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Operating Grant: HIV/AIDS (Community-Based Research) (Archived)

The Institute of Infection and Immunity
In partnership with
The Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health

Request for Applications

Important Dates
Opportunity Launched	June 2006
Content Last Updated	August 9, 2006 (Eligibility, How to Apply, Contact Information)
September 15, 2006	Registration Deadline - Registration packages must be courier stamped by this date.
October 16, 2006	Full applications must be courier stamped by this date.
March 31, 2007	Anticipated notification of decision.
April 1, 2007	Anticipated start date.
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 $1,185,000 over 3 years. This amount may increase if additional funding partners decide to participate. The maximum amount for a single grant is $100,000 per annum. The equipment amount is awarded in year one. General Stream The total available for this stream is $175,000 each year for 3 years. Aboriginal Stream The total available for this stream is $220,000 each year for 3 years.
Summary
The HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research (CBR) Program assists community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations and institutions in developing the knowledge necessary to carry out their HIV/AIDS work in the most effective manner, and in creating the expertise within these communities to conduct their own research. The purpose of this Request for Applications (RFA) is to further strengthen the community response to HIV/AIDS by supporting research projects relevant to these communities. It is expected that these investments will lead to the creation and dissemination of knowledge and successful partnerships between researchers and affected communities.

Background
Objectives
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

Before you begin...

The HIV/AIDS CBR Program follows the same application process as do most CIHR grants and awards. To help you navigate the process and ensure that you successfully and accurately complete the necessary forms, please read the following before you begin your application process.

Please read this Request for Applications carefully. It contains specific details about eligibility and allowable costs relevant to the HIV/AIDS CBR Program.
You must obtain a CIHR Personal Identification Number (PIN) to complete an application to any CIHR program. If you have not received one in the past, apply for your PIN as soon as possible. One working day is typically required to process PIN requests; however, longer processing times may be required during peak periods. Apply for your PIN
To ensure your registration and full application are forwarded to the appropriate CIHR staff, it is essential that you clearly indicate that you are applying to the HIV/AIDS CBR - Operating Grants (Aboriginal or General) in the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module. This will help ensure that it is reviewed appropriately.
A new CV form has been created for the purpose of the HIV/AIDS CBR Program to capture relevant information in the curriculum vitae for Community Leaders. This form is referred to as the "Community CV"." Applicants must complete either the Community CV or a Common CV for this application. Community Leaders may submit either a Community CV or a Common CV. Researchers based in academic or affiliated institutions are expected to complete the Common CV. The forms have been created to gather information relevant to a wide range of applicants. If a given section in the Community CV or Common CV does not apply to the applicant, leave it blank.
Canadian non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations (including community or charitable organizations) with a research or knowledge translation mandate are eligible to hold CIHR funds. If an organization is uncertain about its eligibility, it is encouraged to seek clarification from CIHR.

If in doubt, please contact one of the resource people noted at the end of this request. We will be pleased to assist you.

Background

The CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity (CIHR-III), in partnership with the CIHR Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (CIHR-IAPH), is pleased to announce the third launch of Requests for Applications under the HIV/AIDS CBR Program, a component of the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative.

The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative is supported by the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. The Federal Initiative reaffirms the Government of Canada's commitment to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic both in Canada and globally. As one of the partners in this initiative, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research sets priorities for and administers the HIV/AIDS Research Program and funds meritorious research grants and research personnel awards across the entire spectrum of HIV/AIDS research.
The goals of the Federal Initiative are to:

Prevent the acquisition and transmission of new infections.
Slow the progression of the disease and improve quality of life.
Reduce the social and economic impact of HIV/AIDS.
Contribute to the global effort to reduce the spread of HIV and mitigate the impact of the disease.

The Federal Initiative builds on the successes of the Canadian Strategy for HIV/AIDS (CSHA) which recognized that collaboration across many different sectors was necessary to ensure an effective response to HIV/AIDS. The CSHA promoted the greater role of communities in the research process through creation of the HIV/AIDS CBR Program. By building on the strengths of communities they will be best equipped to provide care, treatment and support to those already affected and to prevent the further spread of the HIV epidemic. Please visit the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada website for more information.

Community-based research involves community members in all stages of the research process from the definition of the research question to ensure relevance to the community, to capacity building and integration of community members in conducting the research as well as promoting the active participation in the development and implementation of the dissemination strategy. In addition to these principles, CBR espouses the same values of methodological rigour and ethical review as other research approaches.

The HIV/AIDS CBR Program will support knowledge development and capacity building initiatives of relevance to communities engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS. There are two different streams of activities, each with distinct budgets, within the HIV/AIDS CBR Program - Aboriginal and General.

Objectives

The HIV/AIDS CBR program is intended to support the goals of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada. It was created to facilitate and ensure the direct involvement of communities and people living with HIV/AIDS in research aimed at fighting the disease and its impacts and to promote interaction between researchers and communities as they strive to achieve mutually beneficial goals.

The specific objectives of the HIV/AIDS CBR Operating Grant RFA are:

to promote the creation of new knowledge that is relevant to communities and to the goals of the Federal Initiative;
to promote the dissemination of new knowledge so that it may positively impact the response of community-based organizations to the HIV/AIDS epidemic;
to develop partnerships between researchers and affected communities.

Relevant Research Areas

The HIV/AIDS CBR Program is aimed at undertaking research that benefits Canadian communities in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The impact of the proposed research on Canadian communities must be clearly demonstrated.

Research supported within this program is intended to address the needs deemed relevant by the affected communities while at the same time supporting the goals of the Federal Initiative. The Institutes do not wish to further limit the areas of HIV/AIDS research eligible to ensure its inclusiveness and responsiveness to the needs of the different communities. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including epidemiology, intervention research, case studies and interviews will be considered.

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.

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

Please note: A Community Leader based in an eligible not-for-profit organization may be considered a Principal Applicant for the purpose of the HIV/AIDS CBR Program only.

Community Leader is defined as an individual who has direct involvement with a community affected by HIV/AIDS, understands the needs of the community and how research can lead to useful practical outcomes for the community and who can facilitate the involvement of the community in the research process

The proposal must involve at least one Applicant on the team, who is listed as a Principal Applicant, that meets the standard requirements for Principal Applicant as described in the Applicant Categories for CIHR Grants (Section 1-B1.2) in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide.
A Nominated Principal Applicant must be named and will be given the administrative responsibility for the grant.
A Nominated Principal Applicant may be a Principal Applicant according to the standard CIHR requirement, or a Community Leader acting as Principal Applicant for the HIV/AIDS CBR project.
As per the eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs, Canadian non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations (including community or charitable organizations) with a research or knowledge translation mandate are eligible to hold CIHR funds. If an organization is uncertain about its eligibility, it is encouraged to seek clarification from CIHR.

(Updated: 2006-08-09)
Please note that Research Technical Assistants (to be renamed CBR Facilitators) are not eligible to act as principal investigators, co-investigators or to actively engage in the conduct of research (e.g., be involved in the daily activities of a research project such as participant recruitment, data collection, writing final report) for any research project funded by CIHR. This is to avoid conflict of interest and ensure that CBR Facilitators are able to fulfill their key objective of developing capacity throughout their region. Research Technical Assistants (RTAs) should be listed as collaborators on applications in which they have a significant role in fostering partnerships, providing ongoing advice, facilitating knowledge dissemination and other activities as appropriate.

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

Rental of space in non-academic institutions if it is justified as a direct cost of the research project. The cost must cover the rental of space required specifically for the research project, which would not otherwise be available to the institution;
Salary of a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator if they are not conducting the project as a function of their regularly salaried employment.

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated by a CIHR Merit Review committee created specifically for the HIV/AIDS Community-based Research Program. One Merit Review committee will be established for each the General and Aboriginal funding streams. 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). Applicants are also encouraged to include suggestions for reviewers in their application. For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see Peer Review.

Merit Review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate this Request for Applications. 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.

Evaluation criteria

Each proposal must describe how the grant will address the objectives described under "Objectives and Relevant Research Areas."

Potential Impact

Assessment Criteria include:

The likely significance of the research for the involved community and relevance to the goals of the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada;
The involvement of the community as partners in the research. Information on community involvement and partnership should include:
- A clear description of the community and community-based organization involved in the research;
- Extent and nature of community involvement in the identification of the research question, development and implementation of the project;
- How partnerships will operate with regards to mutual accountability, interaction, communication of results to participants and ownership of research results;
- The contribution and support provided by all team members and institutions/organizations.
The extent, appropriateness and potential impact of the knowledge dissemination plans.

Scientific Merit

Assessment Criteria include:

The clarity and originality of research questions and objectives, relative to relevant prior research;
The appropriateness and rigor of the methods and proposed analysis of data, the identification of and proposed approach(es) to difficulties that may be encountered, and the feasibility of the proposed project; and
The overall experience and skills of the investigative team - track record, importance and relevance of past research, historical productivity and impact; likelihood that this team can complete the research being proposed; reasonableness of time commitments to research.

Evaluation Process

The committee will use the CIHR Merit Review Scale.

	Potential Impact	Rating	Scientific Merit
Fundable:	enormous extremely significant very significant	4.5-4.9 4.0-4.4 3.5-3.9	outstanding excellent very good
Seldom funded:	significant	3.0-3.4	acceptable, but low priority
Not fundable:	moderate limited negligible	2.5-2.9 2.0-2.4 0-1.9	needs revision needs major revision seriously flawed

Each application will be assigned and reviewed by two reviewers. One reviewer will focus on the assessment of Potential Impact and the other will focus on the assessment of Scientific Merit. Potential Impact and Scientific Merit will be given equal weight in the assessment of the application by the Merit Review panel. Through discussion of the application and reviews, the 2 reviewers will determine a consensus rating for Potential Impact and one for Scientific Merit. The Merit Review panel will then provide individual confidential votes within +/- 0.5 of the consensus rating for both. Once the ratings have been determined, the Merit Review panel will review the requested budget and recommend an appropriate budget for the project. Only those applications that exceed the threshold rating of 3.5 on both Potential Impact and Scientific Merit will be considered for funding. The mean of the 2 scores will be calculated for the applications with a rating of 3.5 and above on both to determine the final rating and establish a ranking list.

On completion of the review, the appropriate CIHR institute, portfolio and partner representatives will receive the ranking list, merit scores (ratings) and recommendations of the merit review committee with regards to funding level and period of support for the submitted applications that fall in the fundable range. Based on the total funds available for the RFA, applications will be funded from the top-ranked down as far as budget will allow in both the General and the Aboriginal funding streams.

General CIHR Guidelines

This Request for Applications will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs. Applicants to this RFA, and all other CIHR initiatives, 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. In the event that a Nominated Principal Investigator (NPI) leaves the institutions/organization administering project funds, funds may remain at the administering institution/organization if the responsibilities of the NPI are transferred to a qualified individual. For more information see Replacing a Nominated Principal Applicant on a Grant. Alternately, project funds may be transferred to a new eligible institution. For more information see Transferring Grant(s) to an Eligible Canadian Institution. It must be clearly demonstrated that the transfer of the project to either a new NPI or institution is beneficial to the project and the involved community. 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.

Please note that prior to release of funds and when applicable, institutions to receive funds will have to meet the eligibility requirements to administer CIHR funds. For all new institutions, information on institution eligibility will be provided by the CIHR Finance Department to successful candidates

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

Prior to the release of funds and when applicable, teams must demonstrate that they have obtained appropriate ethics approval from a certified Research Ethics Board by submitting their initial ethics review certification and subsequent annual renewal certificate.
Interim Progress Reports are required once per annum. The report should not exceed three pages and should:
- describe any changes to the design or direction of the research project over the past year;
- provide an overview of the progress of the research and achievement of objectives in the past year;
- provide an overview of the dissemination activities in the past year.
A Final Report is required to be submitted within six months after the end of the grant's term. The report must:
- provide a summary of the objectives, research design and methods;
- demonstrate that the objectives of the Request for Applications have been met;
- provide a summary of the major findings and recommendations;
- discuss the policy and/or program implications of the findings and recommendations;
- provide a summary of the dissemination of the project findings.

A standard form for the Interim Progress Report and Final Report will be provided by CIHR.

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. Please note that Community Leaders applying to this competition can use either the Common CV available through the Applications Packages link or the Community CV created for this program. Further details and a link to the Community CV are provided below.

Additional instructions must be followed for this RFA:

Research Module

In the Research Funding Program section of the Research Module (page 7 of the web form printed report), select "Strategic Initiative/RFA" and enter "HIV/AIDS CBR Program - Operating Grants (General or Aboriginal)".

The Summary of Research Proposal (page 9) should address the objectives of this funding opportunity and describe the likely significance of the research for the involved community.
Summary of Progress (page 10) is not required, but up to one page may be used to summarize previous work relevant to this application.
Response to Previous Reviews (page 11) is not required, but up to two pages may be used to respond to previous reviewer's concerns if the application is a resubmission.
Research Proposal (page 12) should provide a clear, concise description of the project including: justification for the proposed project based on a critical review of pertinent literature, the objectives and methods to be used; the involvement of the community as partners in the research and the community-based organization(s) involved in the research; the planned analysis and knowledge dissemination activities.
It is not necessary to select a specific Peer Review Committee on the application form as all applications to the CBR Program will be reviewed by a specifically created merit review committee.

Attachments

Signed letters of support from the community are accepted and encouraged.
Signed collaboration letters should clearly demonstrate the community involvement at every stage of the project including the identification of the research question, development and implementation of the project.
Ethics certification can be appended if required and available at the time of submitting the application.

Budget Module

Submit a complete Budget Module with a page for each requested year ensuring that a detailed justification for all costs is provided.

CV (Updated: 2006-08-09)

A new CV form has been created for the purpose of the HIV/AIDS CBR Program to capture relevant information in the curriculum vitae for Community Leaders. This form is referred to as the "Community CV" (see List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion).
Submit either a Community CV or full Common CV for all applicants listed on the project. Community Leaders may submit either a Community CV or a Common CV. Researchers based in academic or affiliated institutions are expected to complete the Common CV.
Please note that the Community CV is a pilot project under the HIV/AIDS CBR Program. It aims to facilitate the application process for Community Leaders and the merit review of applications. Applicants using this form and the Merit Review Committee will be asked for feedback on the Community CV following the competition.
For applicants using the Common CV, the section called "Activities/Contributions" should include information on both academic and non-academic contributions, publications including peer-reviewed articles and significant reports in the public domain and should focus on achievements of the applicant with community-based research and experience working with community-based organizations.
Please note that Draft Common CVs will not be accepted. If using the Common CV, after logging in to the Common CV web site and completing your CV click on "validate my CV" (under functionalities on the right hand side of your screen); after correcting any errors, click on "Finalize and submit my CV"; a PDF will be generated and you will be able to print your finalized CV module.

Send the completed registration and application packages by courier to:

RE: "HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Program - Operating Grants"
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 merit review process contact:

Julien David
HIV/AIDS Community-Based Research Program Delivery Coordinator
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-6493
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: jdavid@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

For questions about this initiative and research objectives contact:

Mireille Baril (Updated: 2006-08-09)
HIV/AIDS Research Initiative Officer
Institute of Infection and Immunity
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 948-9396
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: mibaril@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Description of Partners: CIHR Institutes and Partner Organizations

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 Infection and Immunity
The Institute seeks to achieve national and global leadership through supporting research in health and public policy on the control of infectious diseases, and to harness healthy immune responses to protect against or mitigate health challenges.

CIHR - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health supports health research that addresses the special health needs of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and aims to improve the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples through the assertion of indigenous understandings of health and by fostering innovative community-based and scientifically excellent research.

Created: 2006-06-01
Modified: 2006-08-09
Reviewed: 2006-06-01
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