What is Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)?
Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) is delivered by NRC as a grant. Funding is typically up to $10M. This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Up to $10M |
|---|---|
| Cost share | 60–80% of eligible costs |
| Level | Federal |
| Program type | Grant |
| Delivered by | NRC |
| Available in | All provinces |
| Intake status | Open - Rolling |
| Last verified | 2026-08-24 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: Technology-driven industries
- Employee count: min 1, max 500
- Eligible activities: R&D of innovative products/services/processes; clean tech; youth hiring for R&D
Watch out for
Not incorporated; not for-profit; over 500 employees; no tech component; capital expenditures not covered
Deadlines & how to apply
Open and continuous, no deadlines. NRC page date modified Jan 8, 2026. Eligibility: incorporated, for-profit, operating in Canada, up to 500 FTE. Unlimited liability companies, LLCs, sole proprietorships, partnerships and cooperatives are NOT eligible. The model is advisory-first: call the contact centre (1-877-994-4727) to reach a Client Engagement Advisor, then an Industrial Technology Advisor. Funding is by INVITATION to submit a proposal and is not guaranteed; you cannot simply apply. NOTE: the current NRC page publishes no cost-share percentage and no dollar cap, so any specific figure quoted elsewhere is not sourceable. 2026 changes cut both ways: +$244.2M for the Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist) dual-use initiative across 2025-26 to 2027-28, against roughly $94M in Comprehensive Expenditure Review cuts at NRC that explicitly reduce the transfer-payment portfolio through end of 2026-27. WATCH ITEM: the planned merger of IRAP into the Canada Innovation Corporation remains nominally scheduled for no later than 2026-27.
How NorthGrants helps with Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP)
Most business owners read about Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP), see the funding amount, and stop. The hard part isn't finding the grant. It's building an application that actually wins.
NorthGrants builds the full application framework for you: a tailored project narrative aligned to this program's evaluation criteria, a budget structure that maps to eligible costs, and the supporting documentation checklist. You review it, refine the parts only you can write, and submit.