Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH) Community Support (ICS) Program (2012-13)

Under the framework of the ICS Program, IPPH will consider requests that:
  • fall within the general objectives of this funding program;
  • address one or more of the IPPH strategic priorities (listed below);
  • increase the capacity of the Canadian health research community to lead and collaborate on cutting-edge population and public health research and knowledge translation, both nationally and internationally;
  • build on/align with existing IPPH initiatives (e.g. Applied Public Health Chairs, Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research); and,
  • support and accelerate the translation of research on population health interventions and implementation systems into practice, programs, and policies within the health and other sectors.

For those seeking support in hosting workshops and symposiums, please refer to the Planning Grants and Dissemination Events funding opportunities in the CIHR Funding Opportunities Database.

The ICS Program is not intended to support the direct cost of research (e.g., pilot projects, feasibility studies or operating grants), principal and co-investigator salaries or research equipment.

IPPH Strategic Priorities

  • Pathways to health equity

    Existing and emergent inequities are reinforced or mitigated through both intended and unintended population health influences that operate at all system levels (from micro to macro); and across sectors and geographic borders. This priority will focus on understanding pathways to promote health equity within and between countries.

  • Population health interventions

    Population health interventions can include policy, programmatic and resource distribution approaches. These interventions are often complex. Examining what types of population health interventions promote health and health equity is an important area of inquiry. Substantive priority areas for population health intervention research will be identified with partners.

    IPPH encourages submissions that align with the Population Health Intervention Research Initiative for Canada, aimed at increasing the quality, quantity and use of population health intervention research for use by policy makers and practitioners.

  • Implementation systems for population health interventions in public health and other sectors

    Population health interventions are implemented within organizational, policy, and program delivery systems. These systems include many key elements such as inter-organizational, intersectoral and inter-jurisdictional governance structures, leadership supports and information exchange mechanisms. This priority interrogates the reciprocal influences of implementation systems on population health interventions, in both public health and other sectors such as education, housing and natural resources. Of particular interest is how these reciprocal influences may strengthen or mitigate the impacts of population health interventions on health and health equity.

  • Theoretical and methodological innovations

    Leading edge research to address the first three priorities will require theoretical and methodological innovations, informed by diverse disciplinary fields. These theoretical and methodological innovations will in turn need to be incorporated into knowledge generation, knowledge synthesis and knowledge integration initiatives. They can also contribute to the development of frameworks for population health and global health ethics.

Timelines and Amount Available

For the Mentorship Opportunities, Visiting Scholar, Lectureships and Skills Update competitions, applications will be accepted 3 times per year on July 16, 2012, November 15, 2012, and March 15, 2013.

For the  Travel Awards competition, applications will be accepted 3 times per year in May 2012, September 2012 and January 2013.  This competition is administered through ResearchNet. Please visit the CIHR Funding Opportunities Database for details (e.g. application deadline, application instructions.) on the funding opportunity.

The total amount available for the ICS this Program is $100,000 for the fiscal year 2012-2013. Although not anticipated at this time, additional funds may become available.

  • The maximum amount available for travel awards, mentorship opportunities, visiting scholars and lectureships is $2,500.
  • The maximum amount available for the skills update is $5,000.

Notifications of decisions will be made 6 to 8 weeks following the deadline date.  For the Travel Awards, notifications of decisions will be made 9 weeks following the application deadline date.

Applicants are only allowed to receive one award per fiscal year.

Relevant Activities

IPPH will consider applications for the following activities:

Travel Awards

IPPH will provide travel awards for trainees (graduate students and post-doctoral fellows) and new investigators to present their own research at national and international meetings, conferences and/or symposia that align with strategic priorities of this funding opportunity and advance their professional development and/or knowledge translation initiatives in the priority areas identified above.

The Travel Awards program is administered through ResearchNet and is launched 3 times per year in April, August and December. Please visit the CIHR Funding Opportunities Database at these times for details (e.g. application deadline, application instructions…) on the funding opportunity.

Mentorship Opportunities

IPPH mentorship opportunities facilitate the development of nascent relationships that create opportunities for peer learning and mentorship among researchers and policy makers at different stages in their career. IPPH will support doctoral, postdoctoral students as well as researchers and knowledge users to establish relationships that foster interdisciplinary and intersectoral exchanges (i.e. within and outside of public health), including relationship building between academic and policy settings. Researchers in career transition who are interested in engaging in peer learning and mentorship are also encouraged to apply.

Visiting Scholar

IPPH will provide funding for established researchers and knowledge users to travel to a host university for a visit that is likely to have a demonstrable output. Examples of output include but are not limited to a grant application or manuscript.

Lectureships

IPPH will provide funding for established researchers and knowledge users invited to present at a conference, meeting, symposium, or lecture series that takes place in Canada or internationally and is related to the Institute's mandate and/or strategic priorities.

Skills Update

IPPH will provide support for postdoctoral fellows, researchers and knowledge users to visit Research Centres or Institutes that will enable them to acquire specialized skills or research/knowledge translation experience related to strategic priorities of this funding opportunity.

The research and knowledge translation skills and activities may include learning new theoretical or methodological approaches to the conduct of research or knowledge translation, developing skills in data analysis or in interpreting qualitative data, communications, etc.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible to apply for support through this Program:

  • The activity must be relevant to the strategic priorities identified in this funding opportunity;
  • Applicants must be Canadians studying within Canada and abroad or non-Canadians affiliated with a Canadian Institution.
  • In the case of a conference/event, the applicant must be the first author and presenter of the oral or poster presentation and must include, with the application, a proof that the abstract or presentation was accepted and must provide a copy.

Evaluation

Applications will be assessed by senior IPPH staff, based on the following criteria:

Travel Awards

  • Impact or added value of the proposed event/conference
  • Potential impact of the presentation on the trainee's career

Mentorship Opportunities

  • A clearly articulated plan with objectives and engagement strategies for fostering peer learning and mentorship in an area of common interest;
  • Demonstrated commitment from all applicants to mentorship relationship.

Visiting Scholar/Lectureship

  • Impact or added value of the proposed visit/event/conference
  • Scholar's/Lecturer's expertise and reputation in the area of population and public health

Skills Update

  • Impact of the research or knowledge translation activity on the applicant's career and research

Allowable Costs

Expenses eligible for support include:

  • Travel
  • Accommodation
  • Per diem for meals
  • Technology costs (where applicable)
  • Conference fees (where applicable)

How to Apply

Applicants seeking funds from IPPH for community support activities need to follow the ICS Program application process which is available on the ICS Program funding opportunity page.

Additional Instructions:

  • Applicants must demonstrate, in their application form, how their proposed activity is relevant to the strategic priorities of this funding opportunity. Please refer to IPPH's strategic priorities outlined above. Lectureship and travel award applicants must provide a copy of their successful abstract.
  • Please clearly indicate, in your application, for which activity you are seeking support.
  • Applicant seeking support for Mentorship Opportunities, Travel, or Skills Update awards must provide a letter of support from the mentor/supervisor.
  • Visiting Scholar/Lectureship applications must include an abbreviated CV.
  • You must include a detailed budget, to provide a justification of the financial need.

Performance Measurement

CIHR is committed to collecting and disseminating information on the outputs and impacts of its investments. This information is an important part of CIHR accountability within the Federal Government and to Canadians. As such, within 12 months of the receipt of funding, awardees will receive a short questionnaire to complete, in order to evaluate the usefulness of this Program in support of career development.

Contact Information

For questions about this initiative and research priorities, please contact:

Kim Gaudreau
Associate, Strategic Initiatives
CIHR Institute of Population and Public Health
160 Elgin St.  AL 4809A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W9
Tel: 613-957-6128
Fax: 613-954-1800
ipphfunding@cihr-irsc.gc.ca