CIHR Information SessionJune 20, 2013

Lori BurrowsAssociate Chair, Research, Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences

Chair, CIHR Microbiology and Infectious Diseases PanelCIHR University Delegate

What do you need to know for 2013-2014?

• The September 2013 and March 2014 Open Operating Grant competitions will run as usual

• the Common CV has changed as of June 2012; if you already had a CCV, some of the information was transferred, but you must enter your publications and modify the other sections

• If you want, you CAN continue to use PDF attachments for your contributions (most significant contributions, publications, patents, other contributions) until they tell us otherwise

Budgetary things that have changed...

• stipends for graduate students and PDFs are no longer fixed but must be carefully justified

• NO BENEFITS for trainees• staff salaries (technicians, research assistants, nurses

etc.) can increase over the life of the grant, and benefits are permitted

• NO EQUIPMENT requests permitted...but computers are now ‘supplies’

What do you need to know for Fall 2014?

• CIHR is changing how Open Operating applications are structured, reviewed and funded

• perceived issues:– applicant burden (too many applications for the number that

can be funded; too many people applying for multiple grants to fund large programs)

– reviewer burden (too many grants, uneven reviews across committees, uneven quality of reviews)

– multidisciplinary science that doesn’t fit existing peer review committee mandates

What is happening now: design phase

• two grant streams, Foundation and Project• Peer review: multi-stage, structured reviews• development of a ‘College of Reviewers’• CIHR consultation of stakeholders (June 24, 2013)• Continued modification of the plan based on pilots• Overlap during the transition phase

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/documents/or_des_for_future-en.pdf

Project scheme

ideas 2 per yr*

2 stages:1, virtual and

2, face to face

5 reviews at stage 1

*can only apply for 1 per year

Project scheme: tips

No restriction on the number of Project grants that may be held by a single investigator during the transition period (SUBJECT TO REVISION)

Not renewable but can be “sequential lines of inquiry” “linked to a previous project”

Foundation scheme

Leaders 1 per yr*

3 stages :1 & 2 virtual;3, face to face

1 = calibre

2 = quality*those who have ongoing OOGP funding won’t lose it if they are not successful with the single Foundation application

Foundation scheme

No tire kickers.

Your university/hospital needs to have your back.

Foundation scheme: tips

Foundation grant leaders can’t apply for Project grants as the PI, but can be collaborators

Foundation grants are portable between institutions as long as key components and success are ensured

Focus of Foundation application peer review is on the team leader

How many, how much $, and for how long?

New people/groups get 5 yrs

This is split between two competitions per year (right now the OOGP funds 800 grants per yr)

Example - part of a structured review sheet for the Project scheme; criteria include concept (quality & importance of idea) and feasibility (approach, expertise & quality of environment). Budget doesn’t affect rating, though it’s examined.

Example - part of a structured review sheet for stage 1 of the Foundation scheme; criteria include vision/direction and calibre of applicant (research leadership & productivity).

Example - part of a structured review sheet for stage 2 of the Foundation scheme; criteria include quality of program (concept, approach); research capacity (expertise & mentoring plan); and quality of the support environment. Budget is considered without affecting ranking.

The College of Reviewers - starting 2013

What do they want to do? Create a resource.

What does this mean? Find them, train them, reward them.

The College of Reviewers - starting 2013

Where are they going to find 5 (good) reviewers for each app?

When is all this going to happen?

“CIHR recognizes that changing application deadlines may have an impact on currently funded researchers, as well as unfunded researchers seeking support. We will communicate an approach to mitigate these effects to the research community in summer 2013.”

When is all this going to happen?

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

How is all this going to happen?

If your grant is due for renewal in Fall 2014…you get the first try at the Foundation scheme. There will be NO REGULAR COMPETITION THAT FALL. They are still trying to figure out what to do with those who are due to renew then, but don’t want to apply to the Foundation scheme. There will be a transitional Open Operating grant competition in Spring 2015.

Questions?

Lori Burrowsburrowl@mcmaster.ca

CIHR’s Q & A resource:http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/46102.html