CIHR Grant Writing: Call for Applications

Background

The Department of Family Medicine is offering the opportunity to apply for funding to enable the submission of a research grant application to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The purpose of this funding competition is to enable investigators who have done pilot work to create an application for submission to CIHR.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency for health research. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to catalyze its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health-care system. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to nearly 12,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. (www.cihr.ca)

Two awards in the amount of $5000 will be available.

Who is eligible to apply:
Faculty in the Department of Family Medicine who have done pilot or background work on a research topic and who wish to obtain funding for a full-scale research project from CIHR.

Guidelines for submission of a funding application:

Application Content

1. CIHR competition: Identify CIHR competition (and due date) to which you will apply. Write in the statement: “It is intended that this grant be administered by the Department of Family Medicine at McMaster”. **Note that many CIHR competitions require registration of a letter of intent one month prior to the full proposal deadline.
2. Pilot work: Description of the pilot work done to date and how this will provide the basis for the full-scale research. (up to 1 page)
3. Detailed outline of proposal: Provide a detailed outline of what will go into the CIHR proposal. This section should contain enough detail to demonstrate that the research team has a clear plan regarding the study objectives, hypotheses, and methods and approaches. For example, in the outline of the methods, include description of likely participants, the general approach (e.g. randomized trial, qualitative interviews etc), an outline of any intervention, and potential measurement strategies. The names of the proposed investigator team should also be included. (up to 3 pages)
4. Budget and budget justification: e.g. research staff time for literature review and writing, completion of CVs, meeting costs (e.g. parking, refreshments) for research team for planning and writing. Funds cannot be used for pilot study purposes. (up to 1 page). See http://www.fammedmcmaster.ca/research/research-resource/ and Appendix 1 that describes departmental and university administrative and financial considerations in the preparation of the budget.
5. Timeline: Provide a timeline with deadlines for specific goals. (up to 1 page) **Note CIHR applications should be ready 3 weeks before the deadline to allow time for departmental and Faculty of Health Sciences review and signatures.

Submission:

The submission should consist of the following:

• Application cover sheet
• Proposal

Applicants may also submit the following as optional items:

• An abbreviated 2-page curriculum vitae of Principal Investigator highlighting research,

  clinical, and educational accomplishments relevant to the proposal

• Appendices of no more than 2 pages related to the work proposed

Submission information and deadlines:

Deadline: July 31st, 2010

Proposals should be submitted by July 31st, 2010 to Anita Di Loreto at dilora@mcmaster.ca

Funding decisions:

The proposals will be reviewed by a Grant Writing Call for Applications Review Committee consisting of the Department Chair, Research Director, Associate Research Director and at least one other member of the DFM.

Administrative considerations:

Upon approval the principal investigator will receive a letter of approval. A project that has been funded will need to meet the administrative requirements of Health Research Services at McMaster University (or the relevant home institution of the grant award recipient) including the submission of a completed and signed HRS checklist, copy of the award letter, copy of proposal, budget, and budget justification. The Department of Family Medicine Research Group will work with the Principal Investigator(s) to determine the process for setting up the financial management to manage the funds.

If funds are not used by 6 months after they are awarded, progress reports are not submitted or the progress of the project is deemed unsatisfactory based on the proposal submitted then it will be required that the funds be returned to the Department of Family Medicine.

Project Reporting:

The Principal Investigator will be asked to complete a brief project report 4 months after the grant has been awarded.

Appendix 1: Budget Items and allowable expenses

Budget items may include:

• Research personnel costs
• Administrative personnel costs including secretarial and finance administration support related to the work proposed. [Note: some funds should be allocated for financial administrative of the account; please contact Lisa Dolovich ldolovic@mcmaster.ca regarding this issue]
• Supplies and expendables

Ineligible expenses:

• Institutional or administrative overhead
• Salary support for the Principal Investigator or Co-investigators
• Salary support is restricted to that of technical or support personnel, and is not

  to be used for salary support of the principal investigator or co-investigators