Notice of Upcoming Funding Opportunity: Team Grant: Avian Influenza Coordination and Knowledge Mobilization Hub

Introduction

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of the Team Grant: Avian Influenza Coordination and Knowledge Mobilization Hub.

This funding opportunity is led by the CIHR Centre for Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies (CRPPHE).

Overview

This funding opportunity will fund a Research Coordination and Knowledge Mobilization Hub ('the Hub') that will provide expertise, organizational support, and dedicated resources to increase coordination and enhance the knowledge mobilization of avian influenza research (including but not limited to research on H5N1 and other highly pathogenic avian influenza subtypes) in Canada and, where feasible, internationally.

Webinar

CIHR will be hosting webinar(s) to support participants with the requirements of this funding opportunity and to answer questions. To find out more information, visit the Webinars page.

Key Design Elements

The Hub will have the following Key Design Elements:

Domestic and International Engagement and Coordination

The Hub will identify, coordinate and facilitate engagements amongst:

• avian influenza research teams funded through the Team Grant: Supporting Interdisciplinary Research on Avian Influenza funding opportunity;
• other relevant avian influenza researchers in Canada including research funded by the Tri-Council Funders and provincial research funders;
• relevant international researchers and research funders identified through the Global Research Collaboration on Infectious Disease Preparedness (GloPID-R Network);
• policymakers and knowledge users in Canada such as federal, provincial, and territorial departments and agencies representing human, animal, and environmental sectors;
• other interest holders such as animal health professionals; public health organizations; First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities/organizations; groups from the agricultural industry/commercial sector; and people with lived experience relevant to avian influenza infection, transmission and response.

The Hub will leverage CIHR's organizational knowledge and relationships with strategic partners relevant to avian influenza research, by sharing their planned Hub activities for domestic and international engagement and coordination with CRPPHE for input. This can be done through the Hub's annual meetings (see Conditions of Funding), reporting requirements, or another means of regular engagement with CRPPHE.

Human, Animal, and Environmental Data Management and Sharing

The Hub will develop and share tools, practices, and resources, in order to support the interoperable and harmonized management, sharing, and use of human, animal and environmental data relevant to avian influenza researchers and knowledge users. This includes, where applicable, practices, resources and considerations related to Indigenous data sovereignty.

Knowledge Mobilization

The Hub will support the development and dissemination of knowledge mobilization products to increase understanding, promote behavioural change, and support the uptake and use of evidence generated through avian influenza research. The domestic and international engagement activities described above will help to ensure that these knowledge mobilization products are aligned with and tailored to the needs and activities of partners, communities, knowledge users, and knowledge holders, relevant to avian influenza research. These products should be developed in both official languages (English and French), accessible to screen readers, developed using scientific and plain language practices, tailored to a range of knowledge user audiences, and made immediately available through Open Access publishing.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

• Establish a national avian influenza research hub that supports the coordination and knowledge mobilization of avian influenza research activities in Canada and internationally, where feasible.
• Foster collective impact and scientific excellence in avian influenza research by facilitating meaningful and culturally safe engagements between avian influenza researchers and relevant decision-makers and knowledge users from diverse sectors, jurisdictions, and perspectives, such as federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments, health care providers, non-governmental organizations, industry organizations, and community groups including First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, where relevant.
• Facilitate and accelerate the mobilization of knowledge generated from avian influenza research into accessible, usable, timely and relevant solutions and interventions for decision-makers and knowledge users across multiple sectors and jurisdictions, including populations with higher risks of avian influenza exposure and impact (such as veterinarians, livestock producers, trappers, hunters, workers in the agricultural or wildlife sectors, First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis populations, and populations in rural and remote settings).

Funds Available

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $750,000, enough to fund up to one (1) grant. The maximum amount per grant is $250,000 per year for up to three (3) years, for a total of $750,000.

Anticipated Timelines

Launch: Late March 2026
Applicant Webinar: Mid-April 2026
Registration Deadline: May 2026
Application Deadline: July 2026
Notice of Decision: December 2026
Funding Start Date: October 2026

The official CIHR funding opportunity will be posted on ResearchNet in the coming weeks.

For a full list of CIHR funding opportunities, please visit ResearchNet.

Date modified:

2026-02-24