CIHR Funding Opportunities for Trainees SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 Simon Fraser University DOMINIQUE LALONDE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PROGRAM DELIVERY RESEARCH CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT BRANCH

Today I will talk about… What is CIHR? CIHR Funding Opportunities Database Training Award Programs Additional Funding Opportunities for Trainees Application Process Including Tips for Award Applicants Peer Review Process for Awards Program Statistics What’s New at CIHR?

What is CIHR?

CIHR is:  Government of Canada’s health research funding agency  Supporting the work of 1,000’s of researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals, and research institutes across Canada  Developing high-quality people, excellent science and training the next generation of health researchers  Funding research that improves Canadians’ health, health care system and quality of life  Fostering commercialization, moving research discoveries from academic setting to the marketplace CIHR Mandate “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…”

13 CIHR Institutes Population and Public Health Gender and Health Aboriginal Peoples’ Health Health Services and Policy Research Genetics Infection and Immunity Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes Cancer Research Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction Aging Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis Circulatory and Respiratory Health Human Development, Child and Youth Health

CIHR’s Research Themes CIHR’s funds a broad spectrum of health research, categorized into four themes: Biomedical Research Clinical Research Health Systems and Services Population and Public Health (including the social, cultural, environmental and ethical dimensions of health)

Research Capacity Development Supporting the “Brightest Minds” Training Students and Postdoctoral Fellows Individual Trainee Awards, e.g., master’s, doctoral, postdoctoral Training Grants (STIHR) Partial or complete support from CIHR research grants Salary Support for Independent Investigators New Investigators Chairs Support for Collaborative Team Research Team Grants Emerging Team Grants

CIHR Funding Opportunities Database

CIHR Funding Opportunities database This database: provides a complete listing of current and archived opportunities is searchable can be viewed by Institute, program type, or target applicant

Option 1-View the complete list of opportunities

Option 2-Search for an opportunity

Option 3-View by program type/Institute/target applicant

Funding Opportunities in General… June and December The next announcement of funding opportunities is scheduled for December 2008

Training Award Programs

Health Professional Student Research Awards This program funds… students enrolled at a Canadian university in an undergraduate health professional program leading to Canadian licensure $4,251 - $5,961 for a 13-week term Funding is offered through a voucher process Allocations are provided to the VP Research Office and are based on the number of health professional degree programs at the university Applications are forwarded to CIHR by the nominating university Deadline for applications is February 15

Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Master’s Awards This program funds… Master’s students at Canadian universities Valued at $17,500 per year for one year. Application quotas are provided to each AUCC member university Applications are forwarded to CIHR by the nominating university Direct applications accepted only from students who are not registered at a Canadian university in the Fall semester prior to the CIHR deadline CIHR Application Deadline for all applications is February 1

Doctoral Awards Funding is available for… Doctoral students in Canada and abroad Three envelopes of funding… Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (VCGS) Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships – Doctoral Awards (CGSDA) CIHR Doctoral Research Awards (CIHR DRA) Canadian citizens and permanent residents apply directly to CIHR, whereas International students apply through the Canadian university where they plan to pursue their PhD program CIHR Deadlines for application: Canadian citizens and permanent residents: October 15, 2008 International applicants: November 14, 2008

Canada Graduate Scholarships Foreign Study Supplements (CGS-FSS) This program funds… existing Canadian CGS Master’s or Doctoral Award recipients that would like to pursue a short research period outside of Canada. In future years, Vanier CGS recipients will also be eligible. Supplement: up to $6,000 Term: usually four to six months CIHR deadline for applications is December 10, 2008

Fellowship Awards This program funds… trainees with PhD and/or health professional degrees that are proposing research training in Canada or abroad Stipend per annum: $40,000 to $55,000; depending on the background of the awardee and where the award is held Research Allowance per annum: $5,000 Term: up to five years; depending on the intended use of the award Application Deadlines: October 1 and February 1

Additional Funding Opportunities Available for Trainees

Priority Announcements Priority Announcements offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates. Candidates may request that their application to a core program be considered for up to three priority announcement research areas per application, in each competition. For the competition cycle, there will be Priority Announcements competitions for candidates applying to the Master’s Award, Doctoral Research Award and Fellowship programs.

Summer Program in Japan The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) provides graduate students in health research with an eight-week research experience in Japan, an introduction to the science and science policy infrastructure in Japan, and an orientation to the culture and language. CIHR is one of the nominating Canadian authorities for this program. The first week of the program will be dedicated to an orientation session, including an introduction to the language, culture and research systems of the host country, as well as activities. The following seven weeks (approximately) will be spent working on research activities at the host institution. Stipend: $3,000 Term: 8 weeks CIHR Application Deadline: November 1

Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (STIHR) A CIHR Training Program Grant is awarded to a group of excellent mentors/educators, accomplished in health research, who work collaboratively to offer a research training program of defined format and content to a group of trainees. Potential trainees apply directly to successful Training Programs for program admission and for stipend support. These competitive training opportunities are advertised nationally and internationally. To date, 87 Training Program Grants have been funded by CIHR and partners for a total of $160 million.

STIHR Objectives Increase capacity Recruitment/retention from Canada and abroad Innovative, transdisciplinary programs Engage new mentors and educators Encourage programs that:  Embrace diverse research disciplines and methodologies  Integrate ethical issues  Develop professional skills, e.g., communication, teamwork, leadership  Translate knowledge into practice

The Application Process

CIHR Application Modules Award programs are in the process of transitioning to an automated application process through the use of ResearchNet Until complete, some funding opportunities will continue to require the use of CIHR Webforms with a paper copy submission Review the How to Apply section of the Funding Opportunity to which you are applying

CIHR CV Module (Common CV) The CV Module is used for almost all of CIHR grants and awards programs Access the Common CV Website ( via the Webforms login or via the ResearchNet website ( The data entered into the Common CV Website will be automatically formatted to fit into the CIHR version of the CV Module when you choose CIHR as the agency to which you are applying.

CIHR Sponsor’s Assessments If applying to a program using electronic submission via ResearchNet, you will be required to identify sponsors and an will be sent to them through ResearchNet with forms attached. Accessible via the List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion section of the CIHR Website or directly on ResearchNet for the programs that have electronic submission. Candidates should send the link for the applicable Sponsor’s Assessment form to the potential sponsor as they are PDF fillable forms.

Things to consider when applying…

Tips for CIHR Award Applicants follow instructions exactly adhere to format guidelines (e.g., font, page limits) applications MUST be completed using the media specified in the funding opportunity use the full page allowances start at least two months before the deadline

Tips for CIHR Award Applicants Applicants are encouraged to… work on the research proposal in collaboration with their supervisor/mentor proofread their application show the complete application to their supervisor/mentor, peers and other researchers for feedback Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted: If you are submitting through ResearchNet, all tasks must be listed as complete in order to be allowed to submit the application successfully. Do not wait up to the last minute to submit your application via Research-Net.

Tips for CIHR Award Applicants Common issues with Award Applications: Missing CV modules: most training award applications require the CIHR CV Module for the candidate and the proposed supervisor(s) Official transcripts are required…certified copies will not be accepted Completed Sponsor’s Assessments should be sent to CIHR to meet the application deadline Ensure all components of the application are completed and included when the application is submitted… incomplete applications are withdrawn from the competition

Useful Links Current funding opportunities: CIHR funding policy (incl. the Grants & Awards Guide): CIHR Funding Database of funded research: Peer review links: Details about peer review processes: Peer review committees and mandates:

Peer Review for Award Programs

Each CIHR award program has a set of peer review committees that are created specifically to review applications for that program: 2 Master’s Awards committees 2 Doctoral Research Award (DRA) committees 5 Fellowships committees Each set of peer review committees is grouped into committees that review specific themes; generally themes 1 and 2 or 3 and 4, however, there are a few committees that review applications from all themes, i.e., 1 through 4. Committees for the Master’s Awards, Doctoral Research Awards and Fellowships use a ‘’virtual’’ review process. Reviews are done off-site and submitted to CIHR via ResearchNet.

Review Criteria for Award Programs The following general criteria are used for evaluating applications for Master’s Awards, Doctoral Research Awards, Fellowships: Achievements and Activities of the Candidate Characteristics and Abilities of the Candidate Research Training Environment

Program Statistics

Master’s Awards Open and Strategic Competitions Number of Applications Success Rate High success rate is due to the pre-selection process completed at the universities.

Doctoral Research Awards Open and Strategic Competitions STIHR began CGS began Number of Applications Success Rates Additional CGS

Fellowships Open and Strategic Competitions Number of Applications Success Rates STIHR began

Theme Analysis of Awards for Does not include trainees funded from STIHR and research grants. Totals may not be equal to sum of parts due to rounding.

CIHR – Building Research Capacity Number of Individuals Supported in Plus at least 900 Fellows, 1100 Doctoral Students, 1600 Masters’, and 2000 Undergraduates supported by research grants Includes awards that received a CIHR payment or external partner contribution. The numbers of trainees supported by research grants were derived from Form 300 data as figures are not available and are considered estimates. STIHR: The trainees on Training Grants are estimated as “Full Time Equivalents” being paid from these grants STIHR figures were used as figures are not available. Master’s,

What’s New at CIHR?

Budget 2008 & CIHR $34 M increase to base budget targeted to health needs of northern communities, environment, food and drug safety Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Designed to attract the world’s best doctoral students to Canadian universities Will support 500 top Canadian and international doctoral students (166 offered each year) $50,000 per year for 3 years CGS Foreign Study Stipends Will support up to 250 CGS recipients each year for a period of foreign study Contribution of up to $6,000 towards expenses

New President Dr. Alain Beaudet Montreal physician and neuroscience researcher Former President of the Quebec government's health research funding agency, the FRSQ Started July 1

ResearchNet…Current Status ResearchNet Offers a one stop shop for the research community and consolidates processes for submission of applications and peer review. Where are we now? From the Awards perspective, the Master’s, Doctoral Awards and Fellowships programs use ResearchNet for the review process and to post decisions Response to an Offer of Award captured on-line for the Master’s, Doctoral Awards and Fellowships programs On-line Confirmation of Commencement response for Master’s Awards, Doctoral Awards and Fellowships eSubmission for Doctoral Award applications since October 2007 competition

ResearchNet…Upcoming What’s Upcoming? eSubmission for Fellowship applications for the October 2008 competition is now available For Master’s Awards, CIHR has been working with Institutions to define requirements for data exchange and develop a process for University approval and access to applications.

If you have questions or comments, please contact… ResearchNet Support (613)

Contact the Research Capacity Development Branch with your questions…

Research Capacity Development Contacts ProgramTelephone Health Professional Student Research Awards & MD/PhD Program Grants Master’s Doctoral Research Awards and CGS Doctoral Awards Vanier October

QUESTIONS? DOMINIQUE LALONDE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PROGRAM DELIVERY RESEARCH CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT BRANCH