Seed Applied Research Program

The SARP program is funded through Saskatchewan Polytechnic's operating budget and is designed to encourage and support faculty engagement in applied research and scholarly activities.  

SARP funds may be used to cover operating costs associated with the early, pre-development stage of a research or scholarly idea that addresses a problem or need identified by a project partner.  
 
SARP projects require collaboration with an external project partner. Eligible project partners include industry and private-sector small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), not-for-profit and charitable organizations, other research institutions, hospitals or clinical settings, and government institutions. Project partners are expected to contribute resources and expertise collaboratively throughout the project. 

Applied research:

• Refers to the practical use of knowledge generated by the basic (pure, scientific) research community. It involves applying established theories, methodologies, techniques, and information in a systematic process to solve an immediate, real-world need. This may include adaptation and/or incremental value-added activities that help bridge existing knowledge and theories to their practical application.

Scholarship:

• Is a methodological approach to generating knowledge through intellectual inquiry. It encompasses the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge, including activities such as publication, presentation, professional practice, and other forms of knowledge transfer that contribute to the betterment of society. Grounded in Boyer's expanded definition of scholarship (1997), SARP funds will support projects that clearly demonstrate the principles of discovery, integration, application and teaching. Preference is given to the first three components, with an emphasis on contributions that enhance the student experience at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. 

SARP grants provide up to $6,000 per award. The term of the grant is one year, commencing July 1 and ending June 30 of the following year.

Applications will be reviewed by the Applied Research Review Committee (ARRC), a selection committee composed of Saskatchewan Polytechnic faculty members appointed on the recommendation of faculty Deans. Funding is awarded through a competitive process overseen by the ARRC. The ARRC works in collaboration with the Office of Applied Research and Innovation (OARI), which administers the SARP funds.  

The Seed Applied Research Program (SARP) is open to all of Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s academic units. Saskatchewan Polytechnic staff (non-research) who are interested in exploring an applied research idea are encouraged to apply, with faculty-led applications receiving the highest priority for support. SARP funds are not open to students or current research staff (e.g. research chairs). Student participation in SARP projects is strongly encouraged.  

Projects that represent a faculty member’s own research project, including work conducted as part of a graduate studies program or dissertation, are not eligible for SARP funding.  
 
SARP grants are awarded in support of projects and scholarly activities that align with the priority areas identified by Saskatchewan Polytechnic: 

• Agriculture & Biotechnology
• Aerospace & Defence and Dual-use technologies
• Construction
• Energy  
• Health & Human Services
• Manufacturing
• Mining & Minerals
• Oil & Gas 

Project eligibility will be assessed based on the strength of the implementation plan, including a clear timeframe, milestone schedule, and corresponding budget. Applications must clearly demonstrate the benefit the research provides the external partner. 
 
If the proposed project involves human participants or animals, please ensure that appropriate ethics approvals are in place prior to submission. See the Sask Polytech research ethics website or contact ethics@saskpolytech.ca if you are not sure if your proposed project requires ethics approval.  

SARP funds may be used for operating expenses associated with the pre-developing stage of a research or scholarly idea, within the context of addressing a problem or need identified by a project partner. Eligible expenses may include direct costs such as: 

• release time (Saskatchewan Polytechnic employees only)
• student salary expenses  
• purchase of materials and supplies
• rental of specialized equipment
• design of surveys and questionnaires  
• reasonable travel expenses, as per Saskatchewan Polytechnic’s Policies and Procedures, directly related to the project’s activities (excluding conferences)  
• proposal development and technical writing that support the creation of a larger project 

Applicants will be advised of the competition results in early June. For successful applicants, funds will be available for use beginning July 1 of the same calendar year. SARP award recipients will access their funds through the establishment of a project org, which will be set up under the financial responsibility of the applicant. OARI will coordinate the org set and will communicate the org details to the recipients within three weeks of the award notification. If a project requires ethics approval, the approved ethics certificate must be submitted to OARI before a project org can be issued. No funds may be accessed or used until valid ethics approval is in place.   

Project expenses must be incurred between July 1 and May 31. SARP award holders are responsible for adhering to year-end financial deadlines to ensure no over-expenditures occur within their project accounts.

SARP award recipients are required to submit brief midterm and final reports to OARI, summarizing the results and identifying potential future development opportunities. Recipients are also encouraged to deliver awareness presentations and/or workshops at Saskatchewan Polytechnic to share their research with the broader Saskatchewan Polytechnic community. 

Applicants must complete the electronic application form and submit it to their dean’s office. Their dean’s office will then submit the application to OARI on the applicant’s behalf.