ResearchNet - RechercheNet

Table of Contents

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

Description

The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative and its partners have developed an Implementation Science initiative in order to address the gap that exists in the application of evidence into health policy and programs. The goal of the initiative is to reduce the incidence of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) within and across key populations in Canada.

Teams supported through this initiative will meaningfully engage decision makers, community leaders and researchers from different research disciplines. Together, these multi-sectoral teams will focus on the identification, adaptation and equitable scale-up of promising or effective interventions for populations in greatest need and across diverse settings/contexts. By integrating expertise and skills from different sectors and disciplines, teams will contribute important knowledge regarding program design and implementation and address ‘real-world’ programming issues and challenges faced by decision makers, communities and service providers across Canada.

Two complementary funding opportunities have been developed within the framework of the initiative:

• Component 1 – Adaptation Grants: will support the development of multi-sectoral teams, identification of promising or effective interventions and the development of multi-faceted programs through intervention adaptation.
• Component 2 – Implementation Grants: will support multi-sectoral teams in multi-year investigations of program implementation and scale-up across multiple heterogeneous communities.

This funding opportunity will support Component 1 – Adaptation Grants. It is anticipated that a funding opportunity for Component 2 – Implementation Grants - will be launched in 2016 in order to support the transition of Component 1 projects into longer-term implementation studies. Teams will not be required to hold Component 1 grants to be eligible for the Component 2 funding opportunity. Teams that are ready to investigate the scale-up of a multi-faceted prevention program may apply directly to Component 2 when it is launched.

A webinar was held about this Funding Opportunity via WebEx on October 30th, 2015. Frequently Asked Questions from the webinar were developed. Please feel free to contact the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative (HIVAIDS-VIHSIDA@cihr-irsc.gc.ca) for more information. (Updated: 2015-11-18)

Background

HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV) and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBIs) continue to be pressing public health concerns in Canada and around the world. For HIV, there has been little change in the incidence rate in the past 10 years in Canada with the number of new infections estimated to be 3,175 in 2011. While the number of new cases of Hepatitis C has been declining in Canada, the burden of the disease remains high with estimates that 242,500 people are currently infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and in 2012 over 10,000 new cases were reported. As for STIBBs, reported rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis have been rising in Canada since 1997.

Given commonalities in modes of transmission, underlying risk factors and populations affected by these communicable infections, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative has included the prevention of HIV and related infections as a priority within its strategic plan. This integrated approach is in line with priorities and investments of CIHR’s partners in the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada and provides the opportunity for a broader impact on affected populations.

While there remains a need to continue to develop new or enhanced prevention options for HIV and related infections, there has been growing interest both nationally and globally in ensuring that the effective interventions that exist are available and applicable in the ‘real-world’, particularly within communities most affected by these infections. Through an enhanced focus on implementation science, CIHR and its partners aim to enhance the application of research evidence into effective and relevant programs and services.

Implementation Science

Implementation science advances and builds on effectiveness research, providing new insights on how interventions can be adapted to target populations, their historical and contemporary contexts and to the systems that are used to deliver programs and policies. Implementation science examines what works to bring about change, how interventions can be better adapted to different places, cultures, genders, or conditions, under what socio-ecological conditions interventions work and for whom, and how the impact of interventions can be scaled up in an equitable way. Implementation science focuses on the adaptation of interventions to local contexts as well as processes for broad roll-out and scale-up of innovation.

In the context of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBI prevention, there is a need to identify the right mix of interventions for an effective combination prevention approach for different settings and populations. Successful scale-up requires more equitable reach and access to effective and appropriate interventions in diverse populations that are marginalized and affected by multiple vulnerabilities.

Within this initiative, implementation science is seen as iterative and includes the identification of populations to be prioritized for enhanced prevention strategies; the development of a holistic program based on promising or effective interventions; program implementation; and evaluation for ongoing program enhancement and impact. Critical to this process is the meaningful integration of knowledge users (e.g., people living with HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBIs, community leaders, decision makers and service providers) and the engagement of individuals with diverse scientific expertise (e.g., epidemiology, behavioural science, ethics, law, economics, social science, etc.).

Promising interventions are those which have demonstrated “beneficial effects on select populations, accompanied by a theoretical model for supporting expansion of the intervention to other populations” or where modest effects exist based on wider application, but “a strong theoretical basis is present for expecting improved efficacy by changing the intervention in some way” (Institute of Medicine Committee on Capitalizing on Social Science and Behavioural Research to Improve the Public’s Health, 2000). This is in contrast to proven interventions where the efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention is already known based on wide application.

Funds Available

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

• The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,050,000, enough to fund approximately 7 grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $150,000 for up to 18 months.
• Of this $1,050,000:
  • A minimum of $150,000 is available to support projects that focus on Indigenous populations.

Partner and Internal Collaborator Participation

CIHR is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other 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 Partner and Internal Collaborators Description sections to find a list of partners, internal collaborators and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner and internal collaborator are outlined in the “Objectives” section.

The opportunity to add new partners and internal collaborators to this funding opportunity may arise after publication. These partners and internal collaborators may not be listed, however, the principles that govern relevance review and funding decisions will still apply in these cases; see Review Process and Evaluation. Note: Where new partners and internal collaborators are added later in the competition, the partners and internal collaborators will conduct relevance reviews based on their respective mandates on all applications in this competition without reference to peer review results. Applications deemed to be relevant will be funded from the top down as far as the budgets will allow.

Objectives

Component 1: Adaptation Grants are intended to support the establishment of multi-sectoral HIV (with related Hep C and other STBBI research) teams and the development of multi-faceted programs intended for implementation in multiple settings, including those where Indigenous populations are affected.

The specific objectives of the Component 1: Adaptation grants are to:

• Establish integrated teams of researchers and knowledge users (e.g., community members, decision makers and service providers);
• Identify promising or effective interventions (biomedical, behavioural and/or structural) relevant to target populations and their context;
• Adapt interventions and develop multi-faceted programs appropriate for different settings; and
• Enhance/build capacity across sectors for evidenced-based planning through implementation science.

Anticipated Outcomes of Adaptation Grants:

• An understanding of the local/community epidemiology, and drivers of the epidemic in target populations.
• An evidenced-based multi-faceted program tailored to specific populations with demonstrated need.
• Evidence of program effectiveness, community-readiness and scalability to different contexts across Canada.
• Preliminary costing analysis and evaluation framework for program implementation, which includes the capture of key contextual factors. Consideration of gender, ethical and humanistic (anthropological, historical, social, etc.) concerns as pertinent.
• Established team of researchers, community members, decision makers and/or service providers with the necessary expertise and a commitment to studying program implementation through the submission of an application for a Component 2: Implementation Grant, or another relevant opportunity (if program is deemed appropriate to move forward).

Relevant Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support projects focused on the identification of promising or effective interventions and their adaptation and combination into a multi-faceted program for the prevention of HIV. Related communicable diseases including Hepatitis C (HCV) and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections may be included as part of the program. Programs may be focused at the individual, group, community and/or population level and may be made up of a combination of biomedical, socio-behavioural and/or structural interventions. Teams are encouraged to engage with partners involved in this funding opportunity, particularly those involved in the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, to integrate expertise (e.g., through the involvement of government scientists) and collaboratively study implementation issues associated with partner supported interventions.

This Funding Opportunity has a strong emphasis on the equitable application of programs and interventions to ensure benefits for populations most affected. Target populations of interest for this funding opportunity include: Indigenous populations; ethno-racial minority communities with high rates of infections; gay and other men who have sex with men; people currently or previously incarcerated; people who use drugs; and youth and women within the key populations.

At greatest risk are those experiencing multiple and intersecting vulnerabilities. Teams are encouraged to address the complex needs of marginalized individuals and communities, particularly those included within multiple key populations.

For applications involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, teams must include expertise in Indigenous Knowledge (including Two-Eyed Seeing¹ and/or Aboriginal Ways of Knowing), local governance systems and culturally appropriate services.

This Funding Opportunity will support implementation science projects focused on one or both of the following areas:

Primary Prevention

Numerous promising and evidenced-based interventions exist for the primary prevention of HIV and related communicable diseases. These interventions range from biomedical tools (e.g., condoms, pre-exposure prophylaxis) to individual/small group and community interventions (e.g. risk reduction counselling, skills building) and structural interventions (e.g., needle exchange program). There is both the need and opportunity to enhance the application and availability of a variety of interventions for improved HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBI prevention within and across key populations. Examples of research issues that could be addressed through implementation science include, but are not limited to:

• Identification of the most efficacious, cost-effective and scalable combination of prevention interventions for key populations, including the implications of geography, gender and other contextual factors.
• Understanding how pre-exposure prophylaxis can be appropriately combined and implemented with other interventions within different heath care/service delivery settings and/or different sub-populations.
• Understanding what systems and interventions best support individuals and communities in maintaining positive risk reduction strategies leading up to and as they go through periods of transition (e.g., from correctional institution to parole status, adolescence to adulthood) and how this differs across settings/contexts.

Testing and Linkage to Care

Testing for HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBIs is fundamental to the prevention of further transmission as is the linkage of infected individuals to appropriate care and treatment. In Canada, however, it is estimated that 25% of people living with HIV are unaware of their infection. Therefore, numerous important questions remain regarding the implementation of testing interventions and strategies to link infected individuals to appropriate health care and services. The following are examples of implementation issues that could be investigated through this initiative:

• What adaptations to testing strategies and settings and complementary supports are effective in encouraging routine testing and follow-up in hard to reach populations, cost-effective and sustainable?
• In what settings and populations should HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBI services be integrated into other health and community services (e.g., those targeting mental health, men’s health) to enhance access, uptake, appropriateness and sustainability of services?
• What strategies can be used to reduce stigma within and among health service providers and impacts on the uptake of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBI testing and linkage to care.
• Is “Treatment as prevention” an effective, appropriate and cost-effective strategy for decreasing HIV incidence in Indigenous communities and/or across other target populations, with full consideration of ethical and cultural considerations?

Relevance of Interventions and Programs

While interventions and programs may focus on upstream risk reduction and the prevention of multiple communicable diseases such as Hep C (HCV) and other STBBIs, the program must demonstrate specific relevance to the prevention of HIV at a minimum.

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. Refer to the Individual Eligibility Requirements regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Eligibility to Apply

For your application to be eligible:

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be an independent researcher.
2. The Nominated Principal Applicant must be appointed at an eligible institution (See Institutional Eligibility Requirements for eligibility process and associated timelines).
3. At least one team member must be a new investigator (i.e., an independent researcher within the first five years of their independent career).
4. At least one team member must be an independent researcher from a different primary discipline than the NPA.
5. At least two team members must be a knowledge user:
   1. One knowledge user must be a community member with lived experience related to living with or being at risk of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBIs.
   2. One knowledge user must be a decision maker from a service or policy-oriented organization who holds a position of program/policy development or senior leadership or management.
   3. As part of 5 a or b, applicants applying to the Indigenous populations funding pool must have at least one knowledge user that self-identifies as either First Nations, Inuit or Métis and provide evidence of Indigenous-lived experience (i.e, demonstrating close relationships and experience with First Nations, Inuit or Métis people such as living an extended period of time (e.g., 5 years or more) with an Indigenous community).

Randomized Controlled Trials

Applications involving Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) are accepted and encouraged where appropriate based on scientific and methodological grounds.

Guidelines

General CIHR Guidelines

This funding opportunity will comply fully with the policies and guidelines as outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of Gender and Sex-Based Analysis in applications. CIHR also recognizes the importance of engaging citizens in its funding opportunities. CIHR encourages researchers to involve citizens where appropriate, and to provide in their research proposal a brief description of how they intend to involve them when applicable. Please see CIHR’s Citizen Engagement Framework for more information.

CIHR’s mandate states that our commitment to excellence applies equally to research and knowledge translation, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that the results of research are transformed into policies, practices, procedures, products and services. For more information about incorporating knowledge translation in your proposal, please see Guide to Knowledge Translation Planning at CIHR: Integrated and End-of-Grant Approaches.

Official Languages

CIHR is committed to promotion of and compliance to the applicable parts of the Official Languages Act. As such, CIHR encourages applicants to submit proposals in the Official Language of their choice and commits to ensuring high quality review of applications submitted in either Official Language. In addition, applicants are encouraged to consider the inclusion of Official Languages and Official Language Minority Communities in their research where appropriate. Please see Official Languages at CIHR for more information.

Allowable Costs

Recipients should review the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Intervention-related Costs

The primary purpose of CIHR funding is to support the costs of developing an implementation science research project and team. The intention is not to support the cost of interventions and their scale-up. However, it is recognized that some intervention related costs (e.g., adaptation to local context) may be required as part of the research project in order to demonstrate effectiveness and suitability for key populations. If intervention related costs are requested, they must be fully justified and demonstrated to be essential in the context of the research project. Additionally, the project must include plans for securing intervention funding sources for maintenance and/or scale-up should effectiveness, appropriateness and scalability be demonstrated.

CIHR policy on Release Time Allowance

Release time allowance may be requested to facilitate the participation of a knowledge user in the proposed research program. The eligible cost is limited to $25,000 per annum per individual per grant. Persons receiving release time allowances are not considered CIHR employees. Funds for research time allowance(s) must be requested and justified in the budget section of the grant application.

The following conditions must be met for an individual to receive release time allowance, with documentation provided to the institution administering the grant:

• The individual for whom the release time allowance is provided must:
  • be a knowledge-user applicant on the grant whose primary responsibilities do not include an expectation to engage in research (i.e., as part of their regular employment); and
  • have their organization’s approval for the research time on the project that would justify the allowance; and
  • have their organization certify that they are engaged in the activities for which funds are being disbursed.
• Release time allowance requests will not be considered for the following:
  • Individuals with salaried academic research appointments.
  • The cost of teaching time to allow the individual to engage in research.
  • Supplementing or replacing part of the salary of a researcher on sabbatical from their main appointment.

Global Health Research and International Collaborations

As outlined in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide Global Health Research Section and the International Collaborations Section, applicants who are eligible for CIHR funding may apply to CIHR’s funding opportunities for funds to support research to be carried out in, or in direct collaboration with researchers and/or knowledge users based in, other countries. CIHR contributes to, and supports international research projects and international collaborations to address a range of research areas, including but not limited to established priorities in global health research and contributes to the development of health-research capacity both internationally and at home.

Conditions of Funding

Successful applicants funded through this funding opportunity and any other persons working on the project must comply fully with the CIHR Funding Policies. Policies and guidelines cover areas such as Applicant Responsibilities, Official Languages policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial requirements 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 requirements shall apply:

• Funded teams must budget for the costs of the NPA (or designate) and one knowledge user to attend a meeting of funded teams and partners. This meeting will be organized by CIHR and held in Canada during the first year of the grant.

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 the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations.

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 funding opportunity 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 Funding opportunity will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

Tri-Council Guidelines for Health Research Involving Aboriginal People

Applicants, whose proposed research will involve Aboriginal People, please consult Ethics of Health Research Involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis People.

Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications

CIHR believes that greater access to research publications and data will promote the ability of researchers and knowledge users in Canada and abroad to use and build on the knowledge needed to address significant health challenges. Open access will promote accessibility to CIHR-funded research and will serve to increase the international visibility of Canadian research. CIHR grant recipients are reminded to adhere with the responsibilities outlined in the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications.  Under this policy, grant recipients must ensure that research papers and bio-molecular data generated from CIHR funding are freely accessible online.

Communication Requirements

Funding recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See Communication of Competition Results for details on CIHR’s communication requirements. The contributing internal collaborators/partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding (AFF) and decision letter.

Performance Measurement

CIHR is committed to collecting and disseminating information on the outputs and impacts of the research it funds. This information is an important part of CIHR accountability within the Federal Government and to Canadians:

• The Nominated Principal Investigator will be required to submit an electronic Final Report to CIHR. This online report will be made available to the Nominated Principal Investigator on ResearchNet at the beginning of the grant funding period and can be filled in as the research progresses.
• The Nominated Principal Investigator 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.
• The Nominated Principal Investigator must also encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR’s programs, policies and processes as required.

Review Process and Evaluation

Relevance Review Process

CIHR will provide funding for applications that are relevant to (in alignment with) the objectives and relevant research areas described in the Objectives section.

Prior to peer review, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative will have access to full applications and nominative information to conduct relevance review. The applicant must consent to the sharing of nominative information at the time of application to be eligible for funding.

Applications that are not deemed to be relevant to the objectives of the funding opportunity and/or to any of the relevant research areas will be withdrawn from the competition.

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

• Applications must demonstrate direct relevance to the prevention of HIV.
• In order to be considered relevant to the Indigenous populations funding pool, the Nominated Principal Applicant must have significant² Indigenous-lived experience³ in Canada and applications must: demonstrate a primary focus on First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis communities; include Indigenous Knowledge (including Two-Eyed Seeing and/or Aboriginal Ways of Knowing) approaches; and include a First Nations, Inuit or Métis person within the team.

Review Committee

A CIHR review committee will evaluate the full applications. The committee may be drawn from one of CIHR’s pre-existing committees or may be created specifically for this funding opportunity. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s)/ branch(es) and partner(s), following the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy of the Federal Research Funding Organizations.

For information on CIHR’s peer review process in general, see the Understand Peer Review section of CIHR’s website.

Evaluation Criteria

Peer Review will be conducted in accordance with CIHR Peer Review Manual for Grant Applications.

To support the strategic objectives of this funding opportunity, the following factors will be considered:

Teams

• Demonstration of appropriate composition of a multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral team with a range of expertise relevant to involved communities/populations/settings; HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBI prevention interventions; decision making/policy environments; and disciplines relevant to implementation science.
• Plan for mentorship and capacity development across sectors and a track record of mentorship to build capacity.

Research Approach

• Appropriateness of methods for identifying a slate of promising and/or effective biomedical, behavioral or structural interventions (e.g., scoping review processes) for potential combination into a multi-faceted program and related costing model development are well-developed. Methods should ensure consideration of a range of intervention types (i.e., structural, behavioural, biomedical).
• Methods are directly relevant to the objectives of this funding opportunity and reflect an implementation science orientation.
• Appropriateness of proposed methods to assess community and/or contextual factors that may influence intervention effectiveness, adaptability, combination and scalability of interventions are clearly articulated and appropriate.
• Research questions, design and methods outlined are feasible and appropriate to assess efficiency, cost-effectiveness, scalability and effectiveness of interventions and to assess heterogeneity of communities.
• If funding for interventions is included in the budget, is the request fully justified and appropriate for inclusion in the context of the research project?

Community Engagement and Program Development Approach

• Feasible and appropriate plan for building and extending relationships with communities through community engagement and stakeholder consultation(s).
• The engagement strategies proposed are culturally appropriate, gender sensitive, ethical and methodologically sound.
• Feasible and appropriate plan for preliminary costing analysis and evaluation framework for program implementation, including key contexual factors.
• Feasible and appropriate plan to work collaboratively with decision makers and community partners to identify relevant interventions, evaluate their adaptation and combination into a multi-faceted program and assess contextual factors that may impact program implementation and scale-up.
• Target audience(s) for the program are clearly described (e.g., the entire community; a sub-population) and appropriate. A clear description is provided for the selection of the target audience(s) and how the intervention will meet the needs of the affected population.
• Plan for documenting potential ethical implications and ethical principles that will be used to select slate of interventions and guide intervention combination, adaptation and potential equitable scale up, including equity considerations and addressing the potential for perceived inequities between researchers and the affected populations.
• Plan for engaging appropriate partners that are required for the further study and sustainability of the program (if appropriate) following the research project.

Potential Impact

• Potential impact of the project on the involved communities and for reduction in the incidence of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and possibly other STBBIs in key populations.

Funding Decision

Upon completion of peer review, the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative will receive the ranking list, 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 unless applicants have provided written consent to share nominative information.

A separate funding pool has been created for Indigenous Populations. Funding will be distributed to the top ranked application in the Indigenous Populations funding pool and then all applications in the competition will be pooled together and will be funded in rank order as far as the budget will allow.

Applications that receive a rating below 3.5 will not be funded.

How to Apply

Important: Please read all instructions to familiarize yourself with the application process before applying. For new applicants or for those wanting a reminder of the main application procedures, an overview of CIHR's application processes can be found under Application Process. Note that these are general instructions only as the specific application instructions for this funding opportunity are located below.

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: Application.
• To complete your Application, follow the instructions in the Grants - ResearchNet "Application" Phase Instructions Checklist along with any additional instructions found below under “Specific Instructions”.
• Reminder to applicants: Please ensure that your application is complete (includes all required signatures) and is submitted on time to CIHR.

Submission Requirements

• Your Application must be submitted using ResearchNet. Scan and upload the signed signature pages including the routing slip in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.

Specific Instructions

Step - Application:

Task: Identify Participants

• List all participants in this task
• For each applicant (except collaborators), attach an Academic CV or a  Knowledge User CV, as appropriate.
• In place of a CCV, community member(s) can provide a statement (max 2 pages each) describing their relevant lived experiences in the context of the application. This document must be identified as “Participant Statement” and should be uploaded in the “Attach Other Application Materials” task under “Other”.

Task: Enter Proposal Information

• Research Proposal (13 pages, not including references). The Research Proposal should clearly outline each of the elements below (please also refer to the evaluation criteria):
  1. Team:
     • Description of the team with its relevance to the proposed research and implementation science
     • Description of the support and engagement from relevant community leadership, other community members, service providers and decision-makers, including the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV as well as individuals with ‘lived-experience’ and/or close connections with relevant key populations.        
     • Description of the plan for mentorship and capacity development across sectors and a track record of mentorship to build capacity.
  2. Research Approach:
     • Description of the methods for identifying a slate of promising and/or effective biomedical, behavioral or structural interventions (e.g., scoping review processes) for potential combination into a multi-faceted program and related costing model development are well-developed. Methods should ensure consideration of a range of intervention types (i.e., structural, behavioural, biomedical).
     • Description of how the methods are directly relevant to the objectives of this funding opportunity and reflect an implementation science orientation.
     • Description of how the proposed methods assess community and/or contextual factors that may influence intervention effectiveness, adaptability, combination and scalability of interventions.
  3. Community Engagement and Program Development Approach:
     • Description of a plan for building and extending relationships with communities through community engagement and stakeholder consultation(s)
     • Description of how the engagement strategies are culturally appropriate, gender sensitive, ethical and methodologically sound.
     • Description of a plan for preliminary costing analysis and evaluation framework for program implementation including key contexual factors.
     • Description of a plan to work collaboratively with decision makers and community partners to identify relevant interventions, evaluate their adaptation and combination into a multi-faceted program and assess contextual factors that may impact program implementation and scale-up.
     • Description of the target audience(s) for the program and for the selection of the target audience(s) and how the intervention will meet the needs of the affected population.
     • Description of the plan for documenting potential ethical implications and ethical principles that will be used to select slate of interventions and guide intervention combination, adaptation and potential equitable scale up, including equity considerations and addressing the potential for perceived inequities between researchers and the affected populations.
     • Description of the engagement of partners required for the further study and sustainability of the program (if appropriate) following the research project.
  4. Potential Impact
     • Description of the impact of the project on the involved communities and for reduction in the incidence of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and possibly other STBBIs in key populations.
• References (references, tables, charts, figures, photographs, questionnaires, etc.) can be uploaded under "Attachments – Research Proposal Appendix".

Task: Complete Summary of Research Proposal

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

Task: Enter Budget Information

• Fill in the Budget Information in the "Enter Budget Information " task and clearly justify all budget items
• For release time requests, you must include a letter from the recipient’s organization certifying that requirements stated under the section “Allowable Costs” are met.
• All request of funding for interventions must be fully justified in the Financial Assistance Requested Details section.
• Funded teams must budget for the costs of the Nominated Principal Investigator (or designate) and one knowledge user to attend a meeting of funded teams and partners. This meeting will be organized by CIHR and held in Canada during the first year of the grant.
• Please also consult the ‘Allowable Costs’ and ‘Conditions of Funding’ sections of this funding opportunity.

Task: Attach Other Application Materials

• Upload these documents as "Other":
  • Applicant Table: In table format, list all applicants (including collaborators) with their affiliations, role and 5-10 expertise keywords. This table must also clearly identify the knowledge user(s) that self-identify as either First Nations, Inuit or Métis and community member(s) with lived experience related to living with or being at risk of HIV, Hep C (HCV) and other STBBIs.
  • Participant Statement: All community member(s) are required to provide statements (max 2 pages each) describing their relevant lived experiences in the context of the application.
• Letters of Collaboration:
  • Signed letters of Collaboration are required from all collaborator(s) listed as Collaborators on the application.
• Letters of Support:
  • Signed letters of Support are required from all organization(s) listed as partners on the application.

Task: Apply to Priority Announcements/Funding Pools

• If you are applying to the Indigenous populations funding pool, under the "Priority Announcement/Funding Pool Title", please select the Indigenous Populations from the drop down list.

Task: Print, Scan and Upload Signature Pages

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

Contact Information

For all inquiries please contact:

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

Sponsor Description

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

Partners

Correctional Service Canada
The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is the federal government agency responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts. CSC is responsible for managing institutions of various security levels and supervising offenders on conditional release in the community.

CSC is committed to preventing, controlling and managing infectious and chronic diseases in correctional facilities to protect the health of inmates, staff, and ultimately the community. Specific to HIV and other bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections, CSC provides screening, testing on admission and throughout incarceration, treatment and support, and health education and awareness programs including peer support. Moreover, CSC has an enhanced surveillance program for infectious disease in order to monitor trends and inform programs.

Research at CSC helps make direct links between research findings and correctional operations at institutions and in the community. CSC research helps offenders work towards successful reintegration and assists staff in identifying effective strategies to work safely and efficiently. Health Services works closely with the Research Branch on a broad range of health and mental health issues among offenders, including infectious disease prevention and control. In particular, CSC is interested in issues related to stigma, evidence-based treatment and other intervention strategies and approaches, and health care continuity for offenders on release to the community.

For further information, please contact: research@csc-scc.gc.ca.

Health Canada – First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB)
Health Canada is the federal department responsible for helping the people of Canada maintain and improve their health. Health Canada is committed to improving the lives of all of Canada’s people and to making this country’s population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system. First Nations and Inuit Health at Health Canada specifically encourages proposals in the following areas:

Alberta
Four Northern First Nation Communities in Alberta have been leading and involved in community based research for ten years, focused primarily on Aboriginal Youth Resilience to HIV/AIDS and other blood-borne infections. Through this work, an intervention was developed to address issues of stigma, increase knowledge and reduce barriers, particularly around HIV. A ground-breaking Shared Care Agreement was developed with the University of Alberta HIV Clinic that includes two-way education for both the community and clinical teams, to facilitate follow up, community education, support and treatment for people living with HIV and their family members affected by it, on-reserve, in the urban centre or a combination of both depending on the preference of the individual living with HIV.

There is an interest in building on the success of the work of the four communities and the Shared Care Agreement to further integrate issues of mental health and STBBIs into this collaborative model. By identifying further evidence-based community-interventions to be incorporated into the shared care process, it is expected that support for individuals, families and the community overall could be maximized. The intention would be to enhance and test the shared care model in a Component 1 project and then roll-out and study the implementation of the program in additional First Nation communities through a Component 2 project. For more details, please contact: Karen Saganiuk RN BScN, Sexually Transmitted Blood Borne Infections Prevention Program Coordinator at karen.saganiuk@hc-sc.gc.ca or 780-495-6074.

Saskatchewan
FNIHB-Saskatchewan and its key First Nation partner are interested in implementation science related to the "Know Your Status" project. For more details, please contact: Dr. Anne Huang, Deputy Medical Health Officer, FNIHB-Saskatchewan Region at: dr.anne.huang@hc-sc.gc.ca | Tel: 306-780-6389 | Fax: 780-8826 or Brett Dow, STHIV/STI/BBP Coordinator, FNIHB-Saskatchewan Region at: Brett.Dow@hc-sc.gc.ca 306-934-3035 | Fax: 306-934-3000.

Quebec
FNIHB-Quebec is particularly interested in expanding a project focused on enhancing nursing competencies related to communicable disease prevention and control as well as mental health and addiction. For more details, please contact: Michèle Deschamps, Regional Coordinator, Communicable Disease Control and Management, FNIHB Quebec Region at: michele.deschamps@hc-sc.gc.ca Tel: 514-496-8382 | Fax: 514-283-3379.

Public Health Agency of Canada
The mission of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health. Through our research, programs and services, our goals are to bring about healthier Canadians, reduced health disparities, and a stronger capacity to deliver on and support public health activities.

As the lead for the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada, PHAC is responsible for laboratory science, surveillance, program development, knowledge exchange, public awareness, guidance for health professionals, global collaboration and coordination.

PHAC encourages potential applicants to the upcoming Community Action Fund to consider building collaborations with the research community. It is interested in research focused on the implementation of community-based interventions supported by the Community Action Fund in order to facilitate linkages between researchers and community stakeholders.

PHAC is also interested contributing its expertise in surveillance and epidemiology to enhance HIV and STBBI programs and services across Canada. Findings from national surveillance, epidemiologic synthesis and international frameworks, can help support a deeper understanding of local epidemics and their drivers in order to better identify suitable interventions. The Agency can also lend guidance and support on the development of standard indicators around the HIV care cascade as well as other areas in HIV monitoring.

For further information, please contact: CCDIC-SIIMD@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Internal Collaborators

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,700 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

CIHR – HIV/AIDS Research Initiative
The CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative is responsible for the management and oversight of the research components of the two major Government of Canada initiatives in HIV/AIDS, namely the Federal Initiative to Address HIV/AIDS in Canada and the Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative. The Initiative promotes Canadian research and builds research capacity in order to increase our understanding of the virus, the epidemic and effective responses.

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

CIHR - Institute of Aboriginal Peoples' Health (IAPH)
IAPH fosters the advancement of a national health research agenda to improve and promote the health of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada, through research, knowledge translation and capacity building. The Institute's pursuit of research excellence is enhanced by respect for community research priorities and Indigenous knowledge, values and cultures.

CIHR – Institute of Gender and Health (IGH) (Updated: 2015-09-28)
The Institute of Gender and Health (IGH)'s mission is to foster research excellence regarding the influence of gender and sex on the health of women and men throughout life, and to apply these research findings to identify and address pressing health challenges.

CIHR – Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH)
CIHR-IPPH aims to improve the health of populations and promote health equity in Canada and globally through research and its application to policies, programs, and practice in public health and other sectors.

CIHR - Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)
INMHA supports research to enhance mental health, neurological health, vision, hearing, and cognitive functioning and to reduce the burden of related disorders through prevention strategies, screening, diagnosis, treatment, support systems, and palliation.

Additional Information

1. The principle of “two-eyed seeing” refers to learning to see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing and from the other eye the strengths of Western ways of knowing…and using two eyes together, will create research and outcomes for the benefit of all. (Albert Marshall, Elder from Eskasoni Mi’kmaq First Nation, Cape Breton).
2. Significant would be qualified as an applicant who self-identifies as either First Nation, Inuit or Métis or someone who provides evidence of Indigenous-lived experience (i.e. demonstrating close relationships and experience with First Nations, Inuit or Métis people such as living an extended period of time (e.g., 5 years or more) with an Indigenous community).
3. Indigenous-lived experience” reflects an inclusive approach, is broader than Constitutional and legal definitions, and respects preferences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples to not use the term “Aboriginal” due to its generalizing nature.