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.

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity has a mandate to promote and support excellence in internationally recognized research in the areas of infection and immunity. The Institute interacts with scientists, community groups, non-governmental health organizations and international researchers to identify research priorities, establish partnerships and undertake collaborative research initiatives.

The Institute will provide funding for workshops, symposia and national and international conferences held in Canada, which have a direct relevance to research in the areas of infection and immunity.

The Institute of Infection and Immunity is the lead CIHR Institute for the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative and will provide funding from this initiative for relevant applications.The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative will support events held in Canada or internationally provided the event is led by an eligible applicant based at a Canadian institution.

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. Should CIHR funding levels be decreased by Parliament, CIHR reserves the right to defer or suspend payments to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

• The minimum amount available for this funding opportunity is $160,000.
• Of the $160,000 above: 
  • $60,000 is available to fund applications relevant to general Institute-related applications; and
  • $100,000 is available to fund applications related to the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.  Within the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative, $25,000 is available for each of the four funding streams relevant to this competition:
    • biomedical/clinical research;
    • health services/population health research;
    • community based research-general; and
    • community based research-Aboriginal.
• The maximum amount for a single grant is $ 25,000. 

Partner 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 Description section to find a list of partners and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner are outlined in the "Objectives" section.

Objectives

The purpose of the 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 objectives of this funding opportunity:

• To address specific questions or problems important to infection and immunity health research in Canada, with the purpose of reaching a consensus on recommendations or conclusions leading to an improved focus on research issues;
• To support scientific educational symposia with areas of importance to a significant number of Canadian investigators and having direct relevance to infection and immunity health research;
• To facilitate knowledge exchange through limited support of scientific meetings and conferences with content focused primarily in areas of infection and immunity; and
• To enhance knowledge translation of the results of research to the broader infection and immunity community.

Relevant Research Areas:

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity will provide funding for workshops, symposia and national and international conferences held in Canada, which have a direct relevance to research in any areas of infection and immunity. Symposia and conferences should be national in scope and open to all relevant stakeholders.

CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative

Under the leadership of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity, and with the generous support of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative promotes Canadian research and builds research capacity in order to increase our understanding of the virus, the epidemic and effective responses.  The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative knowledge translation (KT) strategy supports KT activities and the uptake of research findings related to HIV/AIDS through supporting such activities as: integrated KT for team grants, research synthesis, end of grant supplements, and meeting, planning and dissemination grants.

Through this funding opportunity, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative encourages applications that are relevant to the Priorities of the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.  The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative will support events held in Canada or internationally provided the event is led by an eligible applicant based at a Canadian institution.

Applications are also encouraged for activities that are responsive to the CIHR HIV/AIDS Community-Based research (CBR) Program, part of the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.  Community-based research involves members in all stages of the research process and promotes the active participation of communities in the development of knowledge dissemination strategies. The CIHR HIV/AIDS CBR Program encourages applications that are relevant to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Eligible Activities

Examples of activities eligible for funding from all CIHR III funding streams are provided below. These examples are not intended to be exhaustive and there is no intent to imply that applications for these types of activities would be more successful than for activities not captured in the list below.

• Scientific meetings (workshops, symposia, conferences, colloquia);
• Consensus meetings, planning and development meetings, networking and partnership development events for health researchers with non-researchers and/or users of health research to facilitate collaboration among individuals or groups;
• Events that facilitate uptake of research findings involving stakeholder linkages to inform practice, care, and/or policy; and
• Events that disseminate the results of research beyond the traditional scientific community.

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 accepted:

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant must be one of the following:
   1. An independent researcher;
   2. A knowledge-user;
   3. Trainee;
   4. Activity/event coordinator affiliated with Canadian non-governmental not-for-profit organization, and/or a community leader.
2. 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;
3. 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.
4. A Nominated Principal Applicant, who assumes administrative responsibilities for the grant, must be named for each Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant application.
5. 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;
6. Activities/Events starting or taking place before the funding start date are not eligible to apply to this opportunity;
7. The grant must be held in Canada; and
8. Please note that applicants are only eligible to apply to one Funding Opportunity per unique application as per the Restrictions on Similar Applications Policy. Therefore you can only submit an application to this opportunity if you are not intending to submit the same project to another CIHR competition including the Knowledge Translation and Public Outreach Branch open tools ("Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Planning Grants" and "Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Dissemination Events") launched in December 2009.

Randomized Controlled Trials:

Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this funding opportunity.

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.

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

The following expenditures will be considered eligible for funding received through this funding opportunity:

• Costs associated with planning, publication, translation, and/or dissemination; and
• Fees or honoraria for the preparation of background documents (e.g., environmental scan).
• Travel and accommodation for participants;
• Meeting rooms and associated meeting costs (e.g., audio-visual equipment, videoconferences);
• Hospitality costs (non-alcoholic refreshments or meals); and
• Modest honoraria (up to $500 CAD) for guest experts.

The following costs are not eligible for support through this funding opportunity:

• Stipend/salary support for investigators, research trainees or technical assistants (other than for aforementioned purposes);
• Purchase or maintenance of equipment; and
• Operating costs of research projects.

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 "policies and guidelines in the conduct of research". 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.

In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special requirements shall apply:

• The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (CIHR-III) reserves the right to send an observer to the event at its own expense but without registration fee, or to provide information about CIHR and the Institute to participants at the event.

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.

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.

• Within three months after the activity / event, the Nominated Principal Applicant is required to submit a a "MPD Final Report" [ PDF (276 KB) | Help ] 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.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

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

Prior to review, the CIHR-III will have access upon written consent of the applicant, full applications to conduct relevance review.

Applications that are not deemed to be relevant will be withdrawn from the competition.

The following relevance criteria will be used in conducting the relevance review:

• Alignment of the objectives of the proposed activity with the specific objectives and relevant research areas listed above; and
• A strong rationale which references the potential for high national or international impact, inclusion of program elements directly relevant to Institute priorities, well-defined knowledge exchange/dissemination activities and substantial leveraging of the Institute investment.

Review Committee

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 Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality in the context of Merit, Relevance and Peer 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; and
• Likely 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; and
• Clearly defined dissemination plans for activity outcomes.

Feasibility:

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

The following evaluation criteria are specific to this funding opportunity:

• Identification of support, financial and in-kind, from non-CIHR sources; and
• Extent to which CIHR funds will be leveraged through partnerships.

Funding Decision

Upon completion of the review, CIHR III will receive the ranking list, ratings and recommendations on funding level 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.

Applications to the general CIHR-III competition will be funded from the top down as far as the budget will allow.  In the interest of funding a range of initiatives with limited resources, $10,000 will normally be provided in support for workshops/symposia/conferences relating to the Institute's mandate for all funding pools. In exceptional cases, larger amounts, to a maximum of $25,000, may be awarded with appropriate justification by the applicant, including explicit description of the relevance of the event to the mandate and research priorities of the Institute and/or the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.

The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative has four different funding streams relevant to this competition (biomedical/clinical research; health services/population health research; general HIV/AIDS community-based research; and Aboriginal HIV/AIDS community-based research). Funding is available to support the top ranked application in each funding stream. Additional applications may be supported based on funding available in the various funding envelopes. 

Applications that receive a rating below 3.5 will not be funded.

How to Apply

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: Application.
• To complete your Application, follow the instructions identified in the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination 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 Requirments

The following criteria must be met for your application to be accepted:

• In order to be considered for funding, applicants must apply and state the relevance of their proposal to the "Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant: Infection and Immunity" funding opportunity.
• Applicants must clearly list partners and indicate their contribution to the organization of the proposed workshop/symposium/conference.
• This funding opportunity is comprised of five separate funding streams described in the "Funds Available" section. Note that applicants can ONLY apply to ONE of these five funding streams for the same project.  
• Applicants must indicate on the "Provide Overview of Proposed Activity" screen in ResearchNet, in the "Brief Description of Activity" section which of the funding streams you would like to be considered for and your relevance to this stream:
  • general Institute-related applications;
  • CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative:
    • biomedical/clinical research;
    • health services/population health research;
    • community based research-general; and
    • community based research-Aboriginal.
• If you are requesting funds over the normal limit of $10,000, on the "Provide Overview of Proposed Activity" screen in ResearchNet, in the "Brief Description of Activity" section, justify your request with a summary of how your event specifically aligns with the mandate and priorities of the Institute or Initiative, the impact and quality of the event program, planned knowledge exchange/dissemination activities, and the extent to which CIHR funds will be leveraged. This justification must be supported by appropriate documentation in the body of the application.
• Candidates may suggest up to two additional CIHR Institutes/Branches to which their application is relevant. This information may be used to assist in finding funding partners for the application.

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines and eligibility, how to apply, and the merit review process contact: (Updated: 2010-02-02)

Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants Program Delivery Team
Team Lead, Program Delivery
Targeted Initiatives Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613- 957-3118
Fax: 613- 954-1800
E-mail: MPD-SRPD@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity and the research objectives contact:

Kimberly Banks Hart
Associate, Institute Strategic Initiatives
Institute of Infection and Immunity
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-954-1965
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: kimberly.hart@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative and research objectives contact:

Suzette Dos Santos
Officer, HIV/AIDS Research Initiative
Institute of Infection and Immunity
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-941-4464
Fax: 613-590-1800
Email: HIVAIDS-VIHSIDA@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

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.

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity
The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity supports research and helps to build research capacity in the areas of infectious disease and the body's immune system. Through the Institute's programs, researchers address a wide range of health concerns related to infection and immunity including disease mechanisms, disease prevention and treatment, and health promotion through public policy.