At Research Nova Scotia (RNS), we invest in research that drives discovery, innovation, and impact. Our definition of research is based on the internationally recognized OECD Frascati Manual (2015), which provides the global standard for identifying and measuring research and experimental development.
Type of Research Funded by RNS
We fund projects, equipment, infrastructure, and people through investments made to universities, the community college, health authorities, for-profit and non-profit organizations.
For RNS, ‘Research’ is the systematic pursuit of new knowledge, understanding or technology through the application of scientific methods. Its objective is to discover “knowledge that is repeatable and reusable, outside the context of its production, [and that] can be relied on in a broad variety of other endeavours”.[1]
All research seeking RNS support must possess five characteristics based on the OECD Frascati Manual (2015):
- Novel: The work must be aimed at new findings, producing new knowledge or insights. It must address unanswered questions, gaps, or unexplored applications. This excludes work such as that limited to jurisdictional scans, literature reviews, or the collation of existing material.
- Creative: The work must use original concepts, innovative methods or new interpretations. This excludes work such as that limited to the application of accepted methodologies, routine data processing, and quality control.
- Uncertain: The results or feasibility cannot be fully known in advance. This excludes work where an ability to answer the questions is assured; for example, engineering assessments, feasibility studies, or compliance testing (unless there is methodological development).
- Systematic: The work follows a planned and organized approach, with objectives, methods, procedures, data collection and analysis. This excludes trial-and-error, straightforward learning by doing, or projects with objectives limited to engaging with beneficiaries to understand needs.
- Transferable: The work must generate results that can be transferred to other situations or circumstances, to be adapted and built upon, so the work becomes part of broader understanding rather than a one-off achievement. This excludes one-time solution-finding tailored to a specific circumstance or client, and work without generalizable findings.
[1] Cartwright, N. et.al. 2023. The Tangle of Science: Reliability Beyond Method, Rigour, and Objectivity. Oxford University Press.
Ineligible Projects
The following types of work do not qualify for RNS funding under this definition, as they lack one or more of the five defining characteristics outlined above:
Routine or Repetitive Activities
- Literature searches or narrative reviews
- Evidence scans or evidence syntheses not conducted as part of a systematic research design
- Jurisdictional scans and environmental scans
- Data collection, surveys, or monitoring conducted without a new hypothesis or analytical objective
- Routine quality assurance or control testing
- Standard diagnostics, inspection, or maintenance
Commercial or Product Development Without Discovery
- Prototype construction or scaling-up that does not include a research component
- Engineering, design, or fabrication based solely on existing knowledge
- Marketing studies or customer testing intended for immediate commercial use
Policy or Program Evaluation Without a Research Element
- Administrative data analysis without a new theoretical or methodological approach
- Assessments or audits intended to evaluate performance rather than generate new understanding
Education, Training, or Public Engagement Activities
- Curriculum development, training sessions, and workshops not linked to a research objective
- Communication or outreach activities conducted after research completion (e.g., knowledge mobilization only)