The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant program is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential for important advances in fundamental or applied health-related knowledge, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes by supporting projects or programs of research proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers in all areas of health.

Deadlines:
Registration (ResearchNet): February 7, 2024 (Mandatory); please send a PDF of your completed Registration to researchoffice@uwo.ca
Faculty Research Office: February 21 (If you wish to obtain feedback or an internal review for the application allow at least two-three weeks – contact Karen Kueneman)
Western Research: February 21, 10 am (ROLA must be completed) Submit your complete draft application in ResearchNet
CIHR: March 6, 2024 10 am.

Amount: funding levels are proportionate to the requirements of the research proposed, which is expected to vary by research field, research approach, and scope of proposed activities

Applications: Project Grant applications are created in ResearchNet. Instructions are embedded in ResearchNet, and available on the Western Research Project Grant page.

Eligibility: Applicants must hold an eligible academic research appointment at Western.

Recent Competition Changes: Please refer to the webpage for the complete listing.

• Attachments (NEW): CIHR has provided some updates for the Spring 2024 competition, including limiting the types of materials that researchers can attach to their applications.  Starting with the Spring 2024 Project Grant competition, the following attachments will no longer be accepted and if included, will be removed from the application:
  • Questionnaires, surveys, and consent forms
  • Supplementary tables, charts, figures, and photographs
  • Patient Information Sheets (for Randomized Controlled Trial applications)
  • Publications
  • Some attachments will continue to be mandatory, such as certificates of completion for sex- and gender-based analysis training modules and letters of community support from Indigenous partners as applicable. Others will be optional, such as letters of collaboration that outline a specific service that will be provided such as access to equipment, provision of specific reagents, training in a specialized technique, statistical analysis, access to a patient population, etc., and additional CV information to account for any leaves, absences, illnesses, caregiving roles, etc.  Please consult the Project Grant application instructions for more information.
• Formatting (NEW): CIHR is more strictly enforcing alignment with font and formatting requirements and reserves the right to withdraw your application if it does not meet these requirements. 
• Template (NEW): CIHR has provided a template so applicants can be sure that their Research Proposal and all attachments comply with the updated formatting requirements.  Applicants are strongly advised to use the template provided here.
• Margins (NEW): Please note for the Spring 2024 competition, applicants will required to use the updated margin minimums of 0.79” / 2 cm.  

Assistance with your application:
Western: CIHR Project Grant webpage – key application materials, links and other resources. 
Sex and Gender Considerations: resource to support you in understanding and embedding SGBA considerations in your application.
EDID: Dedicated support and resources for Indigenous research and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization in research are provided through Western’s Inclusive Research Excellence and Impact team. You can access tailored and curated resources through the webpages (EDID, Indigenous Resources, Knowledge Mobilization). You can also complete a request for support form to request a consultation and additional assistance.  If you are unsure if your project involves Indigenous research, it is recommended that you contact the team early for determination and support.
CIHR Webinars: CIHR will host Q&A sessions.  Check here for details
Research Officer: contact Karen Kueneman

Interdisciplinary Applications: A Tri-Agency interdisciplinary Peer Review (TAIPR) committee will continue for this competition with unique evaluation criteria. Should you wish for your application to be considered for review by the TAIPR committee, you must indicate the TAIPR committee as your first suggested committee at registration. Please see mandate under code TIR. Additionally, you must clearly address your justification for committee choice and how the proposal integrates the interdisciplinary approaches to achieve the project goals. In ResearchNet, this committee selection appears as “Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary.”