Applying to CIHR: How to Support an Application and Tips for Administrators

1. Applying to CIHR: How to Support an Application and Tips for Administrators Melesa L. BeharryJune 22, 2011

2. Eligibility • Formal affiliation with a Canadian University • Researchers can apply for more than one operating grant at the same time • University agrees by applying, to administer the grant

3. CIHR Institutes • Aboriginal Peoples' Health • Aging • Cancer Research • Circulatory and Respiratory Health • Gender and Health • Genetics • Health Services and Policy Research • Human Development, Child and Youth Health • Infection and Immunity • Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis • Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction • Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes • Population and Public Health • http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/9466.html

4. Funding opportunities • Meeting, Planning and Dissemination Grants • Catalyst Grants • Open Operating Grants • New Investigator Grants • Emerging Team Grants • Team Grants • Partnerships for Health Systems Improvement • http://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/rnr16/srch.do?all=1&search=true&org=CIHR&sort=program&masterList=true&view=currentOpps&fodAgency=CIHR&fodLanguage=E

5. Register with CIHR • ResearchNet Account • PIN • CommonCV • http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/38201.html

6. Meeting, Planning and Dissemination Grants • CIHR MPD grants are small grants that can range in value from $10,000-$25,000. • 3 categories of MPD Grants: • Planning Grants • Dissemination Grants • Knowledge Translation Supplement Grants • Funds cannot be used for operating expenses • Important to get quotes, where possible

7. Catalyst Grants • Small strategic grants • The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is normally $50,000 per annum for up to 1 year • First step towards the pursuit of more comprehensive funding. Primary purpose is to collect pilot data. • New investigators are encouraged to apply • Established investigators are encouraged to include postdoctoral fellows as co-applicants or collaborators

8. Operating Grants • Most popular and applied to program • No min or max of funding that you can request • Priority Announcements – Applying for a priority announcement does not preclude the researcher from being considered for an operating grant through the general pool of applications • Registration Deadline – August 15, 2011 • Application Deadline – September 15, 2011

9. New Investigator Salary Awards • $60,000 per annum is contributed to a PI’s salary for up to five years • Eligibility: • PI must hold a full time research appointment for a period of 0 to 60 months as of the competition deadline • 75% of the PI’s time must be protected for research for the duration of the award. The PI will need a support letter from their Dean indicating this commitment • PI must hold an Operating Grant as of the earliest possible start date for the NI Award (i.e., July 1 following the September application deadline). If the applicant does not meet this condition, they must apply for an Operating Grant simultaneously when they apply for a New Investigator Award. • Anticipated Deadline – September 15, 2011

10. Emerging Team Grant • Strategic grants that support the creation or further development of research teams undertaking collaborative research relevant to a significant health problem or issue. • Eligible teams will consist of at least three independent investigators. • Large grants • Two stage process - 1. Letter of Intent (LOI) and 2. Full Application

11. Team Grant • Strategic grants that focus on: • Research training and mentorship • Production of new knowledge and translation of research findings into improvements in the health of Canadians and the Canadian health care system. • Research results should be realized more rapidly and more efficiently through the CIHR Team Grant program than if the components were to be funded as a series of separate operating grants. • Eligible teams will consist of at least three independent investigators. • Large grants • Two stage process - 1. Letter of Intent (LOI) and 2. Full Application

12. Partnerships for Health System Improvement • Integrated knowledge translation program • PHSI projects can last up to three years • Researchers can receive up to a maximum of $400,000 from CIHR over the life of a project. • Additional funding from external partners is required

13. Eligible Expenses • Research Staff • Research Assistants • Technicians • Other personnel • Research Trainees • Postdoctoral Fellows • Graduate Students • Summer Students • Materials, Supplies and Services • Animals • Expendables • Services • Travel

14. Ineligible Expenses: Equipment • Equipment will NOT be funded through the Operating Grant competition. • Equipment: A nonexpendable tangible property, having a useful life of more than 1 year and a cost of $2,000 or more, which is used wholly or in part for research. • Note that all three conditions must be met for an item to be considered equipment, i.e.: • nonexpendable tangible property; and, • useful life of more than 1 year; and, • a cost of $2,000 or more. • For example, a laptop computer that costs less than $2,000 would not be considered equipment even though it is a nonexpendable tangible item with a useful life of more than one year.

15. Ineligible expenses Alcohol Furniture or other infrastructure costs General supplies Business class airfare or other first class travel Standard monthly connection or rental costs of telephones. iPads and iPods Payments to clinicians, or to individuals who wish to participate in the research as an investigator and who at the same time receive money for teaching or service work Hospitality expenses for regular interactions with colleagues from the institution and personnel meetings http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/FinancialAdminGuide-guideAdminFinancier/FundsUse-UtilisationSubventions_eng.asp

16. Where are the instructions? • Specific and general instructions are found in the “how to apply” section of the selected funding opportunity. READ BOTH! • Formatting Instructions for Attachments: • 8 ½ X 11 portrait • 2 cm (3/4 inch) margins all around • Font size 12 pt Times New Roman • Page number at bottom of each page. Attachments should be numbered in a logical order. • Header: Indicate your name, the project title, the total grant amount requested from CIHR (1st year) and the section title (e.g., Summary of Research Proposal) at the top of each page. • Formatting Instructions for CV Attachments: • Header: Each page header must contain your name and the sub-section header, e.g., Most Significant Contributions. • Number pages consecutively after CV. • All other general presentation rules are applicable.

17. Signatures • The Nominated Principal Applicant signature is no longer required. • Signatures are still required of the Co-Applicants and Principal Applicants, but not of their institutions. • A wet signature from ORS is not required. Your application will be electronically approved. • If you have no Co-Applicants and Principal Applicants you will have to upload a blank signature page to ResearchNet. • Signatures: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/41162.html

23. Common errors • Poorly written summary of research proposal • Waiting until the last minute to work on the CommonCV, letters of collaboration, cost quotes, etc. • Ignoring the evaluation criteria • Failing to show the value of your research • Applying for a CIHR Operating Grant before your track record can support it

24. Strategies for success • Read the funding opportunity description and instructions • Become familiar with ResearchNet by creating your own account • Organize an internal peer review panel • Complete and gather all accompanying documents a month in advance of the deadline e.g. Common CV, letters of collaboration, collaborative details, references, cost quotes, etc. • Know your audience. Check out the previous peer review committees and the applications that were funded. http://webapps.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/cfdd/search_e

25. Strategies for success • Do not apply unless you have preliminary data that shows feasibility • If you are a new investigator, try to dissociate your research program from that of your previous supervisor. Try and obtain a reference letter from your previous supervisor that clearly describes how your research program is distinct. • Review a successful application

26. Support services for staff and applicants • Research Officers • Sarah Whitaker, Sr. Research Officer, VPRI • Associate Deans of Research • ORS • Michelle Galloro, Research Applications Coordinator • Mala Thakoor, Information Officer

27. Important websites • CIHR Website: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/ • ResearchNet Website: http://researchnet.ca/rnr16/LoginServlet • CIHR Glossary: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/34190.html#r6 • CommonCV Website: http://www.commoncv.net/index_e.html • Aramark Website (Hospitality): https://yorku.catertrax.com/ • Schulich Website (Accomodation/Hospitality): http://seec.schulich.yorku.ca/aboutus/accommodations/index.html • Research Cost Table: http://www.yorku.ca/ffares/documents/research_cost_table.xls • ORS Checklist: http://www.yorku.ca/research/documents/ORSchecklist.pdf • Request for Letter of Support (VPRI): http://www.yorku.ca/research/documents/letter_of_supportMay2011.pdf • Tri-Council Policy on Use of Grant Funds: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/FinancialAdminGuide-guideAdminFinancier/FundsUse-UtilisationSubventions_eng.asp

28. Contacts • Melesa Beharry • Research Officer, Faculty of Health • melesa@yorku.ca • Sarah Whitaker • Sr. Research Officer, VPRI • sarahw@yorku.ca • Joan Broussard • Associate Director, Research Grants, ORS • joanb@yorku.ca • Michelle Galloro • Research Applications Coordinator, ORS • mgalloro@yorku.ca • Mala Thakoor • Information Officer, ORS • mthakoor@yorku.ca