Open Operating Grant Program (OOGP) – ResearchNet “Application” Phase Instructions

How to Apply

To make sure you have access and permissions to the research application tools you'll need to apply with, refer to "Before you begin" below.

To understand the general application process for the Open Operating Grants program, refer to "General Application Process" below.

To list the components that make up a complete application that are specific to this program, refer to "A complete application consists of the following" below.

To get ResearchNet-specific information on a task-by-task basis, refer to "Task Tips" below.

Before you begin

You must have gone through the Registration stage before preparing the submission of your application.

Make sure you have read the specific Funding Opportunity Details.

Make sure you have the following or click the links to register:

You should only have one ResearchNet account. If you have already accessed ResearchNet, do not register for a new account.

General Application Process

In ResearchNet, complete all tasks listed for your funding opportunity following the on-screen instructions in one of the official languages.
Determine what signatures are needed for each part of your application. See the funding opportunity, and the Meaning of Signatures in the Grants and Awards Guide.
Print the Signature pages, found in ResearchNet needed for the funding opportunity.
Offline, obtain signatures for all signature pages, and for any other material needing signatures.
Scan the signature pages.
Upload the signed signature pages to ResearchNet as part of your submission before the application deadline date.
Review the funding opportunity How to Apply section under the subsection entitled "Specific Instructions" and provide the additional information requested.
Preview all components of your application in ResearchNet using the "Preview Application Materials" task to ensure that your application is complete.
Indicate that you have verified the application for completeness on ResearchNet.
Submit the completed electronic application to the Research Office of your Institution for e-Approval through ResearchNet by completing the "Consent and Submit Application" task on ResearchNet.
Note: CIHR cannot legally accept your application until you complete this task.
For technical help, call 613-941-9080 or e-mail support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca, and for more information email info@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

A complete application consists of the following

Submitted ResearchNet Application
Additional Information as stated in the How to Apply section under the subsection entitled "Specific Instructions."

Task Tips

These Task Tips are not a comprehensive list of information required to ensure completeness. You should also read the Funding Opportunity Details and should also be familiar with CIHR funding policies.

Task 1: Identify Participants

This task collects information on all participants involved in your research application and the institution or organization that will receive funds if your application is successful. Consult the Individual Eligibility Requirements on the CIHR website for more information. The name of the Nominated Principal Applicant must remain unchanged between registration and application.

New: Applicants will enter their Common CV Confirmation number in this task. This replaces the former requirement to upload a CCV .pdf file.

CIHR applicants will choose an Academic CV template (replaces Full Application CV) or a Knowledge User CV template, depending on their roles. See the "Eligibility" and the "How to Apply" sections of this funding opportunity to determine the CV requirements for each participant. To produce an Academic CV template or a Knowledge User CV template:

Log in to the Common CV system: go to the CV menu and select Funding.
In the Funding Source field, select CIHR from the dropdown and click next. Select the appropriate CV type and click next.
Enter data and click on "Done." Validation is automatically performed and errors are displayed, if any. The validation rules follow the requirements set specifically by CIHR.
Review the CV data online and via a preview of the PDF.
When satisfied, record the confirmation number that is displayed with the status message and at the top of the CV PDF.
Return to ResearchNet and enter this confirmation number under the Identify Participants Task. If you wish to make changes to your Common CV for a certain application, you must repeat the steps above and use the new confirmation number.

Note 1: During peak periods, there can be a delay between the time that you submit the CV and when ResearchNet is able to validate it. It is highly recommended that you submit your CV well in advance of the competition deadline.

Note 2: A CV is required for all participants, with the exception of collaborators.

Task 2: Attach Participant Documents

All attachments must adhere to the guidelines for attachments on the Acceptable Application Formats and Attachments. Before preparing your proposal, please carefully review these instructions.

All documents must be in PDF format. The total size of the attached document(s) cannot exceed 30 MB.

Contribution Details

The following attachments provide more information on various applicant contributions.

New: All of the data fields in the following attachments can now be found in the renewed Common CV.

CIHR is taking a phased in approach to the submission of Contribution Details: applicants may use the renewed Common CV to enter their contribution data or may continue to use the following attachments.Only Career Interruption and Delays must be submitted through the renewed Common CV, under the Leaves of Absence section.

Phasing in the use of the renewed Common CV for Contributions will provide more time for some of the more labor-intensive fields (e.g. Publications). Therefore, none of the Contributions fields in the renewed Common CV will be mandatory (with the exception noted above). However, CIHR strongly encourages the applicant to enter data into at least 5 of the Contribution fields in the renewed Common CV (where possible), to familiarize themselves with the system.

Contributions Details - Most Significant Contributions (with a Common CV, limit to one page; with a Knowledge User CV, limit to 6 pages)

Warning- Trainees
This "Most significant contributions" section applies to researchers only and is not required for trainees.

Identify a maximum of five (5) contributions, with a maximum length of one page, that best highlight your contribution or activities in the field of research, defining the impact and relevance of each. A contribution is understood to be a publication, literary or artistic work, conference, patent or intellectual property right, contract or creative activity, commission, etc. Your complete description may include the organization, position or activity type and description, from and to dates, and the basis on which this contribution is significant (i.e. relevance, target community and impact).

Contributions Details - Activities and Contributions (limit to one page)

The activities and contributions defined in this section should include both academic and non-academic achievements, and their impacts.

Examples of entries follow. This is not necessarily a complete list, and is intended to provide guidance only.

Committee membership
For peer review committees, specify the year(s), the subject(s), and the funding organization
For thesis examination committees, indicate the author, title of thesis, and university
Consulting/contract activities
Research development
Research or technical reports
Supervisory experience (e.g. training of students)
Technology transfers (specify the nature of the activity and the target audience)
Involvement in public, private, or non-profit sector activities
Policy papers
Presentations as guest speaker (public or invited lectures)
Editorships (specify if editor-in-chief or member of the editorial team)
Evaluation of articles for scientific, literary or artistic journals (specify title of journal and the number of articles evaluated)
Knowledge translation/Dissemination activities
Trainees might also mention development of a graduate seminar program, journal club or similar activity

If some of these completed works do not seem to support the research theme of the team or centre to which you belong, provide the necessary explanations.

Contributions Details - Patents and Intellectual Property Rights (limit to one page)

This section should include details for patents and intellectual property rights for technology transfer, products, and services. Do not include publications in this section.

Descriptions might include the title, patents or intellectual property rights number and date, country(ies) of issue, the name of the inventors, as well as relevance or impact of the stated item.

Contributions Details - Publications List (no page limit)

List your most important publications and other research contributions over the past five years, according to the categories below. This is not necessarily a complete list, and is only intended to provide guidance. Categories can be added as needed. Use only items pertinent to the application. There is no limit to the number of pages you can use.

Task 3: Enter Project Information and Supporting Documents

This task collects information related to your research project.

Project Title

Your Project Title is the way that CIHR identifies your research project. For this reason you cannot edit your Project Title.

Lay Title

Provide a title for your project that is in a language clear to members of the general public. Lay titles are used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds.

Lay Abstract

Describe your project in a way that is accessible to a lay audience. Be sure to indicate how your proposed research can improve personal health, the health of populations and/or the health delivery system. This information is used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds.

Institution Paid

Institution that will administer the funds for your project. Consult the Institutional Eligibility Requirements on the CIHR website for more information.

Certification Requirements

If you are awarded a grant, the necessary certification requirements must be met in accordance with policies on ethical conduct of research. Relevant policies:

Note: Not all funding opportunities include or allow trials. The Clinical Trial and Randomized Controlled Trial questions below may or may not appear on your application - consult the funding opportunity for information regarding these questions. For further information on the trials policy, refer to the TCPS 2—2nd edition of Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans.

Is this a clinical trial?
Indicate if this application includes a clinical trial. For more information regarding clinical trials, please refer to the policy on trials.

Does this Application Contain a Randomized Controlled Trial?
Indicate if this application includes a randomized controlled trial. Refer to the funding opportunity on specific requirements for randomized controlled trials for the program to which you are applying.

In order to carry out the proposed research in this application, is an exemption from Health Canada under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act required? (Trainees are exempt and should answer No)
Indicate if your proposed research is such that an exemption from Health Canada under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) will be required. Consult the Department of Justice website for details regarding Section 56 of the CDSA and the Health Canada website for details regarding obtaining an exemption under Section 56 of the CDSA.

Does this application propose research involving Aboriginal people?
Indicate if your application proposes research involving Aboriginal people. This information will be used for statistical purposes only. Any questions or comments may be sent to the Aboriginal Ethics Guidelines mailbox at aeg-lda@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Are sex (biological) considerations taken into account in this study?
Indicate if sex (biological) considerations are taken into account in this study. For a guide to sex and gender based analysis, please consult the CIHR website.

Are gender (socio-cultural) considerations taken into account in this study?
Indicate if gender (socio-cultural) considerations are taken into account in this study. For a guide to sex and gender based analysis, please consult the CIHR website.

Please describe how sex and/or gender considerations will be considered in your research proposal. If your study includes sex (biological) and/or gender (socio-cultural) considerations, then describe how they will be considered in your research proposal (limit of 2000 characters).

Aboriginal People

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

Containment Level

Definitions of Levels may be found in the PHAC laboratory biosafety guidelines.

Does any phase of the research described in this proposal take place outdoors, involve field work, an undertaking in relation to a physical work or have a negative impact on the environment?

Project Descriptors

Provide keywords to describe your research project, the techniques and the methodologies it will employ, and the areas of interest.

Areas of Research

Select the areas of research that best describe your proposal from the list provided.

Classification

Select the classifications that best describe your proposal from the list provided.

Themes

Select a primary theme classification. Indicate additional theme classifications only if the substance of the grant application significantly overlaps more than one theme. Consult the definition of the four CIHR Themes on the CIHR website for more information.

Suggested Institutes

Select a primary CIHR Institute whose research mandate is related to this application's research area(s) and objective(s). Additional Institutes should only be selected if the substance of this grant application significantly overlaps with the research mandate of more than one Institute.

Attachments

All attachments must adhere to the guidelines for attachments on the Acceptable Application Formats and Attachments.

Research Proposal (attachment)

Provide a clear, concise description of your proposed activities in the Research Proposal attachment. A maximum of 11 pages may be attached in the case of one or two applicants. A maximum of 13 pages may be attached if there are three or more applicants. Page limits do not include appendices.

The Research Proposal attachment should stand alone (i.e., it should contain all the information required to support your research plan and should contain a self-contained complete description of your project).

The Research Proposal attachment should be text only and is limited to the number of pages as outlined above. Title pages and table of contents, at the beginning or elsewhere in the document, will count towards the total pages allowed. If figures, tables, etc. are nevertheless embedded in the Research Proposal document, they will also count toward the page limit. Any pages beyond the limit will be removed by CIHR staff before the application is peer reviewed.

Please combine any references, tables, charts, figures and photographs together in the Research Proposal Appendix (separate attachment - see below). Be sure to label your figures.

In the Research Proposal you should explain:

What you want to do (central hypothesis, research question, specific objectives)
Why this is a reasonable thing to do (review of previous work done on the subject matter, rationale)
Why this is important (new knowledge to be obtained, improvements to health which will result)
How you are going to do it (work plan, timelines, detailed descriptions of methods, analysis and discussion/interpretation of results, pitfalls, ways around the pitfalls, alternatives)
Why you should do it (relevant prior experience and skills, collaborators for technical gaps, preliminary data showing feasibility)
What you and any other Principal Applicant(s) and/or Co-Applicant(s) will do (description of roles)

Legends should be succinct and should not contain detailed information pertaining to methods.

Randomized Controlled Trials

For applications for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): (1) researchers may suggest the most relevant discipline-based peer review committee or the RC peer review committee if the budget requested is less than $250,000 in every project year and in all cases CIHR will decide on the most appropriate peer review committee based on committee mandate and expertise required for the review; and (2) the application will be sent to the RC committee for review if the overall budget requested is greater than or equal to $250,000 in any project year. In all cases CIHR will decide on the most appropriate peer review committee based on expertise required for the review.

All applications reviewed by the RC committee, regardless of the level of funding requested, must follow the RCT headings provided under RCT Evaluation Criteria and Headings. If these headings are not used in the Research Proposal, the application will be withdrawn.

All applications for RCTs that are reviewed by discipline based committees are encouraged to use or adapt the RCT headings as appropriate to the proposal but are not required to do so. Use of the RCT headings can help better organize the information required and facilitate the RCT review.

Research Proposal Appendix

Appendices may include items such as, references, tables, charts, figures, photographs, questionnaires, RCT methods, and consent forms.

Note: For the purpose of peer review, the research proposal should not depend on information in the Research Proposal appendix, other than references, tables, charts, figures and photographs, that are not included in the page limit of the research proposal. Reviewers are under no obligation to read the Research Proposal appendix other than to read references, tables, charts, figures and photographs.

Summary of Progress

The Summary of Progress should be text only and is limited to one page.

For renewal applicants, summarize progress under the current grant and, if applicable, identify the term of your current CIHR grant. New applicants are encouraged to summarize previous work relevant to this application.

New Investigator and Clinician Scientist candidates should describe the research undertaken as a trainee, and, if applicable, as an independent investigator. In addition, these candidates should address their research relationship with previous supervisor(s). For Industry-partnered Research Chair candidates describe the research you have been engaged in over the last five years and the results obtained.

Response to Previous Reviews

If you are resubmitting an application, you may respond to previous reviewer's comments. Your response should not require reference to any other document, because reviewers will not have access to previous application information. Maximum two pages.

Task 4: Complete Summary of Research Proposal

Summarize your research proposal. Note that your summary cannot exceed one page.

Task 5: Enter Budget Information and Supporting Documents

This task collects information on the budget for your research project.

Financial Assistance Requested

In the column entitled "No.", provide an estimate of the number of human resources (full-time equivalents) required for a full year for each human resources type listed. For part-time and/or shared resources, indicate fractions (e.g., 0.5). In the "Salary" and "Stipend" columns, provide the pro-rated salary/stipend amount for each human resources type.

The Salary + Benefits columns must equal the CIHR + Cash + In-Kind columns.
Amounts must be in Canadian funds.
If the operating base changes for subsequent years, provide estimates for each year accordingly.
Information on eligibility of expenses and employment under grants is found in the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC & SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide, Use of Grant Funds.
Individuals paid from grants are not employees of CIHR.
Each budget item must include the applicable provincial and federal taxes and should be calculated using the after-rebate tax rates. After rebate tax rates are available on the Canada Revenue Agency website.
CIHR will not be funding equipment through its Open Operating Grant competitions until further notice.
Equipment is defined as any item (or interrelated collection of items comprising a system) of nonexpendable tangible property, having a useful life of more than 1 year and a cost of $2,000 or more, which is used wholly or in part for research.

Note that all three conditions must be met for an item to be considered equipment, i.e.:
1. nonexpendable tangible property; and,
2. useful life of more than 1 year; and,
3. a cost of $2,000 or more.
To be considered materials or supplies an item must meet only one of the following conditions:
1. expendable tangible property; or,
2. useful life of 1 year or less; or,
3. a cost of less than $2,000, excluding the non reimbursable portion of taxes.
For example, a laptop computer that costs less than $2,000 would be considered as materials or supplies even though it is a nonexpendable tangible item with a useful life of more than one year.

For the tax rate, consult your institution.

Budget Attachments

Financial Assistance Requested Details

Provide a full justification for all budget items relative to the proposed research.

If you include a need for research personnel and trainees, state their roles and explain why you require the level (in terms of qualifications and salary) that you are requesting.

Itemize the expendables and services; for example, number and cost of animals, nature and amounts of reagents, numbers of subjects, or number and cost of printing survey instruments. For travel requests, indicate the purpose of the trip(s), the people that will be traveling, and their destination(s).

For maintenance costs included in this operating budget, indicate:

the anticipated extent of utilization;
reasons for choice of specific type, model or service contract, in relation to alternatives; and
where applicable, the necessity for the service contract.

If you are requesting or hold start-up funds to equip a new laboratory, detail any funds you have received or have applied for from other sources for this purpose (e.g., institutional sources) and how you intend to use these funds.

Cost Quotations/Quotation Support Letters

For service contracts costing more than $10,000, at least one cost quotation must be attached. In addition, explain why is it necessary to outsource this service as opposed to having it done in-house. This information can be included in the Financial Assistance Requested Details attachment or as a separate Quotation Support Letter.

Note: No other information may be included in the “Budget Attachments” section other than that described above in the “Financial Assistance Requested Details” and the “Cost Quotations/Quotation Support Letters”. Any additional material will be removed from the application prior to being sent to reviewers.

Human Resources

Estimate the number of hours per week each applicant will be working on the research project.

Employment History

For personnel who will be paid on the grant, for example research assistants or technicians, list their position at the time of application, their current salary rate ($/annum, excluding benefits) and their current source of funding.

Task 6: Attach Other Application Materials

Upload any other application materials you wish to include with your application package. All documents must be in PDF format.

You may attach:

Letters from Collaborators who are expected to make a significant contribution, confirming their willingness to participate in the manner indicated.
Letters of support may be appended when specific incremental cash or in-kind contributions are being provided in support of the proposed research. Letters in general support for the research, the researcher or the research team should not be appended and may be removed.
Questionnaires and consent forms, if applicable.
Up to five publications from the past five years, relevant to this proposal.

For New Investigators and for applicants with pending appointment, youmustattach:

letter at the time of application, 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 of the academic or research appointment which must be no later than the announced funding start date of the OOGP competition (see funding opportunity details).

Task 7: Peer Review Administration

This task collects information used for the purpose of peer review administration.

Suggested External Reviewers

Suggest Canadian and/or foreign reviewers that you feel have the expertise to review your application. CIHR reserves the right to make the final selection of external reviewers. You should not suggest reviewers in conflict of interest. Consult the conflict of interest guidelines on the CIHR website for more information.

Reviewers to Exclude

Provide the names of individuals that you feel cannot provide an objective review of your application.

Future Committee Member Nominations

Nominate individuals that you feel would be appropriate as reviewers for a particular peer review committee.

Future Committee Member Nomination/Proposed Committee

For more information consult the Peer Review Committees and Mandates on the CIHR website.

Suggested Committees

Suggest up to two peer review committees that you feel could review your application. Suggested committees must remain unchanged between registration and application. Only one committee will be selected. CIHR will consult with committee Chairs and Scientific Officers, as required, in assigning applications to specific committees. Note that CIHR will make the final decision on which peer review committee will review each application based on the summary of proposed research received during the registration phase. The final committee selected will not necessarily be your first or second choice.

Task 8: Apply to Priority Announcements/Funding Pools (if applicable)

Priority Announcements/Funding Pools

Priority Announcements/Funding Pools on CIHR's core competitions offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priority areas or mandates.

Priority Announcements/Funding Pools for the OOGP are listed on the CIHR website in June and December of each year together with CIHR's other current funding opportunities. For requirements on individual Priority Announcements/Funding Pools, verify the "How To Apply" section of each Priority Announcement/Funding Pool on the Funding Opportunities page. This section will indicate if relevance information is required at the application stage.

Identify Priority Announcements/Funding Pools and Relevant Research Areas

To apply for funding through a Priority Announcement/Funding Pool, select the Priority Announcement/Funding Pool title from the list you see in ResearchNet and the Relevant Research Area(s) addressed by your proposal.

Describe (in one half-page) how the research proposed will address the relevant research area (if applicable).

Task 9: Print/Upload Signature Pages

Print the signature page PDF file which is found on ResearchNet.
Obtain all required signatures.
- Check the "How To Apply" section of the funding opportunity description to verify signature requirements.
- Verify the requirements for original signatures by consulting Required Signatures on Application Forms and Meaning of Signatures on Application Forms in the CIHR Grants and Awards Guide.
For applications that require partner signatures, signatures are captured in the Partnership Details PDF and should be uploaded in the Identify Application Partners task (Manage Attachments).
Scan and upload the signed signature pages in the Print/Upload Signature Pages task in ResearchNet prior to submitting your application.
All necessary signatures must be obtained and uploaded on ResearchNet prior to the Research Institution's deadline date. You must submit your signature pages to the Research Office so that the Institution can approve and submit the application to CIHR through ResearchNet.
When the Research Office electronically approves and forwards your application to CIHR, they are, in fact, confirming that all required signatures have been obtained.

Task 10: Preview Application Materials

Review all components of your application. If a task is incomplete, you must provide the missing information to successfully submit your application.

Task 11: Consent and Submit Application

Submit Application

You must review the terms listed and respond to the questions regarding consent in order to submit your application.

You must click Submit to send your application to your institution's Research Office.

It is highly recommended that you submit your application well ahead of the CIHR deadline. If your research office returns the application to you with comments or questions and you cannot address these before the CIHR competition deadline, your application will not be accepted by CIHR. Many institutions have internal deadlines for receipt of applications ahead of the CIHR deadlines, please confirm with your institution.

After January 3, 2011 the CIHR deadline time for receipt of all applications will be 20:00 ET.