Sometimes these grants are topped up by one of the research councils or other government agencies. The councils encourage this approach in order to extend their resources. Academics are encouraged to be more entrepreneurial. In some areas of research, spin-off companies are common. Most universities now have technology transfer companies and venture capital companies are starting to troll the halls of the academy.
Some grants even call for business plans.
More and more agencies are encouraging multidisciplinary projects. Grants may include a large number of investigators in more than one center. Science bureaucrats tell us that this will be the norm in the future. We have all heard of the potential problems with academic freedom and ethical issues with large science that is closely allied with industry. Perhaps the best known Canadian case is that of Nancy Olivieri who was threatened with a suit for violating a contract with a drug company, Apotex, if she published data raising concerns about a drug she was studying.