Francais

Idea Grants are designed to encourage unique or original research that has the potential to advance knowledge in tobacco control. Grants will allow investigators with innovative ideas and observations to conduct pilot studies, to perform secondary analysis of data sets or to gather new evidence necessary to determine the viability of research directions or hypotheses.

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

Partners
Funding for the Idea 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

Program objectives
Objectives of the Strategic Initiative:

• To create innovative opportunities for the testing of research methods or hypotheses which have the potential to have an impact on the study of tobacco abuse and nicotine addiction interventions.
• To foster the development of excellent, well-grounded research proposals.

Specific objectives of the Idea grant program:

• To develop preliminary field-testing of methods or hypotheses.
• To develop a foundation or exploratory work for strong rationales for research questions, experiments or methods.
• To promote research which falls outside of conventional research paradigms and may be considered "risky".

Suggested research areas and methodologies
Innovative projects are a priority for the Idea Grant program. Preference will be given to proposals that address research priorities identified by the Canadian Tobacco Control Research Summit.
Research employing new or unconventional methodologies is encouraged. 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 $50,000. Work is expected to be completed in one year's time.

Between four and six applications may be supported in each competition 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 involves pilot testing of research methods, tools, or hypotheses by a research team in order to strengthen proposals prepared for submission to traditional funding sources.
• Proposal articulates preliminary plans for development of a full research proposal. OR Research proposal constitutes a novel idea which falls outside the normal scope of traditional research, either in topic or methodology.
• Proposal demonstrates that adequate funding is not available from other sources for this purpose.

How applications are evaluated
All proposals are first reviewed for General Eligibility Criteria and Program Specific Eligibility Criteria before being accepted for Scientific Peer 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.
• The team members represent a mix of disciplines appropriate to the research topic and have clearly defined roles in the execution of the project.
• The team is inter-sectoral, i.e., includes both researchers and research end-users such as practitioners, program deliverers, policy decision makers, etc.
• Quality training opportunities are offered to young investigators or to experienced investigators new to the field of tobacco abuse/nicotine addiction/tobacco control.

Originality and Importance:

• The proposal presents novel, innovative questions or methods and challenges existing research paradigms.
• The proposal demonstrates sound theoretical or empirical rationale and relevance to priorities identified by the CTCRI.
• The proposed work is likely to lead to further research, which will have a positive impact on knowledge, practice and/or further research.
• The team is likely to develop further research as a result of the Idea Grant that will be competitive in regular granting streams OR otherwise indicates a commitment to carry the results of the proposed research forward to identified target audiences.

Methodology:

• Quality: Proposed methods are well grounded and are likely to lead to reliable outcomes that will support the development of sound research.
• Synergy: Proposed methods are appropriate to the research question(s)/problem(s).
• Feasibility: Proposed methods are realistically achievable; potential difficulties have been identified and contingencies offered.

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. Information on eligible expenses and financial administration of award is described in detail in the Application guide.

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

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 Idea grant proposals 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.  The “Statement of Account” must 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.