Project Criteria

• CLL Projects must embody the essence of a ‘living lab’; in that they have to support on-campus applied research and innovation. At UBC, this definition covers a broad spectrum, including large-scale innovative projects, academic-industry partnerships advancing new technologies, applied research programs, and infrastructure supporting academic and operational benefits. Proposals must describe how the project demonstrates innovation in its own way. 
• Innovations in research application will also be considered, such as a new area of study, new data capture mechanism, and new research methodology.

Eligibility

• Each CLL Fund Competition application must include designated Project Leads, consisting of at least one UBC faculty member and one UBC operational staff member.
• An additional Project Lead may be included and could be an additional UBC faculty member, a UBC Post-doctoral Fellow, an additional UBC operational staff member, or a UBC non-operational staff member. Other members other than the Project Leads may be included in the Project Team.
• Funding may be used to cover expenses related to the implementation of on-ground demonstration, including purchase and rental of equipment and materials, site preparation expenses, and contractor fees.
• Up to a maximum of 30% of the total funding requested can be used for hiring UBC students, or for covering project-specific staff costs.
• Project activities must align with UBC’s fiscal year (April-March), but extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
• Activities outside of the scope of on-campus demonstration are not eligible for funding.

Funding Amount

• The maximum amount of funding that can be requested for each project is $50,000.
• Proposals are encouraged for projects that seek to use this award as seed funding towards a larger project, or to fund one or more components of a larger project.

Priority Areas 

The project must demonstrate measurable, scalable and meaningful impact in certain priority areas, which are selected each year to align with UBC strategic priorities., The priority areas for the 2022 CLL Competition are listed below. 

1. Climate Action: Demonstration of innovation that seeks to combat climate change, through measures such as the reduction of GHG emissions, non-renewable materials usage, energy consumption, waste generation, etc. or seeks to advance adaptation to the impacts of climate change, such as heat waves or floods, etc.
    
2. Resilient Systems: Demonstration of innovation in physical or social systems that seeks to strengthen their capacity to withstand and adapt to paradigm-altering shocks, such as climate change, global pandemics, natural disasters, automation and job loss, etc. 
    
3. Sustainable Places and Communities: Demonstration of innovation in the design, organization or operation of spaces, infrastructure or transportation systems that seeks to enhance their environmental or social sustainability, making them greener, safer, more accessible and inclusive for all members of the UBC community. 
    
4. Health & Wellbeing: Demonstration of innovation in physical or social infrastructure and systems, which seeks to enhance the physical, mental or emotional health and wellbeing of the UBC community, including students, staff, faculty, neighborhood residents, children, etc. 

Applicants are encouraged to review the UBC Strategic Plan and other relevant UBC policies, like UBC Climate Action Plan 2030 or the UBC Indigenous Strategic Plan, to illustrate how their project aligns with the objectives laid out in these plans.

Other things to keep in mind

Collaborative, Inclusive Approach

Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop collaborative proposals that include the beneficiaries as stakeholders in designing and developing the project. Preference will be given to projects that integrate equity, diversity and inclusion, for such things as in team composition, project design, development and execution, or use of the results or outcomes from the work.

Please refer to UBC’s Equity & Inclusion Office resources for a broader understanding and definition of these issues in the context of UBC. We also encourage applications that integrate Indigenous engagement and are reflective of UBC’s Indigenous Strategic Plan.

Collaborations with external partners are encouraged, but not required. 

Research Excellence 

Projects should contribute to achieving the academic goals of the University, as stated in the UBC Strategic Plan, through advancing important areas of academic research or contributing new insight to a body of learning.  

Operational Benefits

Preference will be given to projects that use innovations and research outcomes to improve institutional operations at UBC Vancouver. The proposal must explain how the project will lead to advancement towards policy targets or improvements to educational, social or physical systems and capabilities.