Scientific Proposals
PIMS supports the mathematical sciences community by funding events and collaborations. We provide significant sponsorship for events in active areas of mathematical science research.
Types of activities supported
Proposals are welcome for funding for the following kinds of activities:
Call for Proposals
The following activities are funded through the annual PIMS Call for Proposals
- Conferences, Workshops and Summer Schools
- Mathematics for the Future - New this year
- Distinguished Visitors
- Collaborative Research Groups
- PIMS Research Networks
Special Programs and Considerations for 2025-2026
- Mathematics for the Future is a new PIMS program which emphasizes mathematics that will impact the future of humanity and the environment as well as ideas that will transform the future of the mathematical sciences and their applications (for example, automated theorem provers; applications of AI to mathematics research; the mathematics of quantum computing). We invite proposals in these areas (for example, climate change, infectious disease modelling, ethics in AI etc.) which combine incubator events, workshops, and summer schools. Please see Mathematics for the Future below for more details.
- ICM aligned events: The International Mathematical Union will host the ICM 2026 meeting in Philadelphia July 23-30, 2026 and is inviting applications for satellite conferences and other possible events. If you will be applying to the IMU for this designation for the proposal submitted here, please indicate so on the proposal submission form. PIMS will provide a letter of support for your application provided you select this option and your proposed activity is funded by PIMS. Please note, you must still apply directly to the IMU for satellite event designation.
Other Funding Opportunities
The following activities are not part of the annual call for proposals, please click on each activity below for deadlines and application details.
- Activities with Small Budgets
- Seminar Series
- Innovation Activities (involving industry and other non-academy partners)
- Education and outreach activities
- Student Mobility
Please note, all events funded by PIMS are required to adhere to the PIMS Code of Conduct.
Preparing and Submitting a Proposal
Submission Procedure
The following information is requested for all proposals:
| Title | A descriptive title for your proposed activity. |
| Fit to proposal type | A description of how your proposal satisfies the the specific requirements of the proposed activity type. |
| Proposed dates and locations | Summarize where and when the key components of your activity will take place. For recurring activities, you will be asked to provide evidence of continuing impact of funding this activity. |
| Field(s) of Research | Identify the field(s) of research associated with your proposal. Where possible, you will be asked to list the Mathematics Subject Classification Codes (MSC) associated with your proposal. |
| Proposed Budget | Provide an itemized budget for the entire amount requested and indicate other sources of funding and cost-sharing support (identifying confirmed sources). Please note that all expenditures are subject to the rules specified in the Tri-agency guide on financial administration. |
| Budget Justification | Justify each budget item and highlight any contributions from other sources towards support of the proposed research activities. If you also are applying for logistical support by PIMS central, please highlight this and supply details of the requested support. |
| Organizers | Provide a list of organizer(s) and their affiliations, highlighting any associations with PIMS Member universities. Please note, you must obtain explicit permission from all co-organizers before listing them as organizers on your proposal. |
| Scientific Objectives and Proposed Activities | Provide a high level summary of the activities in your proposal and their anticipated scientific impact. This should be written for a general scientific/mathematical audience. It should include details of how the proposed activity would benefit the PIMS network. You should also indicate any connections with other PIMS initiatives. |
| Equity Diversity and Inclusivity | Provide a brief summary of equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI) principals and practices used in the design of the proposed activity, as well as a summary of your implementation plans for them. This brief summary statement (recommended 1-2 paragraphs) should draw attention to EDI principals and practices which are present elsewhere in the proposal. Applicants are encouraged to consult the SSHRC-CRSH Best Practices document when designing the proposed activity. |
In addition to this information, you may upload a single PDF document in support of your proposal. After selecting the proposal type on the application form, additional instructions and requirements for that proposal type will be displayed to you. Please read these instructions carefully and include any additional requested information in your PDF document.
Criteria used for evaluation
Proposals are evaluated on:
- Scientific quality.
- Mathematical content.
- Feasibility and preparation.
- Strategic benefit to PIMS member universities.
- Equity, diversity and inclusivity.
Additional evaluation criteria may apply to specific proposed activity types. Please see the help provided on the proposal application form for details.
Some priority will be given to events that which take place at a PIMS site or in collaboration with our international partners. Successful activities will be evaluated with the above principles in mind, so applicants are encouraged to address these criteria directly.
We strongly encourage applicants to solicit feedback from their site directors, or PIMS central, where appropriate. Please note, all proposed events are expected to abide by the PIMS Code of Conduct.
Additional Instructions
Conferences, Workshops and Summer Schools
These activities are central to PIMS mandate. Proposals should address all of the points listed above and organizers should work to ensure diversity among their speakers. If you would like to propose a large event to be hosted by PIMS, please contact the PIMS central team for advice on how to do so.
Mathematics for the Future
Mathematic for the Future (MftF) is a new program for the 2025 call for proposals which encompasses a wide range of topics in the mathematical sciences. It focuses on mathematics that will impact the future of humanity and the environment (for example, the mathematics of climate change; the mathematics of infectious disease modeling; the ethics of artificial intelligence and big data, the intersections of mathematics and art), as well as ideas that will transform the future of the mathematical sciences and their applications (for example, automated theorem provers; applications of AI to mathematics research; the mathematics of quantum computing). We also welcome submissions on themes that introduce new areas where mathematics can provide transformative insights.
We invite proposals for three types of events (or combinations thereof):
- Incubators: One week small (at most 10 people) events bringing together researchers interested in a particular theme, possibly with varied disciplinary backgrounds
- Workshops: Week-long scientific workshops on a theme, with sessions highlighting developments in research, and ample unstructured time for participants to interact and collaborate. A possible framework is 16 one-hour sessions, with 4 sessions on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, with 2 sessions each on Wednesday and Friday morning, with Wednesday and Friday afternoons free for participant interactions.
- Summer Schools: One-to-two week long events which emphasize training early-career researchers and those new to a field in the main ideas and techniques
Mathematics for the Future is intended to initiate or support high risk research with potentially transformative impact on all areas of mathematics and their applications. Applications will be considered for any of these three types individually as well as their combinations.
Mathematics for the Future is intended to initiate or support high risk research with potentially transformative impact on all areas of mathematics and their applications. Applications will be considered for any of these three types individually as well as their combinations.
Distinguished Visitors
PIMS members may submit an application to invite and host a distinguished scientists to visit its member institutions for periods ranging from one week to a few months.
In addition to the above proposal requirements, applications for this program should contain:
- A 1-2 page abbreviated CV of the scientist.
- A description for the activities planned, such as public lectures, seminars, and research group meetings.
- Indications of how virtualization/remote access might be incorporated, including which lectures will be recorded or broadcast.
Innovation Activities (Industrial and other non-academy partners)
PIMS invites proposals to advance collaboration and the use of mathematics and statistics in industrial, government and other non-academy settings for innovation and technology development in Canada. These include joint academic/industrial conferences and workshops, industrial short courses, industrial problem solving workshops, job fairs, networking events and related to HQP development and training.
Collaborative Research Groups
PIMS Collaborative Research Groups are one of our flagship programs and typically involve a three year investment of $240,000. Applicants to this program will normally submit a letter of intent to the SRP and, if selected, will work closely with the PIMS Directorate to craft a full application. Please see the About CRGs page for details of the requirements and the CRG program page for an overview existing CRGs.
PIMS Research Networks
PIMS Research Networks (PRNs) are large scale collaborations between academic, industrial and public sector partners. These partnerships are intended to help the mathematical science community address grand challenges such as the ongoing climate emergency, sustainable resource management, resilience to future epidemics and fairness and justice in human society. Baseline support for each PRN is \$100,000 per year with PIMS matching up to \$50,000 per year in contributions from the PRN external partner. Please see the PRN application process page for details of the application process.
Activities with small budgets
Proposals to fund short term visitors, hot topic reaction events, and other small budget activities (except seminars and colloquia) may be submitted for consideration directly using this form for immediate consideration. This call is not meant to fund individual travel. Proposals may take up to six weeks to evaluate, so applicants are advised to submit applications at least six weeks in advance, and may request up to \$5000. For seminars and colloquia funding, please see the seminar section below.
PIMS Supported Seminars
Applications for PIMS supported seminars for the 2024 - 2025 academic year should be submitted, preferably before October 1st, 2024 via the seminar funding form. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by late October. We will consider later application if funding is still available.
Applications for Distinguished PIMS Seminar funding can be submitted through this process or through the SRP call. Seminar organizers are responsible for reporting on their use of funds at the end of their award.
Education and Outreach Activities
PIMS believes that training the next generation of mathematical scientists and promoting diversity within mathematics cannot begin too early. We welcome proposals aimed at creating opportunities for students to learn (Math Fairs, Math Mania, Summer Camps, Problem Solving Workshops, Hackathons), for teachers to improve their knowledge of mathematics, statistics and computer science and their capacity to teach (Teacher training workshops). PIMS welcomes proposals that address historical challenges faced by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. We encourage submissions with new ideas!
For more information, including deadlines and details of the application process. Please see the PIMS Education Call for Proposals.
PIMS Globalink Student Mobility Program
The PIMS Globalink program offers support for senior undergraduate and graduate students to conduct 12-24 week research programs at PIMS Member Universities or eligible universities and institutions in one of the Mitacs partner countries. Please see the PIMS Globalink Program page for more details and application instructions.
Activities in Statistics
PIMS encourages organizers of activities in statistics to also consider submitting proposals to CANSSI.