Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge

Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

1. Eligible applicants include social enterprises and other recognized institutions (e.g., non-profit organizations and for-profit companies) that
• are formed and legally incorporated
• can successfully execute the activities in their respective technical area
• can receive and administer grant funding.

Sole proprietorships are not eligible for funding.

In our past experience, we have found that multilateral organizations such as the UN are typically unable to agree to the terms and conditions of our funding agreements. We
highly recommend that these organizations instead apply through a local eligible partner organization. Staff from the UN office could act as collaborators on the project.

2. A project can have only one Project Lead, who must be affiliated with the institution from which the proposal is being submitted.

3. A Project Lead may only be listed on one (1) application to this Request for Proposals. An institution may be the applicant on multiple applications, provided all applications
have different Project Leads.

4. Applications must include all required information. Only complete applications will be considered by the Review Committee.

5. The Humanitarian Grand Challenge partners may, at any time and at their sole discretion, modify eligibility criteria with respect to individual applicants, Project Leads and/or eligible countries, to the extent that such modifications do not materially undermine the review process.

Please note that Grand Challenges Canada must approve any changes in applicant organization or Project Lead, from the original application.

Summary

Today, over 339 million people require humanitarian assistance while resources available to address these needs have stagnated.1 Millions of the most vulnerable people in conflict zones are currently unreachable by traditional humanitarian aid delivery. As the length and complexity of armed conflicts increases, it is progressively more difficult to reach affected people in insecure areas with lifesaving and life-improving humanitarian assistance.

Since 2018, The U.S. Agency for International Development, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Global Affairs Canada, and Grand Challenges Canada have partnered on Creating Hope in Conflict: A Humanitarian Grand Challenge (CHIC). The Partnership came together to fund and accelerate solutions to improve humanitarian assistance for people affected by conflict. The program supports solutions aimed at better meeting the needs of conflict-affected communities, and solutions that have the potential to influence systems-level, transformative changes within the humanitarian sector.

Through this Request for Proposals, we will award up to 20 seed projects with CAD $250,000 each, along with general acceleration support, over a maximum period of twenty-four (24) months starting from April 2024.

Specifically, we are seeking innovations intended for conflict-affected communities that address challenges or seek to improve service provision in the following focus areas:
• Access to Energy
• Access to lifesaving Information
• Access to Health Supplies and Services

Applications must demonstrate meaningful input from the affected communities they seek to serve, and preference will be given to solutions that are owned by local humanitarian actors who are from the conflict-affected communities they aim to serve.

Successful project teams will include both individuals who understand the unique context of conflict-generated crises, and those who can demonstrate a capacity to develop, test, refine and transition to scale their innovation to generate transformative impact for people affected by conflict.

By the end of the seed award period, innovators who have demonstrated proof of concept of their idea, developed a plan for scale and sustainability, and attracted commitments from key stakeholders and partners, may be invited to apply for Transition to Scale program funding.

Please see full call for applications and guidelines here

To apply for funding, applicants must use the online application provided, which is only accessible via the Grand Challenges Canada’s Fluxx Portal (https://gcc.fluxx.io). You MUST register for an account by August 15, 2023 at 23:59 ET.

Overhead

10%

Innovators are entitled to up to 10% of its Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) to cover indirect costs. MTDC means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits,
materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $30,000 CAD of each subaward. MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $30,000 CAD.

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

Application deadlines

Portal Registration Deadline (no submission to Research Services needed)

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 rsotrainee@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.

To apply for funding, applicants must use the online application provided, which is only accessible via the Grand Challenges Canada’s Fluxx Portal (https://gcc.fluxx.io). You MUST register for an account by August 15, 2023 at 23:59 ET. (no submission to Research Services needed)

Submission Instructions:

1. Complete Full Application on the Grand Challenges Fluxx portal and download a preview copy as pdf
2. To initiate internal approvals, complete the Pre-Award/Application record in RMS (https://research.ucalgary.ca/conduct-research/additional-resources/resea...), attach the pdf preview of your completed Application, and submit for approvals from your department head and/or faculty Associate Dean (Research). *Important: when submitting in RMS, please ensure that you allow time for academic approvals prior to the Research Services review deadline of 12:00pm on August 17, 2023
3. Once these approvals are obtained, RMS will automatically forward the Application record to Research Services for institutional review and approval.
4. Research Services will review, provide feedback (by email) if necessary, and will provide the institutional approval. If digital or wet-ink signatures are required, we will provide the capping institutional signature and will advise when ready.
5. Full Applications, including any supplementary documentation, should be submitted to the agency via the portal on August 22, 2023 by 12:00PM Mountain Time