Among its targeted research and training initiatives, SSHRC's activities range from Strategic Research Grants targeting five strategic research priorities (Aboriginal research; the environment and sustainability; culture, citizenship and identities, including official languages; image, text, sound and technology; and northern research) to several ongoing support programs, such as Aid to Small Universities and Aid to Scholarly Publications, which, although relatively small in dollar value, are nonetheless of considerable importance in meeting SSHRC's overall mandate "to promote and assist research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities."
D’autres se présentent sous forme de programmes de financement permanents, tels que l’Aide aux petites universités et l’Aide à l’édition savante. Ces programmes, même s’ils bénéficient d’un financement modeste, sont d’une importance cruciale pour la réalisation du mandat général du CRSH, qui consiste à promouvoir et à soutenir la recherche et l’érudition dans le domaine des sciences humaines.