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

This Meetings, Planning and Dissemination (MPD)-Aging funding opportunity is intended to provide support for meetings, planning and/or dissemination activities that are consistent with the mandate of the CIHR Institute of Aging and stimulate research and knowledge translation and exchange beyond traditional recurring meetings or conferences.

The CIHR Institute of Aging will support activities that build and sustain the Canadian research on aging community and lead to excellence in research and knowledge translation within the Institute's five priority topics:

• Aging and maintenance of functional autonomy
• Biological mechanisms of aging
• Cognitive impairment in aging
• Healthy and successful aging
• Health services and policy related to older people

Activities eligible for funding may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

• Gatherings of researchers, non-researchers, and/or users of health research where the main objective is to facilitate research and/or knowledge exchange collaborations among individuals or groups (e.g., consensus meetings, planning and/or development meetings, networking and partnership development workshops);
• Opportunities for knowledge exchange involving stakeholder linkages (to inform practice, care, products and/or policy); and/or
• Other knowledge translation activities when it is appropriate to disseminate the results of the research beyond the traditional scientific community.

NOTE: Annual or recurring meetings or conferences are NOT eligible for funds within this 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 the current MPD-Aging funding opportunity is $150,000 per fiscal year. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• The maximum amount awarded for a single MPD-Aging grant is $10,000 for up to one year. Requests up to $25,000 will be accepted for eligible international partnership development activities.
• MPD-Aging Grants are non-renewable.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to secure partial funding from other sources.
• During the ResearchNet e-Submission process, applicants are to apply to the MPD-Aging funding opportunity.
• This MPD-Aging funding opportunity is comprised of the two separate funding streams described below. Note that applicants can ONLY apply to ONE of the following two funding streams for the same project. However, beside MPD-Aging, other CIHR Institutes, Initiatives, or Branches offer MPD grant funding opportunities. Applicants may seek funding for the same project by applying to a maximum of two other different MPD grant funding opportunities offered by CIHR Institutes, Initiatives, or Branches other than MPD-Aging.
• Stream 1: $75,000 has been allocated for nationally-focused MPD-Aging grants related to Research on Aging Priority Topics. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• Stream 2: $75,000 has been allocated for MPD-Aging grants related to the Mobility in Aging Initiative. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• 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.

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 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".

Objectives

The specific objectives of the CIHR MPD-Aging program, are to:

• identify and advance critical research directions in Canada, within CIHR Institute of Aging's five priority topics;
• enable knowledge translation, transfer or exchange, by and with relevant stakeholders and partners;
• contribute significantly to the visibility of the CIHR Institute of Aging and research on aging in Canada on the national and / or international stage;
• explore and develop new Canadian and, when appropriate, international research collaborations in aging; and
• engage trainees, researchers and partners not currently affiliated with aging research or the CIHR Institute of Aging, in any of the above.

In the context of international partnership development, the CIHR Institute of Aging wishes to stimulate and strengthen alliances with nations (their researchers, research institutes or governments) that have a shared interest in addressing health-related issues associated with an aging population. It is expected that through such alliances both Canada and foreign partners will benefit from the international work in aging, and apply the results as appropriate in their respective countries. More specifically, the institute's objectives for international partnership development include the following:

• To establish collaborative relationships with foreign groups or institutions in order to address mutual critical challenges in the field of aging.
• To make possible a research effort that none of the partners could accomplish on their own.
• To develop longer-term, collaborative international research and research capacity building programs with foreign partners.

Relevant Research Areas:

The CIHR Institute of Aging will fund applications that are determined to be relevant to the above objectives and to the priority areas (which comprise the funding streams), described below:

• Research on Aging Priority Topics;
• Mobility in Aging Initiative;

Research and knowledge translation activities may fall within CIHR's four research themes: Bio-medical, Clinical, Health Services, and Social, Cultural, Environmental and Population Health will be required to achieve the goal of advancing knowledge in the field of aging to improve the well-being and health of older Canadians (generally above the age of 65).

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.If an organization or institution is uncertain about its eligibility, 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 MPD-Aging funding opportunity include the following:

• Activities outside Canada must be designed specifically to spotlight the CIHR Institute of Aging, Canadian researchers on aging, and/or the work or programs funded by the CIHR Institute of Aging
• Groups having similar composition of participants and/or objectives are eligible to receive ONLY one grant per 2 calendar years under this MDP-Aging funding opportunity.
• To qualify for an international level of funding (up to $25,000), activities must be related to the participation of Canadian researchers in international pre-research activities that will lead to engagement in international research programs. The proposal must clearly demonstrate that there is significant involvement of Canadian researchers in a truly international endeavour that would not be possible as a sole national endeavour.
• Annual or recurring meetings or conferences are NOT eligible for funds within this program.

NOTE: Although not an absolute eligibility requirement, applicants are encouraged to include collaborators from outside the traditional research fields and could include recognized experts in communications, engineering, marketing, education, fine arts etc.

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.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to secure partial funding from other sources.

Expenses eligible for support through the MPD 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 MPD 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 MPD 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.

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 requirements 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 requirements shall apply:

• Within three months after the activity / event, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final report, summarizing the outcomes and describing how the grant funds were used. Please note that, with the grantee's consent, the final report will be posted on the CIHR-IA web site and should include:
• objectives of the event
• a description of the attendees / partners in attendance
• a summary of the discussions that took place and/or deliverables produced
• important decisions and actions taken during the event (if applicable)
• recommendations which arose from the event (if applicable)
• the CIHR-IA will reserve the right to send an observer to the event at its own expense, but without registration fee, or to provide information about CIHR to participants.

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.

The CIHR Institute of Aging contribution must be acknowledged in all print and published material or media (such as, in the program and proceedings of an event; in the credits of a production; etc.). The CIHR Institute of Aging will provide an official logo (.jpeg and/or PowerPoint slide) on request.

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 (Updated: 2008-08-18)

The CIHR Institute of Aging will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and relevant areas described in the "Objectives" section.

Relevance Review

The relevance of applications will be determined prior to peer review. For this process, the CIHR Institute of Aging 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.

Evaluation Criteria

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

Activity objectives:

• Clarity of the stated objectives and defined scope
• Potential impact of the anticipated outcomes (consensus, research priorities, guidelines, research project)

Knowledge exchange and/or Dissemination:

• Inclusion of relevant stakeholders (research community, decision-makers, health care providers, etc.) and sectors (private, public, charities)
• Potential to catalyze new initiatives, develop new inter- and multi-disciplinary collaborations among researchers and/or users of research
• Potential to move research knowledge to action
• Clarity of dissemination plans for activity outcomes

Feasibility:

• Demonstrated ability of applicant(s) or coordinating group(s) to meet objectives of the Funding Opportunity
• Appropriateness of budget and justification for amount requested

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 that 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 the MPD-Aging funding opportunity. However, the same application can be used to apply to up to three separate MPD funding opportunities, because the MPD funding opportunity is used strategically by other CIHR Branches and Institutes. In such cases, the proposed activity must be relevant to and eligible to the different MPD 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.

(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.

Additional instructions that must be followed for this funding opportunity:

This MPD-Aging funding opportunity is comprised of the two separate funding streams described in the "Funds Available" section. Note that applicants can ONLY apply to ONE of these two funding streams for the same project.

When selecting the MPD-Aging funding opportunity from the menu, applicants must include the following information when describing the relevance of their application to the specific objectives in the box entitled " Relevance of Proposal to Objectives":

• clearly identify upfront their selected funding stream and justify their relevance to this stream: stream 1 - Research on Aging Priority Topics; or stream 2 - Mobility in Aging Initiative. This statement should include how aging and/or the aged are essential elements of the meeting, planning and/or dissemination activity (e.g., dynamics of aging, age-relevant models and/or aged subjects). This information will be used in assessing the application against the relevance criteria.

In the Detailed Activity Description, applicants must:

• if applicable, describe how the proposal meets the institute's objectives for international partnership development;
• include a schedule of planned activities as well as a reporting and evaluation plan.

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 the intent of this initiative and the objectives of the MPD-Aging funding opportunity contact:

Susan Crawford
Assistant Director-Vancouver
CIHR Institute of Aging
Telephone: 604-822-9075
Fax: 604-822-9304
Email: susanmc@interchange.ubc.ca

Partner/Collaborator Description

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective 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.

CIHR - Institute of Aging (IA)
The CIHR Institute of Aging (IA) supports research to promote healthy aging and to address causes, prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation for a wide range of conditions associated with aging. IA has identified five priority areas for research on aging and health (in no particular order): healthy and successful aging, biological mechanisms of aging, cognitive impairment in aging, aging and maintenance of functional autonomy, and health services and policy relating to older people.