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Research Catalyst Grants

Co-creating research for sustainable, climate-resilient Indian cities

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The U of T India Foundation (UTIF) is providing seed funds to support collaborative research initiatives through a Call for Proposals. The University of Toronto (U of T) and UTIF are committed to the positive impact that universities can have through international partnerships and co-creation, and through this Call for Proposals are supporting new or existing collaborations that:

Objectives

Support research that advances the sustainability and climate resilience of Indian cities and city-regions, across areas such as housing, water, mobility, energy, livelihoods, infrastructure, planning, waste, and data-driven sustainability.

Impact

Generate evidence, insights, and practical solutions that can strengthen urban sustainability and climate resilience through recommendations, publications, capacity building, and applications in policy or practice.

Partnership Models

Foster equitable collaboration between U of T researchers and Indian academic, research, non-profit, or government partners to co-create impactful research, formalized through an agreement between UTIF and the Indian Partner.

RCG 2027–28: Timeline

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Webinar for India-based partners:

A webinar will be held for India-based organizations and partners on October 27, 2026, at 6:30 PM IST (9:00 AM EDT) focusing in part on forming partnerships with U of T PIs. U of T faculty may anticipate being approached between October 2026 and February 2027 by India-based partners who are interested in partnering on a proposal. While the webinar will provide overarching guidance on the process, the onus of identifying and engaging a U of T Co-PI rests with the Indian Partner. Given the competitive nature of the grant, Indian Partners are encouraged to initiate this process at the earliest. Registration for the webinar is at the link

Webinar registration

Full eligibility, funding rules, proposal requirements, and evaluation criteria are set out in the sections below.

1. A proposal must include at least one Co-Principal Investigator (PI) from U of T and at least one Co-Principal Investigator (co-PI) from an Indian partner organization.

 

2. The U of T Co-PI must meet the University’s definition of a Principal Investigator (PI) and must hold an appointment for the full duration of the grant’s funding period.   

 

3. The Indian Co-PI must be employed by the Indian partner organization. The partner organization could be a university, research center, NGO, civil society organization, foundation, or government body.  For-profit or industry Co-PIs are not eligible to act as Co-PIs or hold grant funds. The Indian research partner must be based in and operate in India.  

 

4. The application must include a letter of support on institutional letterhead signed by a designated signatory of the Indian partner organization that describes the Indian organization’s proposed involvement in the project; their desired outcomes and how these would contribute to their organization’s objectives; and a brief overview of the organization’s experience with financial management of grants.    

 

5. Both the U of T Co-PI and the Indian Co-PI must have demonstrated experience of working and/or engaging with the problem they aim to address in the research. 

We welcome proposals from a wide range of academic disciplines, and interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged but not required. Collaborative proposals that bring together researchers from various organizational sectors are also welcome. The proposal must clearly outline the urban sustainability and/or climate resilience issue that it wishes to address and demonstrate a need/rationale for investigating the problem.

1. The proposal must demonstrate an equitable partnership between the Indian and U of T researchers in designing and undertaking the project, where each co-PI contributes equally and equitably to the research.  

 

2. Proposals that demonstrate additional committed funding or potential for additional funding are encouraged but not required. 

 

3. The proposal must outline measurable outputs, which could include peer-reviewed publications; knowledge translation, capacity-building, and dissemination; spatial or design-based interventions; policy briefs or white papers; or technological products/design prototypes.   

 

4. Proposals must comply with U of T’s policies on ethics, health, safety, and international travel, and with U of T and UTIF financial policies.  in the research.  

Grant funds will be awarded by UTIF to the successful Indian Co-PI’s organization of employment in Indian rupees (INR). This is a non-FCRA grant, and Indian organizations are not required to have FCRA registration to receive this grant.

Funds will not be transferred to individual co-PIs or other team members. Between 8 to 10 successful proposals will be selected for support valued between INR 9 lakhs to 15 lakhs or approximately CAD $15,000 and CAD $25,000), to be used between April 2027-March 2028.

The grant will be disbursed in tranches. The Indian partner organization will be expected to fund reasonable costs associated with the U of T PI’s economy-level travel using the disbursed funds, and travel arrangements will be made using India-based travel agencies. Grant funds cannot be used to cover any expenses incurred outside of India.

The proposed project budget should be submitted using the itemized budget sheet (links to templates below), incorporating eligible costs only:

All grant applications must be submitted through https://forms.gle/TEz1JzrXo9AjoSBL9 by the indicated deadline as per the following guidelines:

1. The application must include two files:         
– Single .pdf file with your research proposal; CVs of all principal investigators; and a letter of support from Indian Partner Organization 
– Budget sheet as an independent .xlxs file. 

   

2. Applications must be in English only and must use the prescribed templates provided. 

3. Files must be named as “Application P1 Name PI2 Name” and “Budget PI1 Name PI2 Name) at submission.   

4. Links to the application form and the budget template can be found at the end of this page.   

The full proposal must include the following elements (outlined in the template): 

Initiative Overview: Brief overview of the proposed initiative; Co-PIs’ titles and organizations of employment and an Initiative Description that includes:   

 

Background and rationale: In plain language, suitable for public use, describe the research question, goals, and anticipated contribution of this initiative (150 words).  

 

Methodology/activity plan: This section should detail the methodology/research approach/activities; sampling and/or participant mobilization strategy; data storage; analysis strategy; and dissemination plan. Where applicable, proposals should also provide information on participant’s confidentiality/data privacy and ethical compliance (max. 1,000 words). 

 

Outputs and Potential Impact: This section should outline proposed outputs (publications; knowledge translation, capacity-building, and dissemination; spatial or design-based interventions; policy briefs or white papers; or technological products/design prototypes.) In addition, this section should also describe anticipated impact aligned with the grant’s focus of fostering sustainable and/or climate resilient Indian cities (300 words).  

 

Collaborative Team (300 words): Describe the roles, responsibilities, and contributions of the co-PIs, as well as any other key participants. All applications must also include the following documents as a part of the final submission:     

        – An abbreviated Curriculum Vitae (5 pages max) for the Indian and U of T PIs

        – A signed letter of support on organizational letterhead for the Indian partner organization.  

Curriculum Vitae and letters of support are not included in the word-count-limit.   

 

Project Sustainability (300 words): The sustainability of the project will be considered, although it is not a mandatory requirement for proposals. List any sources of external funding that the research team holds or intends to apply for to sustain and build upon the research with a focus on upscaling/cross-adaptation. Describe the potential for long-term sustainability or scaling-up of the project.  

 

Proposed Timeline: A project timeline that outlines project activities; travel, if any; and key project milestones.   

 

Budget: The amount of funding requested for the project duration, including a breakdown of the activities and amounts requested using the budget sheet template provided. 

1. Partnership (equitable and equal nature of the collaboration, team member expertise and complementary skills, implementation capacity) 

 

2. Clarity, relevance, and focus of research problem (innovation/critical thinking, relevance to the theme, and justification) 

 

3. Potential impact and outcomes of the project 

 

4. Research approach (study design, rigor, ethics, analysis plan, participant mobilization/ engagement strategy, and feasibility) 

 

5. Timeline and workplan (clear milestones and appropriate budget projections) 

 

6. Advantageous, but not a required criterion: Proposals that can demonstrate potential for long-term sustainability and scalability of the project are particularly encouraged. 

The peer review committee will select 8 - 10 proposals for funding. Results will be announced via email to all applicants.

All awardees must, as a condition of receiving an award, submit project progress reports six- and nine months after commencement of the grant, followed by a final report within two months of grant closure describing the outcomes, impact, and opportunities for future collaboration that evolved from the initiative.

Questions regarding this Call for Proposals can be directed to: catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com

Application Template

Budget Sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

The grant funding will be in INR and will be awarded to the Indian Partner Organization.  

The grant application requires a collaboration between an Indian Partner Organization and a U of T faculty member, so applicants are encouraged to allow adequate time to establish these connections.  
Please note that we cannot guarantee the identification or engagement of a U of T Co-PI. All queries can be directed to catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com 

Multidisciplinary and collaborative proposals from researchers across different institutions are welcome, as long as lead applicants meets eligibility requirements (at least one Not-for-Profit Indian partner and one U of T Co-PI). Individuals who are not affiliated with Indian partner organizations or U of T should be listed as consultants. 

A U of T faculty member can be listed as a co-PI on multiple grant applications. However, the U of T faculty member can be a C o-PI on a maximum of two awarded grants in the same grant cycle.

No. Indian co-PIs can be from community-based organizations and other diverse not-for-profit entities, including academic institutions and government bodies. 

Indian co-PIs must be working full-time with the Indian partner organization and must have experience working on the proposal’s core thematic area. An Indian co-PI from non-academic institutions would need to have project- and team management skills. While research experience is highly desirable for Indian co-PIs, Indian co-PIs with demonstrated experience of managing and implementing projects; technical expertise of the issue in Indian contexts; and/or field experience will be considered equally to academic research experience.

This round of the Catalyst grant is only open to not-for-profit entities and academic institutions.  

PIs and organizations may submit up to two applications for this call. However, the applications must be distinct and should focus on different thematic areas and/or different research questions.

Please submit the revised application on the submission link and indicate “Revised Application of Interest” followed by your project title in the “project title” field. Further, please indicate the application and budget files as “revised” in your new submission. Only revisions received within the deadline will be considered for review.    
 

Only applications indicated as “revised” will be considered for review. If your email does not indicate an application as “revised”, then the original submitted application will be considered for review. Please refer to the call for proposals for more details. 

Yes, you can apply for funding for ongoing research projects, as long as the proposed project aligns with the objectives of the grant call and requested funds would be used to cover costs/research activities that are not budgeted in the original research. 

If your research involves human subjects, animals, and/or sensitive data, you may be required to submit ethical approval or Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval prior to initiating any project work, if you are awarded the grant.  
  

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered. We recommend submitting your application well in advance to avoid last-minute technical or logistical issues.  

Please direct all your queries to catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com. Please allow up to 5 working days for response. 

Please email catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com and request to be added to our mailing list. You can also share a short profile of your/your organization’s work and request for a connect. Our team will add you to our mailing list, and if requested, will connect with you shortly for a conversation on our larger work.    

Contact

For any questions about the Research Catalyst Grants: catalystgrant@uoftindiafoundation.com

Past & Current Projects

Investigator(s): Dr. Jim Slotta  

 

Indian Partner(s): Charans’ Public School  

 

Study Site(s): Bengaluru  

 

Project Brief: 
The project establishes a multimodal makerspace, the Critical Action Learning Lab, where students explore socio-environmental and urban issues through embodied learning and collective inquiry. Using approaches such as critical making, storytelling, community engagement and arts-based action, the research examines how learning environments can enable students to engage critically with challenges related to urbanisation. 

Investigator(s): Dr. Jayeeta Sharma  

 

Indian Partner(s): The Thanal Trust, The Women’s Collective 

 

Study Site(s): Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala

  

Project Brief: 
The project explores heirloom rice, seed conservation and sustainable food and farming practices through community-based networks working to advance local food sovereignty. It seeks to document and mobilise grassroots knowledge while strengthening evidence-based approaches to sustainable food systems and building stronger urban-rural and local-global connections around food and farming.  

 

Investigator(s): Dr. David Meyer  

 

Indian Partner(s): Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO); XIM University  

 

Study Site(s): Odisha, with a focus on Puri  

 

Project Brief: 
The project investigates the hydraulic and governance factors behind Odisha’s successful transition to continuous piped water supply under the Drink from Tap initiative. Focusing on Puri as a leading example, the research seeks to understand what enabled the model to succeed and what lessons could support replication in other Indian cities.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Andrea Duncan  

 

Indian Partner(s): Amar Seva Sangham  

 

Study Site(s): India  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how pediatric walkers can be made more affordable, accessible and appropriate for children with disabilities in India. Working with Amar Seva Sangham, the research considers design factors such as weight, durability and low-cost materials alongside social factors including stigma and accessibility, with the aim of developing a blueprint for a new low-cost pediatric walker.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Naomi Adiv  

 

Indian Partner(s): Hyderabad Urban Lab (HUL)  

 

Study Site(s): Hyderabad  

 

Project Brief: 
The project evaluates sites supported through Hyderabad Urban Lab’s i’Local contest to understand how placemaking can improve underused urban spaces. Using spatial ethnography, including behaviour mapping, interviews, photography and city walks, the research aims to develop practical approaches that local governance agencies can use to strengthen community safety and wellbeing.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Prakash Kashwan (Brandeis University), Dr. Praneeta Mudaliar (University of Toronto Mississauga), Dr. Sneha Thapliyal (National Law School of India University), Dr. Chandra Prakash Morya (University of Rajasthan)  

 

Indian Partner(s): National Law School of India University (NLSIU)  

 

Study Site(s): Bengaluru and Jaipur  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how green and blue spaces can help mitigate urban heat in Bengaluru and Jaipur, while exploring inequalities in access to their cooling benefits. Combining geospatial analysis with household surveys and stakeholder engagement, the research aims to inform more equitable, climate-responsive urban planning and heat mitigation policies.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Nusrat Jahan Mim (University of Toronto), Dr. Prajna Upadhyay (BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus) 

 

Indian Partner(s): BITS Pilani 

 

Study Site(s): Kumartuli, Kolkata  

 

Project Brief: 
The project explores how digital tools can support the livelihoods and cultural knowledge of Kumartuli’s hereditary idol-makers, who face rising costs, declining apprenticeships and limited access to emerging technologies. Through ethnographic co-design, the researchers are developing culturally grounded AI tools to support artisans in financial management, design exploration and digital archiving.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Nidhi Subramanyam (University of Toronto), Ami Misra, Mahima Sharda, Rukmini Banerjee and Rupsha Mitra (Dasra)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Dasra  

 

Study Site(s): Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and South Goa, including Margao and adjoining peri-urban areas  

 

Project Brief: 
The project investigates how informal waste workers are recognised, protected and included within different municipal solid waste systems. Drawing on case studies across Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar and South Goa, the research examines how governance models, contracting arrangements and intermediary organisations shape workers’ livelihoods, risks and pathways to formal inclusion.  

 

Investigator(s): Tamer El-Diraby (University of Toronto), Debayan Gupta (Ashoka University)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Ashoka University  

 

Study Site(s): Guwahati  

 

Project Brief: 
The project is developing a digital twin of Guwahati to help planners better understand and respond to challenges such as flooding, infrastructure pressures and climate risk. By integrating urban, drainage, satellite and other datasets into a virtual city model, the platform can support simulations of different planning and policy interventions.  

Investigator(s): Bharath Kumar Tirupakuzhi Vijayaraghavan, Neill Adhikari  

 

Indian Partner(s): Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation; The George Institute for Global Health  

 

Study Site(s): Multi-site clinical trial in India  

 

Project Brief: 
The project is a pilot feasibility trial evaluating two doses of dexamethasone in patients hospitalised with dengue. The study is designed to establish the feasibility of conducting the trial across multiple clinical sites and build evidence to inform subsequent research on the treatment of hospitalised dengue patients.  

Investigator(s): Sukanya Poddar (Committed Communities Development Trust), Prof. Cindy-Lee Dennis (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Committed Communities Development Trust (CCDT)  

 

Study Site(s): Vikramgad Taluka, Palghar District, Maharashtra  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how extreme heat affects pregnant and postpartum women and newborns in underserved communities in Palghar. Using a mixed-methods approach, it will assess heat exposure, maternal and neonatal health outcomes, healthcare access and community coping practices, generating evidence to inform climate-sensitive health planning and targeted interventions.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Shelly Kulshrestha (The Urban Lab Foundation), Prof. Ignacio Tiznado Aitken (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): The Urban Lab Foundation (TUL)  

 

Study Site(s): Five low-income settlements in Ahmedabad, Gujarat  

 

Project Brief: 
The project investigates transport poverty and climate vulnerability in Ahmedabad’s low-income communities, where high mobility costs and limited access to reliable transport can restrict access to jobs, healthcare and education. Combining household surveys, spatial analysis and community engagement, the study will generate evidence to support more equitable, accessible and low-carbon urban mobility planning.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Animesh Kumar Sahoo (IIT Dharwad), Prof. Georgia Pierrou (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad  

 

Study Site(s): Dharwad and Bengaluru, Karnataka  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how rapidly growing rooftop solar systems can be safely and reliably integrated into urban electricity grids. Using simulation, modelling and field data, the research will assess challenges such as voltage fluctuations, reverse power flows and grid instability, while testing solutions including advanced inverter controls, voltage regulation and energy storage.  

Investigator(s): Roshni Nuggehalli (YUVA), Prof. David Roberts (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA)  

 

Study Site(s): Akola and Nagpur, Maharashtra  

 

Project Brief: 
The project seeks to bring the experiences and vulnerabilities of informal workers into city climate action planning in Akola and Nagpur. Through participatory research, vulnerability assessments and ward-level mapping, it will identify climate risks facing workers such as street vendors, domestic workers and construction labourers, and translate these findings into practical planning tools.  

Investigator(s): Domnik Kini (Dharavi Koli Jamat Trust), Kareena Kochery (urbz), Prof. Aditi Mehta (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Dharavi Koli Jamat Trust; urbz 

 

Study Site(s): Dharavi, Mumbai  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how Dharavi residents use community media and local information networks to understand and respond to environmental challenges. Through participatory and ethnographic research, it will map platforms, information flows and audience practices, while informing the revival of dharavi.org as a community-led digital information hub supporting participation in planning and environmental decision-making.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Chandana N (IIT Jodhpur), Prof. Amy M. Bilton (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur  

 

Study Site(s): Jodhpur, Rajasthan and Mumbai, Maharashtra  

 

Project Brief: 
The project develops a sensor-based approach to identify how contamination from sanitation and waste infrastructure moves through urban water systems. Combining real-time sensor data with laboratory analysis, the research will map pollutant pathways and sources, helping municipalities strengthen monitoring, risk management and evidence-based planning for more resilient water and sanitation infrastructure.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Anusha S. Basavaraj (IIT Jodhpur), Prof. Daman Panesar (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur  

 

Study Site(s): IIT Jodhpur campus, Rajasthan  

 

Project Brief: 
The project develops a climate-resilient life cycle assessment framework for construction materials in Rajasthan’s hot-arid conditions. Using IIT Jodhpur as a living laboratory, it will compare conventional concrete, low-carbon alternatives and local sandstone across embodied carbon, durability, service life and thermal performance to support more climate-responsive material selection.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Harshad Kulkarni (IIT Mandi), Prof. Nidhi Subramanyam (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): Indian Institute of Technology Mandi  

 

Study Site(s): Mandi and Manali, Himachal Pradesh  

 

Project Brief: 
The project examines how traditional community-managed water sources and municipal networks interact in rapidly urbanising Himalayan towns. Combining water quality assessment, infrastructure mapping and governance analysis, it will identify service gaps, contamination risks and inequalities, while developing strategies to better integrate traditional and formal systems into climate-resilient urban water planning.  

Investigator(s): Dr. S. Irudaya Rajan (International Institute of Migration and Development), Prof. Michelle Buckley (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): International Institute of Migration and Development  

 

Study Site(s): Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram  

 

Project Brief: 
The project compares how air pollution affects older adults across three cities with different pollution levels and urban contexts. Combining surveys, focus groups and spatial analysis, it will examine how environmental exposure, health sensitivity, neighbourhood conditions and access to resources shape vulnerability, and develop an Elderly Air Vulnerability Index to identify high-risk populations.  

Investigator(s): Dr. Veena Srinivasan (WELL Labs), Prof. Richard Taylor (University of Toronto)  

 

Indian Partner(s): WELL Labs, IFMR  

 

Study Site(s): Bengaluru, Karnataka  

 

Project Brief: 
The project addresses Bengaluru’s groundwater crisis by developing a clearer scientific understanding of the city’s shallow aquifers. Combining well surveys, borewell driller knowledge and real-time utility sensor data, it will map groundwater systems across five watersheds and support more effective planning of recharge structures and long-term urban water security.