Important Dates

Notices

Table of Contents

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

Description

The CIHR Operating Grant Program (OGP) provides operating funds to support research proposals in all areas of health research.

The mandate of CIHR is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system (Bill C-13, April 13, 2000).

CIHR's Strategic Plan states: "The contributions and excellence of individuals and individual disciplines are at the very foundation of CIHR's vision of health research. Indeed, CIHR's single largest investment, through our open grants competition, is to fund the research of individuals, allowing them to pursue their own creative ideas for novel and significant research projects. CIHR will fund the best ideas of the most talented researchers at internationally competitive levels, and across the full spectrum of health research."

The OGP is the foundation of CIHR's programming. CIHR recognizes that the creativity, skill, and insight of individuals and self-assembled teams lie at the heart of the research enterprise. The pursuit of excellence in research, as evaluated through the peer review process, inspires ideas that drive progress and ensures a continuous flow of fresh insights.

The OGP follows a basic unstructured format, in that there are:

• No specific requirements in relation to team size or composition;
• No specific requirements or restrictions on the specific research activities to be undertaken, with the exception that randomized controlled trials are not funded through this program. For applications including randomized controlled trials, researchers must apply through the Randomized Controlled Trials Program and not through the Operating Grant Program;
• No maximum or minimum with respect to funds being requested.

Funds Available

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

• Through the Operating Grant Program, grants will usually be awarded for a period of two to five years.
• Equipment will not be funded. CIHR will not be funding equipment through its Open Operating Grant competitions until further notice.

In 2008-09, CIHR expects to be able to award between 800 and 900 operating grants per year, or 400 to 450 per competition. This number is augmented by Institute Priority Announcements and other linked funding programs that also award grants through the OGP, as well as one-year grants that may be awarded by CIHR as a means of managing our multi-year investments.

Funding Opportunities in Specific Research Areas:

Funds are available for the current competition to support Operating Grant applications in specific research areas:

• Operating Grant: Winter 2009 Priority Announcement (Specific Research Areas)

Partner/Collaborator Participation

The OGP has no formal requirements for partnering. However, from time to time, additional funding for the OGP may be made available through partnerships with other health research funding bodies. These funding opportunities will be announced individually where they occur.

Objectives

The specific objectives of the Operating Grant Program are:

• To contribute to the creation, dissemination and use of health-related knowledge, and to help develop and maintain Canadian health research capacity, by supporting original, high quality projects proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers, in all areas of health.

The OGP is further expected to:

• Support original, high quality projects;
• Support individual researchers and groups of researchers;
• Support research in all areas and disciplines with relevance to health;
• Contribute to the creation and use of health-related knowledge;
• Contribute to the dissemination, commercialization/knowledge translation, and use of health-related knowledge;
• Develop and maintain Canadian health research capacity, including research training.

Relevant Research Areas:

The OGP is open to applications in all areas of health research that are aligned with the CIHR mandate: "To excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system". The onus is on the applicant to clearly state the link between the application and CIHR's mandate.

As outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide (section 1-A2), The researcher must apply to the agency that deals with the dominant research discipline. Applications submitted to CIHR that would be more appropriate for evaluation by NSERC or SSHRC will be withdrawn.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Eligibility requirements specific to the OGP include the following:

• Only applicants who meet the definition of Principal Applicant, as described in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide, may submit an application to the OGP.
• There is no limit to the number of applications an applicant can submit as a Principal Applicant, whether he/she is the Nominated Principal Applicant or a Co-Principal Applicant, to each Operating Grant competition.
• Applicants to the OGP may request that their application be considered for:
  • Up to three Priority Announcements per application, in each Operating Grant competition;
  • Any number of additional Linked Programs, for example, the Regional Partnerships Program or the Neuromuscular Research Program (Spring competitions only).

Guidelines

Applications funded through the Operating Grant Program are subject to funding policies outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. Guidelines governing CIHR's grant programs are outlined in Section 3: General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications.

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.

Conditions of Funding

All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through the Operating Grant Program. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official Languages Policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.

CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Funding opportunity and all matters pertaining thereto.

While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

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 CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Public Communication and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes / partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.

Performance Measurement

CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:

• adhere to CIHR's reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion. A Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) will be required in year 3 of grants of duration of 5 years or more. Grantees are required to submit the Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) describing the progress made and the publications issued since the start of the grant. CIHR will cancel the last 12 months of the grant if the progress is unacceptable and will cancel the final two years of the grant if it does not receive a report. The "Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years)" can be found under List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion;
• contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
• encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

Review Process and Evaluation

Applications to the CIHR Operating Grant Program are reviewed by one of approximately 50 peer review committees specifically constituted to support the CIHR OGP. Each committee consists of about 10-16 members, including a Chairperson and Scientific Officer. For a list of these committees and their respective mandates, refer to Peer Review Committees and Mandates on the CIHR Website.

Committee members are selected following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Peer Review section of CIHR's Web site.

Applicants have the opportunity, within the ResearchNet application process, to indicate their preference of peer review committee. CIHR will consult with committee Chairs and Scientific Officers, as required, in assigning applications to specific committees. Note that CIHR will make the final decision on which peer review committee will review each application.

Evaluation Criteria

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process - Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Rating of Grant Applications" (section 7.2 number 3). (Updated: 2009-02-06)

How to Apply

Note: This funding opportunity requires the use of ResearchNet to apply for funding.

• A step-by-step overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under How to Apply for Funding.
• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.
• To complete your Registration and Full Application, follow the steps identified below
• 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.

To complete your application using ResearchNet:

1. Register to obtain a CIHR PIN. This will allow you to validate your Common CV for CIHR. Please note that the CIHR PIN cannot be used to logon to the Common CV, which is an external site. If you already have a CIHR PIN, do not re-register.
2. Register with the Common CV network. This will allow you to access the Common CV. If you have already registered with the Common CV, do not re-register. During the ResearchNet e-Submission process, you will be directed to complete a Common CV (for CIHR) by entering the data requirements which are common to all agencies on the first screen of each section (Identification, Contact Information, etc...) and by completing additional CIHR-specific data.
3. Register to obtain a ResearchNet account. You should only have one ResearchNet account. If you have already accessed ResearchNet, please do not register for a new account.
4. Logon to ResearchNet and follow the on-screen instructions for full application. Provide clear and concise answers to all applicable questions in one of the official languages.

Additional instructions that must be followed for this funding opportunity:

• Full applications received from candidates who have not registered will not be considered.
• In order to ensure fairness in the evaluation of grant applications, equivalent time must be guaranteed for each reviewer to assess each complete application. As a result, CIHR will accept updates to applications (notices of acceptance of publications, letters confirming academic appointment, and notices of any other funding requested or received only) until October 27, 2008 for the Fall "2008(09)" competition and April 14, 2009 (Updated: 2009-03-31) for the Spring "2009(03)" competition.

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

CIHR Info Service
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll-free: 1-888-603-4178 
Email: info@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Specific information about the Operating Grant Program peer review committees can also be obtained by contacting the individuals listed on the CIHR Committees and Programs Contacts page of the CIHR Website.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your ResearchNet account or the e-Submission process contact:

CIHR ResearchNet Support
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-9080
Email: support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca