1-A1.1 Definition of the Four CIHR Themes
1-A1.2 Multidisciplinary Research
1-A1.4 Gender and Sex-Based Analysis
1-A2 How to Choose the Most Appropriate Granting Agency
1-B1 Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards
1-B1.1 Eligible Individuals and Institutions
1-B1.2 Participant Categories for CIHR Grants
1-B1.3 Obligations of Eligible Institutions
1-B1.4 Affiliated Institutions
1-B2 Research in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and the Yukon
1-B3 Meaning of Signatures on Application Forms
1-B4.1 Research Involving Humans
1-B4.2 Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research Guidelines
1-B4.3 Research Involving Animals
1-B4.4 Research with Infectious Agents
1-B4.5 Research Involving Radioactive Materials
1-B4.6 Disposal of Hazardous Materials
1-B4.8 Safety of Human Cells, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation
1-B5 Official Languages Policy
1-B6 Access to Information and Privacy Acts
1-B6.1 The Access to Information Act
1-B7 Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review
1-B7.2 Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR
1-B9 Public Communication and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support
1-B11 Policy and Guidelines on Publications and Productivity
1-B11.2 Forms of Publications and Variations by Discipline
1-B11.3 Contributions to Multi-Authored Papers
1-B11.4 Delays in the Research and in Dissemination of Research Results
The CIHR Grants and Awards Guide consists of funding policies as they relate to the funding of research eligibility guidelines and other research related policy. These funding policies apply to all CIHR funding opportunities, unless specifically mentioned otherwise in the description of the funding opportunity.
This version of the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide supersedes all previous statements on grant and award guidelines by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). These guidelines are in effect unless there are compelling reasons for introducing changes.
Since its creation on June 7, 2000, CIHR has introduced new policies and made revisions to existing ones. These changes are posted in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide on an as needed basis as they occur. Updates will be written into the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide and will also be posted in the Summary of Changes.
The same policies, procedures, terms and conditions may not necessarily continue to apply in subsequent years; recipients and applicants should always refer to the latest edition of the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. CIHR reserves the right to interpret these guidelines and any conditions attached to grants and awards. Applicants are advised to contact program delivery coordinators of the committees to whom they submitted their applications for clarification on policies as required.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
160 Elgin Street, 9th floor
Address Locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Canada
The CIHR Grants and Awards Guide is divided into four distinct sections to provide guidelines relating to funding that is provided by CIHR for health research. These sections are as follows:
Section 1 - CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies
Section 2 - CIHR Guidelines for Training and Salary Programs
Section 3 - CIHR Guidelines for Grant Programs
Section 4 - CIHR Guidelines for Partnerships Programs
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research carries out its mandate by funding health research and research training, in universities, health care institutions (mainly teaching hospitals), and research institutes. CIHR does not operate laboratories of its own.
CIHR categorizes health research in four broad themes: bio-medical research; clinical research; research respecting health systems and services; and research into the health of populations, societal and cultural dimensions of health, and environmental influences on health. Four broad definitions of the CIHR themes are included below for reference purposes. These areas of research are not mutually exclusive; therefore the definitions are intended as guides and not as descriptions of eligible areas of research.
CIHR has a special interest in supporting interdisciplinary research or projects with multiple perspectives; networking of researchers across disciplines, approaches, interest and geography; and collaborative involvement of communities and researchers who have not traditionally applied to CIHR for funds.
Principles and values guiding CIHR's decisions on applications include excellence, breadth of vision, research at the leading edge, benefit to the health of Canadians, and partnerships at all levels.
As stated in the CIHR Act, one of the ways CIHR fulfills its mandate is by "pursuing opportunities and providing support for the participation of Canadian scientists in international collaborations and partnerships in health research." In addition, in keeping with its mandate to provide researchers with the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of people's health in Canada and the world, CIHR has entered into a cooperative arrangement with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Health Canada (HC), and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) aimed at coordinating and building upon Canada's global health research activities. CIHR encourages applications in the field of global health, which demonstrate that the proposed research project has the potential to improve the health of people "in Canada and the world".
Applicants who are eligible for CIHR support may apply to CIHR for funds to support research to be carried out in, or in collaboration with scientists based in, other countries. Two general possibilities for CIHR support of international collaborations are considered:
Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of gender and sex-based analysis (GSBA) in applications. GSBA is an approach to research which systematically inquires about biological (sex-based) and sociocultural (gender-based) differences between women and men, boys and girls, without presuming that any such differences exist. The purpose of GSBA is to promote rigorous health research which expands understanding of health determinants in both sexes and results in improvements in health and health care.
For CIHR's definitions for gender and sex-based analysis and for more information on applying gender and sex-based analysis to research proposals, please consult the "Guide for CIHR Peer Review Committees".
CIHR, Health Canada, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) share federal responsibility for the support of scholarly research and research training in health. However, mutually exclusive guidelines are difficult to define and some research proposals will necessarily overlap the individual jurisdictions, priorities and interests of these Agencies. In some instances, applicants seeking support for interdisciplinary research that bridges the areas covered by more than one of the three research funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) might be uncertain about the organization to which they should submit their proposal. Applicants should consult the mandates of each agency to select the one best suited to their application. If still in doubt, applicants can contact one of the granting agencies, who will work in co-operation with the other agencies to determine which agency should receive the application.
Mandates:
The researcher must apply to the agency that deals with the dominant research discipline. Note that applicants may not submit the same proposal concurrently to both CIHR and NSERC or SSHRC.
For more information, contact:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
160 Elgin, 9th Floor
Address locator 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Canada
Tel.: 1-888-603-4178 (select option 1)
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
350 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 1H5
Canada
Tel.: (613) 995-6295
Fax: (613) 992-5337
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Constitution Square, Tower 2
350 Albert Street, 10th Floor
P.O. Box 1610, Station B
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 6G4
Canada
Tel.: (613) 992-0691
Fax: (613) 992-1787
| Aurora Research Institute (Northwest Territories) | (867) 777-3298 |
| Canada Revenue Agency (regarding child tax benefit) |
1-800-387-1193 (613) 952-3741 (613) 954-1368 |
| Canada Revenue Agency (regarding taxation) |
1-800-959-5525 (English) 1-800-959-7775 (French) |
| Canadian Council on Animal Care | (613) 238-4031 |
| Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission | (613) 995-5894 |
| CIHR Access to Info and Privacy | (613) 954-1941 |
| CIHR Communications (Media Specialist) | (613) 941-4563 |
| CIHR E-mail | info@cihr-irsc.gc.ca |
| CIHR Ethics Office | (613) 946-4773 |
| CIHR Fax | (613) 954-1800 |
| CIHR General Information | (613) 941-2672 |
| CIHR Grants and Awards | (613) 954-1968 |
| CIHR Industry Partnered Programs | (613) 946-0982 |
| CIHR's home page | www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/ |
| Government of Yukon | (867) 667-5386 |
| NSERC General Information | (613) 995-6295 |
| Office of Laboratory Security, Public Health Agency of Canada | (613) 957-1779 |
| Revenu Québec, Service des renseignements spécialisés (regarding taxation) |
(819) 770-1768 |
| SSHRC General Information | (613) 992-0691 |
| The Nunavut Research Institute | (867) 979-7279 |
The intent of CIHR is to fund the best health research in Canada. CIHR will, therefore, allow as many qualified health researchers in the country as possible to compete for its grants and will accept applications from Principal Applicants (see definition below, under "Participant Categories for CIHR Grants") from various communities and sectors, including researchers, scholars and health professionals affiliated with the following institutions and organizations:
Exception:
Researchers employed by Canadian federal government departments or agencies and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply for CIHR grants as Principal Applicants unless they hold a university appointment, in which case, the university must agree to be the "Institution Paid" which holds CIHR funds in trust (see "Obligations of Eligible Institutions," below).
CIHR defines a Principal Applicant as a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident (e.g., a person who has been granted admission to Canada as an immigrant but who has not become a Canadian citizen) who is an independent researcher and who has completed formal training in research in a discipline relevant to health research, usually a PhD or equivalent, or health professional degree with research training. Exception: Applicants with the necessary educational qualifications who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents may be Principal Applicants if they are employed, (or anticipate that they will be employed at the time the grant begins), by an eligible Institution in a position that permits them to engage in independent research activities for the entire duration of the grant. Note that an independent researcher is someone who is autonomous regarding their research activities (e.g., not a trainee, not a post-doctoral fellow, not a research assistant, not a research associate, and not under the supervision of another person who is directing the research).
He or she has responsibility for the intellectual direction of the proposed research, and assumes administrative and financial responsibility for the grant. A Principal Applicant has some form of appointment, usually an employment relationship, with an Institution Paid eligible to receive CIHR funds in trust (see "Obligations of Eligible Institutions" below). This appointment:
In applications where the responsibility for the intellectual direction of the research is shared more or less equally between two or more individuals, there may be two or more Principal Applicants. However, by mutual agreement, one of the Principal Applicants must be nominated. The Nominated Principal Applicant assumes the administrative responsibility for the grant, which will be paid in trust to that individual's institution (the Institution Paid). The name of the nominated Principal Applicant must appear on page 2 of the Research Module, along with signatures of any other Principal Applicants and Co-applicants.
Researchers who do not qualify as Principal Applicants at the time of application, but who expect to be so qualified by the beginning of the funding period, may apply. They must provide a letter, signed by the responsible official of the Institution Paid, stating the institution's commitment to confer eligible status on the researcher and the expected start date. If the application is successful, funds will be released to the Institution Paid once the researcher's status is confirmed.
Principal Applicants may not receive a salary, stipend or honorarium from any CIHR grant. They may hold a CIHR salary award (e.g., an investigator award) or an award from a CIHR program that explicitly allows for salary support of investigators (e.g., within a New Emerging Team.)
A Co-applicant may include an independent researcher, a research associate, a trainee, or a foreign researcher.
CIHR defines a research associate as a researcher who has completed formal training in research in a discipline relevant to health research, usually a Masters or PhD, and is employed by an Institution. Although research associates may contribute substantially to the intellectual content of the research, they continue to work under the supervision of a Principal Applicant, i.e., they are not independent researchers. A research associate may also contribute to, but is not ultimately responsible for, the supervision of staff, including other research associates and trainees, at the discretion of the Principal Applicant.
CIHR defines a trainee as an individual in the process of learning how to conduct research or enhancing their research skills. The training must include actual involvement in research, and not only courses in research methods. A trainee being paid from a grant would normally fall into one of the following categories:
Trainees work under the supervision of a Principal Applicant or another Co-applicant and are not themselves independent researchers. However, an individual who is taking a leave of absence from a position as an independent investigator could be considered a trainee. There are no restrictions on trainees with regard to nationality or country of residence provided that they meet the requirements of Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
Research associates and trainees may receive a salary, stipend, or honorarium from CIHR grants on which they are Co-applicant. Trainees may also hold independent awards (e.g., Canada Graduate Scholarship, graduate or postdoctoral awards from CIHR or other research funding agency). In cases where it is proposed to pay Co-applicants who are research associates or trainees from the CIHR grant, the Budget Module of the application must provide full details of the other proposed salary sources (if applicable) for the named Co-applicant and the time committed to the project.
Co-Applicants who are not research associates or trainees may not receive a salary, stipend, or honorarium from CIHR grants on which they are Co-applicant. The rates of pay for research associates shall be in accordance with the salary scale of the institution concerned.
CIHR defines a Collaborator as an individual whose role in the proposed research is to provide a special service (such as access to equipment, provision of specific reagents, training in a specialized technique, statistical analysis, access to a patient population, etc.) but who is not involved in the overall intellectual direction of the research. Collaborators may be reimbursed from the grant for actual costs they incur in providing the service. Collaborators need not be included as signatories on the application module, and may be added to the research team during the course of the research, as requirements for additional services emerge. However, all those appointed as Collaborators in the application must provide a letter, addressed to a Principal Applicant, indicating their agreement to provide the service as described in the application.
At the discretion of the nominated Principal Applicant, other Principal Applicants and Co-applicants who have an appointment at a Canadian institution eligible to administer CIHR funds in trust may receive CIHR funds distributed from the Institution Paid to support the direct costs of their research activities relating to the work described in the application.
All individuals whose signatures appear on the signature page of the Research Module as Principal Applicants or Co-applicants assume responsibility for the legal and ethical conduct of the research, for the integrity of the research activities and reported data, and for communicating the results of the research recognizing the contributions of the other applicants.
CIHR does not provide funds directly to researchers but to the institution/organization with which the nominated Principal Applicant is affiliated, usually as an employee. This "Institution Paid" holds the CIHR funds in trust and maintains a Common Grant and Award account from which the researcher can draw. The Institution Paid must fall under one of the four categories listed above in the section "Eligible Individuals and Institutions".
Before CIHR funds can flow to any Institution Paid, the institution must have a CIHR Common Grant and Award account and must complete a standard questionnaire to confirm that:
Institutions holding CIHR funds in trust are strongly advised to have in place liability insurance that protects them and their researchers from actions arising as a consequence of the research activity.
Researchers planning to submit an application to CIHR should determine if their institution has already completed the standard questionnaire and opened a Common Grant and Account, and, if the institution has not, the researcher should request that the responsible official contact the CIHR Finance Department.
Common Grant and Award Accounts may also be held by institutions affiliated with a university provided that the affiliated institution meets the same requirements referred to above, and such Agency (CIHR)-Institution eligibility status does not breach any existing affiliation agreements with the university. Eligibility may differ in the case of certain strategic programs. In such cases, the revised eligibility requirements will be clearly described in the description of the funding opportunity.
Researchers planning research in the Northwest Territories, in Nunavut or in the Yukon should be aware of the special requirements imposed by the individual governments. Under the Northwest Territories Scientists Act, researchers are required to obtain a licence to conduct research in or based on the Northwest Territories. Similar requirements apply for Nunavut (The Nunavut Scientists Act) and for the Yukon (The Yukon Scientists and Explorers Act). Information can be obtained from:
Aurora Research Institute
191 Mackenzie Road
Box 1450
Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0
Canada
Tel.: (867) 777-3298
Fax: (867) 777-4264
Internet: www.nwtresearch.com/
The Nunavut Research Institute
P.O. Box 1720
Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
Canada
Tel.: (867) 979-7279
Fax: (867) 979-7109
Director, Heritage Branch
Department of Tourism and Culture
Government of Yukon
Box 2703
Whitehorse, YK Y1A 2C6
Canada
Tel.: (867) 667-5386
Fax: (867) 667-8023
One copy of the grant or award application must bear the signatures of the Nominated Principal Applicant, other Principal Applicant(s) and Co-applicant(s), of the Department Head and President of the institution (or their representatives). An institution may also require a signature from the signing authority for the faculty. If the Nominated Principal Applicant, other Principal Applicant(s) or Co-applicant(s) are normally the signing authority for the department, faculty, or institution, another senior official must sign instead.
The signature(s) of the Nominated Principal Applicant, other Principal Applicant(s), Co-applicant(s) and Training Award Candidate confirms that the Applicant:
The signatures of the institutional authorities confirm that:
The signatures of authorized officers of other supporting organizations certify that the organization:
By signing applications, applicants, administrators and partners (where applicable) agree that any research carried out with funds from CIHR will respect all of CIHR's requirements for the ethical conduct of research as expressed in policy documents.
In general, the following policy statements place primary responsibility on the researchers, and require the institutions in which the research is to be conducted to have in place the monitoring and review committees defined in the guidelines. CIHR reserves the right to deny or withdraw funding if the researcher or the institution does not comply with the following guidelines.
"Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, 1998 (with 2000, 2002 and 2005 amendments)" available from the web site of the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics.
The appropriate local review committee operating in accordance with the relevant statements of policy must approve any research involving human subjects before it starts. The institution is responsible for withholding CIHR funds from the researcher(s) until the required approvals have been given.
"Updated Guidelines for Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research" (2006) are available from the CIHR web site.
The guidelines are based on the provisions of the "Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans". Therefore, the guidelines are based on several guiding principles such as:
Because of the complex ethical issues and public concern in this area, a Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC) has been created to conduct ethical review of all human pluripotent stem cell research proposals recommended for approval by the Agencies' scientific peer review panels, or conducted under the auspices of institutions receiving Agency funding. All such research proposals falling within the scope of these Guidelines now require approval from SCOC, as well as from the local Research Ethics Board (REB), and, where appropriate, the Animal Care Committee (ACC), before funds can be released to the researcher. SCOC can also, on request, provide ethical review of human pluripotent stem cell research proposals submitted by other public or private granting agencies or by industrial sponsors of research. It will also provide advice to investigators and local REBs on the application of the Guidelines.
CIHR will establish an electronically accessible national registry of human embryonic stem cell lines generated in Canada. All human embryonic stem cell lines generated using CIHR funds will be listed with the registry and made available by the researcher to other Canadian academic researchers, subject to reasonable cost-recovery charges. Participation in this registry is a prerequisite for obtaining CIHR funding for human pluripotent stem cell research.
The appropriate local review committee, operating in accordance with the relevant statements of policy, must approve any research involving human pluripotent stem cell research before it starts. The institution is responsible for withholding CIHR funds from the researcher(s) until the required approvals have been given.
"Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals" (Vol 1: first published in 1980 and revised in 1993, and Vol 2: 1984), prepared by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) and available from:
Canadian Council on Animal Care
315-350 Albert Street
Ottawa, ON K1R 1B1
Canada
Tel.: (613) 238-4031
Fax: (613) 238-2837
and on the CCAC web site: for volume 1 | and for volume 2.
The appropriate local review committee, operating in accordance with the relevant statements of policy, must approve any research involving animals before it starts. The institution is responsible for withholding CIHR funds from the researcher(s) until the required approvals have been given.
"Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines" (3rd Edition - 2004) prepared by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and available from:
Office of Laboratory Security
Public Health Agency of Canada
100 Colonnade Road, Loc: 6201A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9
Canada
Tel.: (613) 957-1779
Fax: (613) 941-0596
and on the Public Health Agency of Canada web site.
The appropriate local review committee, operating in accordance with the relevant statements of policy, must approve any research involving the agents identified in the "Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines" before it starts. The institution is responsible for withholding CIHR funds from the researcher(s) until the required approvals have been given.
Information on the requirements for research involving radioactive materials is available from:
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
280 Slater Street
Ottawa ON K1P 5S9
Canada
Tel.: (613) 995-5894 or 1-800-668-5284
Fax: (613) 995-5086
Internet: www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca/
Researchers and institutions are responsible for compliance with federal, provincial and municipal requirements for disposal of hazardous materials and chemical and biological wastes, and for their use in the workplace.
"Tri-Council Policy Statement: Integrity in Research and Scholarship" (1994): a Tri-Council Policy Statement, prepared jointly with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, available from the NSERC web site.
"Technical Requirements to Address the Safety of Cells, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation (Directive) and Safety Requirements for Human Cells, Tissues and Organs for Transplantation (Guidance Document)" (2005) are available from the Health Canada web site.
In accordance with government policy, CIHR undertakes to provide all its services in both official languages.
The Access to Information Act gives Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada a limited right of access to information in federal government records.
The Privacy Act gives the same individuals a limited right of access to personal information about themselves held in government records and specifies the uses to which personal information can be put. The Privacy Act sets out the rules and conditions governing the collection, retention and disposal of personal information. It also provides a use and disclosure code for the protection of this information. This code stipulates the criteria under which information can be disclosed, including for what purposes and to whom it may be disclosed.
All information collected by CIHR is subject to these laws.
An individual seeking access to records under the Access to Information Act must write to the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Acts Coordinator at CIHR, providing a precise description of the records sought and enclosing an application fee ($5.00 at the time of writing). The submission of a request does not guarantee that access to the requested records will be obtained. The Act sets out specific exceptions that apply when disclosure of information could be expected to injure private or public interests. In responding to such requests, for example, CIHR would not disclose personal information about identifiable individuals or proprietary technical information submitted in confidence by researchers or companies without consulting with the third parties. Moreover, if a request requires a lengthy search or involves a large number of records, additional fees may be required to help cover the processing costs.
More information about the Act can be obtained by contacting CIHR's Access to Information and Privacy Acts Coordinator or from the publication Info Source, a registry of federal information holdings that is available in most large libraries. It is important to remember that the Access to Information Act is intended to complement, not to replace, established channels of communication. CIHR has always promoted open, informal communication with the research community and with the public. Individuals are encouraged to continue to contact CIHR informally before using the Acts.
The Privacy Act gives Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada certain rights with respect to personal information about them held by a federal institution. For example, an institution must inform people from (or about) whom they collect personal information, how it will be used and to whom it will be disclosed. Personal information may be used only for the purposes for which it was originally collected or for uses consistent with that purpose. The Act also contains a procedure for requesting the correction of inaccuracies in personal information.
Making a request under the Privacy Act is similar to making one under the Access to Information Act except that there are no fees associated with a request to see personal information. The Privacy Act sets out limits to the right of access similar to those contained in the Access to Information Act. For example, a person seeking access to their personal information would not be given access to personal information about another person.
Applicants do not have to use the Privacy Act to obtain information on their CIHR application or to access personal information about them held in CIHR files. An applicant can simply write informally to CIHR. Under the Privacy Act, the written opinion of a reviewer about a grant proposal or scholarship is available to the applicant, but the name of the reviewer is not. For the award programs, letters of reference and assessment reports will be made available to the applicant upon request.
To file a formal request, or for more information on the Acts, contact:
ATIP Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
160 Elgin Street, 9th Floor
Address Locator 4809A
Ottawa, ON K1A 0W9
Canada
Tel.: (613) 954-1941
Fax: (613) 954-1800
All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, 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 used in the following cases:
For peer-review purposes, applications are disclosed to peer review committees composed of experts recruited from the academic, public and private sectors. Many applications are also transmitted to external reviewers and site visit peer review committees for evaluation. CIHR informs all reviewers of the obligation to maintain confidentiality and to protect the information entrusted to them.
The comments from the external reviews and the review committee about a proposal are provided only to the Nominated Principal Applicant. CIHR expects the Nominated Principal Applicant to share this information with all other applicants.
Applicants are now required to give their consent for the dissemination of information contained in applications for peer and relevance review. For this purpose, they fill the Applicant Consent Form of the Research and Training Modules. An indication of non-consent does not alter the quality of the peer review. However, applicants are not eligible for priority announcements and other funding opportunities.
When your consent is provided on the Application Consent Form with regard to Observers, Relevance Review and Funding Decisions, information will be made available as stated below.
For the purposes of adjudication and award administration for grant renewal applications, CIHR provides to review committees a financial history of an individual who received CIHR grants. This information is also used when there is a question of possible overlap in the support of an applicant's research activities within CIHR's programs. Application material submitted to one program may be used during the review of an application submitted to another program. In addition, in exceptional circumstances, application material submitted to and review documents resulting from a previous competition may be consulted during the review of an application.
For the purposes of determining the most appropriate funding jurisdiction or to monitor overlap in federal support, documentation related to applications may be disclosed to program staff at Health Canada, at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council or at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.
For the purposes of public information, CIHR routinely publishes and disseminates certain details about successful grant applications, including the name of the applicant, the amount awarded, the institution, the department, the title of project, and the summary of the research proposal prepared by the applicant for public release. For salary support and trainee awards, the name, the proposed location of tenure, the field of research and the project title will be made publicly available immediately after the competition, even though CIHR recognizes some awards will be subsequently declined or deferred.
For administrative and planning purposes, CIHR uses files and databases containing personal information for program planning, evaluation, review and audits, and for generating statistics for these activities. This information is also used to generate mailing lists for dissemination of CIHR publications and other information to the research community.
For purposes of equity, CIHR application forms ask for the sex of the applicant, but this is to be supplied on a voluntary basis only. This information is not used in the peer-review process. It is used to promote the increased participation of women in CIHR programs and on CIHR committees, and to generate statistics.
CIHR also collects data on the language capability of individuals for administrative and statistical purposes. The data is not used in the peer adjudication process.
Information submitted to CIHR is subject to the "Tri-Council Policy: Integrity in Research and Scholarships" and may be used and disclosed consistent with that policy.
The activities of CIHR are subject to the Human Rights Act. The purpose of the Act is to affirm the principle that every individual should have opportunity equal to that of other individuals to make for himself or herself the life that he or she is able and wishes to have, consistent with his or her duties and obligations as a member of society, without being hindered or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices.
For all purposes of the Act, race, nationality or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted are prohibited grounds of discrimination. When discrimination occurs based on pregnancy or childbirth, it is deemed to be on the grounds of sex. It is a discriminatory practice to deny a service to an individual or to differentiate adversely in relation to any individual in the provision of that service.
Support for research by a federal granting agency is an investment by the people of Canada. CIHR's accountability regarding the use of public funds includes informing the public about who receives the support, the type of research that will be conducted, and how funds will be administered. CIHR also seeks to demonstrate a return on investment for taxpayers through the promotion of key research developments and results.
Recipients of CIHR funding are expected to collaborate with CIHR on public communication initiatives related to research funding and findings as well as to acknowledge and recognize CIHR's support according to the guidelines set out in "Communicating the Value of Health Research: CIHR's Guidelines on Public Communication" [ HTML | PDF (345 KB) | Help ] available on the CIHR web site. The guidelines provide instruction on roles and responsibilities of recipients of CIHR funding, institutions, funding partners and CIHR when communicating jointly about funded health research, as well as direction on acknowledgement and recognition requirements. CIHR Public Affairs is available to provide further information, advice and guidance and can be reached at (613) 941-4563 or by e-mail at mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
CIHR expects funded investigators to disseminate their research findings through peer-reviewed publications such as journals, manuscripts and books to maximize the impact and utility of their work. While investigators are free to choose the most appropriate vehicle, CIHR reminds those who publish in journals to consider one of the NRC Research Press journals, or other Canadian journals, among the options.
An important evaluation criterion in any grants program is the excellence of the researcher. CIHR evaluates this by assessing the stature of the applicant in the field, his or her knowledge of the field and demonstrated expertise, and the quality and impact of contributions to the field.
The research process is not complete until the results are validated and openly transmitted to the appropriate audience. Many means of dissemination exist and the onus is on the researcher to select the most appropriate vehicle to ensure maximum impact on the field. For many but not all disciplines, the most common and effective means of disseminating results is through the publication of articles in high-quality refereed journals. By publishing in a variety of journals, researchers can demonstrate acceptance of their work by more than a single editorial board.
The ultimate test of quality of any publication or research contribution is its impact and its use by other researchers, end-users and other interested parties, and the extent to which it influences the direction of thought and activity in the target community. Evaluation of this, while subjective, is a central element of peer review.
CIHR advises peer review committees that the quality of a publication's content is the determining factor in their assessment of productivity and performance. Committees are asked NOT to rely on the number of publications nor, in the cases of journals, to use lists of "prestigious" or "unacceptable" journals.
CIHR funds researchers in many health-related areas and is aware that forms of research publications vary among disciplines. Some disciplines publish almost exclusively in peer-reviewed books, while others favour refereed journals. There is much variation between and within disciplines. CIHR advises its peer review committees to evaluate according to the standards of the discipline.
Health researchers publish in books, monographs, memoirs or special papers, review articles, conference/symposia proceedings and abstracts, government publications, and reports documenting industrial contributions to engineering practice. Each type has its place and advantages. CIHR advises its peer review committees to assess the quality and impact of such contributions and not to regard certain types as "second class" or "grey literature."
Some fast-moving research fields, such as some areas of computing science, genetics or microelectronics, use special means to reach the target audience quickly. Communications, quick-print reports, letters and electronic distribution of pre-prints are important vehicles for disseminating research results. Peer review committees rely on the specialist knowledge of their members to evaluate the relative merit and significance of such publications.
Applicants should describe their intellectual contribution to collaborative work or joint publications in their application, where indicated.
Some circumstances make it impossible or undesirable for researchers to publish important results of their research prior to applying for CIHR support. For instance, the time required to complete a monograph may exceed the time available between consecutive applications, or the protection of intellectual property may require a delay in publication.
CIHR recognizes that research productivity may vary as a result of personal circumstances or during periods of pregnancy or early child care, whether or not a formal leave of absence is taken. Administrative leave, disability, elder care, and other situations may also result in publication delays.
Applicants should clearly and fully describe any circumstances that affect the dissemination of research results in their application. CIHR advises its committees to be sensitive to the impact of these circumstances on the level of productivity, while ensuring that the quality of the research remains competitive. Each case is reviewed on its own merits.
