Request for Applications

Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health

Summary

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health aspires to balance indigenous knowledge, values and community priorities with international scientific excellence. The purpose of this initiative is to develop a network of supportive research environments across Canada that will facilitate the development of aboriginal capacity in health research. Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environment Centres (ACADRE) will provide for both the development of regional Aboriginal capacity in all fields of health research as well as the development of a national network of research centres dedicated to advancing aboriginal capacity in health research. Applicants to the ACADRE program can apply for an operating grant with a duration of three years, with the possibility of renewal dependent upon available CIHR funding and evaluation of the Centre. The maximum amount for each ACADRE Centre is $520,000 per annum.

Timeline

Value and Duration

Table of Contents

Summary
Background
Objectives and Eligible Research Areas
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
Description of Partners

Background

The goal of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH) is to lead a national advanced research agenda in the area of aboriginal health, and to promote innovative research in this field that improves the health of aboriginal peoples living in Canada. The CIHR-IAPH aspires to balance indigenous knowledge, values and community priorities with international scientific excellence. The purpose of this initiative is to develop a network of supportive research environments across Canada that will facilitate the development of aboriginal capacity in health research. Although there are demonstrated pockets of excellence in aboriginal health research in Canada, this field requires the systemic development of both human resources and supportive research environments in order to ensure continued growth and broad regional development. Supportive research environments in this field require a unique blend of scientific leadership and community partnerships. Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environment Centres (ACADRE) will provide for both the development of regional aboriginal capacity in all fields of health research as well as the development of a national network of research centres dedicated to advancing aboriginal capacity in health research.

Objectives and Eligible Research Areas

The objectives of this initiative are:

• To develop a network of supportive research environments across Canada that will facilitate the development of aboriginal capacity in health research;
• To provide the appropriate environment for scientists from across the four themes of CIHR to pursue research opportunities in partnership with aboriginal communities;
• To provide opportunities for aboriginal communities and organizations to identify important health research objectives in collaboration with aboriginal health researchers;
• To facilitate the rapid uptake of research results through appropriate communication and dissemination strategies;
• To provide an appropriate environment and resources to encourage aboriginal and non-aboriginal students to pursue careers in aboriginal health research.

Eligible research areas include:

Each proposal must identify at least three major aboriginal health research themes. Suggestions for proposed themes include, but are not limited to:

• Urban and inner city
• Nutrition
• Violence and trauma
• Traditional knowledge
• Health services and policy
• Population and public health

Eligibility of Randomized Controlled Trials Applications

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this RFA. RCTs are defined as any study involving humans where at least two interventions are compared using random allocation, statistical methodologies and blinding techniques for the purpose of determining whether an innovative intervention leads to improved health.

Funding Information

Mechanism of Support

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

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review Use of Grant Funds  and Eligibility of Expenses, Employment under Grants  within the General Guidelines for All Research Grants for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs. The application must meet the following requirements for allowable costs:

• Core Operating Costs - a maximum of $160,000 per annum may be requested for general support of the ACADRE Centre. These costs may include:
  1. funds to develop and co-ordinate program structure, format and content;
  2. funds for development and dissemination of educational materials;
  3. advertising and trainee recruitment costs;
  4. funds to meet the objectives of working collaboratively as a national ACADRE network; and,
  5. and other costs (including faculty time) which can be justified as necessary for meeting the objectives of this program.
• Thematic Research Program - a maximum of $160,000 per annum is available to fund research projects. In general it is expected that these funds will be used for:
  1. feasibility studies;
  2. formulation projects;
  3. as seed money for graduate students and new investigators to develop research skills and programs; and,
  4. to support national gatherings of graduate students.
• Human Resource Development - a maximum of $200,000 per annum is available to provide financial support for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty career support. CIHR recognizes that potential recruits to health research in the field of aboriginal health may come from various professional backgrounds. Applicants should consult the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide - Section 2 CIHR Research Personnel Awards Guidelines  for information on allowable stipend amounts for Investigators, New Investigators, graduate and PhD students, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate summer students;

CIHR also expects that individuals supported by ACADRE funding should become competitive in the general competition for personnel awards offered by CIHR and other agencies. ACADRE awards may be held for a maximum of five years for Investigators and New Investigators, three years for Postdoctoral Fellowships and PhD graduate programs, and two years for Master's level graduate programs. Funds for these positions may be requested in the ACADRE proposal based on projected recruitment over the six years of the program. Wherever possible, names of potential candidates and curriculum vitae should be attached to the proposal. However funds for these positions will not be transferred to the host institutions until suitable candidates are identified and documentation provided to CIHR that the candidate has enrolled in a training program, or for Investigators and New Investigators, accepted an offer of employment from the research-intensive partner.

Funds Available

• The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $520,000 per annum for up to 3 years, including equipment. The equipment amount is awarded in year one. The grant may be renewed for an additional 3 years dependent upon CIHR funding and a successful 3-year mid-term review.
• The total amount available for this initiative is $1,560,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate.

Based on the total funds available for the initiative, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down as far as budgets will allow. Applications receiving a score of less than 3.5 will not be considered for funding.

Eligibility

Eligibility Criteria

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 Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards  regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Evaluation Criteria and Process

Evaluation Criteria

Each proposal must describe how the grant will address three of the important health research areas described under "Objectives and Eligible Research Areas." General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. Because different applications will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, it is understood that reviewers and committees will weigh questions such as these differently from one application to another.

The research proposed:

• Identification of at least three major health research themes that the ACADRE Centre will develop as areas of primary excellence (e.g. health domains, health services and policy, population and public health), including a discussion of why they are priorities in the field of aboriginal health. Proposals must include descriptions of the current funded initiatives of applicants and co-applicants to demonstrate that there are appropriate scientific resources available to support the training and mentorship of new researchers in the theme areas identified. Applicants must also demonstrate how research programs will facilitate the integration of aboriginal values and principals underlying research and health with scientific values and standards of research excellence;
• How the ACADRE Centre will facilitate both short and long term development of aboriginal health researchers at all career stages. ACADRE Centres must provide support and training opportunities for aboriginal students at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and career opportunities for aboriginal researchers at the post-graduate level. ACADRE budgets may include resources to support the salaries of new aboriginal faculty including a clear discussion of how the resources will be deployed, and a letter from a responsible official of the research intensive public institution confirming its willingness to provide faculty positions and appropriate research facilities for appropriately qualified individuals supported through the ACADRE program;
• Demonstration of how the ACADRE Centre will facilitate health research capacity development in aboriginal communities and organizations. Proposals should include a specific plan that will ensure that aboriginal communities and organizations develop enhanced capacity both to collaborate in research initiatives and to become more informed users of research results. The plan should provide a description of outreach educational strategies, for example workshops, internet-based interactive training and internship/apprentice models.

The applicant's productivity, experience and training:

• Proposals must include descriptions of the current funded initiatives of applicants and co-applicants to demonstrate that there are appropriate scientific resources available to support the training and mentorship of new researchers in theme areas identified in the proposal.

In addition to the above criteria, the peer review committee will consider the criteria below:

• A demonstrated working relationship with aboriginal communities and organizations, proposals must include a letter of support from an aboriginal organization or band council. Proposals must also demonstrate a partnership with a research-intensive public institution, such as a teaching hospital or a university;
• An appropriate governance model for the ACADRE Centre. A volunteer advisory board with a majority from the aboriginal community must be identified in the proposal. Applicants should indicate how they will ensure the centre addresses the needs of all aboriginal peoples in the province or region;
• Description of a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the ACADRE Centre in achieving the objectives of this initiative at three and six year intervals. This plan should include both self-assessment and external assessments. CIHR recognizes that capacity development in this field is long-term and that existing capacity in different aboriginal communities in different regions of the country is at different stages. CIHR also recognizes that evaluation methodology in this context must reflect aboriginal cultural values.

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.

Prior to peer review, the appropriate CIHR institute, portfolio and partner representatives may first review proposals for relevance to their strategic interests. The relevance review will be based on the extent to which the proposed research relates to the mandates or strategic priorities of the Institutes, portfolios and partners. As such, representatives will have access to the anonymized project titles and summaries. This review will have no impact on the peer review process.

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 Request for Applications. 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, Confidentiality and Privacy Issues in Peer Review. For information on CIHR's peer review process, see Peer Review.

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 peer review committee with regards to funding level, for the submitted applications that fall in the fundable range.

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.

Communications Requirements

Grant recipients and student award recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. 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:

• 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;
• encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

The following table is intended to further clarify objectives by linking them to expected outcomes and measures which will be included in CIHR's Management Resources and Results Structure (MRRS) required by Treasury Board.

The CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health has made plans to assess performance of this initiative through ongoing monitoring and periodic evaluation. All funded applicants will be expected to participate in the evaluation strategy, contributing advice, data and reports as required for assessment purposes.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.

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

Select Operating Grants (Registration and Application) from the Research Funding Programs Application Packages.

Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:

• In the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module (page 7 of the web form printed report), select "Strategic Initiative/RFA" and enter the title of this RFA.
• A letter of support from an aboriginal organization or band council, demonstrating a working relationship with aboriginal communities and organizations, must be included.

Send Application by Courier to:

Re: "Aboriginal Capacity and Developmental Research Environments (ACADRE)"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Jennifer Ralph
Program Delivery Coordinator
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 957-0296
Fax: (613) 954-1800
E-mail: jralph@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Institute Representative
Earl Nowgesic, BScN, RN, MHSc
Assistant Director
PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria BC V8W 2Y2
Telephone: (250) 472-5453
Fax: (250) 472-5450
E-mail: nowgesic@uvic.ca

Description of Partners: CIHR Institutes and Partner Organizations

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is 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.

CIHR - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH)

The goal of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health is to lead a national advanced research agenda in the area of aboriginal health, and to support innovative research based on scientific excellence and aboriginal community collaboration that improves the health of aboriginal peoples living in Canada. CIHR-IAPH's mission is to play a lead role in building research capacity in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, and to support partnerships and alliances between aboriginal communities and health research organizations/institutes at the local, regional, national and international levels.