Training Grant: Health Research Training Platform (2024/2025)

Eligibility

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met:

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA), who will act as the platform leader, must be one of the following:
   • an independent researcher or a knowledge user affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institute and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation;
     • If the Nominated Principal Applicant is a knowledge user, there must be at least one Principal Applicant who is an independent researcher.
     OR
   • an individual affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
     OR
   • an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
2. The NPA must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
3. The Institution Paid must be authorized to administer CIHR funds before the funding can be released (see Administration of Funds).
4. In addition to the NPA, at least two other members must be identified as Principal Applicants (PAs).
5. Collectively, the NPA and PAs must:
   • Be affiliated with at least three different institutions or organizations at the time of application (at least one of which must not be a member of the U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities);
     • Non-U15 institution(s) associated with the NPA and PAs must be a Canadian institution.
   • Be based within a minimum of three provinces and/or territories;
   • Include at least one Early Career Researcher (ECR).
6. For an application to be eligible, the proposed training platform must:
   • Identify at least eight mentors representing different institutions, disciplines, jurisdictions, sectors, and career stages.
     • These mentors can include the NPA or PAs.
     • All other mentors must be listed as Co-Applicants.
     • The composition of the mentors must include:
       • At least two ECRs.
       • At least two Knowledge Users, which may include persons with lived or living experience (PWLE).
     • Note: Only 8-14 mentors must be identified for an application to be eligible and are required to submit CVs and letters of support (see How to Apply).
   • The applicant team (NPA, PAs, and Co-Applicants) must be interdisciplinary and intersectoral.
   • The applicant team (NPA, PAs and all mentors required to meet eligibility criteria) must have successfully completed one of the sex- and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and submit a Certificate of Completion. Applicants are encouraged to review the page "How to integrate sex and gender in research" on the CIHR website. See How to Apply for more details.
   • Identify one member who serves the function of an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Champion with expertise in sound EDI practices and principles. See Additional Information section for wise practices on including an EDI Champion and defining their potential roles in the platform.
     • The EDI Champion can be a mentor.
     • The EDI Champion must be listed as a Co-Applicant if not already listed as the NPA or a PA.
   • Identify a Platform Advisory Committee (PAC) that will help guide and monitor the progress of the platform and future directions, which:
     • Cannot include the NPA and PAs (as advisors).
     • Must include representation from both trainees and ECRs.
     • Must include representation from knowledge users, which may include persons with lived or living experience.
     • Must include representation from multiple sectors.
     • Must include the EDI Champion.
     • Must include representation from the institution administration of the NPA or PAs.

Note: Applications for this grant may include international Co-Applicants or Collaborators if the NPA and PAs already meet the minimum eligibility requirements listed in points 1-5. International Co-Applicants or Collaborators are not required to be affiliated with a Canadian institution. All other requirements must be met by the applicant team as a whole.

In addition to meeting the requirements above (1-6), pool–specific eligibility criteria may also apply:

1. For the One Health – Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health – Emerging Zoonoses pools, in addition to the eligibility criteria listed in #1-6 above, applications must also meet the following eligibility criteria:
   • Within the 8-14 mentors identified for eligibility and submitting CVs and letters of support in the application (see How to Apply), mentors involved in the proposed training platform must include:
     • Representation across the disciplines of human health, animal health, and environmental systems.
     • At least 1 individual who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, or Métis) or demonstrates a track record of meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples. See How to Apply section for more details.
     • At least 1 non-academic researcher in public health response.
   • Note: An individual may satisfy multiple criteria as long as the team collectively meets all criteria.
2. For the Health System Impact Training Platform pool, in addition to the eligibility criteria listed in #1-6 above, applications must also meet the following eligibility criteria:
   • Collectively, have the NPA and at least two PAs who are: an alumni fellow, an academic supervisor, and a health system supervisor who are or were directly involved in the Health System Impact Program.
   • Have among its mentor team individuals who are or were directly involved in the Health System Impact Program. See How to Apply section for more details.

Summary

The Health Research Training Platform (2024/2025) funding opportunity is intended to support the development of interdisciplinary, inter-jurisdictional, and intersectoral research training platforms that will attract a diverse cadre of trainees and early career researchers (ECRs), and equip them with the foundational skills and knowledge required for a wide range of careers within and outside of academia. These integrated research training and mentoring platforms are focused on building capacity in established or emerging areas within the scope of the research training areas identified in the funding pools outlined below.

Funded platforms will:

• support comprehensive research training by engaging mentors from across a variety of disciplines, sectors, and jurisdictions;
• promote a greater understanding of emerging research and knowledge mobilization approaches;
• increase training and professional development in support of sustainable career trajectories within and outside of academia; and
• demonstrate best practices in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Rights within all aspects of the platform team and environment.

These training platforms are expected to provide training and mentoring opportunities that go above and beyond standard research training programs trainees typically experience.

These platforms are expected to operate as a comprehensive, openly available and non-duplicative resource for training, career development and mentoring that will offer services, supports and/or opportunities to all platform participants (e.g., trainees and ECRs) in their respective training platform research areas. As such, platforms are expected to offer research skills and professional development services, including but not limited to: developing resources or tools that will enable enhanced training (e.g., accessible training modules, patient engagement frameworks, learning material, protocols, best practices, workshops, guidelines); enabling access to training resources by hosting (or otherwise providing access to) training opportunities and events; and/or facilitating experiential learning opportunities by connecting trainees and ECRs with mentors across a broad range of disciplines, sectors, experiences, and perspectives.