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Description
The Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research Operating Grant incorporates the Rx&D Collaborative Research Operating Grant and the program formerly titled the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Operating Grant. The Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research Operating Grant is designed to help the academic community and Canadian companies with an interest in health R&D to work together. The research planned should be beneficial to both parties, while improving the quality of health of Canadians. Projects may be initiated by either party; however, the academic researcher is responsible for applying for the grant.
Funds Available
CIHR's and partner contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner reserve the right to defer or suspend payments to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.
- The total CIHR amount available for this funding opportunity is $5,000,000 per competition. Of this $5,000,000:
- $2,500,000 is available to fund applications where the partner is a member of Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D) Association
- $2,500,000 is available to fund applications with other eligible partners.
- The maximum CIHR amount awarded for a single grant is $500,000 per year for up to 5 years ($2,500,000).*
- The equipment amount, where applicable, is awarded in year one.
*The partner amount must be equal to or exceed the CIHR amount requested as detailed below.
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Objectives
The broad goals of this operating grant are to:
- encourage and facilitate mutually beneficial university*-industry collaborations in health research;
- stimulate the health research activities of private sector companies in Canada;
- build capacity of researchers and trainees through interaction with industry;
- enhance communications between industry and universities;
- foster an entrepreneurial culture within and around the health research community in Canada;
- promote economic development through health research in Canada;
- support the application of health research results to improve the health of Canadians.
An additional objective for projects with Rx&D member partners are to:
- Facilitate the translational research objectives of CIHR, with particular interests in clinical research. Clinical research combines discoveries from the basic science laboratory incorporating the observations and insights of health professionals (a key aspect of translational research). It is the creation of new health knowledge and the translation of that knowledge from the research setting into applications where it ultimately impacts on the health of Canadians.
*Includes other eligible institutions.
Relevant Research Areas:
The Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research Operating Grant is open to applications in all areas of health research that are aligned with the objectives of this Funding Opportunity, however, CIHR will not provide support for studies that are solely for the purpose of satisfying regulatory requirements and any such application will be withdrawn.
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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 Individual Eligibility Requirements regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions
Eligibility to Apply:
In order for your application to be eligible:
- The Nominated Principal Applicant must be an independent researcher;
- The relationship between the investigators and the industry partner must be established and the required level of partner contribution secured from an eligible company at the time the application is submitted. The minimum partner contribution (including eligible in-kind contributions) must be at least a 1:1 ratio to the amount requested from CIHR, except for Phase I clinical trials which require a minimum 2:1 (Industry:CIHR) ratio and RCTs including Phase II, III and IV clinical trials which require a minimum 4:1 (Industry:CIHR) ratio.
Randomized Controlled Trials:
Applications involving Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are accepted and encouraged where appropriate based on scientific and methodological grounds.
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Guidelines
General CIHR Guidelines
This funding opportunity will comply fully with the policies and guidelines outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. 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.
Up to 10% of the proposed project budget (including CIHR and matching partner funding, cash and in-kind) may be identified as equipment funding.
Global Health Research and International Collaborations
As outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide Global Health Research Section and International Collaborations Section, applicants who are eligible for CIHR funding may apply to CIHR's funding opportunities for funds to support research to be carried out in, or in direct collaboration with researchers and/or decision-makers based in, other countries. CIHR contributes to, and supports international research projects and international collaborations to address a range of research areas, including but not limited to established priorities in global health research and contributes to the development of health-research capacity both internationally and at home.
Conditions of Funding
Successful applicants funded through this funding opportunity and any other persons working on the project must comply fully with the CIHR Funding Policies. Policies and guidelines cover areas such as Applicant Responsibilities, 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.
CIHR funding is conditional on the partner contributing at the required ratio.
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 CIHR's Policy on Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality in the context of Merit, Relevance and Peer Review (CCIP).
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.
CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People
The CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People came into effect as policy for CIHR-funded research on July 1, 2008. Applicants whose proposed research will involve Aboriginal People are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with these guidelines and in particular with the section "Application of the Guidelines," which outlines the situations in which these guidelines apply.
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 Communication of Competition Results for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes/partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.
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Performance Measurement
CIHR is committed to collecting and disseminating information on the outputs and impacts of the research it funds. This information is an important part of CIHR accountability within the Federal Government and to Canadians.
- The Nominated Principal Applicant, may be required to submit an End of Grant report to CIHR 18 months after the authority to use the grant fund period. This online report will be made available to the Nominated Principal Applicant on ResearchNet at the beginning of the grant funding period and can be filled in as the research progresses.
- For Randomized Controlled Trials final report format to be used must follow the revised Consort Guidelines
- In the third year of five-year grants the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a Progress Report for Long-Term Grant Holders (5 or more years) summarizing the outcomes and describing how the grant funds were used.
- Within three months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit an IPCR Final Report summarizing the outcomes and describing how the grant funds were used.
- The Nominated Principal Applicant 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;
- The Nominated Principal Applicant must also encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.
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Review Process and Evaluation
Review Committee
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) / branch(es) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality in the context of Merit, Relevance and Peer Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see the Understand Peer Review section of CIHR's website.
Evaluation Criteria:
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with CIHR Peer Review Manual for Grant Applications.
Reviewers will use 5 standard evaluation criteria as the baseline for their assessments. A detailed elaboration of these criteria and interpretation guidelines can be found at Revised Grants Evaluation Criteria.
- Criterion #1: Research Approach
- Criterion #2: Originality of the Proposal
- Criterion #3: Applicant(s)
- Criterion #4: Environment for the Research
- Note: this includes suitability of the environment for the training of personnel (milieu, project and mentors) — this is applicable as it accords with the program's general objective to build capacity of researchers and trainees through interaction with industry
- Criterion #5: Impact of the Research
- Note: this includes the level of partner engagement — this program is supportive of projects that adopt an integrated approach to knowledge translation (IKT), i.e. projects where the industry partners are meaningfully engaged at different stages in the reseach process. This collaborative approach is expected to produce research results that are more likely to be relevant and used by end users.
Funding Decision:
Upon completion of peer review, Knowledge Translation Branch, and the CIHR/Rx&D Program will receive the ranking list, 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 unless applicants have provided written consent to share nominative information.
Applications will be funded from the top down in each pool in order of ranking as far as budgets will allow.
Applications that receive a rating below 3.5 will not be funded.
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How to Apply
- The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of two steps: Registration and Application.
- To complete your Registration and Application, follow the instructions identified in the Grants - ResearchNet "Registration" Phase Instructions and the Grants - ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions.
- An overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under Apply for Funding.
- 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.
Submission Requirements
- Your Application will be submitted using ResearchNet. Scan and upload the signed signature pages including the routing slip in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.
Specific Instructions:
- The Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research Operating Grant supports research projects by an individual or small group of investigators.
- The Partnership Details form and Partner Letter(s) in the Identify Application Partners task (Manage Attachments) on ResearchNet must be fully completed and included with the application. The partner signature(s) must be included in both documents. The partner contributions and funding ratios are verified using the information provided in the Budget Module and the Partnership Details form on ResearchNet.
- For the Partner Letter it is recommended that the following details are covered:
- Explain how the Partner is involved and detail any in-kind contribution
- Identify the relevance of the project to the Partner and how it pertains to the Partner's research agenda
- Outline the potential benefits the Partner may derive from participating in the project and how the results of the project will be applied
- The Research Proposal in the "Enter Project Information and Supporting Documents" task under "Project Information" is limited to 11 pages in case of one or two applicants and 13 pages if there are three or more applicants. References, figures and tables may be listed in additional pages in the "Research Proposal Appendix" tab.
- Applicants are encouraged to provide a list of potential external reviewers at the time of application.
- RCT applications are encouraged to follow the headings provided under RCT Evaluation Criteria and Headings.
- 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 final acceptance of publications, patents and intellectual property rights, and notices of any other funding requested or received only) for up to 5 weeks after the application deadline.
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Contact Information
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Edit Palencsar
Program Delivery Coordinator
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-946-0095
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: edit.palencsar@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative and research objectives:
- If your partner is a member of Rx&D, please contact:
CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-948-2564
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: rxd@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
- For all other partners, please contact:
Chaidwick Leneis
Senior KSE Specialist
Knowledge Synthesis and Exchange Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-4437
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: chaidwick.leneis@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
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Partner/Collaborator Description
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.
Knowledge Translation Branch
The objective of the 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. The Knowledge Translation Branch supports synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to advance CIHR's mandate. Knowledge translation (KT), including end of grant and integrated KT (IKT), 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. Commercialization refers to the component of knowledge translation that is focused on bringing new products, tools, or services to a state of use in the private, not-for-profit, or public sectors.
CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program
The CIHR/Rx&D Collaborative Research Program is inspired by the longstanding successful collaboration between the pharmaceutical research industry and CIHR. Under this program, the eligible company partner is a member of Canada's Research-Based Pharmaceutical Companies (Rx&D). The Program promotes peer-reviewed research and enhances the training and development of health research personnel and opportunities in Canada. The Program is designed to enable scientists, clinicians and members of the full spectrum of health professionals, and Rx&D members to optimize their access to the unique opportunities and advantages offered by CIHR's translational research opportunities, including clinical research. The program can also lead to research synergies through collaboration between scientists from both sectors.
Rx&D
Rx&D is an association of leading research-based biopharmaceutical companies dedicated to improving the health of all Canadians through the discovery and development of new medicines and vaccines. Our community represents 18,000 men and women working for close to 50 member companies and it invests each year more than $1 billion in research and development to fuel Canada's knowledge-based economy. Guided by our Code of Ethical Practices, our membership is committed to working in partnership with governments, healthcare professionals and stakeholders in a highly ethical manner.
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