University of Lethbridge Interdisciplinary Research Funding (IRF)

Purpose and Support

Stream 1 of the IRF is designed to assist uLethbridge researchers in forming new research teams. These teams must be Inter-Faculty/School and interdisciplinary, involving members from different academic disciplines. External partners are welcome, including industry, non-profit, and faculty outside of uLethbridge. Funding is intended to facilitate the development of a strong interdisciplinary team with a shared vision for either/both Stream 2 funding and/or extramural grant applications, such as the New Frontiers in Research Fund program. Teams must demonstrate the benefits of bringing disciplines together to explore new ideas with potential for significant impact.

Eligibility and Requirements

To qualify for Stream 1 funding, research teams must consist of at least three researchers (full-time or a tenure track position) from distinct disciplines. At least 1 team member must be from a different Faculty or School and at least 2 of the 3 broad categories of research activity must be represented (health disciplines, social sciences, humanities and fine arts, sciences). This requirement ensures genuine interdisciplinary collaboration and broadens the scope of expertise within the group. 

Eligible research activities may include support to host a writing workshop for team members,  engagement of research student(s), collection or production of preliminary data or information required to demonstrate proof of concept (pilot study to test the idea) and/or compete for extramural funding, honoraria for Elders and community volunteers, and similar expenses related to the development of a new collaborative research program or project.  

A recommendation from the Dean or Associate Dean responsible for Research is essential.

Funding Details

The maximum RTC award is $5,000.00.  and is provided for a period of one year. Applicants must include a comprehensive budget section in their proposal, outlining both RTC and Faculty/School support.

Purpose and Support

Stream 2 provides funding to uLethbridge researchers who are leading interdisciplinary research teams in the preparation and submission of significant external collaborative grants. This stream is specifically designed to support team leaders and members in the ideation and creation of grant proposals for major external funding competitions, such as NFRF-Transformation, NSERC Alliance, CFI Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe, and Discovery Horizon. Success in Stream 1 funding is not a pre-requisite for Stream 2 applications. Adding external partners in the research team is encouraged, including industry, non-profit, and faculty outside of uLethbridge.

Eligibility and Requirements

To be eligible for Stream 2 funding, research teams must consist of at least three uLethbridge researchers (full-time or a tenure track position) from distinct academic disciplines. Applications where team members have a record of prior collaboration will be viewed favourably. In most cases, inclusion of external partners, whether academic, community, and/or industry, is an asset for interdisciplinary/transformative grant development.

Funding Details

The maximum award available through Stream 2 is $12,500.00, which includes $10,000.00 from OVPR and $2,500.00 contributed by the Faculty(ies)/School(s) involved*. The funding is provided for a period of no more than 18 months. Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive budget section in their proposal that details both RTC and Faculty/School contributions.

*If the research team consists of members from multiple faculties, the faculties should agree to each contribute to the matching funds so that they provide a minimum of $2,500 total towards the proposal.  

Submit your application through InfoEd as an Research Proposal Form- Internal Award. In InfoEd, complete the RPF, and attach the following documents. 

For the attachment, use font size of 12 point, black type. Maximum of six lines per inch. No condensed/narrow fonts, type, or spacing. Insert a margin of 2 cm (3/4 inch) minimum around the page.

1. Application Package (same as the link at the top of the page, 8 pages maximum). 

   The application page includes:

   1. Names, position, and department of each team member

   2. Additional trainees (and their supervisors’ names)

   3. Proposal Title

   4. Proposal Abstract 

      1. Provide a succinct project description written so that a non-expert in the field of study can understand the proposed research, the scope and objectives of the project. Also outline the potential significance of the study to the University, discipline, researcher, students, and/or society at large. 

   5. Key words

      1. At the end of your Abstract, provide a list of up to 10 key words which describe your research project. These words can include: themes; areas of research or creative activity; objectives; methods/approaches; study populations/experimental systems; and outcomes, among others. The Key Words will assist the Multidisciplinary Review Committee in gauging their level of expertise in reviewing your proposal.

   6. Budget chart (budget items and justification)

      The justification should: 

      1. Explain how the costs were established for each item in the budget

      2. Describe and justify how the funds will be used to recruit the members of the interdisciplinary team

      3. Contribute to the direct costs to recruit members for the interdisciplinary team and to develop research project

      4. Show economical use of the funds

2. Research Proposal (Stream 1: three page maximum/ Stream 2: five page maximum):

   1. The proposal should explain why an interdisciplinary approach is required, or how this approach adds value to the research problem;

   2. The scope and scale of the project;

   3. The impact of the research;

   4. The linkages with the Lethbridge research and creative activities plan;

   5. Clear connection between the expertise of the team and the needs of the project.

   6. Stream 2 only: The funding organization that will be targeted for future funding, including the type, funding opportunity and date of the targeted competition.

3. Research team biography (2 page maximum):

   1. Provide an overview of the research team's knowledge, background, and expertise, linking it to the proposal. This component can also be used to explain each member's contributions. If there is a history of previous collaboration that is relevant, that experience should be highlighted here as well. 

4. The letter of recommendation from the Dean of the faculties/Schools involved, which must confirm the faculties’ support for:

   1. the proposal (Stream 1 and Stream 2)

   2.  an amount at least equal to the amount being requested of the Stream 2. If there are multiple faculties involved, they may split the amount. 

   3. the researchers who create the team to develop a large-scale project (Stream 2)

InfoEd final Research Proposal Form submission steps: 

1. On the "Attachments" tab of the research proposal form, after you select "Complete", you can click "Submit" to submit your application. 

2. You MUST CONFIRM THAT YOUR APPLICATION STATUS IS "RPF Review" and NOT left in "Initiated". See image below for an example of two different records (click "Locate My Records" in the blue menu to see the status. 

Image

• A research team, consisting of a minimum of three uLethbridge members may submit one application to either stream. All University of Lethbridge members, as defined in the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association Collective Agreement, who hold continuing appointments with research duties as part of their appointment may be eligible to apply. Other University of Lethbridge members may be eligible to apply, pending approval by the Dean in consultation with the Department Chair where Departments exist. The team composition should be intentional, so that each member brings a distinct, unique expertise to the project that is not redundant. 

• The proposal must clearly describe interdisciplinary research, and the team must be “Interdisciplinary.” This can be interpreted as integrating knowledge from the three different academic disciplines;  (1) health disciplines, (2) social sciences, humanities and fine arts, (3) sciences. Research teams and proposals should address how they can solve complex problems which could not be solved by a single field, and the proposal should clearly demonstrate how the proposed partnership integrates knowledge, methods, and/or perspectives from two or more distinct fields. Teams may go beyond interdisciplinary to suggest transdisciplinary research as well. 

Examples:

• Travel/teleconferencing fees: Travel costs must include the purpose of the travel for each destination, mode of travel, cost of meals and lodging, and the number of days of the travel. It should be clear how this travel will contribute to building interdisciplinary relationships. 

• Workshops: Details like location, number of attendees, what will be provided at the workshop (meals, rental costs, etc.) should be clearly explained.

• Knowledge Mobilization and Dissemination: The funds may be used for knowledge dissemination. Please note limits for the following traditional activities:

  • Publication Fee Support: A maximum of $1000 may go towards a publication. The publication must be in fully open access:

    • the content of the entire journal is freely available online immediately upon publication;

    • the publisher's license should have minimal restrictions on redistribution or reuse of the article so that it can be read, downloaded, copied, or distributed by anyone with an internet connection; and

    • the journal must be listed in the Directory of Open Access Journals.

    • If you are unsure whether your journal is fully open access, consult the Directory of Open Access Journals.

  • Conference attendance/travel: A maximum of $1500 may go towards conference participation for the purpose of presenting at a conference  

• Honoraria for Elders and community volunteers: Where relevant, plan for appropriate cultural inclusion with honoraria. 

• Research Assistants: Research assistant costs must include each employee’s title and type of work to be performed, the estimated number of hours/months to be worked, and the rate of pay per hour/month plus benefits.

• Contract Personnel: Costs associated with hiring external experts (i.e. designers, editors, technicians, etc.) are eligible, but must include cost breakdown such as hourly rate and anticipated scope of contract.

• Materials and Supplies: Requests for materials and supplies must clearly indicate their purpose in the proposed activities.

• Equipment: A descriptive statement of each item of equipment must be included in the justification of the budget. Applicants are reminded that all equipment purchased with research grants remains the property of the UofL in accordance with university policy. Applications for computer equipment will need to provide a particularly strong justification, establishing the specific need of the item for the proposed research.

• Matching funds (GPPD only): A portion may be used to leverage external grants if the application is directly related to the proposed project in Stream 2. 

• The budget and budget justification should clearly indicate how each request/item is necessary for the success of the proposal. The Review committee may recommend an adjusted funding amount based on the justification. 

Funding is provided on the following conditions: 

• Use of Funds: Expenditures may be made only for those cost elements identified in the application or as limited in the Request for New Fund Form. Special conditions may include human participant research or animal welfare approval, expenditure limitations, etc. Minor transfers of funds from one budget category to another are permitted. Major transfers (greater than 10% of the total grant award) or the use of funds for a previously unspecified expenditure requires prior approval by the Office of Vice-President (Research). Personnel employed with grant funds are not regular University employees and are not covered by the provisions of the collective agreement with support staff.

• Term: The term of an award is twelve (12) months or less for Stream 1, and eighteen (18) months or less for Steam 2 from the start date of the award. Requests for extensions to spend the residual funds should be submitted to ORIS thirty (30) days prior to the end date. Any funds remaining at the end of the term of the grant will be returned to the source.

• Reports: A final report on the work funded by the IRF must be submitted within six months of the termination date. Subsequent applications can be considered only after receipt of satisfactory final reports and/or progress reports for previous or existing grants.

• Equipment & Library Acquisitions: Equipment or library materials acquired with grant funds remain as property of the UofL in accordance with university policy.

• Stream 2 Matching Contribution: Since research team will likely consist of members from multiple Faculties/Schools, each Faculty/School should agree to each contribute to the matching funds to achieve the minimum of $2,500 towards the proposal.   

• Irrespective of the project/steam, and in recognition of limited resources and the need to support many competing priorities, co-applicants can only be listed on 1 active Stream 1 and 1 active Stream 2 grant at any given time.

• Faculty can be named on an Interdisciplinary Research Fund application and hold the award while also holding other internal funds (ex., University of Lethbridge Research Fund, SSHRC Explore/Exchange). 

• Stream 2 Re-submission Requirement: The research team must demonstrate completion of or submit their application for external grant funding as outlined in the application before resubmission to Stream 2 may be considered. 

The purpose of this fund is to support interdisciplinary research, so the applications will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary committee. As such, it is important to write the proposal to a general audience. This includes limiting jargon and using accessible language.

The review committee will use the following criteria to assess your application:

1. Interdisciplinarity: pass/fail. If the majority of the review committee agrees the application does not capture “interdisciplinary Research,” the application may be removed from the competition. 

2. Research team (20%):

   1. Clear value added by each member/area of expertise 

   2. GPPD only: Evidence of success rate of creating the team

3. Research proposal(40%):

   1. Originality and innovation

   2. Clarity and scope of objectives

   3. Linkage with the Lethbridge research and creative activities plan

   4. Importance of the expected outcome of the research

   5. Feasibility of the proposal

   6. Quality of the presentation, clear, concise, legible and complete

   7. Stream 2 only: Does the proposal clearly relate to the external grant named in the application, and will it strengthen the future application? 

4. Record of research achievement, including (20%):

   1. Quality and significance of past contributions

   2. Level of research activity relative to the stage of the applicant's career

5. Need for funds, including, without limitation, the following factors (20%):

   1. Justification of the budget relative to the strategy to recruit team members

   2. Need for RTC funds and justification of the request relative to other currently-held and/or available funding. Other currently-held funds must be clearly indicated in the applicant's C.V.

   3. Plan to apply for external, peer-reviewed funding

   4. Plan for accessing large-scale peer-reviewed external funding; specifically target granting councils, industry, foundations, government etc.)

      1. Explain how the application aligns with the evaluation criteria and guidelines of the external funding organizations 

The applications will be funded based on the ranking and the budget allotment for that funding year. It is expected that the number of fundable applications will exceed the amount of available funds for each competition.