Important Dates

Table of Contents

• Description
• Objectives
• Eligibility
• Guidelines
• Performance Measurement
• Review Process and Evaluation
• How to Apply
• Contact Information
• Partner/Collaborator Description
• Additional Information

Description

This funding opportunity is announced under the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement. Please see the Strategic Initiative announcement for more information on this program.

Background

The purpose of the Emerging Team Grant program is to strengthen Canadian health research by supporting emerging research teams conducting high-quality research and providing superior training opportunities. The program is expected to enhance the understanding and accelerate the resolution of health issues through new directions of research proposed. It is expected that this investment will further the Canadian capacity for high-quality, problem-based research on relevant health, health care and health system issues.

This program is intended to fund the creation or further development of research teams undertaking collaborative research relevant to a significant health problem or issue. Eligible teams will consist of at least three independent investigators who will form an integrated and effective research team. It is expected that this program will enable such teams to build or strengthen capacity and add expertise, develop strategies for knowledge translation, provide superior training and mentoring environments and achieve research excellence.

More information about the Emerging Team Grant program can be found in Emerging Team Grant Program.

Funds Available

CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.

• The total amount available for this funding opportunity remains to be determined, but will be a minimum of $1.5 million per annum. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $500,000 per annum for up to 5 years. The equipment amount, where applicable, is awarded in year one. In the case of 5 year grants, the final two years of funding are subject to a satisfactory progress review in the third year of funding.
• The proposed funding start date of October 1, 2008 is currently under review. The funding start date may potentially be delayed up to a maximum of six months (i.e. April 1, 2009).
• Emerging Team grants are renewable, subject to launch of a relevant competition in the future and success through a competitive peer review process.

Partner/Collaborator Participation

CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Partner/Collaborator Description section of the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement to find a list of partners/collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners/collaborators join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner/collaborator are outlined in the section "Objectives and Relevant Research Areas" of the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement.

Objectives

CIHR's collaborative programs focus on support of research teams and a problem-based research culture.

Through the Emerging Team Grant program it is the intent of CIHR to fund the creation or development of research teams of investigators undertaking collaborative research relevant to a significant health problem or issue. This grant will enable such teams to:

• Strengthen capacity and add expertise relevant to a significant health problem or issue.
• Develop strategies for knowledge translation and exchange.
• Provide a superior training and mentoring environment.

Proposals that represent collaborations between community organizations and research teams based in institutions (including universities, colleges, hospitals, and affiliated research institutions) are welcome.

It is expected that the partners will contribute to:

• Formulating research agendas.
• Providing input into the development of research and training projects.
• Synthesizing and disseminating findings.
• Applying the research findings to inform policies, programs and/or practices.
• In some cases, conducting the research.

For more information about knowledge translation consult Defining and Framing Knowledge Translation of the CIHR Knowledge Translation Strategy 2004-2009.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to address scientific questions/problems related to regenerative medicine and nanomedicine, as described in the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement.

Relevant Research Areas:

Please see the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement for relevant Research Areas.

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 Criteria

Each eligible Emerging Team Grant application will include:

• A Team Leader who meets the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Participant Categories for CIHR Grants and who will assume administrative responsibility for the grant as nominated Principal Applicant. In addition, the Team Leader must be a researcher with proven leadership capabilities and experience who will act as research program director.
• At least two additional independent investigators who meet the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Participant Categories for CIHR Grants who together with the Team Leader will form an integrated and more effective research team. Teams with a nucleus of experienced and productive investigators are encouraged to include some promising, new investigators in the Team.

The following special conditions apply:

• Members of a Team may be located in one or more departments, faculties or CIHR-eligible institutions in Canada. As well, international or private sector collaborators who make a substantial intellectual contribution to the research program may be listed as additional Team members.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements specific to this funding opportunity include the following:

• A "team" under this Emerging Team Grant in Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine program is a group of researchers from a variety of disciplines and more than one institution or from a variety of faculties, departments, institutes or centres within a single institution, working collaboratively on multi-disciplinary projects that fall within one or more identified priority areas in regenerative medicine or nanomedicine.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this funding opportunity.

Guidelines

This funding opportunity will follow the 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 ad SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Through the Emerging Team Grant program, funding can be used to support:

• Research operating costs for the proposed collaborative research program (where an application includes overlap with an existing CIHR grant, and that application is successful in the Emerging Team Grant competition, continued funding of the ongoing grant will be reviewed).
• Purchase of equipment and maintenance contracts for common services and shared facilities.
• Costs of data collection, database and maintenance of information holdings directly related to the Emerging Team Grant research program.
• Costs of regional, national and international networking activities, including collaboration, planning, and knowledge exchange activities, directly related to the Emerging Team Grant research program.
• Salaries of research assistants, technicians and other personnel (eligible to receive salary) who will enhance the collaborative research productivity of the Team
• Support of research trainees, at the rate specified by CIHR for trainees paid from research grants.
• Salary of a professional coordinator and/or administrative assistant.
• Minimal operating costs for planning and pilot projects.
• A maximum of $20,000 annually for a release time stipend for the Nominated PI/Team Leader.
• Establishment funds and salary for New Investigators joining the team (New Investigators are within the first five years of their independent research careers). Salary contributions paid for by the Emerging Team Grant must not exceed the stipend paid to CIHR New Investigators. Those paid from the Emerging Team Grant cannot also hold a Canada Research Chair or another salary award. Note that new investigators paid from the grant can not be listed as co-applicants on the grant application. Similarly, they can not be listed as co-investigators on the grant after it is approved; however they can be considered members of the team.
• Costs involved in linkage with and dissemination of research findings to those who use the results, as appropriate for the research program, (including other researchers, the public, practitioner and policy communities, and the industrial sector).

Co-applicants may not receive a salary, stipend, or honorarium from CIHR grants, with the exception of co-applicants who are trainees or research associates, and the release time stipends for the team leader and employees of community partners as described in Participant Categories for CIHR Grants.

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 this Funding opportunity. 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

In addition to following the policies relating to the Public Communication and Acknowledgment of CIHR's Support, Emerging Team Grant recipients will also be required to adhere to special branding requirements as a condition of receiving a CIHR Emerging Team Grant. The official name of the team is "CIHR Emerging Team in (area of research)." In cases where there is another major funding partner a shared title should be considered. The format of a shared title is " CIHR/(partner name) Emerging Team in (area of research)." The name of the Emerging Team must be used in all communication and promotion relating to the CIHR Emerging Team Grant. A team name must be proposed as part of the application for a CIHR Emerging Team Grant. Successful applicants and their host institutions will be required to agree in writing to proper use of the team name as well as the CIHR (and applicable partners) logo(s) on appropriate communications materials such as brochures, letterhead, publications and media materials. Recognition guidelines, including instructions on logo use, will be provided to successful applicants as part of the approval package.

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 five-year grants. 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.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review

Relevance review will be conducted at the full application stage. For planning purposes, at the Letter of Intent stage representatives CIHR Institutes and partner organizations described in the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement will have access to the anonymized Letter of Intent package and the one-page attachment describing how the proposed research addresses the objectives and relevant research areas (see How to Apply). At the full application stage, these representatives will have access to an updated version of the one-page attachment and the anonymized research proposal summary to conduct relevance review.

Upon completion of peer review of the full applications, the representatives from CIHR Institutes and partner organizations described in the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement will receive the ratings, rankings and peer review committee recommendations on funding level and term for the applications that are rated in the CIHR fundable range and are found to be relevant to the specific objectives of the research initiative and the research areas described under "Objectives and Relevant Research Areas" of the Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine - Strategic Initiative Announcement These applications will be funded from the top down in order of ranking as far as budgets will allow. Applications that receive a ranking below 3.5 will not be funded.

LOI Review

A CIHR LOI review committee will evaluate the LOIs. The committee will be drawn from many potential sources, including members of the full application peer review committee, members of partnering Institute Advisory Boards, members of external partner Science Advisory Boards, and other scientific experts as required. The committee will assess the LOIs according to the following criteria:

Objectives of the Strategic Initiative Announcement

• Does the proposal respond to one of the strategic research themes identified in the Strategic Initiative Announcement?
• Is the proposal relevant to one of the identified funding partners for the chosen strategic research theme?

Objectives of the Emerging Team Grant program

• Does the team bring together researchers from different disciplines, with adequate expertise to cover the proposed subject area and research project?
• Is there sufficient collaboration between team members so that the team approach will enhance the understanding or resolution of the health issue, when compared to an equivalent number of independent research projects (i.e. value added)?
• Does the proposal aim to create opportunities for young and established investigators who are new to conducting health research? (NB: while training is encouraged, this is not a requirement of the Emerging Team Grant program).

Although a detailed scientific merit review will not be performed, the LOI review committee will consider the broader scientific implications and potential impact of LOIs when formulating their decision.

Peer Review

Once review of LOIs is completed, selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application. The names of teams invited to apply and the topic of their research will be published on the CIHR website.

Each Emerging Team Grant application will be evaluated as a single, integrated entity: the Team research program and the collaborative aspect. It is critical to demonstrate that the Emerging Team Grant will strengthen capacity and bring added value, in terms of the approach to the health and disease, health care or health system issue, and the speed and efficiency with which new knowledge will be generated, or translated into improvements in health or the health care system, through the new directions of research proposed by the team.

Applications will be reviewed by specifically-constituted, multidisciplinary peer review committee(s) designed specifically for the review of Emerging Team Grants. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), 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

General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. CIHR recognizes that applicant Teams will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, thus it is understood that reviewers and committees will weight criteria such as these differently from one application to another.

Impact

• How important and original are the contributions expected from the research proposed? What is the potential for important new knowledge or impact on health and health research?

Innovation

• Does the proposed program challenge the current research thinking and paradigms and/or address unexplored areas?
• How important, novel and/or original are the hypotheses or the questions to be addressed, and how clearly are they formulated?
• How will an Emerging Team Grant add value by bringing together researchers, in a meaningful collaboration to advance our understanding of the health problem or issue?

Methodology

• Is the health and disease, health care or health system issue approached through an original, cohesive/integrated and feasible research plan that will generate valid, reliable and useful knowledge?
• Has the Team identified the roles and contributions of all the parties in planning, execution, and evaluation as well as management activities?
• Does the Team have a plan for engaging and linking with, and a description of the approaches that will be taken, to reach those who will utilize and apply the results?

Applicant's Productivity, Experience and Training

• How appropriate to the research proposed is the training or track record of the applicants?
• Have team members demonstrated sustained productivity, creativity and originality in their research?

Environment

• Has the Team demonstrated the potential for excellence through their approach to recruiting members and providing a superior training opportunity for graduate and/or post-doctoral trainees, as well as independent investigators who may be new to the team's area of research?

For those engaged with partners;

• Are governance and management structures in place to ensure the meaningful integration of community partners in the decision-making process?
• To what extent are partners involved and committed to formulating the research agenda, providing input into the development of research and training projects, disseminating findings, and applying the outcomes of research?
• Does the proposal demonstrate the involvement of the necessary local, regional, provincial/territorial, national and/or international partners in the planning and execution of the research plan, and the application of the research results? Will this involvement permit research activities and outcomes that would not otherwise be possible?

Applications receiving a score less than 3.5 on the CIHR 0 to 4.9 rating scale are not eligible to receive funding. The CIHR rating scale is described in CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members.

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 stages: 1) Letter of Intent, and 2) Full Application.

1) Letter of Intent (LOI)

In the first stage of the application process the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a Letter of Intent.

Applicants are advised to follow the instructions on the Acceptable Application Module Formats page which outlines formatting requirements for the letter and attachments.

The name of the Team Lead (nominated principal applicant) should appear on each free form page of the LOI.

The Letter of Intent must include:

a) The Registration pages of the CIHR Research Module:

To generate the Registration pages, you must access the CIHR Web Forms. Under Research funding program select Emerging Team and complete six sections of the Research Module Web form, namely:

• Research Funding Program
• Nominated Principal Applicant / Candidate
• Project
• Applicants / Co-Applicants
• Suggested External Referees
• Collaborators and Committees (do not fill in "Suggested Peer Review Committee")

b) A cover page of maximum one page (free form; a standard form is not available for the cover page) indicating:

• the title of the proposal;
• the title of this funding opportunity; Emerging Team Grant - (insert the title of the specific research area listed in section 5.2 (maximum one)
• a brief description (10 lines maximum) of the research area of the proposal;
• five keywords describing the research;

c) In a table format, a list of all applicants with their affiliations and expertise (the list need not be final at the Letter of Intent stage).

d) Proposal.

In a maximum of five pages (not including references), the proposal must outline clearly each of the elements below:

• the objectives of the research program to be undertaken by the Team over the period of funding;
• The nature of the Team and extent of collaboration between investigators, with an explanation of the anticipated value added to the research program through the synergy of the Team;
• The proposed roles of partners in the planning and execution of the research program and the dissemination and utilization of the research results;
• The plan, including proposed organizational structures for engaging and linking with those who will ultimately use the research findings;
• The research training and mentoring environment that will provide a superior experience for undergraduate, graduate and/or post-doctoral trainees, including those with a health professional background;
• The preliminary plan for the research program and schedule of work;
• The nature and extent of the host institutions' financial and other forms of long-term commitment to the Team's research, and to ensuring a favorable environment for carrying out the research activities.

e) A brief curriculum vitae (maximum two pages per applicant) for a maximum of five of the key applicants. This must include information on grants held (source, type, title, amount/year, duration), relevant publications from the last five years, and 5-10 expertise keywords. Full CVs will not be considered.

f) Reference: a short bibliography (maximum one page) of any references cited in the proposal.

Any additional materials will not be sent to the review committee; this includes letters of support, figures not included in the proposal, updates on publications, updates on other support received, letters confirming academic appointment, reprints, etc.

Additional instructions must be followed for this funding opportunity:

• Within the Research Funding Program section of the application web form, select the box marked "Strategic Initiative" and enter the title of this funding opportunity in the space provided.
• Provide an additional one page attachment entitled "Emerging Team Grant - Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine," describing how the research proposed addresses the objectives and relevant research areas described in the section "Objectives."
• Complete the Applicant Consent Form for Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review, which is included in the application form.

2) Full Application

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Details of the application procedure will be provided to those invited to apply. This will involve a full description of the individual components making up the team's research program, as well as the justification for supporting the collaborative aspects of the entire proposal.

Send the original Letter of Intent and five copies by Courier to:

RE: "Emerging Team Grant - Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

For questions specific to the Emerging Team Grant Program, including CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Kelly Fitzpatrick
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-4640  
Fax: 613-952-2277
Email: kfitzpatrick@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Eric Marcotte, PhD
Associate Director, Regenerative Medicine and Nanomedicine
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 905-467-1822
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: emarcotte@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Partner/Collaborator Description

Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year. For the full list of partners/collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests, please visit the Partner/Collaborator Description section of the Strategic Initiative Announcement.

Additional Information

More information about this program can be found in the Emerging Team Grant Program Overview.