the objectives of the project
 appropriateness of the proposed schedule of research;
accessibility of required data
 where applicable, social relevance or practical importance of
the project
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The applicant
 qualifications, track record and scholarly
achievements
 experience in areas related to the proposal
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The KRF application process
 all applications must be submitted via the Killam internet
application site and the Common CV site
 deadline: 15 May, 2015 for electronic application; supporting
documents with an original signature must be postmarked by the
deadline.
 NOTE: If this date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next
business day.
 No faxes or e-mailed documents will be accepted
 user names and passwords for the Killam site will be available:
killam@canadacouncil.ca
 you can request info at any time
 you can go to the Common CV site any time and begin to enter
your generic information
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Specified information is entered
into the Killam internet application site
and
into the Common CV site www.ccv-cvc.ca
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Common CV
 all KRF applicants must go to the Common CV site and
fill in all required elements (i.e. personal information,
education, recognitions, user profile, employment,
affiliations, leaves of absence, research funding history)
 the information will be transferred electronically to the
Killam Program by the Common CV
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For the Killam site, attached documents in Word or PDF (PDF is
preferred for accuracy of conversion and transmittal)
1. Project summary (up to one page - in a black font size of
11 points or larger, with ¾ inch margins)
2. Project description (up to six pages - in a black font size of
11 points or larger, with ¾ inch margins)
3. Five most significant contributions (one page total for all
five) and publications (from the start of your career;
include books, book chapters, refereed publications and
refereed conference proceedings only)
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Please note
 the project summary should be understandable by a highly
educated non-specialist
 the project description should be directed to the specialist
scholar, but aim to be understandable to the non-specialist
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Expert assessments
 applicants provide names of four expert referees (be careful
to avoid conflicts as indicated in the instructions to
applicants)
 Council reserves the right to seek additional Canadian and
international assessors
 all assessments are to be based on the evaluation criteria
 For second-time applications, different referees are to be
listed
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Documents to be sent by mail
Must be postmarked by May 15, 2015
from wherever you are in the world
1. the letter you print from the Killam site at the end of the
application process, with your original signature
2. proof of citizenship or permanent resident status
3. copies (40) of colour pages or photos (to ensure fidelity of
reproduction), if any, which are in your detailed project
description
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Tips and points to note
 your university research office must review, approve and
submit your application using the Killam internet application
site
 your university may require specific signatures before it will
submit
 check with your research office regarding its own internal
deadline (normally at least two weeks before KRF deadline of
15 May) and other requirements
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Other research support
 funds for research expenses must be obtained
elsewhere
 important to show current support for this and other
projects from SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR, etc. (part of
Common CV info)
 selection committee needs to know you have the
wherewithal to carry out the project.
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Scholarly awards
 part of Common CV info
 information assists in determining your stature within the
research community
 honourary society memberships in Canada and abroad
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Special conditions for Fellows also holding a
Canada Research Chair (CRC)
 the university must confirm that the Fellow has teaching
responsibilities from which to be released
 the Killam Program makes a $70,000 contribution towards
defraying replacement costs
 CRC pays other research expenses
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Canadians and permanent residents
 Canadians may use KRF wherever the research is carried
out
 permanent residents, must use KRF primarily in Canada
(brief trips outside Canada are ok)
 University must confirm permanent residents have an
ongoing position at the university
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Adjudication process
 first round in late September: sub-committees choose finalists
 second round in January: full committee chooses recipients
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Notification of results
 results are announced to recipients by
mid-February
 public announcement in March/April
 must begin Fellowship by 1 January, following notification, at the
latest
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The following documents must be received at Canada Council for
the Arts before payment is released:
1. interim and final reports from the Fellow
2. university statement confirming that the Fellow was released
from teaching and administrative duties and that the
university continued to pay the Fellow’s full salary and
benefits
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KILLAM PRIZES
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Killam Prizes
 five prizes awarded annually - $100,000 each
 health sciences, natural sciences, engineering,
humanities, social sciences
 for distinguished career contributions to one of these
fields
 must be nominated; may not apply for the prizes
 Killam Selection Committee also selects winners of Killam
Prizes
 nominee must be a Canadian citizen
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The nominator must provide the following
 completed, signed nomination form
 signed letter of nomination (one nominator)
 a brief description of the significant contributions to the
nominee’s research discipline
 a complete cv including a list of publications
 one-page biography (education, career path, research
achievements, honours/awards)
 field in which the nomination is made
Canada Council reserves the right to change this in order to ensure similar candidates are in
the same group
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The nominator must provide the following cont’d
 list of up to three experts, in Canada or abroad, who
will be providing letters of support (which are to be
included within the nomination package) - only letters of
support from the three experts listed in the nomination
form will be accepted
 the Canada Council reserves the right to request letters of
assessment from external evaluators
 confirmation of Canadian citizenship (e.g. photocopy of
main passport page)
 all nomination documents, including original signed letters
of support must be postmarked no later than
15 June, 2015
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Notification of results
 Prize recipients are notified by telephone by midFebruary
 nominators will be notified of the results, in writing, in
March
 news release in early April
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Other major prizes and awards
at the Canada Council for the Arts
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 in addition to its principal role of promoting and fostering
the arts, the Canada Council for the Arts administers and
awards many prizes and fellowships in the arts,
humanities, social sciences, natural and health sciences,
engineering, and arts management
 these prizes and fellowships recognize the achievements
of outstanding Canadian artists, scholars, and
administrators
 the Canada Council is committed to raising public
awareness and celebrating these exceptional people and
organizations on both a national and international level
 Please visit our website at
http://canadacouncil.ca/council/prizes
for a complete listing of these awards
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John G. Diefenbaker Award
 to allow a distinguished German scholar to come to a Canadian
university for up to one year to pursue a research project and
contribute to the intellectual life of Canada
 funded by a $1M endowment from the Government of Canada
 humanities and social sciences only
 host Canadian university nominates the scholar
 value of the award - up to $95,000
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Molson Prizes
 two prizes of $50,000 each are awarded annually to distinguished
Canadians, one in the arts and the other in the social sciences and
humanities
 funded from the income of a $1M endowment given to the Canada
Council by the Molson Family Foundation
 the Molson Prizes encourage Canadians honoured with this
distinction to continue contributing to the cultural and intellectual
heritage of Canada
 the Canada Council administers the awards in collaboration with the
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
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QUESTIONS?
Luiza Pereira, Program Officer, Prizes Section
E-mail: luiza.pereira@canadacouncil.ca
Phone: 1.800.263.5588 ext. 4086
--------------Financial and Program Assistant, Killam Program
E-mail: killam@canadacouncil.ca
Phone: 1.800.263.5588 ext. 4083
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