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Description
The CIHR Operating Grant Program (OGP) provides operating funds to support research proposals in all areas of health research.
The mandate of CIHR is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system (Bill C-13, April 13, 2000).
CIHR's Strategic Plan states: "The contributions and excellence of individuals and individual disciplines are at the very foundation of CIHR's vision of health research. Indeed, CIHR's single largest investment, through our open grants competition, is to fund the research of individuals, allowing them to pursue their own creative ideas for novel and significant research projects. CIHR will fund the best ideas of the most talented researchers at internationally competitive levels, and across the full spectrum of health research."
The OGP is the foundation of CIHR's programming. CIHR recognizes that the creativity, skill, and insight of individuals and self-assembled teams lie at the heart of the research enterprise. The pursuit of excellence in research, as evaluated through the peer review process, inspires ideas that drive progress and ensures a continuous flow of fresh insights.
The OGP follows a basic unstructured format, in that there are:
- No restrictions on areas of inquiry, although the link to CIHR's mandate must be clear;
- No specific requirements in relation to team size or composition;
- No specific requirements or restrictions on the specific research activities to be undertaken, with the exception that randomized controlled trials are not funded through this program. For applications including randomized controlled trials, researchers must apply through the Randomized Controlled Trials Program and not through the Operating Grant Program;
- No maximum or minimum with respect to funds being requested.
Funds Available
CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this strategic initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.
- Through the Operating Grant Program, grants will usually be awarded for a period of two to five years. The equipment amount, where applicable, would be awarded in year one.
- In 2007-08, CIHR expects to be able to award between 800 and 900 operating grants per year, or 400 to 450 per competition. This number is augmented by Institute Priority Announcements and other linked funding programs that also award grants through the OGP, as well as one-year grants that may be awarded by CIHR as a means of managing our multi-year investments. (Updated: 2007-07-18)
Applications are invited in all areas of health research: (Updated: 2007-07-18)
For the current competition, applications will be accepted in all areas of health research.
Funding Opportunities in Specific Research Areas: (Updated: 2007-07-18)
Funds are available for the current competition to support Operating Grant applications in specific research areas:
Partner/Collaborator Participation
The OGP has no formal requirements for partnering. However, from time to time, additional funding for the OGP may be made available through partnerships with other health research funding bodies. These funding opportunities will be announced individually where they occur.
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Objectives
The specific objectives of the Operating Grant Program are:
- To contribute to the creation, dissemination and use of health-related knowledge, and to help develop and maintain Canadian health research capacity, by supporting original, high quality projects proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers, in all areas of health.
The OGP is further expected to:
- Support original, high quality projects;
- Support individual researchers and groups of researchers;
- Support research in all areas and disciplines with relevance to health;
- Contribute to the creation and use of health-related knowledge;
- Contribute to the dissemination, commercialization/knowledge translation, and use of health-related knowledge;
- Develop and maintain Canadian health research capacity, including research training.
Relevant Research Areas:
The OGP is open to applications in all areas of health research that are aligned with the CIHR mandate: "To excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system".
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Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.
Eligibility requirements specific to the OGP include the following:
- Only applicants who meet the definition of Principal Applicant, as described in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide, may submit an application to the OGP.
- There is no limit to the number of applications an applicant can submit as a Principal Applicant, whether he/she is the Nominated Principal Applicant or a Co-Principal Applicant, to each Operating Grant competition.
- Applicants to the OGP may request that their application be considered for:
- Up to three Priority Announcements per application, in each Operating Grant competition;
- Any number of additional Linked Programs, for example, the Regional Partnerships Program, the Neuromuscular Research Program (Spring competitions only), and the CIHR-Arthritis Society Partnership Program.
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Guidelines
Applications funded through the Operating Grant Program are subject to funding policies outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. Guidelines governing CIHR's grant programs are outlined in Section 3: General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications.
Allowable Costs
Applicants should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Conditions of Funding
All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through the Operating Grant Program. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official Languages Policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.
Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Funding opportunity and all matters pertaining thereto.
While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.
Communication Requirements
Grant recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Public Communication and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes / partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.
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Performance Measurement
CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:
- adhere to CIHR's reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion. A Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) will be required in year 3 of grants of duration of 5 years or more. Grantees are required to submit the Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) describing the progress made and the publications issued since the start of the grant. CIHR will cancel the last 12 months of the grant if the progress is unacceptable and will cancel the final two years of the grant if it does not receive a report. The "Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years)" can be found under List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion;
- contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
- encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.
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Review Process and Evaluation
A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. Committee members are selected following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Peer Review section of CIHR's Web site.
Evaluation Criteria
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process - Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Factors in the Assessment" (section 6.2).
Applications to the CIHR Operating Grant Program are reviewed by one of approximately 50 peer review committees specifically constituted to support the CIHR OGP. Each committee consists of about 10-16 members, including a Chairperson and Scientific Officer. For a list of these committees and their respective mandates, refer to Peer Review Committees and Mandates on the CIHR Website.
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How to Apply
Applicants are advised to review CIHR's grants and awards policies and guidelines outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide.
The application process is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.
Please note that all applicants to the Operating Grant Program are now required to submit their Registrations and Full Applications electronically using ResearchNet.
ResearchNet is a tool available on the Internet which allows the research community to electronically submit grant registrations and applications, to obtain funding-related information, and to actively share, collaborate on, and complete administrative tasks. The applicant will be able to submit their information electronically and will be acknowledged electronically. This allows CIHR to receive and begin processing the data and documents which comprise the application almost immediately.
Registrations must be submitted through ResearchNet for each competition, even if the application is a resubmission. Full applications received from candidates who have not registered will not be considered.
Apply to the OGP using ResearchNet as follows:
1. Register to obtain a CIHR PIN. This will allow you to validate your Common CV for CIHR. Please note that the CIHR PIN cannot be used to logon to the Common CV, which is an external site. If you already have a CIHR PIN, do not re-register.
2. Register with the Common CV network. This will allow you to access the Common CV. If you have already registered with the Common CV, do not re-register. During the ResearchNet e-Submission process, you will be directed to complete a Common CV (for CIHR) for each applicant by entering the data requirements which are common to all agencies on the first screen of each section (Identification, Contact Information, etc…) and by completing additional CIHR-specific data.
3. Register to obtain a ResearchNet account. You should only have one ResearchNet account. If you have already accessed ResearchNet, please do not register for a new account.
4. Logon to ResearchNet and follow the on-screen instructions for registration and subsequently, full application. Provide clear and concise answers to all applicable questions in one of the official languages.
(Updated: 2007-07-18)
In order to ensure fairness in the evaluation of grant applications, equivalent time must be guaranteed for each reviewer to assess each complete application. As a result, CIHR will accept updates to applications (notices of acceptance of publications, letters confirming academic appointment, and notices of any other funding requested or received only) until October 29, 2007 for the Fall competition and April 14, 2008 for the Spring competition.
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Contact Information
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
CIHR Info Service
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll-free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: info@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
Specific information about the Operating Grant Program peer review committees can also be obtained by contacting the individuals listed on the CIHR Committees and Programs Contacts page of the CIHR Website.
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your ResearchNet account or the e-Submission process contact:
CIHR ResearchNet Support
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-9080
Email: support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca
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