Funding Opportunity

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In 2006, Synapse was established as a meeting place between CIHR-funded health researchers and Canadian youth. It's specifically designed to motivate students to consider the value of science for the overall wellbeing of people, and also stimulate their interest in health research as a career. To achieve this, Synapse encourages CIHR-funded researchers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to become mentors by passing on their passion for health research to young Canadians. Since its inception, over 5,300 Synapse mentors have signed up.

Through this Synapse request for funding application, CIHR wishes to work with well-established national science awareness organizations in an effort to a) create more youth outreach opportunities for CIHR Synapse mentors, and b) offer a large number of health research-related hands-on activities to young students across Canada. These include summer science camps, virtual mentorship connections, science fairs, lab-mentorship programs and in-school, hands-on science workshops for all youth. A nationwide proposal can receive up to $100,000 and a northern specific initiative can be granted up to $30,000 (these funds will be allotted for a one-year period). The total amount available for this initiative is $288,500.

In order to be funded, the youth science outreach organizations must demonstrate that they meet the following criteria:

• relevant background in youth science outreach programs;
• national or northern network of service providers;
• extensive experience in recruiting, training, integrating and managing volunteer researchers or graduate students;
• demonstration that program objectives are consistent with those of the CIHR Synapse program;
• provision of significant number of youth outreach opportunities for CIHR Synapse mentors;
• extensive number of health research-related hands-on activities to students throughout Canada or specifically in northern Canada;
• appropriate recognition of CIHR support through use of Synapse promotional material at both the local and national levels;
• evaluation of the successes and demerits related to the funded programs and submission of a report to CIHR within a month following the end of the funding period;
• identification of a point of contact for all communication purposes (including phone number, fax number and email address).

The application must provide a detailed justification of all costs. CIHR funds cannot be used for the following: capital expenses, leases, warranties and utilities. For more information, please read the complete evaluation criteria table. Those who are interested in applying for the funding must send six hardcopies to CIHR by July 31, 2009 to:

Christian Riel
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
160 Elgin Street, 9th Floor
Address Locator 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

All submissions will be evaluated by members of the CIHR Youth Outreach Advisory Board; decisions will be announced in September 2009.

For further information, please contact Christian Riel, Manager, Youth and Public Outreach at christian.riel@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Synapse - CIHR Youth Connection Program Evaluation Criteria