Institute Community Support (ICS) Program (2011-2012)

The ICS Program is designed to foster community development by providing grants and awards to individuals and organizations for the purposes of:
  • Aiding research and knowledge translation activities where the circumstances fall outside CIHR's programs.
  • Supporting organizations and activities whose goals are consistent with the Institute's and CIHR's vision, mandate and strategic directions.

Please note: 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. For those seeking meetings, workshop or symposium support, please refer to the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination Grants funding opportunity in the CIHR Funding Opportunities Database.

Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) ICS Program

The mission of CIHR's Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) is to foster research excellence regarding the influence of gender and sex on the health of women and men throughout life and apply these research findings to identify and address pressing health challenges. In keeping with CIHR’s commitment to investing in world-class research excellence, the purpose of IGH’s ICS program is to build capacity for gender, sex and health research and knowledge translation. IGH is specifically interested in training, retaining, and sustaining a healthy research foundation by providing recognition and support for trainees through its ICS program. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, IGH defines trainee as: graduate students enrolled in a graduate course of study at an academic institution and postdoctoral fellows at an academic or research institution.

IGH funds four types of awards through its ICS program:

  • Travel awards for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (three application deadlines per fiscal year: May 31, 2011, September 9, 2011 and January 2012 (application deadline t.b.d.).
  • The Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research in recognition of gender, sex and health research excellence among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (one application deadline per year: October 1, 2011).
  • Gender, Sex and Health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements to support knowledge translation activities carried out by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (one application deadline per year: October 1, 2011).
  • Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program to support research skills development among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows (one application deadline per year: October 1, 2011).

  1. IGH travel awards for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows

    IGH will provide travel awards for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows to present their own research at meetings, conferences (including international conferences) or symposia. For more information on integrating gender and/or sex into research designs, please refer to the CIHR Gender, Sex and Health Research Guide. Awards are designed to partially cover the costs of travel, accommodation, meals, and conference registration fees.
    For further details on eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit ResearchNet. Please note that IGH has its own specific Research Foci, Eligibility Requirements and Funding Levels, which are outlined in the "Partner Description" section of this funding opportunity.

    Past Travel Award Recipients

  2. IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research

    The IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research recognizes outstanding gender, sex and health research carried out by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from all disciplines, working in the field of gender, sex and health research are eligible to apply for this $1,000 award.

    For more information about this program, please visit the IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research page.

    Past Awards for Excellence Recipients

  3. IGH Gender, Sex and Health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements

    This award supports the capacity of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to engage in the knowledge translation of their own gender, sex and health research.
    For more information about this program, please visit the IGH Gender and health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements page.

  4. IGH Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program

    This award supports research skills development among graduate students and postdoctoral fellows whose research has a substantive focus on gender, sex and health.
    For more information about this program, please visit IGH Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program page.

Funds Available

IGH's contribution to the amount available for the ICS program is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them. The total amount available for the ICS program for fiscal year 2011-2012 is $100,000** distributed among the following funding opportunities offered by IGH:

  • IGH travel awards for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows
  • IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research
  • IGH Gender, Sex and Health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements
  • IGH Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program

Funds approved for successful applicants must be expended by March 31st in any given fiscal year.

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

  • ICS applications are reviewed by an ICS review committee typically composed of the Institute's Scientific Director, the Assistant Directors, IGH staff, members of the Institute Advisory Board, and researchers in the field of gender, sex and health research. Final decisions to fund applications rest with the Institute's Scientific Director.
  • Applications will be evaluated according to the criteria outlined for each funding opportunity.

How to Apply

Please follow the instructions specific to each funding opportunity:

  1. IGH travel awards for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows
    Please visit ResearchNet.
  2. IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research
    Please visit the IGH Award for Excellence in Gender, Sex and Health Research page.
  3. IGH Gender, Sex and Health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements
    Please visit the IGH Gender and health Trainee Knowledge Translation Supplements page.
  4. IGH Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program
    Please visit IGH Gender, Sex and Health Research Skills Development Award Program page.

Contact Information

For information about these initiatives and the objectives of this funding opportunity, please contact:

Executive Assistant
CIHR’s Institute of Gender and Health
University of British Columbia
Room 305, TEF 3 building
6190 Agronomy Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3

Telephone: 604-827-4470
Fax: 604-822-1622
E-mail: ea-igh@exchange.ubc.ca