Institutional Eligibility Requirements to Administer CIHR Funds

CIHR does not provide funds directly to researchers but rather to the institution/organization with which the nominated Principal Applicant is affiliated, usually as an employee. The institution, often referred to as the "Institution Paid", holds the funds and maintains a CIHR account from which the researcher can draw.

Before funds can flow to any Institution Paid, the institution must submit a written request to obtain a CIHR Common Grant and Award account and as explained below, must complete standard questionnaires, provide copies of policies and financial statements, and sign the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards with CIHR.

The Institution Paid is defined as the institution that will receive and manage the CIHR funds. Please note: the Institution Paid may vary from the location research is actually carried out (the Research Institution).

A Common Grant and Award account is created once an institution has successfully completed the eligibility process and the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions has been signed. Institutions holding a Common Grant and Award account have been deemed eligible to manage CIHR funds and can be listed by a grant or award applicant as an Institution Paid during the application process of a competition.

CIHR will accept an eligibility request only when the institution has a minimum of one successful applicant, not already affiliated with another CIHR eligible institution. For affiliated institutions there is a minimum requirement of five successful applicants in order to be considered for this process.

The request must be signed by the institution's president/principal or delegate. The institution must demonstrate that it meets all of the requirements set out below.

An institution will be approved as CIHR-eligible only when the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions (IA) is signed between CIHR and the applying institution. Before an IA can be signed, CIHR must have received all of the required documentation and be satisfied that the institution meets all of the requirements as defined below.

Once all of the required documentation is assembled, the request should be sent to:

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
160 Elgin Street
9th Floor Address Locator 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
Tel.: 613-952-9974
Fax: 613-954-1800
E-mail: ian.raskin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Attention: Ian Raskin, Supervisor, Post Award Administration and Financial Monitoring

Please refer to Annex 1 - Document Checklist - Key documents requiring completion to become eligible to manage CIHR funds for a detailed list of documents required.

Requirements

To be eligible to apply for a common grant and award account, an institution must meet the following requirements and submit the necessary supporting documentation.

  1. The Institution type must fall under one of the following categories:
    • Canadian post-secondary institutions and their affiliated institutions including hospitals and research institutes
    • Canadian non-governmental, not-for-profit organizations (including community or charitable organizations) with an explicit research or knowledge translation mandate
    • Canadian non-federal government departments or agencies, including regional health authorities, when specific programs of those departments or agencies do not fund the activity that forms the subject matter of the grant
  2. The institution must have a successful applicant and must not have an affiliation with another CIHR eligible institution. Affiliated institutions must ensure the terms of their affiliation agreement allow them to hold a CIHR Common Grant and Award Account and must have a minimum of 5 successful applicants.
  3. The institution must be the physical location of at least one research project.
  4. The institution must be a recognized legal entity.
  5. The institution must have the necessary accounting systems and financial controls in place to manage CIHR Funds.
  6. The institution must be able to demonstrate they have an appropriate health research/knowledge translation mandate.
  7. The institution must ensure that the researcher will have an academic appointment, the time and infrastructure that will permit the pursuit of the planned research and the freedom to publish the results.
  8. Before allowing the researcher to draw on funds, the institution must demonstrate
    • through a letter signed by the highest level of the institution, that its institutional policies, guidelines and/or procedures comply with the requirements of the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) and the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
    • that it has a valid CCAC Certificate of GAP – Good Animal Practice®, or Indirect Certification if the institution uses animals for Research, Teaching and Testing; OR provide a statement that the institution does not use animals for Research, Teaching and Testing; and
    • a process to ensure that the funded project conforms with regulatory requirements (e.g. environmental, biohazard, radioactivity) where applicable.

The Process to Open a Common Grant and Award Account

Please note that before an institution can submit a request to administer CIHR funding, it must have an approved research proposal or application and have a successful applicant approved for CIHR funding, not affiliated with another CIHR eligible institution. Funding for approved applicants will flow through the already eligible institution where the applicant holds an academic appointment. One exception exists, where the institution is affiliated with a CIHR eligible institution (if permitted under their affiliation agreement) and has a minimum of 5 successful applicants. Successful applicants appointed at an already eligible CIHR institution may not seek to have his/her funding administered at another institution. The steps of the application process are as follows:

  1. The institution is notified by CIHR that they have a successful applicant.
  2. The institution submits a written eligibility request, signed by the institution's president/principal or delegate, to CIHR's Financial Monitoring Unit indicating their research and or knowledge translation mandate and their intention to apply for a Common Grant and Award Account:

    Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
    160 Elgin Street
    9th Floor Address Locator 4809A
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
    Tel.: 613-952-9974
    Fax: 613-954-1800
    E-mail: ian.raskin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

    Attention: Ian Raskin, Senior Financial Monitoring Officer

  3. The Financial Monitoring Unit will assess the request and ensure the minimum qualification requirements are met. The Financial Monitoring Officer then sends an eligibility application consisting of the following documents:
    1. Cover Letter - Included in the "Cover Letter" will be a request for copies of the following documents:
      1. the institution's most recent Audited Financial Statements
      2. the institution's most recent Annual Report
      3. a letter signed by the highest level of the institution, confirming that its institutional policies, guidelines and/or procedures comply with the requirements of the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) and the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
      4. the institution's CCAC Certificate of GAP – Good Animal Practice®, or Indirect Certification if animals are used for Research, Teaching and Testing
    2. Annex A - Institutional Contact Form
    3. Annex B - Signatures from Institutional administrative officials Form
    4. Annex C - New CIHR Institution Account Questionnaire
    5. Annex D - Control Framework Assessment Questionnaire
    6. Sample Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions

    The institution must complete Annexes A to D and submit all documents in a timely fashion as defined at the time of application.

  4. The institution must then return the completed documents for review by CIHR.
  5. Annexes A-D, the Audited Financial Statements, and Annual Report are reviewed by the Financial Monitoring Unit. A follow-up request is sent to the institution if any further queries exist. Any questions can be communicated to:

    Ian Raskin
    Tel.: 613-952-9974
    E-mail: ian.raskin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

  6. Tri-Agency staff will provide interpretations of agency policies, guidance and assistance to institutions developing and revising their ethics and integrity policies. Any questions can be communicated to:

    Secretariat on Responsible Conduct of Research
    Tel.: 613-996-0072
    E-mail: secretariat@rcr.ethics.gc.ca

    For additional information on the requirements of the TCPS 2 and the RCR Framework, please consult the following links:

  7. After all documents have been reviewed and accepted by CIHR the file is finalized. The institution is sent a letter confirming their successful application and two copies of the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions (IA) signed by the President of CIHR. Before the institution's Common Grant and Award Account is officially opened a copy of the IA, signed by the institution's President, must be returned to CIHR. Please courier the signed IA to:

    Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
    160 Elgin Street
    9th Floor Address Locator 4809A
    Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9
    Tel.: 613-952-9974
    Fax: 613-954-1800
    E-mail: ian.raskin@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

    Attention: Ian Raskin, Supervisor, Post Award Administration and Financial Monitoring

  8. An official confirmation will be sent to the institution to inform them of the opening of their CIHR Common Grant and Award Account.

Annex 1

Document Checklist: Key documents requiring completion to become eligible to manage CIHR funds

  • Application Initiation
    • A written request signed by the President/Principal, or delegate of the applicant institution
  • Application Submission
    • Annex A - Institutional Contact Form
    • Annex B - Signatures from Institutional administrative officials Form1
    • Annex C - New CIHR Institution Account Questionnaire1
    • Annex D - Control Framework Assessment Questionnaire1
    • The Institution's most recent Audited Financial Statements
    • The Institution's most recent Annual Report
    • The letter2 signed by the highest level of the institution, confirming that its institutional policies, guidelines and/or procedures comply with the requirements of the 2nd edition of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct of Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2) and the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research
    • A copy of the institution's CCAC Certificate of GAP – Good Animal Practice®, or Indirect Certification if animals are used for Research, Teaching and Testing
  • Account Finalization
    • Signed copy of the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions returned to CIHR.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Requires original signed document.

1

Footnote 2

Final approved copy on institutional letterhead required.

2

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