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Synthesis Grant: Knowledge Translation in Mental Health and Addiction

(Research Synthesis Grant: Meeting the National Challenge: Putting Mental Health and Addiction Knowledge into Practice)

Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)
In partnership with
The National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health

Request for Applications

Important Dates
Opportunity Launched	June 2006
Content Last Updated	(No updates since launch)
September 15, 2006	Registration Deadline - Registration packages must be courier stamped by this date.
December 15, 2006	Full applications must be courier stamped by this date.
March 31, 2007	Anticipated notification of decision.
April 1, 2007	Anticipated start date.
Additional Information	This Request for Applications (RFA) must be read in conjunction with the full description of the strategic initiative. The strategic initiative is linked to this RFA as well as to a second RFA (Emerging Team Grant - Meeting the National Challenge: Putting Mental Health and Addiction Knowledge into Practice). For purposes of this RFA, Research Synthesis is defined as a systematic effort to identity, assess and interpret the global pool of knowledge available to answer a focused question.
Funds Available
CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative 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 this initiative is $240,000. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate. The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $ 80,000 per annum for up to 1 year. The equipment amount is awarded in year one. This grant is non-renewable.
Summary
Part of CIHR's mandate is to excel in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health products and services and a strengthened health care system. The purpose of this Request for Applications is to support research synthesis in order to assess current knowledge foundations in mental health and addiction and help identify knowledge gaps and priorities. The research will provide evidence for dissemination to relevant mental health and addiction target audiences such as policy makers, healthcare administrators and decision makers, researchers, not-for-profit organizations, health professionals, and patients and their families. This knowledge will ultimately be mobilized to help in the care and treatment of patients with mental illness and addiction. It is expected that this targeted investment will lead to an improved base of new knowledge and insight to support more effective knowledge translation in the mental health and addiction area, leading ultimately to increased access to healthcare and improved patient care. For more information on this strategic initiative, please see "Meeting the National Challenge: Putting Mental Health and Addiction Knowledge into Practice". For general information on research syntheses, please see other Requests for Applications from CIHR.

Background
Partners
Eligibility
Allowable Costs
Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
General CIHR Guidelines
Conditions of Funding
Communications Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information
Description of Partners

Background

This Request for Applications is announced under the Strategic Initiative "Meeting the National Challenge: Putting Mental Health and Addiction Knowledge into Practice". Additional information, including Background, Objectives and Eligible Research Areas can be found under this link.

Partners

INMHA is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other CIHR institute(s), branch(es) or office(s), funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Descriptions of Partners to find a list of partners and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner are outlined in the section "Objectives".

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this RFA.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility requirements specific to this Request for Applications include the following:

Researchers must be engaged with a named end-used partner organization to ensure timeliness and relevance of the topic and uptake of the product. This partner must be fully involved in all phases of the research from conception of the project through to evaluation and dissemination of the results. Partner organizations may include those involved in health care delivery or planning and administration, policy making, not-for-profit organizations, community organizations, etc. See also "How to Apply".
Research can focus on all mental health and addiction disorders, however they arise (i.e. may co-occur with other disorders such as neurological, sensory, or language and communications disorders). However, the focus of the research must be on knowledge translation - availability and application of information, and outcomes related to improved access to care and improved mental health.
Applications must include a clear, explicit, and manageable knowledge translation plan, which specifies the intended audience(s), the means of involvement and communication, and the intended post-grant follow-up.
The National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health is interested in funding synthesis papers that look at public health issues that are of concern in First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities

Allowable Costs

Applicants should review the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) financial administration guidelines Use of Grant Funds for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.

In addition, the following expenditures will be considered eligible for funding received through this Request for Applications.

Purchase and maintenance of research equipment and other research tools, maintenance grants for common services and shared facilities
Salaries of research assistants
Regional, national and international networking and exchange activities during the planning and dissemination of the research (e.g. networking, conferences, workshops, meetings, communication and dissemination methods). Eligible activities must involve substantive and meaningful interaction between researchers and stakeholders
Costs associated with the creation and distribution of communication tools (e.g. plain language summaries or other mechanisms

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Factors for Assessment" (section 6.2).

In addition, the following evaluation criteria specific to this Request for Applications will apply. CIHR recognizes that applications will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, therefore reviewers and committees are expected to weight criteria such as these differently from one application to another.

Appropriate sources and levels of evidence to be included (or excluded) in the research synthesis must be clearly identified. These should include not only randomized controlled trials, but also other sources of evidence (such as findings from clinical experience) because these may have more relevance to actual clinical practice than RCTs which are conducted under strictly controlled conditions.
Proposed methods for conducting the review must be appropriate, rigorous and feasible; potential problems must be identified and contingencies offered.
Key stakeholders must be identified and appropriately engaged in the research from conception through to evaluation and dissemination of results.
Scope of the research: The scope of proposals should not be so narrow that the results could be meaningful for only a very limited target audience; not should the scope be so broad that it is impossible to derive meaningful results applicable to real-life situations.

1. The Research Plan

Research Proposed:

How important and/or original are the contributions expected from the research proposed? What is the potential for important new observations or knowledge?
To what extent have the applicants identified the relevance of the research: e.g. provided evidence of an environmental scan of existing or ongoing systematic reviews to ensure that their proposed work is unique?
How appropriate and rigorous is the proposed methodology? How well have the applicants anticipated difficulties in their approach and considered alternatives? How clearly have the applicants outlined their proposed methods for the review of evidence, including methods for identifying, selecting and appraising peer reviewed literature and grey literature, as well as methods for consulting with relevant stakeholders where appropriate?

"Fit" (responsiveness):

Applicants should describe the alignment of the proposed project with at least one of the identified thematic areas identified.
Collaboration: are key stakeholders identified and appropriately engaged in the proposed methodology?

The Applicant(s)' Productivity, Experience and Training:

How appropriate to the research proposed is the training or track record of the applicant(s) in terms of research, research synthesis and knowledge translation? How relevant is the recent research of the applicant(s)?
What experience does the research team have in research synthesis?

2. Knowledge Translation Plan:

The Knowledge Translation Plan will be evaluated based on the extent to which the proposal:

Appropriateness of intended user audience, which must be clearly identified (e.g. individuals within a specific policy-making organization, clinical setting, not-for-profit organization, etc.)
Demonstrates potential for probable uptake and use of synthesized knowledge by users as a result of the knowledge translation strategies, including the intention of the researcher to involve intended users early and throughout the research process and communications activities,
Outlines the experience of the researcher with relevant or intended user audiences,
Outlines evidence-based approaches or innovative strategies with sound justification for potential effectiveness,
Outlines and provides a strategy for addressing key contextual challenges to the uptake and use of synthesized knowledge,
Demonstrates feasibility of the knowledge translation plan with respect to the critical pathway and resources available,
Demonstrates commitment of the end-user, through the letter(s) of reference/support from the end-user(s) which indicates the importance of the synthesis in relation to their mandate and how they will be utilizing the results.

A CIHR peer review committee created specifically for this Request for Applications will evaluate the full applications. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see Peer Review.

Relevance review

INMHA and its partners, including any that may join at a later date (other CIHR Institutes, CIHR Portfolios, not-for-profit organizations, provincial research funding organizations, etc.) will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and research priority areas described in the Strategic Initiative. or with other specific partner priorities falling within the objectives and research priority areas of this initiative.

Prior to peer review, INMHA and its partners will have access to anonymized project titles and summaries to conduct relevance review.

The following criteria will be used in conducting the relevance review:

Alignment with the research priority areas described in this RFA
Relevance to more specific priorities of partners

Note that applications need not be relevant to specific partner priorities as long as they are relevant to the objectives and relevant research areas described in the RFA. However, applications that are highly ranked following peer review and are also relevant to specific partner priorities may be funded or co-funded by a partner.

Upon completion of peer review, INMHA and its partners will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations on funding level and grant term for the applications that fall in the fundable range and have been determined to be relevant to the specific research areas and objectives of the initiative. The list will be used for funding decision-making purposes and will remain anonymous.

The review of applications for relevance to the strategic initiative will have no impact on the peer review process.

General CIHR Guidelines

This Request for Applications will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of gender and sex-based analysis in applications.

Conditions of Funding

All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Request for Applications. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following special conditions shall apply:

Within six months after the end of the grant's term, the Nominated Principal Investigator is required to submit:

A final performance report to CIHR, including an updated three page lay summary, on the findings and conclusions of the research performed along with a description of how the funds were used (a standard form will be provided by CIHR).
A one-page report outlining the Knowledge Translation Activities undertaken and a summary of the researcher's (or research team's) knowledge translation experience and impressions (e.g., what worked well, what did not work well, and why).
A copy of the final synthesis/review.

CIHR assumes responsibility for disseminating the information contained within these reports via the CIHR website. However, CIHR affirms that the results are the intellectual property of the grant recipients and recognizes the need for teams to pursue publication in peer-reviewed publications or other appropriate formats. It is expected, however, that grant recipients will provide the CIHR with copies of all publications arising from work supported with this grant to assist the CIHR in its evaluation of this program. CIHR staff will work with grant recipients to ensure that its own dissemination efforts do not conflict with the teams' publication plans.

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.

CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Request for Applications and all matters pertaining thereto.

While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

Communications Requirements

Grant recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes / partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.

Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation

CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:

contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of two steps: Registration and Full Application.

Review the application instructions provided in How to Apply for Funding.

Select "Operating Grants" (Registration and Application) from the Grant Programs Application Packages.

Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:

In the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module, select "Strategic Initiative/RFA" and enter the title of this RFA.
Letters of support from stakeholder partner(s) must be provided. These should include an acknowledgement that they will work closely with researchers on this project; a brief description of the role they expect to play in developing the research plan, evaluation and analysis, and dissemination; and a brief description of the added value they expect to bring to the project.

Send the completed registration and application packages by courier to:

RE: "Research Synthesis - Meeting the National Challenge: Putting Mental Health and Addiction Knowledge into Action"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Kelly Fitzpatrick
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-4640
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: kfitzpatrick@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Dr. Barbara Beckett
Assistant Director, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 948-4877
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: bbeckett@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Description of Partners: CIHR Institutes and Partner Organizations

Note: Additional partners, including partners from industry and the private sector are expected to join this funding initiative over the coming year.

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

CIHR - Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
The vision of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA) is that innovative research will provide new knowledge of the biological and socio-cultural processes underlying neurological, mental and addictive disorders. As such, the INMHA's mission is to foster excellence in innovative, ethically responsible research in Canada that aims to increase our knowledge of the functioning and disorders of the brain and the mind, the spinal cord, the sensory and motor systems, as well as mental health, mental illness and all forms of addiction. The INMHA intends to support initiatives that mobilize and link scientists in innovative collaborative programs across these research domains. The INMHA seeks to translate this new knowledge into a better quality of life for all Canadians through improved outcomes, health promotion and health care services.

Partners

The National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH)
The overall mission of the NCCAH is to increase Aboriginal capacity for action on their determinants of health. NCCAH will accomplish this by:

Being a resource and facilitating the development of ideas and information to support and inform future public interventions.
Supporting the development of practices and policies through knowledge synthesis, knowledge translation and knowledge exchange.
The fundamental role of the NCCAH will be to build bridges between Aboriginal people's approaches to public health and existing research centres, repositories of public health related information and service delivery agencies.

Created: 2006-06-15
Modified: 2006-06-15
Reviewed: 2006-06-15
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