Important Dates

Notices

Table of Contents

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

Description

The CIHR Catalyst Grant program provides seed money, on a short-term basis, to support health research activities which represent a first step towards the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities (e.g. operating grants, team grants), such as:

• the planning and execution of pilot projects or feasibility studies aiming to generate preliminary data, observations, or knowledge;
• the planning and execution of novel projects which clearly demonstrate the potential for significant impact, but which are considered high risk in nature in that they may be unsupported by proof of concept / preliminary data;
• development and / or validation of new inventions, tools, methodologies, protocols, theoretical models or frameworks;
• planning and / or development activities of expert teams (multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, etc…) coming together to address health research priorities.

To achieve this objective, and to capture the interest and expertise in their respective research communities, the CIHR Institute of Population Health, in partnership with Institute of Aging (IA), are pleased to provide this Catalyst Grant opportunity.

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 is $400,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• The CIHR Institute of Aging has dedicated approximately $150,000 to relevant successful applications.
• The contribution of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) will be determined following the outcome of peer review. (Updated: 2008-09-26)
• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $75,000 per annum for up to 1 year. The equipment amount, where applicable, is awarded in year one.

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 "Objectives" section.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the Catalyst Grant program are to:

• Generate preliminary observations, data or knowledge, or to facilitate team formation, as a first step towards the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities (e.g., operating grants, team grants) by researchers or teams of researchers
• Support original, high quality projects which have the potential to generate high impact results and/or innovative research proposals, research tools, techniques, devices, inventions, or methodologies.

The Catalyst Grant program is further expected to contribute to:

• Providing new or established investigators with funding to pursue new areas of investigation
• Providing investigators the opportunity to pursue high risk health research questions with the potential for high impact
• Providing the opportunity for a unique combination (e.g. multi-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, international) of individual researchers to develop as a team
• Development of a culture of invention and innovation in Canada
• Mobilization of research communities to develop research agendas and/or action plans to advance research in specific priority areas.

Within the framework of the overall objectives of the CIHR Catalyst Grant Program, the specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

• Promote innovative pilot or feasibility studies likely to lead to subsequent, funded operating grant(s) and/or programs of research and knowledge translation in the priority thematic areas
• Allow researchers to develop evidence necessary to determine the viability of new research directions in one or more of the priority thematic areas
• Build research capacity in these priority thematic areas

Relevant Research Areas:

IPPH encourages studies that directly address the goal of the Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada, aimed at increasing the quality, quantity and use of population health intervention research¹ for use by policy makers and practitioners in any of the priority theme areas listed below:

• Analyzing and Addressing the Impacts of the Social and Built Environments on Health
  
  As individuals pass through life's stages, their health is affected by a sequence of "macro- and micro- environments" or "contexts" - both physical and social - such as home/family, daycare/school, work/recreation, health care-settings (at home and institutional) for the disabled and elderly, "neighbourhood/community", region and society or national-state levels. Numerous public, private and voluntary sector policies and programs are intended to improve the quality of these environments, but the effects are not always optimal in terms of human health. A major research program, led by the IPPH and appropriate partner organizations, will examine the health impacts of such policies and programs, devise improvements that should benefit population health status, rigorously evaluate the effects of those changes, and synthesize this body of knowledge for ease of use by decision-makers. Examples of areas within this priority include, but are not limited to:
  
  
1. The study of the differential impacts of policies and programs shaping the social and built environments on various population groups. This includes research on interventions that work across the social spectrum (i.e. the relative contributions of population- level and more targeted approaches to reducing inequalities in health by modifying the social environment).
2. Research on the health impacts of intersectoral interventions.
3. Research on the processes of adaptation/tailoring of policy and program interventions to different socio-cultural and political contexts.
4. Research on the public health capacity required to support the implementation of effective interventions that influence these environments (e.g. pilot studies involving public health).
5. Research on the health and quality of life of older adults - The CIHR Institute of Aging will consider supporting applications that relate directly to the aging process or specifically to the health and quality of life of older adults (generally above the age of 65) and are relevant to the "social and build environments on health" theme of this RFA and current Institute of Aging Initiatives: Cognitive Impairment in Aging and Mobility in Aging. Research and research design should address issues of aging and/or the aged as essential elements of the objectives, hypotheses and analyses.

• Understanding and Promoting Equity in Health
  
  Inequities in health continue to persist within and between countries. Despite an increasing global evidence base regarding what produces these inequities across the life course, whether by socioeconomic status, gender, race/ethnicity or geography, comprehensive research and knowledge translation programs are still needed but must be strategically oriented to not only understanding health inequities but how they can be systematically tackled through effective policy and program interventions and other forms of concerted action. Examples of sub-themes can include but are not limited to:
  
  
1. Why are some communities healthy and others not, in spite of the odds? (E.g. what are the policy and program interventions that promote community resilience? what are the dynamic processes in communities that support positive social change to promote equity in health?)
2. Research on public policy making processes and the effectiveness of policies to reduce socio-economic inequities in health
3. Research that supports an understanding of the role of sociopolitical and cultural contexts at multiple levels (e.g. individual, community, structural levels) and their influence on promoting equity in health
4. Research that encourages the study of natural policy experiments occurring in other sectors (outside of health) and their impacts on the health of the population.
5. What are the differential impacts of policies on different population groups?
6. Promoting comparative research within and between countries to tease out the complexities
7. Promoting research that supports interjurisdictional comparisons or that examines the complexities of intersectoraliarity
8. Research on the role of public policy and governance in mitigating the perpetuation of health inequities; research on the intersection between public policy and governance

• Global Health
  
  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.

• Physical environment and health (Updated: 2008-07-11)
  
  Governments are under increasing pressure to address issues of environmental quality and sustainability. This is likely a response to increasing public awareness of environmental damage, both local and global, and a rising concern over risks to human health. Threats to health and the environment are impacting the way we view the potential non-sustainable nature of many of our social, technological and economic practices and policies.
  
  Examples of public health issues related to the physical environment that policy needs to address include but are not limited to:  (i) deteriorating air quality; (ii) new infectious disease risks from intensified livestock production; (iii) rising noise and traffic hazards; (iv) lead and others exposures, especially in poorer populations; (v) persistent organic pollutants that spread widely in environments remote from source; (vi) declining freshwater supplies; (vii) falling food yield and production volumes; and (viii) global climate change.

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.

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 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 this funding opportunity. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR 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 six months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a final performance report, summarizing the results and describing how the grant funds were used.

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:

• 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

CIHR-IPPH and CIHR-IA will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the specific objectives and research priority areas described in the "Objectives" section. Applicants should describe the alignment of the proposed project with at least one of the three thematic areas identified in this RFA (See Objectives and Eligible Research Areas sections).

Prior to peer review, CIHR-IPPH and CIHR-IA will have access to anonymized project titles and summaries to conduct relevance review.

Upon completion of peer review, CIHR-IPPH and CIHR-IA will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations on funding level and award term for the applications that fall in the fundable range and have been determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative. The list will be used for funding decision-making purposes and will remain anonymous.

Peer Review

A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR's pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this funding opportunity. 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 website.

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 "Factors in the Assessment" (section 6.2).

The following evaluation criteria will apply to peer review of Catalyst Grant applications:

• How important and original are the hypotheses, questions, or issues to be addressed, and how clearly are they formulated?
• How important and novel are the outcomes expected from the proposed research activities? What is the potential for important new observations, tools/techniques, knowledge or impact in health research, or for the expected outcomes to build a foundation for the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities?
• How well will the proposed approach address the hypotheses or questions? How well have the applicant(s) anticipated difficulties in their approach and considered alternatives? How critically is the relevant literature appraised and evaluated?
• How appropriate to the proposed research activities is the training or track record of the applicant(s)? Are the reviewers confident that the applicant(s) can accomplish the work proposed?

Notes:

• It will be recognized by reviewers that preliminary data or observations for novel ideas or totally new research directions will generally not be available, and therefore there will be a minor emphasis on preliminary data or observations.
• Researchers, regardless of career stage, would not be expected to have an extensive publication record in the new field, but rather to possess a set of transferable competencies that will enable them to accomplish the proposed objectives.
• For projects of a high risk nature, the potential for great scientific gain should offset the risk of failure.
• There should be minimal or no overlap with other funded work.

How to Apply

Note: This funding opportunity requires the use of CIHR Web Forms 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 one step: Application. (Updated: 2008-07-29)
• To complete your Application, follow the instructions identified in the Catalyst Grants - Web Forms "Application" Phase Instructions. (Updated: 2008-07-29)
• 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:

• In the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module, select "Strategic Initiative" and enter the title of this funding opportunity.

Send the completed registration and application packages by courier to:

RE: "Catalyst Grant: Population and Public Health"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

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

Ghisline Bourque (Updated: 2008-08-20)
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-0861
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: ghisline.bourque@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives 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)
CIHR's IPPH supports research into the complex interactions, which determine health, and its application to improve the health of individuals, communities and global populations.

CIHR - Institute of Aging (IA)
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: aging and maintenance of functional autonomy; biological mechanisms of aging; cognitive impairment in aging; healthy and successful aging; and health services and policy relating to older people.

Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
The broad mandate of the Public Health Agency of Canada is to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health. The Agency's primary role is to lead federal efforts and mobilize pan-Canadian action in preventing disease and injury and promoting and protecting national and international health. To fulfill this role, the Agency collaborates with a wide range of partners, to make Canadians healthier, reduce health disparities and strengthen public health capacity. In order to further build the evidence base related to reducing health disparities, the Strategic Initiatives & Innovations Directorate of PHAC is particularly interested in supporting catalyst grant applications, which address the priority theme areas of: Analyzing and Addressing the Impacts of the Social and Built Environment on Health; and, Understanding and Promoting Equity in Health. (Updated: 2008-09-26)

Additional Information

1. Population health intervention research involves the use of scientific methods to produce knowledge about policy and program interventions that operate within or outside of the health sector and have the potential to impact health at the population level