Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) - Knowledge Mobilization & Impact Hub

The Transforming Health with Integrated Care (THINC) Knowledge Mobilization & Impact Hub (herein called the THINC Impact Hub or Hub) is a key component of the THINC initiative, which is led by CIHR’s Institute of Health Services and Policy Research in collaboration with multiple institutes, initiatives and partners.

Operating as a single coordinating centre, the THINC Impact Hub will build and support a vibrant pan-Canadian learning community involving all THINC grantees and knowledge user communities towards advancing evidence-informed integrated care transformation and catalyze progress towards achieving the Quadruple Aim and health equity (sometimes referred to as the Quintuple Aim).

The THINC Impact Hub aims to foster initiative wide coordination, learning and collaboration, capacity development, knowledge mobilization (KM), and collective impact (see objectives). The Impact Hub will incorporate six (6) core elements in its design and approach:

1. Learning Community: Build and support a pan-Canadian transformative integrated care learning community involving all THINC grantees and knowledge user communities for shared learning, meaningful collaboration and partnerships, and coordination to advance shared goals and priorities.
2. Meaningful Engagement: Build, maintain, and strengthen pan-Canadian engagement activities with THINC grantees and knowledge user communities to advance transformative, evidence-informed integrated care towards advancing the Quadruple Aim and health equity.
3. Capacity Development: Work collaboratively with THINC grantees and knowledge user communities (e.g., where it is feasible and appropriate to communicate with relevant funded entities with complementary aims and expertise such as the THINC Implementation Science Teams (ISTs), Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research SUPPORT units, integrated care-related Health Research Training Platforms, Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research) to develop human and organizational capacity (e.g., implementation science, rapid learning and improvement, interdisciplinary collaboration, patient-oriented research) across Canada using training and development opportunities and other strategies, in domain areas of critical relevance across the THINC initiative.
4. Knowledge Mobilization and Evidence Support: Complement and amplify the KM activities of THINC grantees by serving as an evidence support system in integrated care that aims to advance the science, application and impact of integrated care research on policy and practice, using innovative KM strategies (e.g., rapid evidence response; policy dialogues; inventories of integrated care innovations; public engagement forums; support for contextualization of evidence to local context), by accumulating, synthesizing, and disseminating timely evidence appropriately tailored to a wide-ranging audience.
5. Collective Impact: Lead the planning and implementation of initiative wide impact measurement and support THINC grantees with project-specific outcome and impact measurements related to achieving any/all of the Quadruple Aim and health equity.
   • Measurement and evaluation of impact including (and not be limited to) use of appropriate impact frameworks (e.g. CHSPRA¹ or CAHS²) , theory of change and complex systems approaches, the anticipated pathways to impact (i.e., what might change, for whom, to what extent, and when, the engagement plan and context in which to deliver impact), a common set of indicators for impact, data collection tools (e.g., data and information systems used to assess impact), means for communicating impact (e.g., final impact report, impact narratives), and a KM strategy to share impact findings.
6. Governance and Operations: Have a clear governance plan encompassing a core leadership team with fair and equitable engagement with THINC grantees, clearly articulated roles and responsibilities, risk mitigation plans, implementation strategies to meet Hub objectives, and innovative governance considerations such as regional ‘nodes’ or other strategies for geographic reach. The governance plan will reflect (a) overall management and oversight of Hub related (e.g., strategic, operational and financial) activities, (b) clearly defined and adequately supported knowledge brokerage across THINC grantees and knowledge user communities, and (c) co-development of planning, implementation, and activities to meet overall Hub objectives.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Foster coordination, shared learning, and collaboration across THINC grantees and knowledge user communities.
• Support capacity development in domains critical to the success and impact of THINC grantees and knowledge user communities.
• Lead initiative-wide KM and evidence support activities to bolster the dissemination, translation and equitable uptake of evidence related to integrated care.
• Amplify and evaluate the collective impact of THINC projects towards achieving Quadruple Aim goals and health equity.

Eligibility

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

1. The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be:
   1. An independent researcher affiliated with Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation). 
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. The NPA must be appointed at an eligible institution (see the CIHR Application Administration Guide – Part 4) by the effective day of funding. 
5. At least one participant must be a Principal Knowledge User (PKU) who will be responsible for co-leading the funded activities with the NPA.
   1. The PKU must also hold an active leadership position as a policy or decision-maker at a health system organization and who is experienced in integrated care and engagement and/or knowledge mobilization activities in partnership with researchers.
6. The Hub team must include each of the following among its NPA, PKU, Principal Applicant (PA), Co-Applicant and Knowledge User roles:
   1. A Scientific Lead experienced in integrated care, implementation science, policy research and/or knowledge mobilization with responsibilities such as overseeing strategic initiatives of the Hub (must be an independent researcher).
   2. A Knowledge Mobilization and Brokering Lead experienced in knowledge mobilization, engagement and collaboration, and evidence support with responsibilities such as fostering initiative-wide knowledge exchange and collaboration, building the learning collaborative, developing meaningful partnerships and collaboration in the THINC community, and supporting evidence-informed policy and practice.
   3. An Impact Lead experienced in impact science, collective impact approaches, and program evaluation with responsibilities such as providing impact and evaluation support to THINC grantees to support progress towards achieving the Quadruple Aims and equity, identifying common indicators for initiative- and project-specific impact measurement, and supporting collective impact approaches for the THINC community.
   4. Community Engagement Champions:
      • 6.d.1. A Systems champion: A health system decision-maker who holds an active leadership position within a health system organization and who is experienced in integrated care and engagement and/or knowledge mobilization activities in partnership with researchers. The primary responsibility is to support and foster the Hub’s connection and engagement with decision makers and health system organizations related to THINC 
      • 6.d.2. A Community champion: A patient/family/caregiver/person/community representative with lived or living experience related to integrated care. The primary responsibility is to support and foster the Hub’s connection and meaningful engagement with people with lived/living experience related to THINC.
      • 6.d.3. A Provider champion: A health care provider with experience delivering integrated care and using research to inform clinical practice. The primary responsibility is to support and foster the Hub’s connection and meaningful engagement with diverse health providers and provider groups related to THINC.
      • 6.d.4. Sex and Gender, Indigenous Health Research and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion champions.
        • 6.d.4.1. Combined, the champions must have experience in (a) Sex and Gender-based analysis or with gender diversity in the community; (b) fostering EDI in research and/or applied settings (e.g., promoting equitable access to research participation or inclusion of typically underrepresented population groups in decision-making – see Additional Information for Wise Practices), and (c) create a Sex and Gender and EDI plan for diversity of team composition.
        • 6.d.4.2. The individual serving as a champion for Indigenous Health Research must self-identify as Indigenous (First nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples in order to:
          • 6.d.4.2.1.1. Prioritize First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples and communities in leading their research agendas;
          • 6.d.4.2.1.2 Promote cultural safety  of and appropriate engagements by researchers working with Indigenous Peoples in meaningful ways to ensure that respectful relations are established;
          • 6.d.4.2.1.3 Add value to the research through the use of Indigenous culturally relevant theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and Indigenous culturally appropriate research protocols, including Indigenous methodologies; and
          • 6.d.4.2.1.4 Promote equity and development of trainees, researchers and knowledge users who are of Indigenous ancestry.
   5. Individuals can hold champion roles within the team in addition to a Lead role in the team.
7. The NPA, PKU and SGBA and EDI Champion(s) must have each successfully completed at least one of the sex and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and have submitted a Certificate of Completion. See How to Apply for more details. For additional information on sex, gender and health research, applicants are encouraged to review the How to integrate sex and gender in research section on the CIHR website. 

How to Apply

• The application process for this funding opportunity is comprised of one step: Full Application. 
• To complete your Full Application, follow the “Specific Instructions” listed below, and where applicable, consult the Team Grants / Emerging Team Grants – ResearchNet “Application” Phase Instructions  . 
• All application participants listed, with the exception of Collaborators, will:
  • Require a CIHR PIN;
  • To complete the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire.