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Policy Research grants are intended to stimulate research that will influence, guide or have a direct impact on policy decisions in tobacco control.

Partners
Program objectives
Suggested research areas and methodologies
Value of grant
Deadlines
General eligibility criteria
Specific eligibility criteria
How applications are evaluated
Application guide and forms
Putting together a strong application
What is expected of successful applicants
Contact

Partners
Funding for the Policy Research grant program is provided under the Strategic Initiative “Advancing the Science to Reduce Tobacco Abuse and Nicotine Addiction” by the following partners:

• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Institutes of: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, Cancer Research, Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, Circulatory and Respiratory Health, Gender and Health, Human Development Child and Youth Health
• Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)
• National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC)
• Heart and Stroke Foundation
• Health Canada
• Canadian Lung Association in partnership with l’Association pulmonaire du Québec

• To help guide decision making and to influence implementation of policies aimed at reducing tobacco abuse and nicotine addiction.

Specific objectives of the Policy Research Grant program:

• To increase the involvement of policy decision makers at all levels in the research process.
• To foster excellent, timely research that will influence and guide policy decisions in tobacco control.

Suggested research areas and methodologies

• The full policy process from agenda setting and decision making through to development and implementation, enforcement, evaluation and refinement.
• All areas in which policy might be used to influence tobacco use including fiscal, legislative, regulatory and educational policies.
• Public and private policy at all levels of government /locale.
• Preference will be given to projects that address research priorities identified by the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Summit (2002).  

Research employing new or unconventional methodologies is encouraged, but proposed methods must be appropriate to the research question(s).  

Value of grant
Each successful proposal may receive a one-time grant of up to $80,000. The project may be completed over the course of two years.
At least six applications (four regular and two FastTrack) are supported annually, contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of proposals.

Deadlines

General eligibility criteria
Research proposals must meet the following eligibility criteria relevant for all CTCRI grant programs:

• The Principal Applicant (PA) is a Canadian citizen or legal resident (Co-applicants may be citizens or residents of other countries).
• Applicant(s) is NOT a member of the staff or Board of Directors of the CTCRI, or a staff member of any CTCRI funding partner organization.
• The research proposal demonstrates basic relevance to tobacco abuse/nicotine addiction/ tobacco control.
• The research proposal addresses research priorities identified by the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Summit.
• Applicant(s) has disclosed other sources of funding.
• Commercial interests have been disclosed or applicant(s) has indicated no commercial interests.
• Applicant(s) has affirmed lack of support from the tobacco industry.
• Applicant(s) can demonstrate that he/she works in an environment that adequately supports research through ethical review, administration of funds, provision of space and equipment, etc.
• Research plans include gender analysis, or it has been demonstrated that this is not appropriate.
• Proposal avoids duplication of previous research, unless it can be demonstrated that replication is of value.
• Proposal includes a description of expected outcomes and/or a preliminary dissemination plan (not applicable for travel grants).
• Program-specific criteria are addressed (see next paragraph).

Grant program-specific eligibility criteria
Research proposals must also meet the following eligibility criteria that are specific to this grant program in order to be considered for funding:

• Research proposal is relevant to public policy issues surrounding tobacco control in Canada.

• FastTrack proposals only: Applicants must demonstrate that their proposal is dependent upon policy or legislation which is timely and that the project cannot be delayed until the April 1 or October 1 deadlines.

How applications are evaluated
All proposals are first reviewed for General Eligibility Criteria and Program Specific Eligibility Criteria before being accepted for Scientific Review.

The submissions will undergo a Scientific Peer Review against the following criteria:

Team Composition:

• The Principal Applicant and Co-applicants demonstrate the ability to carry out the work proposed.
• Team members represent a mix of disciplines and sectors appropriate to the research topic (practitioners, policy makers, decision makers).
• Team members have clearly-defined and valuable roles and responsibilities in the execution of the project. 
• Quality training opportunities are offered to young investigators or to experienced investigators new to the field of tobacco control/nicotine addiction.

Originality and Importance:

• Proposal presents novel, innovative questions or methods related to tobacco control policies and/or challenges existing policy/research paradigms.
• Preliminary dissemination plan identifies target audiences and indicates the commitment of the team to carry the results forward in a meaningful way. 
• Proposal demonstrates sound theoretical or empirical rationale, clear understanding of policy issues and relevance to priorities identified by the CTCRI. 
• Proposed project is likely to have a positive impact on tobacco control in Canada or internationally and may have an impact on methods used for studying policy research.
• Research proposal is relevant to public policy issues surrounding tobacco control in Canada.
• Applicant provides a letter of "recommendation" from policy decision maker stating the reason why the proposed research will affect policy and how.
  

Methodology: 

• Feasibility: Proposed methodology is realistically achievable. Potential difficulties have been identified and contingency plans offered.
• Quality: Proposed research methods are well grounded and likely to lead to useful, reliable results relevant to tobacco control policy. 
• Synergy: Proposed methods are appropriate to the policy/ies being studied and to the associated research question(s)/problem(s).

Budget:

• Although projects will be evaluated independently of budget, the CTCRI requires budgets to be justified and reserves the right to reduce budgets if expenses are not warranted.

FastTrack proposals are reviewed using the same criteria. However, additional emphasis is placed on "importance and originality," while less emphasis is placed on “team composition”.

Application guide and forms
Carefully consult the Grant Application Guide for information about completing the forms.

CTCRI grant applications consist of two required forms and one optional form:

1. Project Form - provides information about the proposed research
2. Applicant Information Forms - provides information about each applicant in the project
3. Reviewer Selection Form - an optional form to recommend peer reviewers to CTCRI
   

Download the guide and forms here: Application Forms and Guide

FastTrack proposals only: In addition to completing all application forms, applicants must include letter that describes the timely nature of the project. Consult the Application Guide for detailed instructions.

Putting together a strong application
See Creating a Strong Application for help in preparing a competitive application. Reviewing the following resources will help you to prepare a competitive application:

• Program Announcement for the Strategic Initiative: "Advancing the Science to Reduce Tobacco Abuse and Nicotine Addiction" (130 Kb)
  
• Canadian Tobacco Control Research Summit Report - abridged
• Grant Application Checklist (40 Kb)
• Successful Policy Research grants previously funded by the CTCRI

What is expected of successful applicants
See Grant Recipient Responsibilties for more information and to download End Reporting forms

Use of Abstract and Reporting Information.

All abstracts and reports, including submitted publications, will be posted on the CTCRI website. Please review the CTCRI's Privacy, Intellectual Property and Use of Research Information Statement (20 Kb) for more information and contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

End of Grant Report

Information collected from End of Grant Reports is used to evaluate CTCRI grants programs to better meet the needs of our researchers in the future, to  promote research grant results to the research community, to the public and to our donors, and to evaluate the contributions of our research grants to the achievement of the CTCRI’s mission.

The "End of Grant Report" must be submitted by the Principal Applicant within 6 (six) months of the grant period end date.

Statement of Account

The “Statement of Account” should be submitted by the Host Institution and the Principal Applicant within 6 (six) months of the grant period end date.

Contact
Please consult the current contacts list for all inquires.