Canada Research Chairs are funded by the Government of Canada in order to ensure that Canadian universities "achieve the highest levels of research excellence to become world-class research centres in the global, knowledge-based economy."

Concordia University Research Chairs are funded internally by the University to encourage faculty members active in research to remain at Concordia and continue to be productive in their respective areas of study.

Endowed Chairs and Distinguished Professorships are funded by private and/or corporate donors to support researchers focusing on specific topics of interest.