SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grants 2024: Envisioning Governance Systems that Work

Eligibility

Subject matter Eligibility

Stream 1 and Stream 2 (applicants affiliated with a Canadian institution):

Most SSHRC funding is awarded through open competitions. Proposals can involve any disciplines, thematic areas, approaches or subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding. See the guidelines on subject matter eligibility for more information.
 

Projects whose primary objective is curriculum development are not eligible for funding under this funding opportunity.

Stream 2 (applicants affiliated with a UK institution):

The majority of the UK component must fall within UKRI-AHRC’s remit and/or UKRI-ESRC’s remit.

Applicant Eligibility

Stream 1:

Applications can be submitted by an individual researcher or a team of researchers (consisting of one applicant and one or more co-applicants and/or collaborators).

Applicants must be affiliated with a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility before funding can be released. Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant status.

Applicants who have received a SSHRC grant of any type but have failed to submit an end of grant or achievement report by the deadline specified in their Notice of Award are not eligible to apply for another SSHRC grant until they have submitted the report.

Postdoctoral fellows are eligible to be applicants if they have formally established an affiliation with an eligible institution at the time of application and maintain this affiliation for the duration of the grant period. Before applying, postdoctoral researchers must confirm with their institution’s research grants officer that the institution can administer the funding if awarded.

Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply.

Stream 2:

Applications must include two applicants (principal investigators), with one based in Canada and one in the UK. In your application, identify one of these individuals as the project co-ordinator. In the application form, ensure the Canadian principal investigator is the primary applicant. The UK primary applicant should be included in the UK budget form.

Applicants affiliated with a Canadian institution:

Applicants must be affiliated with a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility before funding can be released. Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian institution that holds institutional eligibility, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant status.

Applicants who have received a SSHRC grant of any type but have failed to submit an end of grant or achievement report by the deadline specified in their Notice of Award are not eligible to apply for another SSHRC grant until they have submitted the report.

Postdoctoral fellows are eligible to be applicants if they have formally established an affiliation with an eligible institution at the time of application and maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period. Before applying, postdoctoral fellows must confirm with their institution’s research grants officer that the institution can administer the funding if awarded.

Students enrolled in a program of study are not eligible to apply.

Applicants affiliated with a UK institution:

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, you must be at an eligible research organization. This is any UK higher education institution that receives grant funding from one of the UK higher education funding bodies, or a UKRI-recognized research institute or organization. See UKRI’s Check If You Are Eligible for Research Funding guide for more.

Standard UKRI-AHRC and UKRI-ESRC eligibility criteria (see Section 2 of AHRC’s research funding guide and Section 3 of the UKRI-ESRC research funding guide for the UKRI Funding Service) will apply to this call for named UK investigators and research organizations. Studentships will not be funded by UKRI-AHRC or UKRI-ESRC through this opportunity.

Summary

Knowledge syntheses are comprehensive analyses of literature and other forms of knowledge on a particular question or issue. All types of knowledge synthesis approaches, tools and protocols, such as scoping reviews, systematic reviews and narrative syntheses, are encouraged under this funding opportunity. Synthesized results can include qualitative, quantitative or multimethod research.

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are not intended to support original research. Rather, they are intended to support the synthesis of existing research knowledge and identify knowledge gaps. This call is particularly focused on the state of research produced over the past 10 years.

In support of these objectives, Knowledge Synthesis Grants will help identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including Indigenous rights holders, can play in developing and implementing robust policies, best practices and tools.

Successful applicants will be required to:

• complete a synthesis report (maximum 40 pages) and two-page evidence brief within eight months of receiving the grant;
• participate in a virtual kick-off webinar (tentatively scheduled for May 2025);
• participate in a virtual knowledge mobilization forum 10 months after the grant has been awarded (tentatively scheduled for January 2026) to share research findings with community practitioners and knowledge users in various sectors. Further details about the forum will be shared with successful applicants when finalized.
• use a headset with an integrated boom microphone or an approved table-top microphone (eligible expense in the requested budget) to participate at each knowledge mobilization event. See more information; and
• provide the names of individuals or organizations of potential knowledge users to be invited to the knowledge mobilization forum (two to three names or organizations).

Details about this Knowledge Synthesis Call

SSHRC, in partnership with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is pleased to launch a Knowledge Synthesis Grants competition to mobilize, examine and synthesize social sciences and humanities research on Envisioning Governance Systems that Work. The themes of this funding opportunity complement those of the three next upcoming Knowledge Synthesis Grants: The Changing Nature of Security and Conflict, The Arts Transformed, and Truth Under Fire in a Postfact World.

Envisioning Governance Systems that Work is one of the 16 global future challenges identified through SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative. These complex issues, identified in 2018 following an extensive foresight exercise, reflect key challenges that Canada and the world are likely to face over the coming decades. All the challenges cross multiple sectors, jurisdictions and research disciplines, and require broad collaboration to address. This Knowledge Synthesis Grants funding opportunity is informed and shaped by cross-sectoral and diverse perspectives, including of subject matter experts, policy leaders and community leaders.

SSHRC is holding a webinar on June 25, 2024 at 8AM Mountain time:

Join webinar

Slides from webinar can be accessed here

SSHRC Instructions for applying

RSO Guide to Writing a Most Significant Contributions Statement

RSO Template for a Most Significant Contributions Statement

Submission Instructions:

1. Complete your application in the SSHRC online system by following the instructions posted online. When it is complete, verify and submit so that it advances to the Research Services Office. ***PLEASE NOTE: The SSHRC portal redirects the application to the University of Calgary Research Services; pressing "submit" does not submit the application to SSHRC.
2. To initiate internal approvals, complete the pre-award/application record in RMS (https://research.ucalgary.ca/conduct-research/additional-resources/research-management-system-rms), and attach a download of your complete and final application from the SSHRC online portal.  Please do not attach drafts, Word documents, etc.  Also attach any other relevant documents, including letters confirming financial or in-kind support if applicable.

3. Once complete, click "Save and set status", then select "submitted for approvals", and then select "Save and progress" in order to obtain 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 December 9, 2024 at 12:00pm.       

4. Once these approvals are obtained, RMS will automatically forward the application record to Research Services for institutional review and approval.
5. Research Services will review and provide feedback (by email and via RMS), as necessary. 
6.  Once the application has undergone review and is in its final state, Research Services will obtain Institutional Approval and submit for adjudication by SSHRC through the SSHRC online system.
7. As an optional service, Research Services will perform a full detailed administrative review for any applications received by November 28, 2024 at 4:00pm.  The application must be received by RSO on both RMS and the SSHRC portal to initiate review.

Overhead

Not applicable

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 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.

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 Jaya.Dixit@ucalgary.ca for more information. 

Support for Research Security: 

The Research Security Division is available to assist researchers adhere to research security guidelines and policies, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships (NSGRP) and the new policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC). Visit the Research Security website to learn more 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 Application