Canadian Cancer Society Health Equity Research Grants

Eligibility

A Principal Investigator must hold a firm academic position (as a primary appointment) which allows the individual to engage in independent research activities for the duration of the project and includes the ability to supervise trainees and publish research results. A researcher designated as the Principal Investigator must be based in, or formally affiliated with, an eligible Canadian Host Institution such as a university, research institute or health care agency.

Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates (who are not independent investigators), Adjunct Professors or Status only appointments (except where they hold a firm academic position at another Canadian institution), technical support staff, or investigators based outside of Canada are not eligible to be a Principal Investigator (see below for Research Training Award eligibility). Where there is uncertainty as to the eligibility of an individual due to their appointment/title, CCS encourages applicants to reach out for clarification. Both the Principal Investigator and executive authorities of the Host Institution are required to agree to the terms of the Host Institution/Canadian Cancer Society Agreement included as part of the application, thereby acknowledging and agreeing to all the responsibilities and obligations outlined in that Agreement.

The person named as the PI remains the PI on a grant for the duration of the grant unless given express permission by the Canadian Cancer Society.

Summary

The purpose of this funding program is to support research projects that seek to advance cancer-related health equity. Projects must be collaborative, co-created by people both affected by cancer and by structural marginalization, and designed to address the systemic, structural, and institutional factors that sustain health disparities in Canada. Applications should take a social determinants of health perspective in identifying and defining both the health equity need and the community of focus, taking care to consider the intersectionalities of such communities. 

For this round of the funding opportunity, while there is an open call for all health equity research grant applications, there is a special call for grant applications focused on breast cancer in specific underserved communities, with approximately $6M of the $9M funding envelope for this competition designated to breast cancer. 

Research teams will employ collaborative methods to co-design, co-implement and co-evaluate carefully considered approaches to address specific health inequities relevant to cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and/or survivorship. Applications must address a clear health equity need and be focused on a defined group (with consideration of sub-groups) that is mindful of intersecting determinants of health. For example, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Black, and other minoritized or racialized groups are not homogenous, and intersect with other determinants of health such as gender, sexual orientation, geographical location, education, other ethnicities, and economic status. Therefore, teams should make efforts to address, and be cognizant of, the limitations of their project design with respect to application of study results to a specific population.

Proposed projects should ideally address the systemic, structural and/or institutional practices that promote health inequity, but may also pursue provider-level (e.g. point-of-care) and individual (with caution - to avoid assigning blame or perpetuating harms but where supported by team members and other advisors as appropriate) approaches/interventions where relevant. Implications and intended outcomes, as well as dissemination and mobilization of the proposed research must be clearly articulated, with risks and alternative/mitigating approaches described.

CCS LOI submission guide is available here

Overhead

Not applicable

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Pre-application program deadline

Application deadlines

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 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.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

LOI:

1. Complete LOI application on the CCS EGrAMS system
2. In RMS, start a new pre-award/Letter of Intent record. Complete the form and upload a copy of your final and complete LOI application to the RMS Application record, and submit for academic approvals.  Please ensure that you allow enough time for academic approvals prior to the Research Services (RSO) final internal deadline of NOON, March 21, 2024.
3. RMS will notify you that institutional approval has been provided. No signatures are required at this stage. You may now submit on or before March 26, 2024 at 3:00PM Mountain time.

Full Application:

1. Complete Full Application on the CCS EGrAMS application system and print preview or save a pdf copy.
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 version 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 Sept 5, 2024
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 September 10, 2024 by 3:00PM Mountain Time

RESOURCES

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research:

Support with the development of your grant application is available through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Support for Knowledge Engagement:

Support for knowledge mobilization/engagement/translation, community partnerships, and responsible research assessment (DORA) is available through the Knowledge Engagement Team. Applicants can reach out by email to the KE team at knowledge.engagement@ucalgary.ca. For more information, please visit the KE team webpage.

Support for Research Data Management:

For information on research data management plans, processes, or best practices for your research program, please contact research.data@ucalgary.ca OR research.data@ucalgary.libanswers.com.

Support for EDI in Research:

RSO can provide resources and support to research teams on the integration of equitable and inclusive practices in research design and research practice. Contact Erin.OToole@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Support for Research Security:

The new Research Security Division is available to offer guidance and support on safeguarding research and ensuring that principles of research security are upheld while conducting leading edge research. Learn more on their webpage or contact researchsecurity@ucalgary.ca.

Reminder: The sooner the researcher engages with RSO units, the more help we can be!

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award LOI

RMS: Creating a Pre-Award Application