Important Dates

Notices

Table of Contents

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

Description

Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants are intended to provide support for meetings, planning and/or dissemination activities consistent with the mandate of CIHR and relevant to CIHR Institutes, Initiatives, or Branches.

An important part of CIHR's mandate is to translate knowledge into improved health for Canadians. Knowledge translation (KT) is a dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically-sound application of knowledge to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products and strengthen the healthcare system. This process takes place within a complex system of interactions between researchers and knowledge users which may vary in intensity, complexity and level of engagement depending on the nature of the research results and on the needs of the particular knowledge user.

The Knowledge Synthesis and Exchange (KSE) Branch will provide supplemental funding for KT activities following the completion of a CIHR grant, or component of a grant, when it is appropriate to disseminate the results of the research beyond the traditional scientific community and using methods supplementary to and in addition to publication in peer reviewed journals

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 the current funding opportunity is approximately $275,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate. (Updated: 2008-08-01)
• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $25,000 for up to one year. Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants are non-renewable.
• During the ResearchNet e-Submission process, applicants can apply to up to three separate Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunities. Funding for successful applications may be granted through a single funding opportunity or through a combination of funding opportunities. However, the total of all Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants received from CIHR cannot exceed $25,000. (Updated: 2008-04-29)
• Individual applicants may apply to more than one competition per year, however the total grant amount received to support a particular project cannot exceed $25,000.

Objectives

The purpose of the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program is to provide financial support for the broad category of Meetings, Planning and/or Dissemination activities that are consistent with the mandate of CIHR and relevant to CIHR Institutes, Initiatives, or Branches.

The specific objective of this funding opportunity, announced through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program, is:

To facilitate the dissemination and uptake of research results through appropriate KT strategies/activities based on the best evidence of effectiveness for the identified target audience(s) following successful completion of a CIHR grant or component of a grant.

Note: Grants will NOT be awarded to study the effectiveness of KT strategies (i.e. can not be used to conduct primary research) or to comply with CIHR's open access policy.

Examples of dissemination/implementation activities eligible for funding are provided below. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive and there is no intent to imply that applications for these types of activities would be more successful than for activities not captured in the list below.

• Dissemination of research results through specialized publications
• Maintenance/updating of websites
• Production and distribution of written materials in various formats
• Travel costs for series of meetings/presentations (linkage and exchange)
• Hiring of a knowledge broker or implementation facilitator/change agent
• Development of plain language summaries
• Development of knowledge exchange tools e.g. educational CD-ROMs, decision support tools
• Any combination of above, or related, activities

KT strategies/activities must be appropriate to the degree of generalizability of the research findings and the justification for the activities must include how the research results fit in the context of available literature.

(Updated: 2008-04-29)
Specific research foci and requirements of individual partners:

CIHR – Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
III is the lead for the federally supported Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative (PPSRI) that was created to develop a coordinated and focused research effort and to build influenza and pandemic preparedness research capacity in Canada.  Although research is an important component of Canada’s plan to prepare for a pandemic influenza outbreak, it is not enough to focus on research – it is critical that research results be translated into new strategies to prevent or mitigate an outbreak. Knowledge translation (KT) is therefore an integral part of the Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative. Through the PPSRI, III will support KT activities and uptake of the research findings related to pandemic preparedness. The PPSRI KT strategy consists of five components: integrated KT for team grants, research synthesis, KT grant supplements, meeting, planning and dissemination grants and an annual meeting of researchers and knowledge users.

Through this funding opportunity III anticipates providing $100,000 for KT grant supplements that will contribute to pandemic preparedness planning and control.

Further information on the Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative is available on the Institute website.

(Updated: 2008-08-01)
Assisted Human Reproduction Canada

Eligibility

Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

The following eligibility requirements apply to the CIHR Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program:

• Applicants affiliated with Canadian non-governmental not-for-profit organizations (including community or charitable organizations) with a research or knowledge translation mandate consistent with the mandate of CIHR may be eligible to apply for funds through the CIHR Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program.
• If an organization or institution is uncertain about its eligibility for funding through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program, it is encouraged to seek clarification from CIHR staff designated in Contact Information.
• The CIHR definition of Principal Applicant does not apply to the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program. Applications are equally welcomed from independent researchers, research trainees, activity/event coordinators affiliated with Canadian non-governmental not-for-profit organizations, and/or community leaders. In the context of the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program, the term Principal Applicant is defined as any individual who plays a primary role in the organization or administration of the proposed activity / event.
• A Nominated Principal Applicant, who assumes administrative responsibilities for the grant, must be named for each Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant application.
• The business office of the institution / organization of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant will generally administer CIHR funds. If the institution / organization of the Nominated Principal Applicant has not previously signed a memorandum of understanding with CIHR, then additional paperwork will be required as a condition of funding. Additional details will be provided by CIHR.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements specific to this funding opportunity include the following:

• The application must stem from a CIHR funded grant or award but the grant/award need not be completed at the time of application provided the project is complete to the extent that there are mature findings that are appropriate for dissemination. (Updated: 2008-04-29)
• If one of the Principal Applicants of the CIHR funded grant is not named on this application, please include a letter of support from the original grant's Nominated Principal Investigator.

Guidelines

This funding opportunity will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs.

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.

Expenses eligible for support through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program include:

• Costs associated with planning, publication, translation, and/or dissemination;
• Fees or honoraria for the preparation of background documents (e.g., environmental scan).

For meetings funded through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program, the following expenses are eligible for support:

• Travel and accommodation for participants;
• Meeting rooms and associated meeting costs (e.g., audio-visual equipment, videoconferences);
• Hospitality costs (non-alcoholic refreshments or meals);
• Modest honoraria (up to $500 CAD) for guest experts.

The following costs are not eligible for support through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program:

• Stipend/salary support for investigators, research trainees or technical assistants (other than for aforementioned purposes);
• Purchase or maintenance of equipment;
• Operating costs of research projects.
• Publication costs to comply with CIHR’s open access policy or to publish in journals targeting the applicant’s typical research audiences. (Updated: 2008-04-29)

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.

In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special conditions shall apply:

• Within three months after the activity's completion, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final report, summarizing the activities undertaken, their results, an evaluation of the activities and describing how the grant funds were used. A standard form will be provided by CIHR. (Updated: 2008-04-29)

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 the CIHR Institutes, Initiatives, Branches and/or partners providing funding in any communication, materials, or publications related to the activity / event. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Public Communication and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing CIHR Institutes, Branches, and/or funding partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.

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:

• 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

Review Process

The KSE Branch will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and research priority areas described in the "Objectives" section.

(Updated: 2008-08-18)
Relevance Review

The relevance of applications will be determined prior to peer review. For this process, the KSE Branch and other Partners, as required, will have access to the project titles, the brief description of the proposed activity and the relevance of the application to the objectives sections. Applications deemed not relevant to the initiative will be withdrawn from the competition and will not proceed to peer review.

The following relevance criterion will be used in conducting the relevance review:

• Alignment of the objectives of the proposed activity with the specific objectives of the CIHR Institute, Initiative, or Branch offering funding through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program 

Peer Review

A CIHR review committee will evaluate the full applications. The review committee will be comprised of CIHR staff and in some cases, external delegates with expertise necessary to conduct the review. 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).

The review committee will review the applications for merit in the context of the objectives and research priorities outlined in the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunities to which the applicant is applying. (Updated: 2008-08-18)

Evaluation Criteria

The following set of evaluation criteria will be employed to assess applications:

(Updated: 2008-04-29)

1. Summary of research results that are to be disseminated (including original CIHR grant funding reference number(s) (FRN), names of investigators and collaborators)
   1. The significance of the results - place findings in the context of global literature  
   2. The strength of evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the research results
   3. The degree of generalizability of the research results
   4. The magnitude of the potential impact on health, effective services and products and a strengthened health care system
2. The proposed KT strategies/activities, including:
   1. Description of proposed KT strategies/activities
   2. Rationale for supplemental activities beyond what has been done to date
   3. Identification and justification of the appropriate target audience(s) for the research results
   4. Identification of the barriers and facilitators to the uptake of the research results, including how they will be addressed by the proposed activities
3. The potential impact of the proposed KT strategies/activities
4. Team credentials i.e. expertise necessary to carry out proposed KT activities/strategies
5.  Feasibility of the proposed timelines and budget.
6. Evaluation plan to assess the impact of the KT activities

How to Apply

Applicants to the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant program are required to submit their 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.

Apply using ResearchNet as follows:

1. Register to obtain a CIHR PIN. If you already have a CIHR PIN, do not re-register.

2. 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.

3. Logon to ResearchNet and follow the on-screen instructions; these will guide you through the application process. Provide clear and concise answers to all applicable questions in one of the official languages.

4. In order to be considered for funding, applicants must apply and state the relevance of their proposal to at least one Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunity. However, the same application can be used to apply to up to three separate Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunities, provided the proposed activity is relevant to multiple funding opportunities. Funding for successful applications may be granted through a single funding opportunity or through a combination of funding opportunities.
   
   During the ResearchNet e-Submission process, applicants will be prompted to select the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunities to which their application is relevant from a pull-down menu, and to describe the relevance of their application to the specific objectives and evaluation criteria listed in those funding opportunities.

5. If you are interested in being considered for funding from either the Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative or AHRC, on the "Provide Overview of Proposed Activity" screen in ResearchNet, when completing the "Brief Description of Activity" section, please state your relevance to one of the two areas and clearly indicate that you would like to be considered for Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative funding or AHRC funding.(Updated: 2008-08-01)

(Updated: 2008-08-18)
Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (including all required signatures) and submitted on time to CIHR. Effective September 1, 2008, CIHR will assume no responsibility in following-up with applicants who submit an incomplete application. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted into the competition.

Note: The following additional instructions should be followed when submitting applications to the current Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunity:

(Updated: 2008-04-29)

1. On the "Select Funding Opportunities" screen in ResearchNet, select the title of the current funding opportunity, MPD: End of Grant KT Supplement and state the relevance of your proposal to the objectives outlined above.
2. On the "Attach Detailed Activity Description" screen, the attachment which you upload should be formatted as follows (maximum 4 pages):
1. Summary of research results that are to be transferred (up to 1 page) should include:
   • The original CIHR grant funding reference number(s) (FRN) and the names of its investigators and collaborators
   • The significance of the results -- place findings in the context of global literature 
   • The strength of evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the research results
   • The degree of generalizability of the research results
   • The magnitude of the potential impact on health, effective services and products and a strengthened health care system
2. Description and rationale for the proposed KT strategies/activities, including (up to 2 pages):
   • Description of the proposed KT strategies/activities
   • Rationale for supplemental activities beyond what has been done to date
   • Identification and justification of the appropriate target audience(s) for the research results
   • The barriers and facilitators to the uptake of the research results
3. The potential impact of the proposed KT strategies/activities (up to one page).
3. On the "Attach Detailed Budget and Supporting Documents" screen, please be sure to attach a detailed budget, including timelines. Please also attach a brief (up to 1 page) description of the Team credentials i.e. expertise necessary to carry out proposed KT activities/strategies, and a brief (up to 1 page) evaluation plan. If one of the Principal Applicants of the CIHR funded grant is not named on this application, please include a letter of support from the original grant's Nominated Principal Investigator.

NOTE: the requirements for the detailed activity description of the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: End of Grant Knowledge Translation Supplement Funding Opportunity are different from other Meeting, Planning and Dissemination Grant Funding Opportunities. Therefore, if you would like to be considered for another MPD opportunity in addition to this one, you will need to complete a separate "Detailed Activity Description" formatted according to the requirements of that funding opportunity and attach it under "Other Application Material.

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, eligibility, how to apply, and the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant application review process contact:

Grace Almasi
Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant Program Coordinator
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-3485
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: MPD-SRPD@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and the objectives of this funding opportunity contact:

Leah Jurkovic
Senior KSE Specialist
Knowledge Synthesis and Exchange Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-0805
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: leah.jurkovic@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Partner/Collaborator Description

(Updated: 2008-04-29)
Note: Additional partners/collaborators, including partners/collaborators from industry and the private sector may join this funding initiative over the coming year.

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity 
The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) supports research to enhance immune-mediated health and to reduce the burden of infectious disease, immune-mediated disease, and allergy through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation. 

III is leading the Pandemic Preparedness Strategic Research Initiative (PPSRI) to develop a coordinated and focused research effort and to build influenza and pandemic preparedness research capacity in Canada. The PPSRI supports research in the following priority areas: vaccines and immunization programs, biology of the influenza virus and rapid diagnostics, prevention and treatment and ethics, legal and social contract.

(Updated: 2008-08-01)
Assisted Human Reproduction Canada

Since the 1993 Report of the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies, there have been calls for Canada to establish a regulatory body to oversee the area of assisted human reproduction (AHR) and related research. It was envisioned that this regulatory body would protect and promote the health and safety of Canadians who are using AHR technologies.

In response to this need, the Assisted Human Reproduction Agency of Canada, also known as Assisted Human Reproduction Canada, was established under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act that was enacted by Parliament and received Royal Assent on March 29, 2004.

AHRC is a federal regulatory agency that will oversee the area of assisted human reproduction (AHR).