ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Table of Contents

• Description
• Objectives
• Eligibility
• Guidelines
• Review Process and Evaluation
• How to Apply
• Contact Information
• Sponsor Description
• Additional Information

Description

In Canada, sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBI) disproportionately affect several key populationsⁱ and these disparities reflect the many and often intersecting systemic, biomedical, behavioural and social factors that influence STBBI acquisition, disease progression, access to care, effectiveness of interventions and, ultimately, health outcomes.

Previous targeted investments specific to HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C research have helped develop strong research capacity in these disease-specific areas in Canada; however, there remains a great need to build capacity for research related to other STBBI and invest in research aimed at improving health equity for people living with or at risk of STBBI. This includes research to better understand the determinants of health including the complex interactions and impacts among the many biological, social and structural determinants of health; to develop, test and advance new or improved, culturally-safe and holistic models of care and evidence-based interventions, and to investigate the roles of sex, gender, sexuality and systemic barriers in the experiences, risks and outcomes associated with STBBI. Additionally, discovery research on high burden and emerging STBBI is required to advance next generation interventions that provide better detection, prevention, treatment and care for key populations¹.

The overall goal of the Catalyst Grant is to strengthen the current landscape of STBBI research in Canada, and to build capacity and spur innovation in this field, with a specific focus on STBBI of public health relevance beyond the fields of HIV and hepatitis C and in alignment with the CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

Research Areas

The CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiatives defines STBBI as infections that are transmitted primarily through exchange of body fluids during sexual contact and/or through blood. This funding opportunity will support projects across all pillars of research (biomedical research; clinical research; health services research; and social, cultural, environmental, and population health research) with a primary focus on STBBI of public health relevance including, but not limited to:

• Chlamydia
• Gonorrhea
• Syphilis
• Hepatitis B
• Human papillomavirus (HPV).

Research projects focusing primarily on HIV or hepatitis C will not be eligible for funding. With respect to health conditions common in people living with HIV/AIDS or hepatitis C, the focus of the project must be on at least one of the STBBI listed above or a STBBI of demonstrated public health relevance.

Applications which align with the CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Strategic Plan for 2022-2027 are encouraged, including but not limited to research in the following areas:

• Determinants of health
• New models of care
• Sexual and reproductive health
• Innovative technologies for testing and surveillance
• Interactions among infections and co-morbidities
• Next-generation Interventions

Applicants are strongly encouraged to consider key populations¹ disproportionately affected by STBBI in Canada within the framework of the proposed research.

Role and Contributions of Applicant Partners: CIHR recognizes that a broad range of partners may be relevant to this opportunity and it is expected that applicant(s) describe the role of all applicant partners and how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities. Any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest should also be explained, as appropriate.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

• The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $600,000, enough to fund approximately 6 grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $100,000 per year for up to 1 year.
• Of this $ 600,000:
  • $100,000 is available to fund 1 application relevant to chlamydia;
  • $100,000 is available to fund 1 application relevant to gonorrhea;
  • $100,000 is available to fund 1 application relevant to syphilis;
  • $300,000 is available to fund 3 applications relevant to STBBI other than HIV and hepatitis C (general).
    • Within the general pool, 1 grant will be reserved for an application with an Early Career Researcher (ECR) as Nominated Principal Applicants (NPA). If there are no ECRs applying or if there is a lack of fundable applications from ECRs, these funds will be used to fund other applications in the general pool in rank-order.
• The top ranked fundable applications relevant to each of the chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis pools will be funded. Remaining applications will be transferred to the general pool and funded in rank order. If one or more of the chlamydia, gonorrhea, and/or syphilis pools is undersubscribed or lacks fundable applications, funds will be rolled into the general pool.

For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Enable STBBI researchers to generate preliminary observations, data or knowledge necessary to pursue longer-term research funding in STBBI research;
• Support original, high quality STBBI projects and provide researchers the opportunity to pursue high risk health research questions which have the potential to generate novel, innovative and high impact results; and
• Stimulate innovation in STBBI research by promoting cross-disciplinary research collaborations between STBBI researchers and experts in other relevant fields in Canada.

Eligibility

Eligibility to Apply

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant must be:
   1. an independent researcher or a knowledge user affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation) at the time of funding.
      • if the Nominated Principal Applicant is a knowledge user, there must be at least one Principal Applicant who is an independent researcher

      OR

   2. an individual affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.

      OR

   3. an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
2. The Nominated Principal Applicant must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
3. The Institution Paid must be authorized to administer CIHR funds by the funding start date (see Administration of Funds).
4. The NPA* must have successfully completed one of the sex- and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and have submitted a Certificate of Completion (see How to Apply section).
5. For any research applications involving First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis, the research team must include at least one knowledge user who self-identifies as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis and/or who can demonstrate their experience of meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples in an Indigenous Health Research environment and must submit an "Other" attachment describing their experience working in an Indigenous Health Research environment (see How to Apply section for more details).

While not a requirement for eligibility, research applications NOT involving First Nations, Inuit, and/or Métis populations are also encouraged to include knowledge user(s) when appropriate.

*Organizations as NPAs: For organizations applying as the NPA, a representative of the organization must complete the training module on the organization's behalf.

Guidelines

General CIHR Policies

Before submitting an application to this funding opportunity, applicants should review the relevant policies and guidelines on the CIHR Funding Policies page, including the CIHR Application Administration Guide – Part 2 General Requirements for Grants and Awards Applications , to ensure understanding of their responsibilities and expectations.

Allowable Costs

Applicants are advised to consult the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA) to determine if an expenditure is an appropriate use of grant funds.

To further clarify, the following expenses are examples of appropriate uses of grant funds, provided they satisfy the principles and pertinent directives of the TAGFA:

• Expenditures that respect the culture and traditions of Indigenous peoples, where needed for the meaningful conduct of research. See the Tri-Council Policy Statement 2 (TCPS 2 (2022) – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples of Canada) and the TAGFA Directive on Gifts, Honoraria and Incentives. These include:
  • Costs related to community mobilization and engagement, including culturally relevant promotional items such as, tobacco, cloth, feasting and gift giving for honoring ceremonies, and cash reimbursements (in a method acceptable to the individual or community being reimbursed) to compensate community participation.
  • Contracts and/or consultant fees for knowledge translation and communication activities for Indigenous Elders, community members, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers involved in activities related to the Indigenous community.

For this funding opportunity only, the following statement applies:

• Release Time Allowance: Release time funding may be used to replace part of the salary of a knowledge user to allow them to participate in the project.

Use of Personal Information

• Personal information submitted during the application process, including but not limited to information provided through applicant CVs, the Self-identification Questionnaire and other application documents required by this FO, will be made available to CIHR personnel for the purposes of future program design and delivery, results measurement and reporting. For further information about the self-identification questionnaire and the use of personal information, see the Self-identification Questionnaire Frequently Asked Questions.

Conditions of Funding

• Data related to First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities whose traditional and ancestral territories are in Canada must be managed in accordance with data management principles developed and approved by those communities, and on the basis of free, prior and informed consent. This includes, but is not limited to, considerations of Indigenous data sovereignty, as well as data collection, ownership, protection, use, and sharing.
• The applicant must consent to the use and disclosure of full application and nominative information at the time of application, for purposes of relevance review and/or funding decisions by the relevant sponsors.
• CIHR reserves the right to terminate or suspend funding if there is a determination of unacceptable national security risk by the Government of Canada.
• The Nominated Principal Applicant will be required to submit an electronic Final Report to CIHR. This online report will be made available to the Nominated Principal Applicant on ResearchNet at the beginning of the grant funding period and can be filled in as the research progresses.
• The Principal Applicants who are successful in this competition are strongly encouraged to actively participate in peer review, and as members of the CIHR College of Reviewers, when invited.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

CIHR-III will perform a relevance review to identify applications that are in alignment with the objectives and research areas of this funding opportunity.

The Summary of Research Proposal will be used to determine relevance and must adequately explain how the proposal is in alignment with the objectives and research areas. The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity may access the full applications if additional information is required to complete relevance review.

Applications that are not deemed to be relevant will be withdrawn from the competition.

Review Process

For information on the peer review process for this funding opportunity, see the Review Guidelines for Priority-Driven Initiatives.

For information on CIHR’s peer review principles, see the Peer Review: Overview section of CIHR’s website.

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA).

Evaluation Criteria

To support the strategic objectives of this funding opportunity, the following evaluation criteria will be used:

1. Research Approach
   1. Extent to which the research project responds to the required research areas and objectives of the funding opportunity.
   2. Clarity, appropriateness and feasibility of the research design, methodology and expected outcomes.
   3. Meaningful inclusion and active engagement of key populations throughout the research process (as appropriate).
   4. Appropriateness of plan for integrating principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and Indigenous Rights (IR) into the proposed research. Refer to the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Research System resources and How to integrate sex and gender into research for additional guidance. This includes incorporation of biological variables (e.g., sex, age) and/or sociocultural identity factors (e.g., gender, race, ethnicity, language) into the research proposed, where applicable. It could also include a commitment to engaging a diverse research team.
   5. For research projects involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: Appropriate consideration of TCPS 2 (2022) – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples of Canada and demonstration of meaningful and culturally safe involvement practices, plans and activities throughout the research project.

2. Originality of the Proposal
   1. Potential for the creation of new knowledge.
   2. Originality of the proposed research, in terms of the hypotheses/research questions addressed, novel technology/methodology, and/or novel applications of current technology/methodology.

3. Applicant(s)
   1. Appropriateness of the research team's expertise and qualifications (including, for example, lived/living experience, and training, experience and independence, relative to career stage) in the proposed areas of research and with the proposed methodology/ies).
   2. For research projects involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: The extent to which the overall research team has the necessary knowledge, expertise and experience in Indigenous health research, and complementarity of expertise and synergistic potential to conduct Indigenous health research.

4. Impact of the Research
   1. Extent to which the research proposal addresses a significant need or gap in health research and/or the health care system, as it relates to STBBI of public health relevance beyond HIV and hepatitis C.
   2. Potential for the development of novel and high impact observations, tools/techniques and knowledge that may significantly contribute to the unbiased improvement of people's health in Canada and globally (where applicable).
   3. Potential for the expected outcomes to build a foundation for the pursuit of more comprehensive funding opportunities related to STBBI research.
   4. Potential for the project to facilitate long-lasting, cross-disciplinary partnerships and synergies between STBBI researchers, teams and knowledge users.
   5. Extent of the role(s) and contribution(s) of all applicant partner(s) in advancing research objectives (if applicable).
   6. Proactive and meaningful consideration of partnership risks, including the extent of real and/or perceived conflict of interest and appropriateness of its management and mitigation if applicable).

Funding Decision

Funding will be distributed to the top-rated application(s) in each pool, and then all applications in the competition will be pooled together and will be funded in rank order, while aiming to have one (1) Early Career Researcher funded in the general pool.

The names of successfully funded applicants will be published on the CIHR website.

Partner and Internal Collaborator Participation

The opportunity to add new partners and internal collaborators to this funding opportunity may arise after publication. These partners and internal collaborators may not be listed; however, the principles that govern relevance review, including consent to share information and funding decisions, will still apply.

How to Apply

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: Full Application
• To complete your Full Application, follow the “Specific Instructions” listed below, and where applicable, consult the Grants – Application Guidelines along with any additional instructions found below under "Specific Instructions".
• All participants listed, with the exception of Collaborators, are required to:
  • Have/obtain a CIHR PIN
  • Complete the Self-identification Questionnaire.

Specific instructions to complete your ResearchNet application

Task: Identify Participants

• List all participants in the “Identify Participants” task. Consult the Eligibility section and ensure that all requirements are met.
• All participants are required to submit a CV (excluding collaborators).
  • All Canadian academic applicants are required to upload a CIHR Biosketch CV.
  • Knowledge users, non-academics, Indigenous organizations, and international applicants have the option to submit either a CIHR Biosketch CV or Applicant Profile CV (maximum three pages per applicant). Each Applicant Profile CV must include 5-10 expertise keywords; and a summary of the applicant's education, current/past affiliations and employment/research experience with effective dates; and any other information pertinent to the participant's role on the application.
  • NPA categories involving an Indigenous non-governmental organization as an eligibility requirement must include in their Applicant Profile CV, a description of the organization and how it meets the eligibility requirement of being an Indigenous non-governmental organization with a research or knowledge translation mandate.
  • Submit Biosketch CVs using the Canadian Common CV (CCV) interface. Submit Applicant Profile CVs by uploading the completed document, in the “Attachment” tab.

Task: Enter Proposal Information

• The Research Proposal must outline each of the elements presented in the evaluation criteria.
• Research proposals written in French will be allowed to submit additional pages, in support of evidence demonstrating that French documents require approximately 20% more space than similar English documents. Therefore, to ensure an equitable amount of space is provided, the following page limits will apply
  • 5 pages for [Research Proposals written in English
  • 6 pages for Research Proposals written in French

    For Research proposal submitted in English, any pages over the 5 page limit will be removed with no further notification to the Nominated Principal Applicant.

• References, charts, tables, figures and photographs can be uploaded under "Attachments – Research Proposal Appendix".

Task: Complete Summary of Research Proposal

• Summarize your research proposal. Note that your summary cannot exceed one page.

Task: Enter Budget Information

• Provide a detailed budget justification in relation to planned activities and clearly justify all budget items (including cash and cash equivalent contributions, if relevant).
• For release time allowance requests (if applicable), you must include a letter (upload under "Other Supporting Documents") from the recipient's organization certifying that the individual for whom the release time allowance is requested:
  • is a knowledge-user on the grant whose primary responsibilities do not include an expectation to engage in research (i.e., as part of their regular employment);
  • has their organization's approval for the research time on the project that would justify the allowance; and
  • is engaged in the activities for which funds are being disbursed.

Task: Attach Other Application Material

• Other – attach the following under "Other":
  • SGBA Training Certificate of Completion ( mandatory for NPA) – Label as: "SGBA Certificate – Name": After completing the appropriate training module that applies to the research project, you will receive a Certificate of Completion that you will save and upload here. The training module should take approximately 40 minutes to complete.
  • Indigenous Experience (mandatory for applications involving Indigenous Peoples) – label as "Indigenous Experience – Name":
    • For any research involving Indigenous Peoples, this funding opportunity seeks applicants who self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or applicants who can demonstrate their experience working in an Indigenous Health Research environment, which may include Indigenous living experience, addressing power imbalances and cultural safety. The NPA must therefore submit a one (1) page attachment describing how they or a team member meets this requirement.
• Participant Table (mandatory) – This Participant table will be used for eligibility and peer review assessment. In a table format with column headers matching the bolded titles below, provide the following information about all applicant team members:
  • Participant first and last name or name of organization (if NPA is an organization)
  • Role of participant in application (e.g., NPA, Principal Applicant, Principal Knowledge User, Co-Applicant, Knowledge User, Collaborator);
  • Primary host institution/organization of each participant, where appropriate;
  • Participant type(s) (e.g., independent researcher, knowledge user, trainee, Community Leader, Canadian non-governmental organization; participant who self-identifies as First Nations, Métis or Inuit or provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous communities; participant affiliated with a First Nations, Inuit or Métis communities or organization).
• Publications (optional):
  • A maximum of 5 publications relevant to the proposed research can be attached (one page maximum).
• Letters of Support (optional):
  • Signed letters of support from the community are encouraged. Please review the Writing Letters of Support document for guidance.
• Letters of Collaboration (optional):
  • Signed collaboration letters, including the identification of the research question, development and implementation of the project.
• Applicant Partner COI Document (required if applicable): Describe the role of all applicant partners, how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities, and any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest as appropriate (Maximum 1-page).

Task: Identify Application Partners (optional)

• A "Partnership Details" form must be submitted for each partner providing cash and/or cash equivalent contributions.
• For each partner, upload a signed "Partner Letter" describing their role, activities, authorities, accountabilities and how they will contribute to research and research related activities, and any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest as appropriate. Contributions (including intellectual, financial [cash or cash equivalent] and other resources) (optional) (Maximum 1-page).

Task: Apply to Priority Announcements/Funding Pools (Research Area)

• In this task, select your research area (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, or general) by choosing the appropriate dropdown. You must select only one research area for your application. If you select more than one, your application will only be considered for the first one identified.
  • If your application does not align with the focus of one of the three focused research areas (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis), you must select the general pool.
  • If your application aligns with more than one of the three focused research area, choose the one most relevant to your proposal.
• Describe (in one half-page) how the research proposed will address the relevant research area.
  • Early Career Researcher NPAs applying to the general pool must self-identify in the relevance form.

Task: Print Signature Pages

• Signature Requirements:
  • Signature of the Nominated Principal Applicant is not required for applications submitted through ResearchNet.
  • Signatures must be included for all other applicants (except Collaborators), and individual(s) with signing authority from the Institution Paid.
  • Original signatures are not required. The scanned signed signature pages and the Routing Slip must be uploaded in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.

Contact Information

For all inquiries, please contact:

CIHR Contact Centre
Telephone: 613-954-1968 
Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For service hours, please consult our Contact us page.

Sponsor Description

Note: Additional partners/internal collaborators, including from industry and the private sector, may join this funding initiative over the coming year

Partners

Internal Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research
At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

CIHR – HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiative
The CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiative (RI), under the leadership of the CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (III), is responsible for the funding, management and oversight of research with a primary focus on HIV/AIDS and/or other STBBI. Information on the strategic directions of the CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Research Initiative can be found in the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative: Strategic Plan (2022-2027). As outlined in the Pan-Canadian STBBI Framework (Reducing the Health Impact of Sexually Transmitted and Blood-Borne Infections in Canada by 2030: A Pan-Canadian STBBI Framework for Action) and Canada’s Action Plan on STBBI (Accelerating our response: Government of Canada five-year action plan on STBBI), Canada has adopted an integrated approach to HIV and STBBI across the full continuum of prevention, testing, initiation of care and treatment and ongoing care and support.

CIHR – Institute of Infection and Immunity (III)
The institute of Infection and Immunity (III) supports research and helps to build research capacity in the areas of infectious disease and the body's immune system. Through the Institute's programs, researchers address a wide range of health concerns related to infection and immunity including disease mechanisms, disease prevention and treatment, and health promotion through public policy.

Additional Information

Administration of Funds

Funds will only be released to the institution or organization identified as the Institution Paid. If the Institution Paid is not already authorized to administer CIHR funds, for the duration of the grant term, it may be required to undergo a financial and eligibility review and sign a funding agreement, or the successful applicant may choose to have their funds administered by a CIHR eligible institution. Please contact the Contact Centre to enquire about the process.

1. Key populations disproportionately affected by STBBI in Canada, including but not limited to: gay, bisexual men and other MSM; people who use drugs; First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples; racialized people (including African, Caribbean and Black communities) and migrants, particularly from regions with high STBBI prevalence; sex workers and their clients; people living in or recently released from correctional facilities; transgender and non-binary people; people living with STBBI; young women (16-25 years old); youth.