Establishment Grants

Purpose

The Establishment Grant Program is intended to assist university faculty who are new or newly resident in Saskatchewan in establishing independent health research programs within the province and achieving the research productivity necessary for obtaining major funding from national and other external agencies.

Scope

Research supported must be in a field of human health research, defined broadly as encompassing biomedical science, clinical research, health services and systems research, and research on the cultural, social, and environmental determinants of population health. At minimum, 50% of funding in this program will be given to those who focus on a health research priority area as defined in the provincial Health Research Strategy.

Important Dates 

Internal Review:            Check with Research Services EARLY at your institution
Application Deadline:     4:30 p.m., March 15, 2012
Funding Decisions by:    June 30, 2012             
Funding Start Date:       July 2012 - October 2012 (first of a month) 

Funding

The program is offered annually, subject to availability of funding. The grant:

  • may be up to $120,000 over 3 years;
  • may be used to match funds from another agency, provided that the request to the other agency has already been submitted or approved at the time of application to SHRF and that all SHRF requirements and processes are followed;
  • is not meant to replace start-up funding provided by the researcher’s employer/institution but is intended to complement and augment such support.

Allowable Expenses

Allowable expenses are those necessary to carry out the research and not provided through other means. They may include:

  • clerical/secretarial support;
  • research assistants, technicians, graduate stu­dents, and postdoctoral fellows;
  • materials, office expenses, and supplies necessary to carry out the research;
  • reimbursement for use of hospital equipment or personnel for medical procedures;technical advice of an unusually complex nature and/or requiring a considerable time commitment that goes beyond what could be expected in a collegial relationship;
  • research equipment;
  • field travel for the project;
  • communications and knowledge translation; and
  • travel to scientific events related to the project.

Eligibility

To be eligible, the principal applicant must:

  • hold a faculty appointment at a Saskatchewan university, with the expectation and opportunity to undertake research, the right to hold research grants at the university, and a responsibility to supervise graduate students;
  • have held the above faculty appointment for no more than three years as of July 1in the application year (Note: Allowances may be made for parental and medical leaves; SHRF reserves the right to seek verification of leaves);
  • if in a limited-term appointment, include the following in the application: evidence that appropriate salary is secure for at least three years from the start date of the grant; a letter of support from the appropriate authority (i.e. Dean/Department Head) indicating the long-term prospects for the applicant’s research career in Saskatchewan
  • not simultaneously be a graduate student, research fellowship holder or holder of any other training award, or an employee of a for-profit business;
  • not have previously held a SHRF Establishment Grant;
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or actively pursuing such status; and
  • be able to commit a substantial portion of his/her time to the establishment research project; SHRF may seek verification of this commitment.

The principal applicant may apply with co-investigators who have the expertise to strengthen and contribute substantially to the proposed research. Co-investigators must:

  • describe their contribution to and role in the project;
  • provide required information about their qualifications and experience; and
  • sign the form to indicate their awareness of and commitment to the project.

Review

Applications are evaluated in a competitive, peer-review process that considers the following criteria:

  • importance and originality of the proposed research to its field;
  • quality and feasibility of the research design, according to standards relevant to the field of study;
  • suitability of the research environment;
  • potential of the applicant(s) to carry out the work;
  • appropriateness of the budget;
  • adherence to principles of ethical research; and
  • fit with the general purpose and requirements of the funding program, including the importance of the study to the applicant’s research career establishment in Saskatchewan.

RELATED LINKS

Canadian Common CV (CCV)

What are SHRF’s processes for submitting grant and award applications?

What are SHRF’s processes and policies, including peer review, approvals and extensions?

What do you need to know about managing your SHRF grant or award?

What are some tips for submitting a strong application?

FORMS 

Although SHRF does its best to ensure the most accurate and up-to-date information is available throughout our website, in the event that you experience difficulty obtaining a form contact Tanya at tskorobohach@shrf.ca 

Establishment Grant Application Form 2012-13
Establishment Grant Annual Report 2012 (Word)
Establishment Grant Annual Report 2012 (PDF)
Establishment Grant Final Report
Establishment Grant Review Form 2012