The Project Grant conversation continues: What we're hearing and where we're headed
Dear colleagues,
CIHR is continuing its conversation with the health research community about the challenges facing the Project Grant program and potential interventions to ensure its long-term sustainability. We're grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback with us so far.
If you haven't already done so, we encourage you to read our discussion paper and share your views. To date, more than a thousand people have provided feedback, and the consultation will remain open until the end of the calendar year.
We also continue to welcome feedback and requests for CIHR data by email at IIRconsultations-consultationsRL@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
The Project Grant program was the focus of discussions among members of CIHR's Governing Council and Science Council during their recent joint meeting. Members expressed support for modernizing the program while emphasizing that any changes should be grounded in evidence, carefully implemented and evaluated over time. They also underscored the importance of maintaining high-quality peer review, ensuring fairness and equity in funding decisions, and preserving the research community's trust through clear communication and ongoing engagement.
Ask Me Anything sessions
As part of this ongoing conversation, we'll be hosting a series of webinars on November 12, 17 and 25 to discuss Project Grant sustainability and hear directly from the community. Details are available on CIHR's website, and we hope you'll join us!
Clinical Trials: Exploring a dedicated funding program
As we consider the long-term sustainability of the Project Grant program, an important question is how best to support the full range of investigator-initiated research. As noted in our last update, clinical trials and randomized controlled trials (CT/RTC) are one area where a dedicated funding program, with requirements tailored to this type of research, may be warranted.
To explore this further, CIHR brought together trials experts representing a range of disciplines from across Canada late last month to discuss the proposed design of a stand-alone CT/RCT funding program.
Participants expressed support for the concept and its potential to strengthen Canada's clinical trials ecosystem. Discussions explored key elements of the proposed program, including opportunities for iterative review, application and evaluation criteria tailored to the unique requirements of clinical trials and informed by international best practices, and more nuanced budget assessment. Participants emphasized the importance of designing a program that is inclusive and efficient, one that accommodates a broad range of trial methodologies and disciplines and funds informative trials that are scientifically excellent.
We also heard valuable feedback on areas requiring further consideration, particularly reviewer capacity and workload, clear eligibility defintions, and ensuring that diverse trial types are assessed fairly by reviewers with appropriate expertise. Participants encouraged an approach to budget assessment that emphasizes value and the appropriate use of resources rather than cost alone. Clear guidance, training and ongoing engagement with the research community were also identified as essential to successful implementation.
This feedback will help inform our continued work on the proposed program as we explore a funding approach that better reflects the unique needs of trials in Canada. We will keep you informed as this work progresses.
Thank you for being part of the conversation. We recognize that engaging in these consulations takes time, especially given the many demands already placed on the research community. We sincerely appreciate your insights, experience and ideas. We know that getting this right will require us to work together, and we remain committed to doing just that.
Sincerely,
Adrian Mota,
Vice-President, Research Programs
Tammy Clifford, PhD
Vice-President, Strategic Science and External Relations
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