CIHR Communications, Youth and Public Outreach
| Important Dates | |
| Opportunity Launched | June 2006 |
| Content Last Updated | (No updates since launch) |
| October 16, 2006 | Full applications must be courier stamped by this date. |
| January 15, 2007 | Anticipated notification of decision. |
| March 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.
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| Summary | |
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CIHR recognizes the need to provide youth with opportunities to advance their interests and abilities in health research so that they can make informed post-secondary academic and career choices. The SYNAPSE CIHR/STIHR Youth Mentorship Initiative is opened to all Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (STIHR) and will provide funds to facilitate the connection between STIHR trainees/researchers and Canadian youth. The Program's primary target audience is intermediate and high school students as they are most receptive to in-depth mentorship experiences and post-secondary career advice. The primary goal of the program is to connect Canada's next generation of researchers with today's leaders in health research. Through collaborative partnerships between the research and science awareness communities, STIHR trainees and researchers will connect with youth throughout their community. | |
The Need for CIHR to Invest in SRT Literacy
We live in a world defined by, and dependent on, science, research and technology (SRT). SRT literacy is the foundation of an innovative and productive society. SRT literacy is an evolving combination of attitudes, skills and knowledge all students need to develop inquiry and problem-solving abilities, to become lifelong learners and to succeed in a competitive, global economy.
Canadians need a solid grounding in these fields in order to participate as citizens and members of civil society in making decisions about issues ranging from the use of stem cells to nanotechnology, antibiotic use, genetic privacy and health disparities in vulnerable populations. SRT should inform all political decisions. As responsible and engaged citizens, it is crucial that we understand the importance of the SRT in our society, and appreciate the significance and value of the data and information it generates. Without strong levels of literacy in SRT, Canadians cannot take an active and informed role in our country's future.
While this broader social necessity for investing in SRT literacy is important, there is another factor, one that is of critical interest to the further development of an innovative foundation to improve health, strengthen the health care system and build a 21st century economy. CIHR must invest in developing students with the skills, knowledge and motivation to seek a career in health research. SRT literacy is the first step in developing the talent pool from which Canada will draw its future innovators, in health research as in every other area of innovation. By engaging young people early, it increases their interest and the likelihood of their pursuing these areas as career options.
CIHR efforts to promote SRT literacy among youth responds to a strategic objective contained in the CIHR Blueprint. As part of this objective, CIHR is committed to promoting science to Canadian youth and creating opportunities in collaboration with partners to engage youth in science discovery.
The specific objectives of this initiative are:
*youth SRT awareness community: school boards, museum and science centers, science teachers associations, provincial and national non-profit organizations such as the Youth Science Foundation, ACTUA, Lets Talk Science, le Conseil du développement du loisir scientifique (Québec), Access Program for Women In Science and Engineering (Manitoba), etc.
Eligible Mentorship Activities
Trainees and researchers can meet and mentor youth in a variety of ways. Projects employing a number of innovative and exciting techniques will be encouraged.
Here are some suggestions.
Projects must integrate at least one of the four CIHR pillars of health research: basic biomedical, applied clinical, health services and systems, and population health.
Projects must include some efforts in reaching under served or underrepresented youth (e.g. youth from low-income families, youth living in rural communities or in remote parts of the country, aboriginal youth, etc.). This will be an important factor in evaluating the application.
Ineligible Activities
Funding is meant to health research experiences in research labs, therefore:
Eligible Partners
Projects are to be developed and delivered in partnership with a local, non-profit, SRT awareness group such as:
*Examples of youth SRT awareness organizations:
More examples of youth SRT awareness organizations can be found on the website of the Science and Technology Awareness Network.
Ineligible Partners
The following are considered ineligible partners:
CIHR will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives, activities and partners described above.
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.
Specific Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility requirements specific to this Request for Applications include the following:
The STIHR Principal Investigator is considered to be the Nominated Principle Applicant, unless otherwise indicated by the applicants.
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.
Project Administration
Projects may direct up to 25 per cent of CIHR funding towards project administration and communications costs, such as:
Project Development and Delivery
Projects must use the remaining 75 per cent for project development and delivery costs.
Examples of project development costs include:
Ineligible Costs
CIHR funds cannot be used for the following costs:
The full application must provide a detailed justification of all costs.
Peer review will be conducted in accordance with The CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members. The CIHR Youth Engagement Advisory Committee will evaluate the full applications. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the non-profit organisations from the youth SRT education and awareness sector, following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP).
The following are the criteria that the CIHR Youth Engagement Advisory Board will use to evaluate each submission.
Please note that your submission must clearly demonstrate how your proposal meets each specific criterion.
This Request for Applications will follow the General Guidelines for Grant Programs.
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:
Successful applicants to the CIHR-STIHR Youth Mentorship program will be requested to provide CIHR with a brief report (up to 10 pages) on both the youth and public activities supported through the grant. The report should include:
Principal Investigators are requested to submit the final report to CIHR by May 30, 2008.
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.
CIHR/STIHR Youth Mentorship Grant recipients are required to use the following recognition format in any communication or publication related to the project:
SYNAPSE logo
Presented by
STIHR logo/name (local partner's logo/name, optional)
Supported nationally by
CIHR logo
See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements.
Recipients are required to liaise with CIHR's Youth and Public Outreach Services to obtain appropriate logos and in preparing for their public awareness event so that CIHR may obtain information about events proceeding across Canada in order to inform local and national media and amplify the impact of the Initiative.
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:
Applicants are advised to follow the instructions on the Acceptable Application Module Formats page which outlines formatting requirements for the letter and attachments.
The application package must include:
a) The Registration pages of the CIHR Research Module:
To generate the Registration pages, you must access the CIHR Web Forms. When creating a new application, select "Operating" under "Grant Programs" and complete the following six sections of the Research Module web form. Print the "Registration Pages Only."
b) Proposal
Applications should take the form of a letter of no more than six pages outlining the planned activity and addressing each selection criteria. The application should be divided into three sections using selection criteria as headings:
The letter should be signed by the STIHR Principal Investigator and a responsible institutional official.
An additional budget page justifying the planned use of the CIHR grant must be attached to the letter (include detailed breakdown under Project Administration and Project Development and Delivery headings). Also include a letter of support from your local, non-profit, SRT awareness partner. (These two additional documents are not counted in the six-page limit).
c) A brief curriculum vitae with pages 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10 from the Common CV. Full CVs will not be considered
Any additional materials will not be sent to the review committee; this includes letters of support, figures not included in the proposal, updates on publications, updates on other support received, letters confirming academic appointment, reprints, etc.
Send the completed application package by courier to:
RE: "SYNAPSE - CIHR/STIHR Youth Mentorship Initiative"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:
Tiffany Richards
Program Delivery Coordinator
Research Capacity Development
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 946-7232
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: STIHR@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
For questions about this initiative contact:
Christian Riel,
Manager, Youth and Public Outreach
Canadian Institute of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 941-5797; Fax: (613) 954-1800;
Email: criel@cihr-irsc.gc.ca
