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Archived Request for Applications

Institute of Infection and Immunity
In partnership with the
Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health

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Summary

The HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research (CBR) Doctoral Research Awards (DRA) are intended to provide support to students who are pursuing a Doctoral degree and who apply a community-based approach to HIV/AIDS research.

The purpose of this Request for Applications is to invite DRA applications to the General Capacity-Building and Aboriginal Capacity-Building components of the program. It is expected that this targeted investment will facilitate the development of HIV/AIDS community-based research expertise in Canada, thereby ensuring the availability of researchers who can conduct research using a community-based approach and furthering CBR as an important part of the health research field.

Timeline

January 17, 2005	Full applications must be courier stamped by this date.
March 28, 2005	Anticipated notification of decision.
April 1, 2005	Earliest start date.

Value and Duration

Duration of Awards	Up to 3 years.
Funds Available	Total for RFA: Total funding available for this RFA is $81,000 over 3 years in the General Stream and $162,000 over 3 years in the Aboriginal Stream. Per award: Stipends - $21,000/year for awards held inside Canada and $26,000/year for awards held outside Canada. Research Allowance - $1,000/year

Table of Contents

Summary
Objectives of Request for Applications
Funding Information
Eligibility
Evaluation Criteria and Process
General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding
Communications Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information

Objectives of Request for Applications

The specific objectives of this request are:

• To help ensure a reliable supply of highly qualified personnel to meet the needs of Canada's knowledge in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic through community-based research.
• To provide recognition and support to students who are pursuing a Doctoral degree in a community-based research field related to HIV/AIDS in Canada.

Funding Information

Mechanism of Support

This Request for Applications will follow the General Guidelines for All Research Training Awards.

Allowable Costs

The awards consist of a stipend and a research allowance. For the research allowance, applicants should review General Guidelines for All Research Training Awards for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Funds Available

• Trainee stipends: $21,000 per annum if the doctoral research award held at a Canadian institution and $26,000 per annum if the doctoral research award is held at a foreign institution.
• Research Allowance: $1,000 per annum.
• The total amount available for this initiative over 3 years is $81,000 in the General funding stream and $162,000 in the Aboriginal funding stream. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.
• This award is non-renewable.

Based on the total funds available for this RFA, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down as far as budgets will allow in both the General and the Aboriginal funding streams.

Effective Date

Awards must be taken up within 12 months of the date of offer, and may commence on the first day of any month.

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible award applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Eligibility criteria for Doctoral Research Awards offered under this RFA include the following:

• The program is open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada at the time of application.
• Only those students engaged in full-time research training in a graduate school are eligible for support. At the time of application, all candidates must have completed at least 12 months of graduate study at the Masters or PhD level. In addition, at the time of application, applicants cannot have been registered for more than 26 months as a full-time student in a doctoral program.
• Awards will take effect only after the recipient has registered in a full-time PhD program.
• An applicant may not hold more than three years of federal funding (e.g. SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) to undertake and/or complete a doctoral degree. Recipients already holding a doctoral award from a federal source for a term of three years are not eligible to apply. The only exception to this is in the case of a Health Professional funded through the CIHR Fellowship program.
• Individuals with a health professional degree who seek support for Doctoral research training are eligible to apply.

Location of Tenure

The award for which support is being sought should be under the supervision of a researcher who holds research funds obtained through a recognized competitive peer review process. These awards are normally held at Canadian institutions, but applications may be made for awards to be held outside of Canada.

Important Change in Eligibility for the October 15, 2005 Competition For the October 15, 2005 competition, CIHR will be changing the eligibility requirements to read as follows: Only those students engaged in full-time research training in a graduate school are eligible for support. At the time of application, all candidates must have completed at least 12 months of graduate study at the Masters or PhD level. In addition, at the time of application, applicants holding a Master's degree cannot have been registered for more than 14 months as a full-time student in a doctoral program; or applicants who have transferred directly from a Bachelor's degree to a PhD program cannot have been registered for more than 26 months as a full-time student in a doctoral program.

Evaluation Criteria and Process

Evaluation Criteria

The following criteria will be used for assessing applications:

Potential Impact
Assessment Criteria include:

• The links between the research program and HIV/AIDS health policy and programming specific to community needs.

Scientific Merit
Assessment Criteria include:

1. Achievements and Activities of the Candidate
   1. Publication Activity
   2. Other Research Activity
   3. Academic Performance

2. Characteristics and Abilities of the Candidate
   1. Critical thinking
   2. Independence
   3. Perseverance
   4. Originality
   5. Organizational skills
   6. Interest in discovery
   7. Research ability

3. Research Training Environment
   1. Training Program for the Candidate
   2. Scientific Activity of the Supervisor
   3. Research Resources Available
   4. Training Record of the Supervisor

Evaluation Process

All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, 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 Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.

Applications will be evaluated by a CIHR Merit Review committee created specifically for the HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Program. One Merit Review committee will be established for each the General and the Aboriginal funding streams. Depending on the number and type of applications received, experts from the two committees may be combined into one committee if it is determined to be the most effective use of resources and of benefit to the merit review process. Committee membership will be based on suggestions from many sources including Institute(s) and partner(s). Names of panel members will be published on the CIHR website. Each application will be reviewed by at least two reviewers who will assess the potential impact and scientific merit of the application.

On completion of the review, the appropriate CIHR institute, portfolio and partner representatives will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations of the merit review committee with regards to funding level, for the submitted applications that fall in the fundable range. Based on the total funds available for the RFA, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down as far as budget will allow in both the General and the Aboriginal funding stream.

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

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 Request for Applications and all matters pertaining thereto.

The Parties, while respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, will also be bound by the PIPEDA. All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under cost-sharing agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding

All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Request for Applications. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official Language Policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions 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 conditions shall apply:

• A Final Report is required to be submitted within six months after the end of the award's term.
  
  The report must:
  
  • provide a summary of the project objectives, design, methods and findings;
  • demonstrate that the links between the research program and HIV/AIDS health policy and programming specific to community needs have been established.

Communications Requirements

Award recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its Institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to their work. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes / partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and Decision letter.

Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation

CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must adhere to CIHR's reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion and may be asked to 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 for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of one step: Full Application.

Read the application instructions provided in How to Apply for a Grant or Award.

Select Doctoral Research Awards from the Research Personnel Programs: Training Award and Salary Support Programs Application Packages.

A complete application consists of:

• a CIHR Training Module;
• Common CV Modules for the candidate and the proposed supervisor(s);
• CIHR's Sponsor's reports to be completed by the candidate's most recent research supervisor and two other sponsors who have had the opportunity to assess the candidate's potential; and
• Original official transcripts of the candidate's complete academic record to date.

Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA.

• In the Program(s) section of the Training Module (page 2 of the web form printed report), select "Strategic Initiative/RFA" and enter the title of this RFA. Please indicate whether your application is being submitted to the General or the Aboriginal funding stream.

Send Application by Courier to:

RE: HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Program - Doctoral Research Awards
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

For questions about this initiative, CIHR funding guidelines or how to apply, contact:

André Leury
HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 948-9396
Fax: (613) 954-1800
E-mail: aleury@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Paula Kirton
A-Team Lead, HIV/AIDS Research Program
Institute of Infection and Immunity
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-4483
Fax: (613) 954-1800
E-mail: pkirton@cihr-irsc.gc.ca