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Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF)
Timeline and Internal Process for Declaring Infrastructure Operational
Responsibilities and Eligibility of Expenses under the IOF Program
VPRI Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF)

Many CFI programs (i.e., IF and JELF) are eligible for financial support for the operation and maintenance of the CFI-funded infrastructure. The Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF) provides an additional 30% on top of the CFI award. This funding is awarded to and managed by the institution and available once the infrastructure is operational.

80% of IOF funds generated by each project will be directed to an account under the control of the respective CFI project leader. The remaining 20% will be allocated to a central fund to be used for exceptional and strategic infrastructure support.

´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s IOF allocation model enhances the consistency, flexibility, and strategic management of IOF funds to improving support for CFI-funded infrastructure while streamlining administration and mitigating risks.

Timeline and Internal Process for Declaring Infrastructure Operational

Each May, the Institutional Strategic Awards (ISA) office will send an email prompting Project Leaders (PLs) to declare the operational status of their CFI-funded infrastructure.

Steps to Declare Operational:

1. Log into CAMS: PLs must log into the CFI Award Management System (CAMS) to formally declare the operational status of their project.
2. Submit a Progress Report (if operational): If the infrastructure is declared operational, the PL will be required to complete and submit a Progress Report in CAMS.
3. IOF Fund Setup: Following declaration and report submission, the VPRI Finance team will contact PLs with details regarding the set-up of their Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF). Please note accounts will be opened with start dates of July 1 or January 1 with a five-year spending time limit.

Criteria for Declaring Infrastructure Operational:

Your infrastructure can be declared operational if one or more of the following criteria are met:

• Some (even if not all) infrastructure has arrived and been set up.
• Some components of the infrastructure are operational and being used for research.
• Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) are using the infrastructure for research activities.
• The project has produced initial research outputs, such as:
  • Publications, reports, or presentations
  • Data, technologies, or software
  • Intellectual property (IP)
  • Policy
  • Training of HQP
  • Community engagement or outreach
  • Tangible community-focused products

Alternatively, the project will automatically receive operational status upon submission of the Final Financial Report (FFR). The IOF account will be opened (with a July 1 or January 1 start date and five-year spending time limit) following FFR submission, or when the PL advises that the project is operational via CAMS, whichever is earlier.

Responsibilities and Eligibility of Expenses under the IOF Program

All expenses submitted under the Infrastructure Operating Fund (IOF) are reviewed for eligibility by Research Accounting. However, it is the responsibility of Project Leaders (PLs) to ensure full compliance with CFI policies and requirements. This includes:

• Ensuring all submitted expenses are eligible under CFI guidelines
• Maintaining clear, complete, and accurate supporting documentation for all expenses
• Meeting all applicable spending deadlines
• Ensure that personnel certification forms are submitted before payment

IOF Costs

All costs must be directly related to the operation and maintenance of CFI-funded infrastructure.

For complete eligibility details, please refer to the .

Eligible costs may include salaries and benefits for technicians or professionals, training, extended warranties, service contracts, and software licence extensions, maintenance, repairs, and replacement parts/items, supplies and consumables.

Ineligible costs may include purchase or lease of real property, costs deemed eligible under an infrastructure award, infrastructure upgrades, telephone, internet and cable or satellite television services, trainee stipends and researcher salaries, administrative, secretarial or clerical personnel, any cost to conduct research activities, promotion, publications, or conferences.

Personnel Requirements

Only technicians and professionals directly involved in and essential to the operation and maintenance of CFI-funded infrastructure are eligible for support through the IOF. Key requirements include:

• must be completed for all IOF-funded personnel and submitted to Research Accounting at christopher_claiter@sfu.ca.
• Salaries must be specifically for O&M-related duties and must be processed as a separate salary appointment distinct from any regular salary, stipend, or honorarium, reflecting only the O&M-related portion.
• Full salary of the assigned personnel may be eligible if the infrastructure cannot be operated without their assistance.

If you have questions about this program, please contact cfi@sfu.ca.

VPRI Infrastructure Support Fund (ISF)

In certain exceptional cases, such as when a CFI-funded project can demonstrate higher-than-normal O&M requirements or in an emergency, VPRI Infrastructure Support Funds may be approved on a case-by-case basis. VPRI Infrastructure Support Funds are for exceptional and strategic needs only and availability is not guaranteed.

Eligibility Notice

This emergency fund supports only infrastructure that: 1) was purchased, constructed, or substantially upgraded with Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) funding; and 2) is administered by or physically housed at ´óÏó´«Ã½ (including partner sites named in the CFI award). Infrastructure funded solely by other sources is ineligible for funding.

To be eligible to apply for the ISF, all of the following must apply:

• Funds are for the operation and maintenance of CFI-funded infrastructure.
• Costs align with CFI O&M guidelines for eligible expenses.
• Project is declared operational in CAMS.
• IOF funds have been fully utilized or encumbered.
• The infrastructure is housed at ´óÏó´«Ã½ or at a non-CFI eligible partner (e.g., community group, registered charity, not-for-profit organization).
• The project has been operational for 5 years or less.

1. Emergency Funding

For the purposes of the ISF, emergencies are defined as unforeseen and unpreventable situations that require urgent funding to ensure the continuity of critical research activities. This does not include situations that arise due to inadequate planning, delayed action, or poor budgeting. Specific examples of emergency situations include:

• Failure of a chilled‑water pump critical to an MRI suite
• Replacement of control PC that halted beam‑line operation
• HVAC failure jeopardizing cell‑culture facility

The maximum request is $20,000. Awards above this amount will only be made in extraordinary circumstances.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate that all other reasonable funding sources have been actively explored and either fully utilized or confirmed to be unavailable. This includes grant funding, start-up funds, and contributions from the Department, School, or Faculty. The ISF is intended to support urgent infrastructure needs when no other viable funding sources remain. Proposals that do not reflect a good faith effort to identify and use other available funds may not be considered. The ISF must not be used as a replacement for existing funds or as a means to preserve other resources for future use. If alternative funding or cost-sharing is available, applicants are required to provide specific details on the source(s), amounts, and any confirmed or proposed cost-sharing arrangements. Applications that include meaningful cost-sharing will be viewed more favorably.

Application Process

Given that these funds are for emergency use, applications are accepted at any time. The application form is being developed and will be available via Kuali Build shortly. Your request will be automatically routed for review by the CFI team and the Executive Director of Research Operations (EDRO), with decisions made by the Associate Vice-President, Research (AVPR). We aim to respond within ~5 business days. If you have an urgent request in the meantime, please email cfi@sfu.ca.

2. O&M-Intensive Infrastructure

This category refers to complex, highly technical, specialized and/or custom-built infrastructure that demands significantly greater operational support than standard research platforms. These systems typically require ongoing maintenance, specialized technician time, warranty and service contracts, environmental controls, and continuous monitoring—without which the infrastructure cannot function effectively. Examples include:

• Automated greenhouses and climate-controlled growth chambers used in plant and soil research require precise environmental regulation (temperature, humidity, lighting, COâ‚‚), along, with routine sensor calibration and mechanical maintenance to ensure experimental consistency and reproducibility.
• Biocontainment laboratories (CL3/CL4) and population biobanks rely on specialized air handling systems, biosafety infrastructure, ultra-low temperature storage or liquid nitrogen tanks, backup power, environmental alarms, and trained personnel to maintain sample integrity, containment, and regulatory compliance.
• High-performance computing clusters and data centres—including those supporting high-energy physics or climate research—require 24/7 system monitoring, liquid or immersion cooling, technician oversight, and robust power and storage systems to deliver sustained, reliable performance.

The O&M needs of projects will be evaluated by the ISA in consultation with the PL during (1) proposal development, (2) award finalization, and (3) the end of the capital phase. Projects are categorized based on their likeliness to require additional IOF funding and projects with justifiably high needs will be invited to apply.

Support will generally scale according to the CFI allocation and may include in-kind personnel time from the VPRI portfolio to support cost-recovery activities. Evaluation by the EDRO and AVPR will consider the number of HQP supported/affected, availability of alternative ´óÏó´«Ã½ infrastructure, cost-sharing arrangement, overall O&M budget and long-term sustainability plan, and broader impact (research outputs, collaborations, talent retention/training). For more information please contact cfi@sfu.ca.

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