Designing for the Future: The New Open Suite of Programs and Peer Review Process – Questions and Answers - Architecture

• Rationale
• Architecture
• Mechanics
• Transition
• College of Reviewers
• Next Steps

Project Scheme

1. Will knowledge users not registered at an eligible institution be allowed to apply to the Project Scheme?

Knowledge users are eligible to apply to the Project Scheme as a Project Leader. In cases where knowledge users are not registered at an eligible institution, a parallel application for institution eligibility will be required during the competition process. The current process is being reviewed to better accommodate these situations.

2. Can a single Project Leader hold multiple Project grants?

There will be no restriction on the number of Project grants that may be held by a single investigator during the transition period. This may be revised after transition.

3. Are Project grants renewable?

As per current practices, project grantees interested in building on the results of previous research and knowledge translation projects can submit a new application, emphasizing sequential lines of inquiry, to the Project Scheme competition.

CIHR is moving away from the term renewal primarily because it does not apply to all research career trajectories that span CIHR's mandate. This does not preclude researchers from applying for consecutive funding to advance a line of inquiry that is linked to a previous project.

4. Is there a cap on Project grant values?

Project grant values and durations will be commensurate with the requirements of the project proposed, and will vary depending on the field, proposed approach, and scope of activities. Applicants will be eligible to apply to the Project Scheme for grants within the range of approximately $25,000 to $750,000 per year, with grant durations ranging between approximately 1 to 5 years, reflecting the wide variety of projects presently funded in various Open programs. It is expected that the funding profile of Project grantees will broadly reflect the current Open Operating Grants Program distribution.

5. How many competitions will there be per year for the Project Scheme? And what are the application deadlines?

There will be two Project competitions per year. The competition launch dates, application deadline dates, and funding release dates for the Project Scheme are as follows:

	Competition Launch Date	Application Deadline	Funding Release Date
Project Scheme 1	Winter	Spring	Summer
Project Scheme 2	Summer	Fall	Winter

6. How many Project Scheme applications can one PI make per competition/year? [ new ]

There will be two Project competitions per year (one in the spring, and one in the fall). Applicants will only be able to submit one application per calendar year during the transition period.

7. If you have a Foundation grant, can you apply for a project grant and agree to give up the Foundation grant? [ new ]

Foundation grantees will have an opportunity to signal if they do not wish to continue their program of research at Year 6 by not applying to the next Foundation Scheme competition. The Foundation grantee may also request an earlier term-end date. In either case, once the Foundation grant term-end date is confirmed by CIHR, the individual would be eligible to apply to the Project Scheme for funding that would commence after the Foundation grant's term-end date. If unsuccessful in the Project Scheme, the most recently approved Foundation grant term-end date would apply.

8. How will Ph.D. students be supported by Project grants if they are only 3 years long on average? [ new ]

Applicants will be eligible to apply to the Project Scheme for grants with durations ranging between 1 to 5 years. This distribution reflects the wide variety of projects presently funded in various Open programs.

Other CIHR funding streams, such as training awards, will continue to be a part of CIHR's strategy to support a sustainable pipeline of talented new health researchers and health-related professionals.

Foundation Scheme

9. Is the Foundation Scheme only for the super-elite?

No, the Foundation Scheme is designed to support health research leaders at all career stages, and from all health-related fields. CIHR will award Foundation grants with varying durations and values to support diverse health-related programs of research.

As described in the February 2012 Design Discussion Document, a separate stream will be established for new/early career investigators to capture emerging research leaders.

10. Will a Program Leader in the Foundation Scheme be eligible to apply to the Project Scheme as a Project Leader?

A Foundation Grant Program Leader (e.g., Nominated Principal Investigator or Principal Investigator from the Foundation Scheme) will not be eligible to apply to the Project Scheme as a Project Leader (e.g., Nominated Principal Investigator or Principal Investigator). However, as CIHR supports collaborative approaches to health research and knowledge translation, there is no restriction on Foundation Grant Program Leaders participating in Projects as collaborators.

11. Is there a cap on Foundation grant values?

Foundation grant values will be commensurate with the requirements of the research proposed, and will vary depending on the research field, research approach, and scope of program activities. Investigators will be able to apply to the Foundation Scheme for grants within the range of approximately $50,000 to $1.5 million per year. Established investigators will be awarded 7-year grants, and new/early career investigators will be awarded 5-year grants. It is expected that an applicant's CIHR funding history will be an important factor in determining future levels of funding.

12. If I only hold one CIHR grant today, am I eligible to apply to the Foundation Scheme?

Eligible applicants to the Foundation Scheme will include new and established independent researchers with a demonstrable track record of excellence and impact in their field of study. These researchers must be affiliated with an eligible institution.

Applicants may include researchers with or without one or more existing sources of CIHR funding (e.g. Open Operating Grant Program, Open Knowledge Translation Programs, Strategic Funding), and future Project grantees. Note that once funded, Foundation grantees can only hold one active Foundation grant at a time.

13. What does CIHR envision as the requirements for enhanced institutional support?

Enhanced Institutional Support is expected to build upon current expectations outlined in the Federal Indirect Cost Program and the Memorandum of Understanding on the Roles and Responsibilities in the Management of Federal Grants and Awards. The level and type of enhanced institutional support required will depend on the nature, scope and critical success factors of the program of research.

Discussions are underway with academic institutions on how to best define and implement the requirement for enhanced institutional support.

14. How many competitions will there be per year for the Foundation Scheme? And what are the application deadlines?

There will be one Foundation competition per year. The competition launch date, application deadline date, and funding release date for the Foundation Scheme are as follows:

	Competition Launch Date	Application Deadline	Funding Release Date
Foundation Scheme	Summer	Fall	Spring

15. Who qualifies for the new/early career investigator stream in the Foundation Scheme?

Eligible applicants to the Foundation Scheme's new/early career investigator stream will include applicants who, at the time of application, have assumed his/her first independent academic position (e.g., faculty appointment) no more than 5 years (60 months) ago.

Discussions are underway to determine the requirements for a self-assessment eligibility checklist.

16. Are Foundation grants portable? [ new ]

Foundation grants are awarded to the individual, not the institution, and will be portable. CIHR has yet to determine whether any new processes or polices would apply to Foundation grantees who decide to change institutions. It is essential that the ongoing success of the program, and its key components (research, knowledge translation, mentoring/training), is ensured.

Both Schemes

17. If a researcher has one grant in basic science and one grant in clinical research should they apply for the Foundation Scheme or the Project Scheme? [ new ]

Depending on the nature of the applicant's research, he or she may apply to either the Foundation or Project Scheme. If the basic science project and clinical research project are thematically-linked, and are part of a broader vision, then the applicant may prefer to bundle both projects under a single program of research and apply to the Foundation Scheme. Conversely, if there is no link between the two independent research endeavors, then the applicant may prefer to apply to the Project Scheme.

18. How do the new schemes accommodate large teams? [ new ]

Given the diversity of research across the spectrum of health, CIHR expects that the number of experts (academic or non-academic) involved in the conduct of Foundation scheme or Project Scheme grants will vary. In some cases investigators may work independently, while others may work in teams with one or more Leader.

The assessment of applications to the new schemes will consider whether the appropriate expertise and experience is in place to lead and deliver the proposed output(s) and achieve the proposed contribution(s)/benefits. For the Foundation scheme applications, the focus of the peer review will be on the leader. In cases where more than one Program Leader is named, the size of the leadership group would likely be commensurate with the nature and scope of the Program of research.