NSERC has some great information on their website for the new and returning applicant. Their article “How to write a winning proposal” is excellent reading for all Discovery applicants. It contains a lot of information but has a good overview of the things to keep in mind when writing your grant application.

One of the most important points that new applicants often miss is that NSERC Discovery grants fund PROGRAMS of research, not research PROJECTS. What is the difference? Longevity, cohesiveness and scope. Read the article (linked above) for further clarification.