Can you stack NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)?
Yes. NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) can be combined. They fund different things, so the trick is simple: apply to each separately and never claim the same dollar twice. Together they reach up to $100M in potential value.
NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
Canada's flagship innovation program. Funds salary costs for technical staff working on R&D projects that create or improve products, processes, or services.
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
Federal program for large innovation projects: R&D, expansion, technology adoption, attraction of investment, and ecosystem support. Targets projects with at least $20M in eligible costs, but smaller streams exist.
How to stack them
- 01Confirm you meet each program's eligibility on its own. NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) are assessed separately.
- 02Apply to each program through its own application. There is no combined form.
- 03Allocate distinct costs to each program. You cannot claim the same dollar of expense under both, but you can fund different parts of the same project.
- 04Track both deadlines and keep the paperwork separated, so each claim stands on its own.
Stacking rules vary by program and change over time. Confirm the current rules with each program, or take the quiz and we will flag the combinations you qualify for.