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.

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

• Scientific meetings where the sharing of information takes place (workshops, symposia, conferences, colloquia, etc);
• Gatherings of health researchers, non-researchers, and/or users of health research where the main objective is to facilitate collaboration among individuals or groups (for example, consensus meetings, planning and/or development meetings, networking and partnership development events);
• Opportunities for knowledge exchange involving stakeholder linkages (to inform practice, care, and/or policy);
• Knowledge translation activities at the end of a CIHR grant when it is appropriate to disseminate the results of the research beyond the traditional scientific community.

Canada's health status is increasingly affected, like that of many countries, by ecological, technological, economic, political and socio-cultural forces acting at a global level. Understanding these "upstream" forces, and their health impacts, in this country and others, especially low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) - is essential to ensuring the future health of Canadians. It is also ethically imperative to work on global issues, if we are to act as responsible global citizens. Part of CIHR's mandate is to promote research that addresses the global health problems. The CIHR also supports global health research through its work with its partners the CIDA, IDRC and Health Canada under the Global Health Research Initiative.

The Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI) has responded to low and middle income country priorities and the research community by committing to a set of principles that govern all joint GHRI research programming and also respect their organizations' mandates. They are to:

• Support more egalitarian Canada-LMIC teams;
• Support interdisciplinary approaches to health problems that are a priority to LMICs;
• Engage multiple stakeholders (universities and affiliated organizations, civil society organizations, governments, community members);
• Promote and strengthen knowledge exchange and transfer mechanisms, including links to policy-makers and other research users;
• Support sustainable research environments;
• Support effective training and mentoring;
• Provide ongoing technical support and networking;
• Promote research excellence through peer review.

The Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) recognizes the important role that collaborations play in improving and advancing the health of Canadians and citizens around the world. As a result, IPPH wishes to support collaborations between Canadian researchers and those in low- and middle-income countries, through the provision of Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants.

In today's global economy, research cooperation is largely an international endeavour and opportunities for Canadian researchers to play a key role in such trans- and cross-border collaborations are on the rise. To this end, IPPH is offering Meeting, Planning and Dissemination Grants in Global Health Research to assist Canadian researchers in exploring, developing and/or establishing new collaborations with LMIC researchers. These one-time grants support Canadian participation in the initial (pre-research) stages of cooperation and developmental activities designed to lead to new collaborations in global health research and its application. Please note that this program does not support ongoing research projects.

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 $400,000 for both competitions.
• This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• 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 must apply to at least one Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant funding opportunity, and 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.
• 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 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 Grants Program is to improve Canada's ability to investigate and intervene on those underlying forces that challenge global health, by exploring and establishing new collaborations with LMIC researchers to collaboratively develop and apply global health knowledge for evidence-informed policy and practice.

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 have 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:

• There must be at least one Canadian applicant and one LMIC collaborator per application (detailed information about LMIC collaborators must be included)

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.

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. A standard form will be provided by CIHR.

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.

Policy on Access to Research Outputs

CIHR believes that greater access to research publications and data will promote the ability of researchers and knowledge users in Canada and abroad to use and build on the knowledge needed to address significant health challenges. Open access will promote accessibility to CIHR-funded research and will serve to increase the international visibility of Canadian research. As of January 1, 2008, CIHR grant recipients are reminded to adhere with the responsibilities outlined in the Policy on Access to Research Outputs. Under this policy, grant recipients must make every effort to ensure that research papers and bio-molecular data generated from CIHR funding are freely accessible online.

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 (Updated: 2008-08-18)

The CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health 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 Population and Public Health 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:

Activity objectives:

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

Knowledge exchange and/or Dissemination:

• Inclusion of relevant LMIC stakeholders
• Potential to catalyze new initiatives, develop new collaborations with LMIC researchers and/or users of research
• Clearly defined dissemination plans for activity outcomes

Feasibility:

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

The following evaluation criteria are specific to this funding opportunity:

• The importance and originality of the research proposed and how it addresses the priorities of LMIC(s).
• The role of Canadian participants in the research collaboration and the urgency in the need for CIHR support.
• Additional/complementary knowledge, skills, expertise and/or technology the LMIC counterpart is contributing.
• The potential benefit to the health of Canadians and to the health of citizens in LMIC(s) involved.

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.

Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (including all required signatures) and submitted to CIHR on time. Effective September 1, 2008, CIHR will assume no responsibility in following-up with applicants who submit an incomplete application, resulting in the application being withdrawn from the competition.

Additional instructions must be followed for this funding opportunity:

• The research proposal must be a maximum of five pages in length and include the title of the project as well as a description of the planned activities.
• The research proposal must address each of the factors noted in the "evaluation criteria" section.
• A one-page letter of support from the LMIC collaborators, confirming the intent to collaborate, must be included.

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:

Kim Gaudreau
CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health
Telephone: 613-957-6128
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: kim.gaudreau@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.

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 Population and Public Health (IPPH)
IPPH supports research into the complex interactions, which determine health, and its application to improve the health of individuals, communities and global populations.