The RTI grants program provides the primary avenue for university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering to obtain up to $150,000 in support for research tools and instruments with a net cost between $7,001 and $250,000. Net cost is defined as the purchase cost of the equipment after any discount from the vendor and before taxes, customs and importation fees, transportation and shipping charges, and assembly and installation costs. The vendor discount must be free of conditions, restrictions or limitations (e.g., cannot be offered in exchange for services from users benefiting the vendor company). The research community is also encouraged to explore other avenues for funding research tools and instruments, including NSERC’s other programs that allow the purchase of equipment as eligible expenses.

To be eligible to the competition, applications must address both objectives AND respond to one (1) of the eleven (11) specific research areas.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

1. Accelerate the availability and use of high-quality and real-time evidence and/or solutions to support Canada’s ongoing response to the pandemic in order to better prevent, detect, treat and manage COVID-19; AND
2. Generate evidence related to one or more marginalized population(s), including for instance: Black and other communities marginalized by race; First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Peoples; communities historically excluded from research; those experiencing health inequity; persons with disabilities and individuals across diverse health status (e.g. high risk populations, individuals with comorbid conditions); those experiencing gendered impacts of the pandemic;  and those in life stages that have been underrepresented in research (e.g. pregnant people, children, older adults). Across all populations, researchers are encouraged to consider a lifecycle approach (from preconception to older adulthood).

Note: It is expected that, where appropriate, projects will enhance local, national and/or international collaborative efforts, including in low- and middle-income countries, to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19 and related negative consequences.

Research Areas (11) (Note that the research areas are divided into three themes)

Structural inequities in the COVID-19 response and ethics

• #1 Structural Inequalities
  Develop, implement and/or evaluate community-driven solutions to structural inequalities, including systemic racism, that continue to hamper the response and recovery from COVID-19 for Indigenous Peoples as well as Black and other communities marginalized by race.

• #2 Differential Impacts of COVID-19 on Historically Excluded or Underserved Populations
  Understand and/or address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous Peoples, racialized minorities, LGBTQIA2S, persons with disabilities, incarcerated individuals, children and older adults, including physical health, mental health, and access to health care services.

• #3 Urban Populations
  Understand and/or address the impacts of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of urban populations, including those who have been historically excluded and underserved (e.g. homeless populations and Indigenous Peoples).

• #4 Healthcare Resource Allocation
  Research on ethical criteria for scarce healthcare resource allocation (e.g., ICUs, ventilators, PPEs, vaccine) in a public health emergency to inform the development of national triage protocols. Research to understand and/or address equity in access to proven COVID-19 interventions and health services internationally and the ethical implications of vaccine nationalism for LMICs.

• #5 HIV and SARS-CoV-2
  Understand the underlying biological interactions between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection as it relates to (1) the impacts of living with HIV on SARS-CoV-2 infection, including effect of HIV and/or antiretroviral treatment on mutation, evolution and fitness of SARS CoV-2, COVID-19 disease severity, development of post-COVID-19 conditions, and COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy, and long-term durability of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, and/or (2) the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection on people living with HIV as it relates to treatment response, disease progression and development of co-morbidities; and/or understand how public health and infection control measures in response to COVID-19 have impacted the underlying social and behavioral factors affecting the risk of infection with HIV and other STBBI, and access to prevention, testing and treatment services for HIV and STBBI, including in remote locations or Indigenous communities. [Supported by the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative]

Ongoing impact of COVID-19 in health systems and services

• #6 Health care systems and services
  Understand and address the impact of COVID-19 on health care systems and services including developing and implementing evidence-based interventions (policy, practice and/or models of care) to minimize harms, address backlogs, and effectively address unmet needs during and after the pandemic, including those experienced by historically excluded or underserved populations.

• # 7 Support Services and Rehabilitation Strategies for Historically Excluded or Underserved Populations
  Research on models of support services and clinical care / management and rehabilitation strategies, including for historically excluded or underserved populations (e.g. First Nations, Inuit, Métis or Urban Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, immigrants and refugees, or other groups who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19) experiencing post COVID-19 condition in the Canadian context.

Societal reopening in the context of COVID-19

• #8 Immune Responses
  Understand and improve immune responses to vaccines (immunobridging, annual boosters, boosters against variants, heterologous prime-boost); long term immune responses of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and duration of protection; and rate of vaccinated people developing severe diseases (1-2 doses) due to variants infection or difference in immune response.

• #9 Social and Behavioural Science Approaches
  Develop, implement and/or evaluate social and behavioural science approaches to inform interventions that will be needed to help people adjust to a non-pandemic situation. Targeted interventions will be needed for all age groups and all demographics: older adults, adults, and children, as well as socio-economic, geographic and cultural backgrounds (e.g. Northern contexts, rural or on-reserve vs urban, lower SES neighbourhoods).

• #10 Core Public Health and Control Measures
  Are the core public health and control measures (e.g. ventilation, movement restrictions) adequate/appropriate? Implementation science to inform scale up/adaptation of effective approaches to prevent future infections and outbreaks in high risk settings (childcare settings, schools, workplaces, jails, acute and long-term care settings, among migrant workers, homeless shelters, First Nations reserves). These include regular screening strategies, science communication, and/or roll out of mitigation plans in the case of isolated new cases.

• #11 Vaccine Distribution Models
  Identify and evaluate the best methods for vaccine distribution to both "hard to reach" and those at risk of accelerating community spread, particularly among children, taking a holistic approach that considers barriers and facilitators at the individual, family, community, provincial and structural levels.

To be eligible to the competition, applications must address both objectives AND respond to one (1) of the eleven (11) specific research areas.

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are:

1. Accelerate the availability and use of high-quality and real-time evidence and/or solutions to support Canada’s ongoing response to the pandemic in order to better prevent, detect, treat and manage COVID-19; AND
2. Generate evidence related to one or more marginalized population(s), including for instance: Black and other communities marginalized by race; First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Peoples; communities historically excluded from research; those experiencing health inequity; persons with disabilities and individuals across diverse health status (e.g. high risk populations, individuals with comorbid conditions); those experiencing gendered impacts of the pandemic;  and those in life stages that have been underrepresented in research (e.g. pregnant people, children, older adults). Across all populations, researchers are encouraged to consider a lifecycle approach (from preconception to older adulthood).

Note: It is expected that, where appropriate, projects will enhance local, national and/or international collaborative efforts, including in low- and middle-income countries, to mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19 and related negative consequences.

Research Areas (11) (Note that the research areas are divided into three themes)

Structural inequities in the COVID-19 response and ethics

• #1 Structural Inequalities
  Develop, implement and/or evaluate community-driven solutions to structural inequalities, including systemic racism, that continue to hamper the response and recovery from COVID-19 for Indigenous Peoples as well as Black and other communities marginalized by race.

• #2 Differential Impacts of COVID-19 on Historically Excluded or Underserved Populations
  Understand and/or address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indigenous Peoples, racialized minorities, LGBTQIA2S, persons with disabilities, incarcerated individuals, children and older adults, including physical health, mental health, and access to health care services.

• #3 Urban Populations
  Understand and/or address the impacts of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of urban populations, including those who have been historically excluded and underserved (e.g. homeless populations and Indigenous Peoples).

• #4 Healthcare Resource Allocation
  Research on ethical criteria for scarce healthcare resource allocation (e.g., ICUs, ventilators, PPEs, vaccine) in a public health emergency to inform the development of national triage protocols. Research to understand and/or address equity in access to proven COVID-19 interventions and health services internationally and the ethical implications of vaccine nationalism for LMICs.

• #5 HIV and SARS-CoV-2
  Understand the underlying biological interactions between HIV and SARS-CoV-2 co-infection as it relates to (1) the impacts of living with HIV on SARS-CoV-2 infection, including effect of HIV and/or antiretroviral treatment on mutation, evolution and fitness of SARS CoV-2, COVID-19 disease severity, development of post-COVID-19 conditions, and COVID-19 vaccine safety, efficacy, and long-term durability of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, and/or (2) the impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection on people living with HIV as it relates to treatment response, disease progression and development of co-morbidities; and/or understand how public health and infection control measures in response to COVID-19 have impacted the underlying social and behavioral factors affecting the risk of infection with HIV and other STBBI, and access to prevention, testing and treatment services for HIV and STBBI, including in remote locations or Indigenous communities. [Supported by the CIHR HIV/AIDS Research Initiative]

Ongoing impact of COVID-19 in health systems and services

• #6 Health care systems and services
  Understand and address the impact of COVID-19 on health care systems and services including developing and implementing evidence-based interventions (policy, practice and/or models of care) to minimize harms, address backlogs, and effectively address unmet needs during and after the pandemic, including those experienced by historically excluded or underserved populations.

• # 7 Support Services and Rehabilitation Strategies for Historically Excluded or Underserved Populations
  Research on models of support services and clinical care / management and rehabilitation strategies, including for historically excluded or underserved populations (e.g. First Nations, Inuit, Métis or Urban Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, immigrants and refugees, or other groups who have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19) experiencing post COVID-19 condition in the Canadian context.

Societal reopening in the context of COVID-19

• #8 Immune Responses
  Understand and improve immune responses to vaccines (immunobridging, annual boosters, boosters against variants, heterologous prime-boost); long term immune responses of SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination and duration of protection; and rate of vaccinated people developing severe diseases (1-2 doses) due to variants infection or difference in immune response.

• #9 Social and Behavioural Science Approaches
  Develop, implement and/or evaluate social and behavioural science approaches to inform interventions that will be needed to help people adjust to a non-pandemic situation. Targeted interventions will be needed for all age groups and all demographics: older adults, adults, and children, as well as socio-economic, geographic and cultural backgrounds (e.g. Northern contexts, rural or on-reserve vs urban, lower SES neighbourhoods).

• #10 Core Public Health and Control Measures
  Are the core public health and control measures (e.g. ventilation, movement restrictions) adequate/appropriate? Implementation science to inform scale up/adaptation of effective approaches to prevent future infections and outbreaks in high risk settings (childcare settings, schools, workplaces, jails, acute and long-term care settings, among migrant workers, homeless shelters, First Nations reserves). These include regular screening strategies, science communication, and/or roll out of mitigation plans in the case of isolated new cases.

• #11 Vaccine Distribution Models
  Identify and evaluate the best methods for vaccine distribution to both "hard to reach" and those at risk of accelerating community spread, particularly among children, taking a holistic approach that considers barriers and facilitators at the individual, family, community, provincial and structural levels.

The goal of the Exploration stream is to inspire high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research.

Exploration grants support research that pushes boundaries into exciting new areas. Researchers are encouraged to think “outside of the box,” undertake research that would defy current paradigms, and bring disciplines together in unexpected ways and from bold, innovative perspectives. With the Exploration stream, there is recognition that innovation often carries risk; proposals for high-risk research projects that have the potential to deliver game-changing impacts are strongly encouraged.

Exploration stream grants support projects that:

• bring disciplines together beyond traditional disciplinary or common interdisciplinary approaches;
• propose to explore something new, which might fail; and
• have the potential for significant impact.

Exploration grants support research with a range of impacts, some of which might be social, cultural, economic, health-related or technological. This list is not exhaustive; other types of impacts are also recognized. Diversity of perspectives is important, and the fund encourages research proposals led from any discipline, from those in the social sciences and humanities, to health, the natural sciences and engineering.

To better promote ground-breaking and interdisciplinary research, the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) has a mandate to explore innovative merit review processes, and the flexibility for competition parameters and processes to evolve from one competition to the next.

Please find attached the PowerPoint slides that were presented during the NF's webinars on the Notice of Intent (NOI) stage for the 2021 Exploration competition. You may also view the recording of the webinars:

English Recording: https://youtu.be/dQu2xKIpHTY           July 13^th               

French Recording: https://youtu.be/MgDjyt_X3p4            July 13^th  

Presentation Slides

• English
• French

The Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP) funds downstream research and development (R&D) projects that address real-world opportunities and challenges defined by “Receptor” organizations such as industry, government, or not-for-profit entities. These organizations should have the expertise, resources and commitment to commercialize or implement the project’s outcomes. Projects must be active collaborations between the Receptor organization (Canadian or international) and a Canadian academic researcher. Both must play an integral role in the project. These projects are co-funded by Receptors and other stakeholders and must have the potential to generate significant social and/or economic benefits for Canada. The GAPP aims to:

• Accelerate the application of Canadian genomics-derived solutions from academia to real-world opportunities and challenges defined by industry, not-for-profit and public-sector Receptors.
• Channel Canada’s genomics capacity into sustainable innovations that benefit Canadians.
• Enhance the value of Canadian genomics technologies by de-risking and incentivizing follow-on investment from industry and other partners.
• Foster mutually beneficial collaboration and knowledge exchange between Canadian academia and technology receptors.

Dissertation Fieldwork Grants

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Advance the field of implementation science: Understand how to implement evidence-informed interventions in different urban contexts and populations so that they result in positive and equitable health outcomes in real-world settings. This includes understanding how specific interventions can be adapted to different regions, ages, cultures, genders, or conditions, and how the interventions can be scaled given unique social, political, economic, cultural, and geographical contexts.
• Build capacity in implementation science: Build capacityamong researchers (including early career researchers) andimplementers. This includes providing opportunity for linkage with other capacity-building efforts of the HCRI (e.g. the Healthy Cities Research Training Platform and HCRI Fellowships) and by fostering a network of “learning cities”that share and build on each other’s experience, support continuous improvement, and identify promising solutions for scalability.
• Spark interdisciplinary collaborations across sectors and jurisdictions: Build partnerships across sectors and jurisdictions to co-develop and implement projectsin order to contribute to a sustained impact beyond the duration of the grant.
• Identify new solutions: Generate new knowledge on evidence-informed interventions that can be scaled in urban environments to promote health and health equity.
• Fill the knowledge gap and position Canada as a leader in implementation science: Make significantcontributions to the field of healthy cities implementation science research and training including fostering international collaborations and knowledge sharing across Canada and internationally.

The Project Grant program is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential for important advances in fundamental or applied health-related knowledge, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes by supporting projects of research proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers in all areas of health. The best ideas may stem from new, incremental, innovative, and/or high-risk lines of inquiry or knowledge translation approaches.