CFAs: Microbiome Innovations for New Therapies Grant (Canada)

Deadline: 30-Oct-2026

The Weston Family Foundation’s Microbiome Innovations for New Therapies (MINT) program supports translational research projects developing microbiome-based interventions for chronic diseases in Canada. Stage I provides up to $500,000 over 30 months, while successful projects may compete for up to $2 million over 36 months through Stage II funding to advance promising interventions toward clinical implementation and commercial readiness.

About the MINT Program

The Microbiome Innovations for New Therapies (MINT) program was launched by the Weston Family Foundation to accelerate the development of microbiome-based research into clinically effective therapies for chronic diseases affecting Canadians. The program builds on nearly a decade of investment in microbiome science and aims to strengthen the pathway between laboratory discoveries and real-world clinical applications. MINT supports innovative translational research projects that can move microbiome-based interventions closer to clinical use, adoption, and, where appropriate, commercial or partnership-based scale. What Does MINT Support? MINT supports early- to mid-stage translational research projects focused on microbiome-based interventions.

Projects should aim to:

- Develop microbiome-based interventions. - Validate promising microbiome-based interventions. - Treat or prevent disease. - Enhance therapeutic responses. - Reduce scientific and translational risks. - Advance interventions toward clinical implementation. - Build potential for adoption and scale. - Support commercial or partnership-based development where appropriate. Projects must demonstrate a credible pathway from scientific rationale through to potential clinical implementation. Staged Translational Funding Pathway MINT uses a staged funding approach to help researchers progressively advance microbiome-based interventions.

The program includes:

- Stage I: Early- to mid-stage translational research and de-risking.

- Stage II: Further development of promising interventions with strong clinical and commercial potential.

Projects must successfully complete Stage I before they can apply competitively for Stage II funding. Stage I Funding Up to 18 Stage I projects are eligible for funding through this call.

Each selected project can receive:

- Up to $500,000. - Maximum project duration of 30 months. Stage I is intended to help researchers de-risk microbiome-based interventions and generate the evidence needed to move promising approaches closer to clinical implementation. Stage II Funding Successful Stage I projects may apply for competitive Stage II funding.

Stage II provides:

- Up to $2,000,000. - Up to 36 months of funding. Stage II is intended to further advance interventions that demonstrate strong potential for clinical implementation and commercial readiness. Stage II funding is competitive and is not automatically awarded following completion of Stage I. Milestone-Driven Funding MINT grants are milestone-driven. This approach allows project progress to be assessed against defined development milestones as researchers advance their microbiome-based interventions. The milestone structure is intended to help ensure that funded research continues to demonstrate meaningful translational progress. Mentorship and Expert Support Funded projects receive regular mentorship from experts who can help researchers navigate the development process.

Mentorship can involve experts in:

- Industry. - Regulatory matters. - Clinical development. This support is intended to help researchers strengthen project development, address translational challenges, and increase the potential for real-world impact. Focus on Chronic Disease MINT focuses on microbiome-based interventions with the potential to address chronic diseases affecting Canadians. Projects should demonstrate how their intervention could contribute to improved health outcomes through disease prevention, treatment, or enhancement of therapeutic response. From Laboratory Research to Clinical Application A central objective of MINT is to bridge the gap between scientific discoveries and practical clinical applications. Applicants should therefore demonstrate more than scientific potential. Projects should have a credible roadmap showing how the research could progress toward: - Intervention validation. - Clinical implementation. - Adoption. - Commercial readiness where appropriate. - Partnership-based scale where appropriate. Who Can Apply? Eligible applicants must be researchers working in Canada and applying through or on behalf of a Canadian institution.

Applicants must:

- Work in Canada at least 50% of the time. - Hold a position at or above the level of Assistant Professor or equivalent. - Apply through or on behalf of a Canadian institution. - Lead a translational project focused on a microbiome-based intervention. - Align the proposed research with MINT’s goals of improving health outcomes for Canadians. Co-Applicant Requirements

Co-applicants must:

- Be at the post-doctoral level or above. - Be based in Canada. The co-applicant requirements ensure that the core research team includes appropriately experienced researchers working within Canada. Collaborators Outside Canada While applicants and co-applicants must meet the Canadian eligibility requirements, collaborators may be based outside Canada. This allows eligible Canadian research teams to work with international expertise and partners where such collaboration strengthens the proposed translational research. Project Requirements Proposed projects must be translational and focus specifically on microbiome-based interventions.

Projects should also:

- Address a relevant health challenge. - Have potential to treat or prevent disease or enhance therapeutic response. - Demonstrate a strong scientific rationale. - Present a credible translational roadmap. - Show potential for clinical implementation. - Align with the goal of improving health outcomes fo