Arthritis Society Ignite Innovation Grants

NEW! - Arthritis Society Canada and the Canadian Dupuytren Society are announcing a new research funding opportunity under the 2023 Ignite Innovation Grant program. Like arthritis, Dupuytren Disease is a common and debilitating condition that can occur in people of any age and sex and for which there is currently no cure. Dupuytren Disease is a heritable condition that affects connective tissues (fascia, skin, and nerves) of the hands, can result in palm and finger contractures and, similar to arthritis, causes debilitating and permanent loss of hand function. Individuals living with Dupuytren Disease report increased anxiety, mood and mental health disorders, and devastating challenges in maintaining their chosen professions, just like those with arthritis. Studies that could impact people that experience the symptoms of Dupuytren’s Disease are eligible to apply for top up funding (max $10,000). More details on this funding can be found here.

This program supports different types of projects including, but not limited to, the following:

• Pilot or feasibility studies;
• Secondary analysis of existing data;
• Small, self-contained research projects;
• Development of research methodology; and
• Development of new research technology.

The Ignite Innovation grant program provides funding to support research proposals aligned with Arthritis Society Canada's priority focus areas. Arthritis Society Canada’s Strategic Plan 2020-2025: Accelerating Impact - Research Strategy aims to identify research avenues that focus on areas of highest priority to patients and achieve the highest levels of scientific excellence and rigour.  Applications must focus on innovative research efforts in the following priority areas.

• Arthritis pain research in:

  • Improving our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pain

  • Translating basic science discoveries into practice

  • Improving techniques to measure pain

  • Developing new and more personalized treatment approaches

  • Alternative approaches to pain management including research on medical cannabis from basic science, clinical, health services and policy perspectives

  • Improving self-management tools and technology enablers to help manage and communicate about pain

• Osteoarthritis (OA) research in:

  • Improving our understanding of what cause different forms of OA, including the underlying biological mechanisms and how the disease progresses

  • Understand sex and gender differences in patients with OA

  • Developing new and more personalized treatment approaches

  • Developing more effective self-management tools

  • Improving health services and systems

  • Reducing health disparities in vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations

• Inflammatory arthritis (IA) research in:

  • Improving our understanding of what causes different forms of IA, including the underlaying biological mechanisms and how the disease progresses

  • Developing new and more personalized treatment approaches

  • Improving strategies to manage symptoms

  • Developing more effective methods to support patient-physician communications

  • Improving health services and systems

  • Reducing health disparities in vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations

• Childhood arthritis research in:

  • Improving our understanding of what causes childhood arthritis, how to detect it earlier, and diagnose it most effectively

  • Developing new and more personalized therapies that are safe and effective

  • Innovations to improve transitions in care as children navigate from pediatric to adult healthcare settings and improve unique quality of life issues through other life changes (e.g., education, employment)

• Work-related research in:

  • Providing a strong evidence base to inform arthritis-related workplace policies and accommodations

  • Ensuring that employees and employers have effective tools and resources to communicate how to manage arthritis in the workplace

  • The prevention of arthritis-related workplace disability and the most effective accommodations

Eligibility

To be considered eligible for this grant:

• Applications must be submitted by an eligible Principal Investigator (PI) at an eligible Canadian Host institution as defined by Arthritis Society Canada. The full description of eligibility, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the PI and HI in the management of Arthritis Society Canada’s research and training funds are defined on the Arthritis Society Canada website.

Full Application

Applications must be submitted through the Arthritis Society Canada’s online research grants portal and include the following components:

• Scientific Abstract (Max. 500 words)

• Keywords

• Project description (Max. 2,000 words), including:

  • A detailed scientific proposal clearly stating the aims of the project including a thorough review of the literature to prove novelty and/or any related work done in the area, experimental design, methods and analysis.

  • Preliminary data may be included but is not a requirement. Investigators must provide a compelling rationale for the hypothesis and clearly address feasibility.

  • Details of the investigator(s) including which member(s) of the research team will be responsible for which aspect of the project and a rationale for their inclusion in the project are required, as well as a description of the research environment where the work will take place.

• References 

• Innovation statement (Max. 400 words) explicitly describing how the project is transformational and innovative

• Vision statement (Max. 250 words) explicitly describing how the proposed work could move the field forward and accelerate progress in arthritis research

• Relevance of the proposal to Arthritis Society Canada's Research Strategy priority areas (Max. 250 words)

• Project team description (Max. 400 words)

• Description of any partnerships with industry, policy makers, consumers, health care providers and others that advance and accelerate the application of the research (Max. 250 words)

• Lay summary sections (Max. 100 words each)

• Knowledge translation plan sections (Max. 250 words each)

• Proposed budget and budget justification (Max. 1500 words). Requests for funds to support work relating to Canadian Dupuytren Society top-up funding must be itemized separately. 

Required attachments

• Signature page (signed by the PI, Department Head/Dean and Host Institution(s))

• PI, Co-PI and co-applicant CVs (Canadian Common CV – CIHR Biosketch version - CIHR issued PIN required)

• Timelines and Milestones (1 page, PDF upload)

• Letter(s) of support from collaborators, partners and consumers, as needed

• If the success of the research proposed depends on a critical agent/material from a third party, a letter of collaboration must be included

Optional attachments

• Appendices (Max. 5MB per document)