Project Grant: Registration Instructions

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General Registration Process

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To complete your Project Grant ResearchNet registration you need:

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Important Notes

Task 1: Identify Participants

This task collects information on all participants involved in your grant application. Consult the Project Grant Funding Opportunity for more information.

Notes:

  • The Nominated Principal Applicant must remain the same between registration and application. Other participants can be added, removed, or change roles between registration and application.
  • CVs are not required at this stage.

Subtask: Participant Information

Task 2: Enter Proposal Information

Subtask: Overview

This task collects information related to your research project.

Project Title: Provide a title for your research project. The title you submit at registration is automatically transferred over to the application stage. You can change the title at the Application stage.

Lay Title: Provide a title for your project that is in a language clear to members of the general public. Lay titles are used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds. You can change the lay title at the Application stage.

Lay Abstract: Using language accessible to a lay audience, please describe the proposed research, indicating how it will improve individuals’ health, the health of populations and/or the health delivery system. The character limit for the task is 2,000 characters. This information is used by CIHR to inform the public and Parliament about the valuable research supported through public funds. You can change the lay abstract at the Application stage.

Institution Paid: The Institution that will administer the funds for your project. Consult the Institutional Eligibility Requirements for more information.

Subtask: Details

  • Does your application include a partner and/or a knowledge user?

    This question pertains to Partnered/Integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) Projects. Please note that the inclusion of a knowledge user on the application does not automatically make it an iKT-focused application. If yours is not an iKT proposal, then answer “No” to the above question.

    Answer "yes" if your application consists of a knowledge translation or commercialization project and includes a partner and/or a knowledge user. If you answer "yes" to this question, please also indicate which of the following are included in your application:

    • A partner AND a knowledge user; OR
    • A partner only; OR
    • A knowledge user only.

    At this stage, you MUST identify at least one Principal Applicant who is a knowledge user IF your project includes a "partner AND knowledge user" or "a knowledge user only." Contributing partner(s), if any, must be identified at the Application stage only. Refer to Task 1 in ResearchNet for instructions on how to identify participants, including knowledge users.

    Applications that are identified as iKT projects may be assessed by both researcher and knowledge-user reviewers.

  • What is the primary location where research will be conducted?

    Indicate the primary location where the proposed research will be conducted.

  • Is this a resubmission of an unsuccessful application to the same Funding Opportunity?

    Only answer “yes” if this application is a resubmission of a previously unsuccessful Project Grant application. For additional information, please consult the Resubmissions webpage.

  • Certification Requirements

    If you are awarded a grant, you must meet the necessary certification requirements in accordance with policies on the ethical conduct of research:

    Indicate if your proposed research involves the use of:

    • Human Stem Cells
    • Human Subjects
    • Animals
    • Biohazards, and if so, what level of containment is required.

    Please note that any project recommended for funding involving the use of human pluripotent stem cells must be reviewed by the Stem Cell Oversight Committee (SCOC) prior to Research Ethics Board Review.

  • CIHR must review proposed projects against the requirements of the Impact Assessment Act (IAA). To this end please indicate whether any phase of the proposed research will take place on "federal lands" as defined under IAA, which includes land owned by the Government of Canada, including reserves created under the Indian Act or outside of Canada?

    Answer “yes” if any phase of the proposed research will take place on “federal lands” as defined under the IAA.

  • Does this application contain a clinical trial?

    Indicate if this application includes a clinical trial.

    Note: CIHR is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Joint Statement on Public Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials (“WHO Joint Statement”) requiring all clinical trials to be registered and the results disclosed publicly in a timely manner.

    For more information regarding clinical trials, please consult the CIHR Policy Guide – Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials.

  • Does this application contain a randomized controlled trial?

    Indicate if this application includes a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

    Please note that applications including an RCT have special requirements. For more information, please refer to the Project Grant Funding Opportunity and RCT evaluation criteria and headings webpages.

    While not all RCTs are clinical trials, if an RCT is also a clinical trial indicate “yes” to the question “Does this application contain a clinical trial?” in the Details subtask of the Enter Proposal Information section on ResearchNet.

  • In order to carry out the proposed research in this application, is an exemption from Health Canada under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act required?

    Indicate if your proposed research requires an exemption from Health Canada under Section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA). Consult the Health Canada website for details regarding obtaining an exemption under Section 56 of the CDSA.

  • Does this application propose research involving Indigenous Peoples?

    Indicate if your application proposes research involving Indigenous Peoples.

  • Does your proposal address the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) 2 Chapter 9 on Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada and Indigenous partnering community/organizational ethical guidelines?

    If yes, please explain your engagement with the community in relation to the research proposal, so the reviewers can assess the level of engagement as required by the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2) – Chapter 9 on Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada and Indigenous partnering community/organization ethical guidelines (limit of 2,000 characters).

    Applications with a central focus on carrying out meaningful and culturally safe research involving Indigenous Peoples, with the intent to promote health through research that is in keeping with Indigenous values and traditions, may be reviewed by the Indigenous Health Research (IHR) Committee. The IHR Committee may deem an application eligible for the Iterative Peer Review Process. See the Peer Review Manual – Project for additional information on the iterative review process.

    For an application to be considered for review by the IHR committee and for the IHR peer review members to assess the level of engagement as required by TCPS 2 - Chapter 9, you must complete the following steps:

    1. Answer ‘yes’ to the question regarding the TCPS 2 – Chapter 9;
    2. Provide a detailed justification in the text field to indicate how the project addresses the principles of the TCPS 2 – Chapter 9 (limit of 2000 characters); and,
    3. Select the Indigenous Health Research (IHR) Committee as the first suggested committee in Task 5.

    Please note that, at the time of application submission, your research proposal must also explicitly describe how you will engage with the Indigenous community in relation to the research. The IHR committee will take specific considerations into account when evaluating applications submitted to the committee. Please see Application instructions and Peer review manual - Project for more details. Applications that do not fit with the IHR committee mandate will be reviewed by another committee.

  • Is sex as a biological variable taken into account in the research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and/or dissemination of findings?

    Indicate if you have taken sex as a biological variable into account in your research proposal. Please consult these resources on how to integrate sex as a biological variable.

  • Is gender as a socio-cultural factor taken into account in the research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and/or dissemination of findings?

    Indicate if you have taken gender as a socio-cultural factor into account in your research proposal. Please consult these resources on how to integrate gender as a socio-cultural factor.

    If yes, please describe how sex and/or gender considerations will be integrated into your research proposal (limit of 2,000 characters).

    If no, please explain why sex and/or gender are not applicable to your research proposal (limit of 2,000 characters).

    Accounting for sex and gender has the potential to make health research more rigorous, reproducible and applicable to everyone. CIHR expects that all applicants will integrate sex and gender into their research design, methods, analysis and interpretation and/or dissemination of findings, when appropriate. Please consult the CIHR webpage on Sex and Gender in Health Research for more guidance and resources.

    Reviewers will be explicitly assessing whether the integration of sex (as a biological variable) and/or gender (as a socio-cultural factor) in the research proposal is a strength, a weakness or not applicable to the proposal. Reviewers will factor the assessment of sex and/or gender into the written evaluation and overall score and be asked to provide recommendations to the applicants on how they might improve the strength of their applications with respect to the integration of sex and/or gender. As such, in addition to the answers you provide for the sex- and/or gender-specific questions as noted above, you are asked to include details about how you have integrated sex as a biological variable and/or gender as a socio-cultural factor in your research design, methods, analysis and interpretation, and/or dissemination of findings within your research proposal, if applicable.

    Should sex and/or gender considerations be applicable to the research you are proposing, you need to integrate them into your research proposal and not mention them solely in the sex and/or gender textbox.

Subtask: Descriptors

When completing the elements below, think about the types of expertise needed to review your application and please select the most appropriate terms.

  • Descriptors: Please provide keywords that describe your research project and are not captured in the other categories below. These keywords should provide CIHR with the information necessary for assigning reviewers with the appropriate expertise to your application.
  • Themes: Select a primary theme classification. You may choose up to four theme classifications if the topic of your grant application significantly overlaps more than one theme. Consult the definition of the four CIHR Themes for more information.
  • Suggested Institutes: Select a primary CIHR Institute whose research mandate is related to your application's research area(s) and objective(s). Additional Institutes should only be selected if the topic of your grant application significantly overlaps with the research mandate of more than one Institute.
  • Areas of Science: Select a primary area of science from the drop-down menu that reflects the research area and objectives in your grant application. Two additional areas may be selected if the topic of your application significantly overlaps with more than one area of science. If you select more than one area of science, please rank in order of relevance to your application. If the additional area(s) of science of your application is (are) not listed, please select 'Other' and indicate the area(s) of science. Consult the Areas of Science reference document for a complete searchable list.
  • Methods/Approaches: Select a primary method/approach from the drop-down menu that you will use in the work being proposed. You may select two additional methods/approaches if your grant application will use multiple methods/approaches. If you select more than one method/approach, please rank them in order of relevance to your application. If the additional method(s)/approach(es) you will be using is (are) not listed, please select 'Other' and indicate the method(s)/approach(es). Consult the Methods/Approaches reference document for a complete searchable list.
  • Study Populations/ Experimental Systems: Select a primary study population or experimental system from the drop-down menu that reflects the target study population or experimental system in your grant application. You may select two additional study populations or experimental systems if applicable to your application. If you select more than one study population or experimental system, please rank them in order of relevance to your application. If the additional study population(s) or experimental system(s) you will be using is (are) not listed, please select 'Other' and indicate the study population(s) or experimental system(s). Consult the Study Populations/Experimental Systems reference document for a complete searchable list.

Task 3: Complete Summary

Summarize your research proposal. The research summary is used to determine which peer review committee will review your application and to match it to the most appropriate expert reviewers. As such, you should use scientific or technical terms when writing your summary, making sure to include sufficient information in the following sections:

  • Background and Importance: Provide a brief overview of relevant background information and/or rationale for your proposed research.
  • Goal(s) / Research Aims: Indicate the broad goal(s) and specific research aims of your proposed research and provide a clear explanation of how they fit the objectives of the funding opportunity.
  • Methods / Approaches / Expertise: Provide a brief overview of the methodology and population that will be used to address each of your research aims. This section may also include the nature of the core expertise being brought together to address the proposed research. Information may include important collaborations, within or outside of the research community, that will help you to achieve the outlined research goals.
  • Expected Outcomes: Describe the expected outcomes of the proposed research highlighting its significance and how it will advance knowledge and/or its application to health care, health systems and/or health outcomes.

Note: Your completed summary cannot exceed 3,500 characters (including spaces) or approximately one page. The exact number of characters may vary slightly depending on the type of browser that you are using.

If you do not complete your research summary as outlined in these instructions, your registration will be withdrawn.

Task 4: Enter Budget Information

This task collects information on the estimated budget for your Project grant.

Total CIHR Requested Amount: Indicate the total amount requested from CIHR for your research project for the entire duration of the grant. You need to provide an estimate of what would be required to support your research project, but no justification is required at this stage. You may change your budget request at the Application stage.

Task 5: Complete Peer Review Administration Information

This task collects information used for the purpose of peer review administration.

Suggested Reviewers for this Application (optional)

You are encouraged to provide the names of at least 5 Canadian and/or international reviewers that you believe have the expertise to review your application. CIHR may use this information during the peer review committee recruitment process. CIHR reserves the right to make the final selection of reviewers. You should not suggest reviewers who are in a conflict of interest. Consult the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Agreement for Peer Reviewers and Peer Review Observers for more information.

Reviewers to exclude for this Application (optional)

You may provide the names of individuals who you believe cannot provide an objective written assessment of your application and add comments specifying why they should be excluded from reviewing it. CIHR reserves the right to make the final selection of reviewers.

Suggested Committees

Suggest up to two peer review committees (i.e., primary and secondary) that you feel could review your application and include a mandatory justification for each, using a maximum of 750 characters. Your justification(s) will appear as part of the "Preview" task in your ResearchNet registration, allowing you to make modifications prior to submitting your registration.

Suggested committees must remain the same between registration and application. If your application overlaps with more than one area of science, please select the peer review committees that best reflect the research area and objectives of your application. CIHR will consult with committee Chairs and Scientific Officers in assigning applications to specific committees and will make the final decision on which peer review committee will review each application based on the summary of proposed research received during the registration stage. The final committee selected may not necessarily be your first or second choice. You will be informed of which peer review committee reviewed your application when you receive your Notices of Recommendation and Decision.

Notes

  • Specific considerations will be taken into account in the review of all applications containing an RCT.
    • Applications including a randomized controlled trial (RCT) as a major component (irrespective of whether or not you self-declared the application as containing an RCT) have specific requirements:
      • If the budget requested is less than $250,000 in every project year, you may suggest either the most relevant discipline-based peer review committee or the RCT peer review committee.
      • If the overall budget requested is greater than or equal to $250,000 in any project year, you must select the RC1 peer review committee.
      • Regardless of the suggested Peer Review Committee, all applications containing an RCT as a major component must be structured according to the RCT headings provided. Using the RCT headings can help you better organize the information required and facilitate the RCT review.
    • Failure to comply with these requirements can negatively impact the evaluation of the application.
  • Specific considerations will be taken into account in the review of applications in the Indigenous Health Research committee.
  • Specific considerations will be taken into account in the review of applications in the Commercialization committee.
  • Specific considerations will be taken into account in the review of applications in the Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review (TAIPR) committee. Applications reviewed in this committee will undergo a unique peer review process, and be evaluated against specific evaluation criteria (please see Section 5. Description of Evaluation Criteria of peer review guide) within the context of the Project Grant Adjudication Criteria and Interpretation Guidelines. For additional details, please consult the Committee Peer Review Guide. Should you wish for your application to be considered for review by the TAIPR committee (please see mandate under code TIR), you must indicate the TAIPR committee as your first suggested committee at registration. Applications will not be placed into the TAIPR committee by CIHR unless the TAIPR committee is the first committee suggested by the applicant. In addition, justification for the committee choice must clearly address how the proposal integrates the interdisciplinary approaches to achieve the project goals. In ResearchNet, this committee selection appears as “Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary” (TIR).

In all cases, CIHR will decide on the most appropriate peer review committee.

Task 6: Preview

The Nominated Principal Applicant must preview the full registration package prior to submitting it to CIHR. To mark the preview task as complete, every other task must be marked as complete.

Task 7: Manage Access (optional)

This task allows a Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) to delegate access to a maximum of five [5] individuals to support the completion of application tasks.

How to delegate access

  1. Ensure the delegate has a valid ResearchNet account/email address.
  2. Select the Manage Access task.
  3. Select the Add Access link.
  4. Complete the mandatory Email Address (ResearchNet account) and Last Name fields. Note, first name field is optional.
  5. Select Save or Save and Add Another User.

How to remove access

  1. Access can be revoked at any time before eSubmission by selecting Delete.
  2. Once deleted, the individual will no longer be able to view the application.

A delegate's access does not carry through the various phases of a competition. The NPA will have the option to delegate access to individuals at each stage of a competition.

The NPA is encouraged to remove access from all delegates prior to completing the Consent and Submit task. Should the access not be revoked prior to submission, the delegate will retain access to the application in their Completed Activities tab.

For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

Task 8: Consent and Submit

Submit Registration

The Nominated Principal Applicant must review and agree to the general conditions and consent to disclosure of personal information terms, presented on ResearchNet, before they can submit the registration to CIHR. There are no signature pages required as part of the registration submitted to CIHR.

The Nominated Principal Applicant must click Submit to send the registration to CIHR.

Note that the application will open once your registration has been submitted.

CIHR Contact Centre

Officers are available Monday to Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.

Telephone: 613-954-1968
Toll Free: 1-888-603-4178
Email: support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

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