What is NRC IRAP — Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist)?
NRC IRAP — Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist) is delivered by National Research Council Canada as a grant. Funding is typically variable — part of $244.2M envelope. This page covers eligibility, intake status, and what an application actually requires.
At a glance
| Funding amount | Variable — part of $244.2M envelope |
|---|---|
| Cost share | Typically up to 50-80% of eligible costs (ITA-negotiated) |
| Level | Federal |
| Program type | Grant |
| Delivered by | National Research Council Canada |
| Available in | All provinces |
| Intake status | Open — rolling via ITA |
| Last verified | May 2026 |
Who qualifies
- Eligible industries: Defence, dual-use tech, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, advanced materials, communications, surveillance, AI
- Employee count: min 1, max 500
- Eligible activities: R&D on dual-use or defence-relevant technologies meeting Canadian Armed Forces capability needs. Must demonstrate both commercial viability AND defence relevance.
Watch out for
Over 500 employees; no defence or dual-use technology angle; non-incorporated; no commercial viability path; purely academic research
Deadlines & how to apply
Launched January 9, 2026 by Minister Joly. $244.2M envelope (starting in 2025-26). Route: if you already receive IRAP support, contact your ITA; new applicants start via 1-877-994-4727 or the NRC IRAP portal. Dual-use focus makes this a layer on top of Core IRAP, not a standalone. Continuous intake — no fixed application deadlines.
How NorthGrants helps with NRC IRAP — Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist)
Most business owners read about NRC IRAP — Defence Industry Assist (DI Assist), 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.