Participating in a Research Grant Application
So you've been invited to
participate in a SHRF Grant Application
What does that mean?
Why Participate
Individuals and groups that have an interest in the applications of research knowledge and that have personal experience with the topic of research are critical for reducing the gap between the research and practice. By getting involved in research projects, you are helping the research results to be useful in practice.
What We Do
Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) funds health research that matters to Saskatchewan.
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We do this by running grant competitions, where teams of researchers, healthcare providers, knowledge-users and people with lived experience apply with a project idea.
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Most of our grant competitions are peer-reviewed, which means experts in the field review the proposal and recommend the application for funding, or make recommendations to the team for ways to improve the application for the next grant competition.
Project Roles
Project team members can fill many roles.
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These roles are as follows:
Researcher
These individuals are added to the grant as co-applicants. They have formal training and hold a position which supports them to pursue research and whose expertise supports the proposed research project.
Knowledge-User
These individuals are added to the grant as co-applicants. They are interested in the applications of the knowledge generated from the proposed research, and play an active role in mobilizing knowledge to ensure research results have an impact.
Person with
Lived Experience
These individuals are added to the grant as co-applicants. They contribute to the proposed research through their personal experience with a health issue or experience as an informal caregiver.
Supporter
These individuals are added to the grant as supporters. This role is for individuals and organizations who have an interest in the outcomes of the proposed research or are providing a limited and defined role in the project.
Choosing the Right Role
When project roles and responsibilities for an individual can fit more than one role, their role on a given application should be determined by the scope of involvement in the project. The Principal Applicant should work with team members to choose the role that fits best.
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For example, an individual who is attending project team meetings or providing input on aspects of the project design would be added as a co-applicant (whether researcher, knowledge-user or person with lived experience) rather than as a supporter.
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If an individual is added as a co-applicant and their affiliated organization wishes to provide a letter of support, a separate individual should be added as a supporter.
What You Will Be Asked to Do
1) Accepting the Invitation: All team members added to an application are required to accept the invitation via email, indicating that they agree that all provided information is accurate and that they agree to the terms and conditions of funding. The scope of the role will vary depending on the individual and the project.
It is important to communicate with the Principal Applicant about the expectations of one's involvement, and to be realistic in your contribution form.
Even if you are contributing one hour a week to the project, your time and expertise are valuable and will be taken in consideration by the reviewers.​
2) Completing Additional Required Information: Team members are also required to complete Contributions Forms for most SHRF Grants, which allows them to provide information specific to their role in the specific project.
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Contribution Forms consist of four questions:
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Choose your project role descriptor (Researcher, Knowledge User or Person with Lived Experience) and organization affiliation.
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Enter the number of hours per week you expect to contribute to the project
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Provide a description of your role in the project in 100 words or less
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Upload a Profile/Resume or Testimonial.
Step-by-step instructions for completing this information is found below
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You can also download the PDF below for more information on the role of knowledge-users in research
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1:
Get Invited to the Application
The Principal Applicant is responsible for adding individuals to the SHRF Grant Application in the appropriate role (as described above).
Team members are added to the application by email.
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Once added, you will receive an email from SHRF's Research Management System (RMS) with a link to follow and complete the following steps.
TIP:
Need access to your application without internet? Contact us to get started.
Step 2:
Accept the Application
Upon clicking the email link, you will be prompted to either accept or decline the invitation to the application.
Once you have the accepted the invitation, you will be prompted to register for the SHRF RMS if you do not already have a SHRF account.
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If you already have a SHRF account, you do not need to register and can proceed to Step 5 - Completing Your Contribution Form.
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If you already have a SHRF account, but are being prompted to register, confirm that the invitation was sent to the same email you've set-up your SHRF account with in the past. If the emails are different, let the Principal Applicant know to re-send the invitation to the correct email, or contact SHRF for help.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:
Step 3:
Register for the SHRF RMS
TIP:
If your organization is a non-profit that does not have a CRA EIN number, please choose 'Other Organization'. If your organization is not listed, please contact us to add it.
When registering, there will be four options presented:
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SHRF MOU Research Organization
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Canadian Non-profit Organization
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Other Organization
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Individual
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You should select the option that best reflects your affiliation as it relates to your involvement in the project. If you are are working on the research project as a part of your employment with a healthcare organization or non-profit, select the option that describes your employer.
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If you are working on the research project representing your own personal experience, select the option for individuals.
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Your remaining contact information can be completed accordingly.
TIP:
You can add multiple organizations to your existing account if you are representing a different role or organization on different applications. Just be sure to choose the correct organization in your contribution form.
To add other organizations to your profile, click 'Associations' in the left-hand navigation bar.
Step 4:
Complete your RMS Account
After accepting the invitation and registering with your appropriate organization, you will receive an email to create a password for your SHRF RMS account.
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The next steps will depend on the timeline of the grant.
If the Principal Applicant has already submitted their eligibility and been approved, you can move immediately to Step 5 - Completing Your Contribution Form.
If the Principal Applicant has not yet been approved in the eligibility stage, you will receive another email when Step 5 is available.
Step 5:
Complete your Contribution Form
While every individual who has accepted the invitation to an application is required to complete a contribution form, the required information will depend on the role.
Your contribution form is found on the SHRF RMS homepage
TIP:
Principal Applicants are able to access the contribution forms of team members they have invited if you need assistance completing the form.
VIDEO TUTORIAL:
Step 6:
Complete your CV or Testimonial
SHRF requires different documents depending on your role. They are as follows:
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Researcher - SHRF Researcher Profile
Knowledge User - SHRF Knowledge User Profile
Person with Lived Experience - Testimonial
Supporter - Letter of Support
Personnel - no additional documents required
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Instructions for the Profiles and Testimonial are provided, including suggested headings and formatting rules.​
TIP:
Testimonials do not have to be written. Audio files may also be uploaded.
Step 7:
Submit your Contribution Form
If you are still working on your contribution form, use the 'Save Draft' button.
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Once you are happy with your completed contribution form, click 'Submit'. Please be aware that after clicking 'Submit' you will be unable to make further changes without contacting SHRF for assistance.