2023 CIHR Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award

Eligibility

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

1. The NPA must self identify with at least one of the following groups:
   • Racialized* women
   • Black people
     Note: In relation to these criteria, eligibility will be determined using the response(s) provided in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire. Given that this Funding Opportunity is only open to specific populations, selecting "I prefer not to answer" to one or more of the questions relating to these criteria will prevent your candidacy from being considered. For additional information, please see the FAQ.
   Note: *In this funding opportunity, the term "racialized" is used as an alternative to "visible minorities," as used in the Employment Equity Act and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Self-identification Questionnaire.
2. The NPA must be a trainee by the Funding Start Date and, specifically, one of the following:
   • A PhD-holding post-doctoral researcher at a CIHR eligible academic institution, health system or research institution.
   • A clinician holding an MD, DVM, DDS or a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree-holding allied health professional in either a post-doctoral position, or a faculty position denoting independence in clinical responsibilities but not in research, at a CIHR eligible academic institution, health system or research institution.
   • A research associate or equivalent who is a PhD-holding researcher employed at a CIHR eligible academic institution, health system or research institution.
   Note: For the purposes of this funding opportunity, the NPA cannot hold, or be on leave from, an independent researcher position. NPAs who are uncertain of their eligibility as it relates to their employment or appointment (e.g., those with a PhD or equivalent research doctoral degree who are not in a post-doctoral training position at the time of application) are strongly encouraged to email CIHR Contact Centre at support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca to confirm their eligibility as a trainee prior to preparing their application.
3. The NPA can be a Canadian citizen*, permanent resident*, or a citizen of another country**.
   Notes: *NPAs with Canadian citizenship or permanent residency are eligible to hold their Phase 1 awards outside or inside Canada. For Phase 2, refer to the Supplementary Information for Phase 2 of the CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award.
   **NPAs who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents are only eligible to hold their Phase 1 award in Canada.
4. The Primary Mentor must be an independent researcher with an academic appointment and be either the NPA's current supervisor or a principal investigator who will function as the NPA's Primary Mentor for their Phase 1 REDI project. Additional mentors do not need to hold an academic appointment.
5. The NPA must have successfully completed one of the sex- and gender-based analysis online training modules through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health. A Certificate of Completion must be included in the application (see How to Apply). Select and complete the training module most applicable to your research project.
6. For applications focusing on Indigenous Health and/or involving Indigenous Peoples:
   • the NPA must provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples (see How to Apply).
   • the Primary Mentor must self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples (see How to Apply).

Summary

Objectives 

1. Promote research independence and academic research career readiness of highly qualified post-doctoral researchers, clinicians and PhD-holding research associates belonging to specific underrepresented groups;
2. Increase the number of funded researchers from specific underrepresented groups conducting excellent research who secure their first independent research faculty position in a Canadian academic, health system or research institution; and
3. Provide funded researchers from specific underrepresented groups with early career support to enhance their probability of future success in obtaining independent research funding and launching successful research faculty careers in Canada that will contribute to the creation and/or use of health-related knowledge to improve the health of Canadians.

Phases

The Award has two phases across a maximum of 6 years.

• The mentored Phase 1 includes a research allowance, stipend, mentorship, and career development. Applicants will propose a Research Project that they will work on in Phase 1. This project will establish the foundation for their independent research program as faculty members in Phase 2. Applicants must work with their Primary Mentor (see Eligibility Criteria for definition) to develop Mentorship and Career Development Plans and identify how they will distinguish their proposed research project from their Primary Mentor's research program (see Information Letter on the Primary Mentor Role [REDI 2022] and FAQ for more details).
• The independent Phase 2 includes a research allowance, salary support, faculty mentorship, and 1:1 matching of funds from the host institution. Awardees are expected to transition to an independent research faculty position – marking the start of Phase 2 – within 2 to 3 years of the funding start date (extensions and accommodations, for example for parental leaves or people with disabilities, will be considered on a case-by-case basis).

For more information regarding the key elements of each phase, please consult the FAQ page.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support projects relevant to the following research areas:

• General Funding Pool: will support eight applications that focus on health-related research across CIHR's mandate (includes research to advance fundamental or applied knowledge, health research, health care, health systems, population and public health and/or health outcomes).

In addition to the General funding pool, partners have allocated funding to applications that meet their respective relevant research areas highlighted under Additional Information in the section Research Areas Covered by Specific Funding Pools.

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at postdoc@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

See ResearchNet Link for funding guidelines and details on how to apply.

Anticipated Notice of Decision: September 14, 2023

Funding Start Date: July 1, 2023