Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Addressing Infectious and Congenital Syphilis in Canada

Introduction

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the Addressing Infectious and Congenital Syphilis in Canada grant. This funding opportunity is led by the HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiative with strategic leadership from the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III) and in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Institute of Indigenous Peoples Health (IIPH), and the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies (CRPPHE) and Indigenous Services Canada (ISC).

Overview

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to address the urgent needs for implementation science and intervention research in the rapidly changing syphilis landscape. Proposed research should identify strategies and models that improve access to care and lead to more effective diagnosis and treatment, as well as reduced transmission of infectious and congenital syphilis. It is envisioned that by establishing meaningful community partnerships, these intervention research and implementation science teams will also lay the foundation for future community-centred responses to health emergencies. Note: This 1-year funding opportunity has been developed to quickly catalyze a research response to this growing health issue. Renewal of funding may be made available, pending approval, to teams demonstrating successful progress and development of equitable and impactful community partnerships.

This funding opportunity aims to advance collaborative partnerships with communities focused on implementation science and intervention research to reduce the transmission and health impacts of infectious and congenital syphilis.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Advance community-centred approaches to conducting implementation science and intervention research by establishing meaningful partnerships between communities most affected by rising rates of syphilis — particularly Indigenous, those in the Prairies and rural, remote and isolated communities — and health researchers from academic or other research institutions;
• Accelerate knowledge mobilization across the continuum of care between populations that are disproportionately affected and health care providers, community organizations, decision/policy makers and researchers by supporting the co-creation, synthesis, application and sharing of research findings; and
• Improve health equity by conducting research that addresses the systemic, social and behavioural causes of health inequities in our health system that have contributed to the rise in syphilis within specific populations including Indigenous and rural, remote and isolated communities.

Funds Available

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is anticipated to be $2,750,000 , enough to fund approximately eleven (11) grants.  The maximum amount per grant is up to $250,000 per year for up to one (1) year. 

Of this $2,750,000, funding is anticipated to be allocated as per the following:

Research Area 1: Implementation Science for Syphilis Point of Care Testing:

• $500,000 is available to fund two (2) applications relevant to this research area in the Indigenous-led funding pool;
• $500,000 is available to fund two (2) applications relevant to this research area in the General funding pool;
• $250,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to this research area and focused on communities in the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan), in the Prairie Indigenous-led funding pool; and
• $250,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to this research area and focused on communities in the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan), in the Prairie General funding pool.

Research Area 2: New Models of Care for Prevention of Congenital Syphilis:

• $500,000 is available to fund two (2) applications relevant to this research area in the Indigenous-led funding pool;
• $250,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to this research area in the General funding pool;
• $250,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to this research area and focused on communities in the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan), in the Prairie Indigenous-led funding pool; and
• $250,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to this research area and focused on communities in the Prairie provinces (Alberta, Manitoba, or Saskatchewan), in the Prairie General funding pool.

Note:

• Indigenous non-governmental organizations and individuals affiliated with Indigenous non-governmental organizations^{Footnote *} in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate are eligible to apply.
• Expenses related to recognition and respect for the culture and traditions of Indigenous Peoples (i.e. tobacco, cloth, feasting, fees for Elders/Indigenous Knowledge Keepers) are eligible.

Anticipated Timelines

Launch: Late August 2023
Webinar: September 2023
Registration Deadline: Late September 2023
Application Deadline: Late November 2023
Funding Start Date: March 1, 2024

The official CIHR funding opportunity will be posted on ResearchNet in the coming weeks.

For a full list of CIHR funding opportunities, please visit ResearchNet.

Reviewer Recruitment

Recruitment for peer reviewers will begin immediately, if you are interested and available to volunteer as a peer reviewer, please reach out to CIHR at support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca. We thank all peer reviewers in advance for volunteering their time to serve on this review committee.

Date modified:

2023-09-08