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

PHSI is an innovative program for supporting applied and policy-relevant health systems and services research that is deemed high priority by Canada's health care decision makers. PHSI is well suited for action-oriented research projects that both add to the existing knowledge base and address high priority and policy-relevant health care and health systems problems.

The PHSI program requires active and meaningful partnerships between researchers and decision makers interested in working together on applied and policy-relevant health services and systems research. CIHR recognizes that these partnerships take time to build, and must be fostered in order to become effective and productive. The Partnerships for Health System Improvement Development funds supports the partnership-building that is so key to a successful PHSI project.

Only researchers and/or decision makers interested in applying to the full PHSI competition should submit an application for the PHSI Development Funds.

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

• Planning meetings between researchers and decision makers where the sharing of information takes place for the purpose of building partnerships with a view to applying to the PHSI program;
• 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) interested in applying to the PHSI program;
• Activities that assist potential teams of researchers and decision makers in identifying emerging issues and priorities that could potentially be addressed by projects funded in the PHSI competition;
• Opportunities for knowledge exchange involving stakeholder linkages (to inform practice, care, and/or policy) that could potentially lead to an application to the PHSI competition.

More detailed information on PHSI is available on their website.

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 total amount available for this funding opportunity is $ 120,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• The Mental Health Commission of Canada may contribute up to a total of $60,000 (until funds run out), that are relevant to mental health and homelessness.
• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $15,000

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 Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant – Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) Development Funds - is to provide the opportunity for researchers and/or decision makers to apply for development funds to facilitate the formation and development of partnerships between researchers and decision makers interested in applying to the PHSI program. The PHSI Development Funds are also intended to enable potential teams to work together to identify research questions for a PHSI application.

CIHR will fund development activities to facilitate collaboration and partnership formation between Canadian researchers and decision makers from a variety of fields, disciplines, backgrounds and roles (e.g. program managers, decision makers and practitioners) with the objective of developing and/or enhancing:

• Partnerships between researcher(s) and decision makers interested in pursuing a collaborative research initiative through PHSI that will address a high priority and policy-relevant health care services or health systems problem;
• Initial planning and discussion of a PHSI research project among potential PHSI team members including both researchers and decision makers to assess the viability of the research project and the partnership;
• The ability of teams of health services and policy researchers and decision makers in Canada to become increasingly successful in the PHSI competition;
• Consensus on priority policy issues and research questions in health services and policy research where such common understanding is currently lacking or requires further development;
• Support for activities that assist potential teams of researchers and decision makers in identifying emerging issues and priorities that could potentially be addressed by projects funded in the PHSI competition.

Relevant Research Areas:

CIHR will fund MPD applications in health services and policy research that have the potential to contribute to the improvement of the health care system and the health of Canadians through PHSI. For potential subject matter examples, please see the results of the Listening for Direction (LfD) III consultation exercise.

Specific research foci and requirements of individual partners:

Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
The goal of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is to help bring into being an integrated mental health system that places people living with mental illness at its centre. One of the top priorities of the MHCC is to support research that finds ways to help the growing number of homeless people (and those at risk and in transition) who have a mental illness. To this end, the MHCC may contribute up to $1 million in partnership funding to the Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) competition for successful projects that are relevant to one of the three priority areas in mental health and homelessness.

To help support the formation and development of partnerships between researchers and decision makers interested in submitting an application to the full-scale PHSI competition that is relevant to mental health and homelessness, the MHCC may contribute to successful applications in four MPD – PHSI competitions (beginning with the February 2009 competition), or until funds run out, that are relevant to mental health and homelessness. Possible areas for investigation include:

• development of policy-relevant method(s) that enable cross-provincial analyses of homelessness trends and enhance policy makers' understanding of the causes and consequences of homelessness
• participatory action research to develop innovative prevention and service programs
• evaluations of effective strategies for achieving collaboration across governmental levels to address homelessness
• understanding and modifying the causes of homelessness in at risk populations
• mental health and homelessness in youth

A minimum of one grant maybe available for a successful application in the priority area of mental health and homelessness in northern and remote areas (e.g., one or more of the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and northern regions of the provinces).

The MHCC requires that successful applicants invite the MHCC to participate as a partner in the MPD development activity. Applicants interested in being considered for MHCC funding must state the relevance of their proposal to one of the three priority areas eligible for funding on their ResearchNet application. Please see the How to Apply section for more information.

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;
2. At least one project participant, other than the Nominated Principal Applicant, must be:
   
   1. An independent researcher;
   2. A knowledge-user;
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. In the context of 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, decision makers and/or community leaders. The Principal Applicant has responsibility for the intellectual direction of the proposed activity/ event as well as administrative and financial responsibility over the grant.
6. A Nominated Principal Applicant, who assumes administrative responsibilities for the grant, must be named for each Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant application.
7. 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.
8. Activities/Events starting or taking place before the funding start date are not eligible to apply to this opportunity

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;
• 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);
• 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;
• 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.

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.

• The Nominated Principal Applicant, will 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 would 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.
  
• 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.
• 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 final report should indicate whether the partnership has developed enough to apply to the PHSI competition (and when the team intends to submit a proposal). If no subsequent application to the PHSI competition is planned, the report should explain why.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

CIHR and other Partners, as required, will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and research priority areas described in the Objectives section.

Prior to peer review, CIHR and other Partners, as required, will have access to anonymized project titles and project summaries and/or relevance forms, or upon consent of the applicant, full applications and nominative information to conduct relevance 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
• Relevance to the Partnerships for Health System Improvement program

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

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 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
• 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:

• Involvement of both a researcher and decision maker in the development activity
• Extent to which the proposed activities will foster researcher and decision maker collaborations in preparation for a PHSI application
• Potential to catalyze new initiatives in health services and policy research and their application to policy, program and practice needs and priorities
• Appropriateness of the proposed activity and likelihood of success
• Commitment to submitting an application to the full PHSI competition

Funding Decision:

Upon completion of peer review, CIHR and other Partners, as required, 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.  

Unless otherwise stated, the applications relevant to the specific research focuses will be funded from the top down as far as the budgets will allow. The remaining applications will be funded by the general pool of funds from the top down as far as budgets will allow.

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 are mandatory 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: Partnerships for Health System Improvement" funding opportunity.

The following criteria are optional and your Application will be accepted whether or not they are followed. However, please note that this information may be used by the peer review committee to make recommendations on funding:

• If you are interested in being considered for funding from the Mental Health Commission of Canada, on the "Select Funding Opportunities” screen in ResearchNet, when completing the " Relevance of your proposal to the objectives outlined in the funding opportunity " section, please state your relevance to one of the MHCC’s three priority areas and clearly indicate that you would like to be considered for (1) Mental Health Commission of Canada funding – mental health and homelessness in youth; (2) Mental Health Commission of Canada funding – mental health and homelessness in the North; or (3) Mental Health Commission of Canada funding – mental health and homelessness.

Contact Information

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

Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants Program Delivery Team
Program Delivery Coordinator
Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grant Program
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: 613-957-3118
Fax: 613-954-1800
Email: MPD-SRPD@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Chris McCutcheon
Manager, PHSI and Evidence on Tap
Knowledge Synthesis and Exchange Branch, Knowledge Translation
Telephone: 613-948-2725
Fax: 613-954-1800
E-mail: chris.mccutcheon@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Partner/Collaborator Description

Note: Additional partners are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year.

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.

Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR)
IHSPR is dedicated to supporting innovative research, capacity-building and knowledge translation initiatives designed to improve the way health care services are organized, regulated, managed, financed, paid for, used and delivered, in the interest of improving the health and quality of life of all Canadians.

Partners

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC)
The goal of the Mental Health Commission of Canada is to help bring into being an integrated mental health system that places people living with mental illness at its centre. One of the top priorities of the MHCC is to support research that finds ways to help the growing number of homeless people (and those at risk and in transition) who have a mental illness.