Team Grant (2005-2006) (Archived)

(CIHR Team Grant Program)

This is the second competition of The CIHR Team Grant Program part of the regular suite of programs offered by CIHR to the research community. A subsequent competition is planned to be launched in June 2006.

Important Dates
Opportunity Launched:	June 2005
Content Last Updated:	August 24, 2006 (Contact Information)
November 14, 2005	Letter of Intent must be courier stamped by this date
May 30, 2006	Anticipated notification of Letter of Intent decision
September 15, 2006	Full applications must be courier stamped by this date (Updated: 2006-06-23)
March 31, 2007	Notification of decision
April 1, 2007	Anticipated funding start date
Summary
The objective of the CIHR Team Grant program is to strengthen Canadian health research by supporting teams of talented and experienced researchers conducting high-quality research and providing superior research training and mentorship. The program emphasis is on the production of new knowledge, and the translation of research findings into improvements in the health of Canadians and the Canadian health care system. These results will 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, each of whom has an established research track record in areas related to the collaborative project(s) proposed. Collectively, team members will have an extensive record of success, be creative and original in their approach to research and its translation ¹ and have experience working in research teams. This competition is open to applications that address issues related to health and disease, health care and the health system. Through this flexible CIHR Team Grant program, it is the intent of CIHR to fund a variety of expert teams (uni-disciplinary teams, multi-disciplinary teams, trans-disciplinary teams, community-partnered teams ², academic-industry teams, etc.). Proposals that represent active and meaningful partnerships between community organizations and research teams based in institutions (including universities, colleges, hospitals, and affiliated research institutions) are encouraged. The unifying element underlying all successful CIHR Teams will be a commitment to excellence and the pursuit of a problem-based, collaborative approach to health research. The application process is comprised of two steps: 1. Letter of Intent (LOI) and 2. Full Application. CIHR Team Grant proposals will be evaluated as a single, integrated entity. While each research component included in the application must be meritorious, it is critical to demonstrate that the CIHR Team Grant brings added value, in terms of the approach to improving the health of Canadians or strengthening the Canadian health care system. Funds Available: CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this competition is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them. For this competition: - $7.6 million, at a minimum, per annum for 5 years. - CIHR anticipates that 4 to 12 Teams will be funded. Only applications of exceptional merit and scope will receive over $2 million per year. Duration of Projects: Up to five years subject to satisfactory review of progress before the end of the third year. CIHR Team grants are renewable, subject to competition and peer review.

Background
Objectives
Eligibility
Funds Available
Allowable Costs
Evaluation Criteria and Peer Review Process
General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding
Communication Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information
Appendix: Questions and Answers

Background

CIHR's "Blueprint", its strategic plan for the next four years, states that: "The complexity and scale of today's research challenges increasingly require that researchers and countries reach out beyond their own areas of expertise and that we experiment with new models to bring people and sectors together. This work will be enabled through the technological advances that support virtual networks. Partnerships and shared vision will underpin the most successful health research stories of the 21st century in ways unimaginable in the 20th century."

"Blueprint" commits CIHR to "Continue to catalyze and encourage the convergence of disciplines that underlie the most exciting and important discoveries in health research, and to resolve ever-more complex health problems."

Introduction of the CIHR Team Grant program puts this commitment into action. The purpose of this program is to strengthen the Canadian health research by supporting teams of talented and experienced researchers conducting high-quality research and providing superior training and mentorship. Its emphasis is on the production of new knowledge and the translation of research findings into improvements in the health of Canadians and the Canadian health care system that will be realized more rapidly and more efficiently than if the components were to be funded as a series of separate operating grants. It is expected that this investment will further the Canadian capacity for high-quality, problem-based research on relevant health, health care and health system issues.

Objectives

CIHR collaborative programs are designed to facilitate and provide support for collaborative research. The programs are designed to provide sufficient flexibility to accommodate all area of health research. While the Research Resource grant (1 st launch in June 2005) puts emphasis on support for research enabling environments, the Emerging Team grant (in development phase) and the CIHR Team grant focus on research teams and a problem-based research culture.

With the introduction of the flexible CIHR Team Grant program it is the intent of CIHR to fund a variety of expert teams (uni-disciplinary teams, multi-disciplinary teams, trans-disciplinary teams, community-partnered teams, academic-industry teams, etc.). The unifying element underlying all successful CIHR Teams will be a commitment to excellence and the pursuit of a problem-based, collaborative approach to health research.

To further the Canadian capacity for high-quality, problem-based research on relevant health and disease, health care and health system issues, the specific objectives of the CIHR Team Grant program are:

to support expert teams of talented and experienced researchers
to support high-quality research that address an important health and disease, health care or health system problem or issue which is best approached through a collaborative team
to provide superior research training and mentorship environments
to support the production of new knowledge and the translation of research findings into improvements in the health of Canadians and the Canadian health care system

Proposals that represent active partnerships between community organizations and research teams based in institutions (including universities, colleges, hospitals, and affiliated research institutions) are encouraged.

For community-focused proposals, the guiding principle for participation is that community groups are active, influential and ongoing participants in the research, training, mentoring and knowledge translation activities, and that their roles have been formally agreed upon in the spirit of ensuring equity and mutual benefits from the partnership.

It is expected that the partners will contribute to:

Formulating research agendas
Providing input into the development of research and training projects
Synthesizing and disseminating findings
Applying the research findings to inform policies, programs and/or practices, and
In some cases, conducting the research

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding (grant) 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.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will be considered under this program. Applicants who are considering submitting a Randomized Controlled Trial application in response to this Request for Applications are required to consult the CIHR RCT staff listed in Contact Information and are advised to familiarize themselves with the RCT specific guidelines and instructions, which are fully described in Randomized Control Trials.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Each eligible CIHR Team Grant application will include:

A team leader who meets the criteria of "Principal Applicant" as described in the CIHR Applicant Categories for CIHR Grants. The Team Leader must be a researcher with proven leadership capabilities and experience who will act as research program director and who will assume administrative responsibility for the grant.
At least two additional independent investigators who have an established research track record in areas related to the collaborative project(s) proposed, who together with the team leader will form an integrated and more effective research team. Teams with a nucleus of experienced and productive investigators are encouraged to include some promising new investigators in the Team.
Collectively, team members must have an extensive record of success, be creative and original in their approach to research and its translation and have experience working in research teams. The specific contribution of each team member and community partner, where applicable, must be described.

In addition, the following special conditions apply:

The members of the Team may pursue other avenues of research in addition to their commitment to the CIHR Team Grant; however, each individual investigator must contribute sufficient time to the CIHR Team Grant research program to ensure the achievement of its research objectives.
Members of a team may be located in one or more departments, faculties or CIHR-eligible institutions in Canada. As well, international or private sector collaborators who make a substantial intellectual contribution to the research program may be listed as additional team members; however, CIHR funding is restricted to work performed within CIHR eligible Institutions.

Funds Available

Funds Available

There is no upper limit on the amount requested, but only applications of exceptional merit and scope will receive over $2 million per year.
CIHR Team Grants program will provide support for a maximum duration of five years. The final 2 years of funding are subject to a satisfactory progress review in the third year of funding.
The CIHR Team Grant is renewable, subject to competition and peer review.
Teams invited to submit full applications may be offered development grants of up to $10,000 if requested at the Letter of Intent stage (see Letter of Intent instructions).

Applications in all areas of research

Funds available for this competition for applications in all areas of research that address any important health problem or issue:

$7.6 million, at a minimum, per annum for 5 years of CIHR funding will be available for this competition, beginning in fiscal year 2007-2008. CIHR anticipates that 4 to 12 Teams will be funded through this competition.

Applications in specific area of research

In addition, funds are available to support applications in specific (targeted) areas of research for this competition as follows:

Clinical Research Networks: Priority Announcement - CIHR Team Grant (2005-2006)

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review the -A10">Eligibility of Expenses, Employment under Grants section of the CIHR Research Grant Guidelines for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Funding can be used to support:

Research operating costs for the proposed collaborative research program, which must be distinct in its objectives from those for which team members currently receive funding ³.
Purchase of equipment and maintenance contracts for common services and shared facilities;
Costs of data collection, database and maintenance of information holdings directly related to the CIHR Team Grant research program;
Costs of regional, national and international networking activities, including collaboration, planning, and knowledge exchange activities, directly related to the CIHR Team Grant research program;
Salaries of research assistants, technicians and other personnel who will enhance the collaborative research productivity of the Team;
Support of research trainees, at the rate specified by CIHR for trainees paid from research grants. CIHR Team Grants are expected to provide a superior training environment;
Salary of a professional coordinator and/or administrative assistant;
Release time payments to enable employees of community partners to participate in the research program, limited to 50% of salary costs, and an overall maximum of $100,000 per year;
A maximum of $20,000 annually for a release time stipend for the team leader;
Costs involved in linkage with and dissemination of research findings to those who use the results, as appropriate for the research program, (including other researchers, the public, practitioner and policy communities, and the industrial sector).

With the exception of co-applicants who are trainees or research associates, co-applicants may not receive a salary, stipend, or honorarium from CIHR grants on which they are a co-applicant (as described in Applicant Categories for CIHR Grants). The only exception is the release time stipends for the team leader and employees of community partners as described.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.

Evaluation Criteria and Peer Review Process

Eligible Letter of intents (LOI's) and applications will be evaluated by a specifically-constituted, multidisciplinary peer review committee(s) designed specifically for the review of CIHR Team Grants. The committee may include individuals from partner communities. The expert committee may make suggestions to the applicants on how to strengthen their detailed proposal. It could, for example, suggest the grouping of complementary applications, and propose additional partnerships or funding sources.

The review of LOI's will be completed by May 30, 2006, and selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for the September 5, 2006 deadline. The names of teams that will be invited to apply and the topic of their research will be published on the CIHR website.

CIHR Team Grant applications will be evaluated as a single, integrated entity. While each research component included in the application must be meritorious, it is critical to demonstrate that the CIHR Team Grant brings added value, in terms of the approach to the health and disease, health care or health system issue, and the speed and efficiency with which new knowledge will be generated, or translated into improvements in health or the health care system, when compared with funding the proposed work as a series of separate operating grants.

General criteria for assessing applications are listed below. Because different applicant teams will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, it is understood that reviewers and committees will weight questions such as these differently from one application to another.

Address an important health and disease, health care or health system problem or issue:

How important is the health problem being addressed? Will anticipated findings be of broad interest and applicability?
How important, novel and/or original are the hypotheses or the questions to be addressed, and how clearly are they formulated?
How important and original are the contributions expected from the research proposed? What is the potential for important new knowledge or impact on health and health research?

Research proposed:

How well will the proposed research address the hypotheses or questions?
How appropriate are the methods for the conduct of the research? Where applicable to the type of research proposed, does the proposal take into account the social, cultural and environmental factors surrounding the research problem?
Do the methods represent the best current practice, and the most economical, effective approach?
How well have the applicants anticipated difficulties in their approach and considered alternatives?
How critically has the relevant literature been appraised and evaluated?

Applicants' productivity, experience and training:

How appropriate to the research proposed is the training or track record of the applicants?
How important and original is the recent productivity of the applicants?
What is the likelihood that the Team can do the work proposed? (The proposed time commitment to the research may influence this judgment).

Appropriateness of the Team:

Do key members have a track record of having participated and/or having provided leadership to collaborative research teams?
Have team members demonstrated sustained productivity, creativity and originality in their research?

Value added of funding through a collaborative program:

How well will a CIHR Team Grant enhance the understanding and accelerate the resolution of the health and disease, health care or health system issue, when compared to independent research projects?

Propose a coherent, integrated and feasible research plan:

Is the health and disease, health care or health system issue approached through an original, cohesive/integrated and feasible research plan that will generate valid, reliable and useful knowledge?
Does the Team have a plan for engaging and linking with, and dissemination of research findings to, those who will utilize and apply the results?
Has the Team identified the roles and contributions of all the parties in planning, execution, and evaluation as well as management activities?

Provide superior training opportunities:

Will the research training and mentoring environment provide a superior experience for undergraduate, graduate and/or post-doctoral trainees, including those with a health professional background?

Propose an innovative problem-based approach to research:

Does the proposed program of research challenge current research thinking and paradigms and/or address unexplored areas?
Does the proposed program of research bring together, in a meaningful collaboration, researchers from different disciplines?
How is this approach going to build on the different expertise and perspectives of team members?

For those engaged with partners:

Are governance and management structures in place to ensure the meaningful integration of community partners in the decision-making process?
To what extent are partners involved and committed to formulating the research agenda, providing input into the development of research and training projects, disseminating findings, and applying the outcomes of research?
Does the proposal demonstrate the involvement of the necessary local, regional, provincial/territorial, national and/or international partners in the planning and execution of the research plan, and the application of the research results? Will this involvement permit research activities and outcomes that would not otherwise be possible?

Based on the total funds available for the competition, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down as far as budget will allow. Applications receiving a score less than 3.5 on the CIHR 0 to 4.9 rating scale (as described in Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members) will not be considered for funding.

General CIHR Guidelines and Conditions of Funding

All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this competition. 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.

Communication Requirements

In addition to following the policies relating to the Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support, team grant recipients will also be required to adhere to special branding requirements as a condition of receiving a CIHR Team Grant. The official Team name is "CIHR Team in (area of research)." In cases where there is another major funding partner a shared title should be considered. The format of a shared title is " CIHR/(partner name) Team in." The Team name must be used in all communication and promotion relating to the CIHR Team Grant. A team name must be proposed as part of the application for a CIHR Team Grant. Successful applicants and their host institutions will be required to agree in writing to proper use of the Team name as well as the CIHR (and applicable partners) logo(s) on appropriate communications materials such as brochures, letterhead, publications and media materials. Recognition guidelines, including instructions on logo use, will be provided to successful applicants as part of the approval package.

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, grant recipients must:

adhere to CIHR's reporting requirements and provide required information in a timely fashion. For CIHR Team Grants, a progress report will be required in year 3 of five-year grants. Grantees are required to submit a "Progress Report for 5-year grant holder (Form 44)" which can be found under -A7">All Forms and Guidelines for Completion describing the progress made and the publications issued since the start of the grant. CIHR will cancel the last 12 months of the grant if the progress is unacceptable and will cancel the final two years of the grant if it does not receive a report by the date requested;
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.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of two steps: 1. Letter of Intent (LOI) and 2. Full Application.

1. Letter of Intent (LOI):

In the first stage of the application process, the nominated principal applicant is required to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI). [ PDF (297 KB) | Help ]

One original, plus five copies, of the LOI must be sent to CIHR. Applicants must follow the instructions on the Acceptable Application Module Formats page, which outlines formatting requirements for the letter and attachments.

The LOI must include:

a) A cover page (standard form for cover page is not available), maximum one page indicating:

the title of the Team program as it will appear in publicity and other announcements (CIHR Team in area of research);
a brief description (10 lines maximum) of the research area of focus;
Five key words describing the research;
If the research program includes a Randomized Control Trial (RCT) component and/or involves human stem cells research, it must be indicated on the cover page.

b) In a table format, a list of all team members with their affiliations and their expertise (the list need not be final at the letter of intent stage).

c) The following pages from the CIHR Research Module Web form printed report:

Routing Slip of Registration/Application
Research Module, Page 1. Total requested is maximum $10,000 for development grants.
Research Module, Page 2, Signature page (the NPI/Team Leader and co-applicants signature)
Research Module, Page 3, Acknowledgement Page (Updated: 2005-10-14)
Research Module, Page 5, (Suggested External Referee(s)) (Updated: 2005-10-14)
Research Module, Page 7 (Suggested CIHR Institutes)
Applicant consent form for use and disclosure of personal information provided to CIHR for peer review

To generate these printed pages, you must access the CIHR Web forms and under Research fund program, select Operating and complete five sections of the Research Module Web form, namely:

Research Funding Program
Nominated Principal Applicant / Candidate
Project
Applicants/Co-Applicants
General Information

d) Proposal:

In a maximum of five pages (not including references), the proposal must clearly outline each of the elements below:

The objectives of the research program to be undertaken by the Team over the period of funding;
The nature of the Team and extent of collaboration between investigators, with an explanation of the anticipated value added to the research program through the synergy of the Team (why this cannot be funded through one or more operating grants);
The capacity of the Team to carry out the program of research proposed;
The research training and mentoring environment that will provide a superior experience for undergraduate, graduate and/or post-doctoral trainees, including those with a health professional background;
The preliminary plan for the research program and schedule of work;
The nature and extent of the host institutions' financial and other forms of long-term commitment to the Team's research, and to ensuring a favorable environment for carrying out the research activities;
A brief description of the importance and novelty of hypotheses or questions to be addresses and expected findings;
The plan, including proposed organizational structures for engaging and linking with those who will ultimately use the research findings;

If the team involves partners:

The proposed roles of partners in the planning and execution of the research program and the dissemination and utilization of the research results.

e) References

f) Attachments:

On one page: the name, title, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the team leader;
A brief curriculum vitae (maximum two pages per applicant) for a maximum of five of the key applicants, including the team leader. This must include information on grants held (source, type, title, amount/yr, duration), relevant publications from the last five years, and 5-10 expertise keywords. Full CV s will not be considered;
A development grant request whereby applicants may request funds of up to $10,000 to be used in the development of a full application. A one-page request must be submitted with the LOI, outlining the activities for which the development grant will be used, plus a one-page budget description;

Any additional material will be discarded and not sent to the review committee; this includes letters of support, figures not included in the proposal, updates on publications, updates on other support received, letters confirming academic appointment, reprints, etc.

Results of LOI will be posted on CIHR Web site.

Send the original Letter of Intent and five copies by Courier to:

RE: CIHR Team Grant Program
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

2. Full Application

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application. Details of the application procedure will be provided to those invited to apply. Information required will include a description of the individual components making up the Team's research program, as well as the justification for supporting the synergistic aspects of the entire proposal. The review process may involve external reviews and/or a meeting of the leader and team members with sub-sets of the review committee, as appropriate.

Competition Results

The results of the competition are expected to be announced in March 2007 with an anticipated funding start date of April 1, 2007 (subject to availability of funds).

Contact Information

For further information on The CIHR Team Grant Program please contact:

Matt Cyr (Updated: 2006-08-24)
Program coordinator, Knowledge Creation Programs
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 954-5999
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: mcyr@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Appendix: Questions & Answers

1. Do I have to use an application package to apply?

There is no application package for this program but you can see a sample (pdf format) of a Letter of Intent attached in the How to Apply section.

2. How many Letters of Intent (LOI) did CIHR receive for the first CIHR Team Grant competition (2004-05)?

CIHR received 210 Letter of Intents (LOI) in January 2005. These LOI were reviewed and 50 teams were invited to submit a Full Application. With a budget of $12 million per year for 5 years for the first competition (2004-05), CIHR expects to fund 6 to 16 teams. With a budget of $7.6 million for the second competition (2005-06), CIHR expects to fund 4 to 12 teams.

3. Is there a limit to the number of Co-applicants that can be part of the team?

No, teams can have as many Co-applicants as required for the research program.

4. Do we send the application by web, or is a paper application fine?

CIHR has not yet implemented an electronic submission process, consequently, paper versions of the application is mandatory.

5. Can CIHR pay two different institutions with the finance?

CIHR does not provide funds directly to researchers but to one institution/organization with which the nominated Principal Applicant is affiliated, usually as an employee. This "Institution Paid" holds the CIHR funds in trust and maintains a Common Grant and Award account from which the researcher can draw. The Institution Paid must fall under one of the four categories listed in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide in the section titled "Eligible Individuals and Institutions."

6. Do all Principal Applicants, Co-applicants and Collaborators need a CIHR PIN number?

Only Principal Applicants and Co-applicants require a CIHR Personal Identification Number (PIN).

7. Can my team members be from different countries?

International collaborators are eligible to participate in the CIHR Team program as Co-applicants but not as Principal Applicants.

8. May I apply to more than one competition at the same time?

To prevent duplicate reviews of the same application, applicants may not submit the same (or very similar) application to more than one program simultaneously. Please review the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide in the section titled Restrictions on Same (or Very Similar) Applications.

9. Do all applicants/Co-applicants of the team have to be CIHR funded investigators?

Applicants/Co-applicants do not have to be CIHR funded investigators. Collectively, team members must have an extensive record of success, be creative and original in their approach to research and its translation and have experience working in research teams. As well, international or private sector collaborators who make a substantial intellectual contribution to the research program may be listed as additional team members.

10. Are there any geographical expectations for the CIHR Team Grant?

There are no geographical expectations for the CIHR Teams. Clearly the team should have the most appropriate expertise to answer the research questions being proposed. However, complexity and scale of today's research challenges increasingly require that researchers and countries reach out beyond their own areas of expertise and that we experiment with new models to bring people and sectors together. This work will be enabled through the technological advances that support virtual networks. CIHR believes that partnerships and shared vision will underpin the most successful health research stories of the 21st century in ways unimaginable in the 20th century.

11. Is it possible for us to apply to the CIHR Team Grant with the same current principal investigator of a current existing CIHR Grant where we form together a new & larger Group?

Since the team program provides funding for the operating components of the research, if a team members on-going operating grant is part of the team proposal, we will have to cancel that operating grant (or the portion that is part of the group).

¹ CIHR defines knowledge translation as "the exchange, synthesis and ethically-sound application of knowledge - within a complex system of interactions among researchers and users- to accelerate the capture of the benefits of research for Canadians through improved health, more effective services and products, and a strengthened health care system". CIHR recognizes that the approach to translation of research results will vary depending on the type of research being performed, and the likely users of research knowledge. For example, some biomedical research may give rise to intellectual property of commercial potential, with Industry as the user of this product of research. The results of health services research would be expected to influence the organization and policies of the health care system, through interactions with provincial or regional health authorities.

² Partners can include decision-makers, program administrators, care givers, policy makers and practitioners working in health-oriented community organizations, community-based foundations and organizations, local, provincial/territorial and national health charities and non-profit organizations, hospital and research institute foundations, municipal and regional health authorities, public health departments, district health councils, and provincial/territorial government agencies.

³ Where an application includes overlap with an existing CIHR grant, and that application is successful in the CIHR Team Grant competition, continued funding of the ongoing grant will be reviewed.