Transcript How to apply to SSHRC’s new Partnerships Funding Opportunities

Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council of Canada
Conseil de recherches en
sciences humaines du Canada
How to Apply to SSHRC’s
New Partnerships Funding Opportunities
Gail Zboch, Senior Program Officer
Strategic Programs and Joint Initiatives
Purpose of Presentation
− Provide information on the first two funding
opportunities launched within SSHRC’s renewed
program architecture, under the Insight and
Connection programs:
o Insight/Connection Partnership Development
Grants: Application deadline: November 25, 2010
o Insight/Connection Partnership Grants Letter of
Intent: Application deadline: January 31, 2011
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Format of Presentation
1. Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants
2. Insight/Connection Partnership Grants
3. Insight/Connection Partnership Grants: Changes to the
CV Process
4. Insight/Connection Partnership Opportunities: New
Guidelines and Procedures
5. Characteristics of a Successful Application
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Insight/Connection
Partnership Development Grants
1. Key features
2. Purpose/objectives
3. Formal partnerships – suggested approaches
4. Optional priority areas
5. Requirements
6. Eligibility – institutional and participants
7. Evaluation process and criteria
8. Application process
9. Attachments
10.Other sources
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Key Features
− Applicant: Principal investigator
− Duration: 1 to 3 years
− Value: Typically $75,000 to $200,000, with requests for
lower or higher amounts considered
− Institutional and partner contributions: Secure cash
and/or in-kind contributions during life of grant. While
there is no minimum contribution, applicant and partners
are expected to demonstrate a formal partnership exists
or will be de developed.
− Application process: One-stage application
− Next deadline: November 25, 2010
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Purpose
— Develop research and related activities in SSH—including
knowledge mobilization and the meaningful involvement
of students and new scholars—by fostering new research
partnership activities involving existing and/or potential
partners; or
— Design and test new partnership approaches for
research and/or related activities that may result in best
practices or models that either can be adapted by others
or have potential to be scaled up at a regional, national
or international level
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Program Objectives
Proposal must meet one or more program objectives, or a
combination of objectives between the two:
Insight—build knowledge and understanding about people,
societies and the world by supporting research excellence in
all subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding
Connection—realize the potential of SSH research for
intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence, benefit
and impact on and beyond the campus by supporting specific
activities and tools that facilitate the multidirectional flow
of research knowledge
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Definition of Formal Partnership
− A bilateral or multilateral formal collaboration agreement
between an applicant and one or more partners. Partners agree
and commit to work collaboratively to achieve shared goals
for mutual benefit.
− Evidence of commitment may include: an agreed-upon
governance and/or management structure, mutually determined
methodological approach with established roles and
responsibilities, memorandum of understanding, or other
evidence endorsed by the partners—e.g., sharing in intellectual
leadership, providing expertise, and providing cash and/or inkind contributions.
− While the formality of partnerships may vary, a formal
partnership is grounded in trust and mutual respect, with
partners contributing in a meaningful way to the success of the
endeavour.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Examples of Partnership Approaches
− Disciplinary and interdisciplinary partnerships
− Cross-sector co-creation of knowledge and
understanding
− Networks for research and/or related activities
− Partnered knowledge mobilization
A Creative Open Space:
Any other approach and any combination of the above
is possible!
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Optional Priority Areas
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−
Most SSHRC funding, including Partnership Development Grants, is
awarded through open competitions accessible to all disciplines, areas,
themes and approaches
The following priority areas are available:
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Aboriginal Research
Canadian Environmental Issues
Digital Media
Innovation, Leadership and Prosperity
Northern Communities—Towards Social and Economic Prosperity
Applicants requesting funding under one of these should, in their
application, identify their Partnership Development Grant proposal as
related a SSHRC priority area.
Applicants are not obligated to choose a priority area.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Requirements
Quality and commitment of formal partnerships:
− Applicants must include relevant documentation to allow an informed
evaluation of the quality and level of commitment of the proposed formal
partnership. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:
o governance frameworks;
o strategic plans;
o memorandums of understanding;
o intellectual property agreements; and/or
o letters of participation and engagement.
Institutional and partner contributions:
− Applicants must secure cash and/or in-kind contributions during the life
of their grant. While there is no minimum requirement, partners and
institutions are expected to contribute during the life of the grant.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Eligibility Requirements
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Applications must be submitted by the applicant (principal investigator
/ project director) on behalf of the formal partnership partners.
The applicant must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary
institution or not-for-profit organization.
Partnership Development Grants are open to universities, colleges and
not-for-profit organizations.
Any postsecondary institution or not-for-profit organization that does
not currently have institutional eligibility and wishes to administer
SSHRC grants must apply for, and be granted, institutional eligibility.
For institutional eligibility questions, or to receive an institutional
eligibility application package, contact SSHRC's Corporate Secretariat,
at [email protected].
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Note: Team Composition
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A research team within a Partnerships
Development Grant or a Partnerships Grant can
be composed of the following participants:
A Principal Investigator/ Organizational Contact
for an institution
Co-applicants
Collaborators
Partners
Other contributors
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Insight/Connections Partnership Development
Grants: Eligibility Requirements (Participants)
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There are two categories of individual participant for
Partnership Development Grants: co-applicant and
collaborator.
Co-applicants may be individuals from any of the following:
postsecondary institutions; not-for-profit organizations;
philanthropic foundations; think tanks; international
postsecondary institutions; or municipal, territorial or
provincial governments.
Collaborators may be individuals from any of the following:
postsecondary institutions; not-for-profit organizations;
public sector or private sector organizations; philanthropic
foundations; think tanks; international postsecondary
institutions; or municipal, territorial, provincial or federal
governments.
Note: Individuals from the private sector or federal government
may only participate as collaborators.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Opportunities: New
Guidelines and Procedures (New Partner Definition)
Partner:
− An organization that participates actively in a
formal partnership and contributes in a meaningful
way to the success of the endeavour
− Partners are expected to support the activities of
the formal partnership by sharing in intellectual
leadership or providing expertise. The partner is
also expected to provide cash and/or in-kind
contributions
− A partner must be an organization, not an
individual
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Evaluation Process
− Adjudication: Partnership Development Grants are adjudicated by
multidisciplinary committees that include relevant expertise from
the academic community, as well as research expertise from the
public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors
− Priority areas: If an applicant identifies their proposal as related
to one of SSHRC’s priority areas, the application will also undergo a
relevance review by an existing or specially constituted
committee to verify alignment with the priority area
− Feedback: All applicants will receive, together with their SSHRC
notice of decision, a summary of the adjudication committee's
comments
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development
Grants: Evaluation Process (Criteria)
Challenge—Aim and importance of endeavour (50%):
− originality, significance and expected contribution to
knowledge in the social sciences and/or humanities;
− appropriateness of the theoretical approach or
framework;
− appropriateness of the methodologies or approaches
(including for the co-creation of knowledge across
sectors);
− quality of training and mentoring to be provided to
students, emerging scholars and other highly qualified
personnel, and opportunities for them to contribute;
and
− likelihood of influence and impact within and/or beyond
the social sciences and humanities research community.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Evaluation Process (Criteria)
Feasibility—The plan to achieve excellence (20%):
− feasibility to meet the objectives of the Insight and/or Connection
programs, the Partnership Development Grants funding opportunity
and, where appropriate, expected outcomes of a priority area;
− strategies and timelines for the design and conduct of the research
and/or related activities;
− appropriateness of the requested budget, justification of proposed
costs, and indications of other planned resources (time, human and
financial), including cash and in-kind support already secured, or to
be secured, from the host institution and/or from partners;
− quality of the knowledge mobilization plans, including for effective
dissemination, exchange, and engagement within and/or beyond the
research community, where appropriate;
− quality and genuineness of the formal partnership and associated
management and governance arrangements and leadership, including
evidence of genuine involvement of partners and others in the design
and conduct of the research and/or related activities; and
− potential for long-term viability and for progress indicators.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Evaluation Process (Criteria)
Capability—The expertise to succeed (30%):
− quality, quantity and significance of past experience and
published outputs of principal team members relative to
their role in the partnership, and to the stage of their
career;
− evidence of contributions through, e.g., publications (such
as commissioned reports, etc.); professional practice; and
contributions to public discourses, public policies,
products and services, and the development of talent;
− experience with collaboration and formal partnerships;
and
− potential to make future contributions.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Evaluation Process (Criteria)
Scoring Scheme
Adjudication committee members assign a score for
each of the three criteria based on the following
scheme:
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5–6 = Excellent
4–4.9 = Very good
3–3.9 = Good
Below 3 = Not recommended for funding
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process
Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants
and Partnership Grants applications will be fully
electronic submissions
− Similar system was used in Standard Research Grants
2009 competition
− No paper copies required
− Institutional signatures no longer required
− CVs of research team members attached electronically to
application
− Decreased margin of error (reduced number of ineligible
files in 2009-10 SRG competition)
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development
Grants: Application Process (Partners)
− Innovative online form engages partners in
application process.
− Applicants will identify partners and partners’
contact persons to invite on the project.
− System will automatically send an email to each
potential partner contact person, inviting them
to participate in the application.
− Partners will fill out engagement forms to be
attached to applicaton. Forms include:
Identification, Cash and/or In-Kind
Contributions, and Letter of Engagement.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Partners—Letters of Engagement)
− Each invited and confirmed partner should, to the extent
possible, provide a letter, written on official letterhead, with
the following information:
− a statement that the partner has read and agrees in
principle with the objective(s) of the proposal;
− the exact nature of the involvement of the partner;
− the nature of the partner’s participation in the governance
structure of the partnership, if appropriate;
− what the partner intends to contribute to the partnership;
− precise details on the financial and/or in-kind
contributions to be provided by the partner; and
− what the partner expects from participating in the
partnership.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Participants)
− An innovative online form also engages
participants in the application process.
− Applicants identify co-applicants and coapplicant contact persons to invite on the
project.
− System will automatically send an email to each
potential co-applicant contact person, inviting
them to participate in the application.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Attachments)
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Statement of Relevance (if applicable)
Summary of Proposed Partnership and Activity
Intended Outcomes of Proposed Activity
Description of Activity (maximum 5 pages)
Description of Participants Involvement
(maximum 2 pages)
− Description of Formal Partnership(s) and
Partners’ Contribution (maximum 5 pages)
− Evidence of Formal Partnership—no page limit
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Attachments—Description of Activity)
Description (max. 5 pages) should clearly contextualize proposal within the stated
program objectives (Insight and/or Connection) and partnership approaches, address
all the program evaluation criteria, and describe:
− overall goal and specific objectives the partnership has set for itself.
− originality, significance (social, economic, cultural) and expected contribution to
knowledge in SSH of the proposed research and/or other partnership activities, as
well as the appropriateness of the theoretical and methodological approaches
chosen to meet the stated objectives.
− relevance and significance of these objectives for all the partners in the
partnership.
− appropriateness of the duration (1 to 3 years) chosen to achieve the objectives.
− anticipated challenges in managing the project and organizing the activities.
− involvement of students, new scholars, emerging scholars and/or other highly
qualified personnel.
− contributions the project is expected to make to the creation or mobilization of
new knowledge. Identify expected outputs, potential outcomes and long-term
impacts the partnership may generate.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Attachments)
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Training and Mentoring (maximum 1 page)
Knowledge Mobilization Plan (maximum 2 pages)
List of References (maximum 10 pages)
Budget Justification (maximum 4 pages)
Competitive Quotes (if applicable)
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Insight/Connection Partnership Development Grants:
Application Process (Other Sources of Funding/Other
Contributors)
− Other contributors include organizations (e.g.,
philanthropic foundations, private sector
organizations) or individuals who are not invited
partners but are likely to contribute cash and/or
in-kind contributions during the life of the grant.
− Their contributions should go into the Other
Sources of Funding section of the form.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Key Features
− Applicant: Institution
− Duration: 4 to 7 years
− Value: Typically $500,000 to $2.5 million, with
requests for lower or higher amounts considered
− Minimum contributions: Minimum 35 per cent
cash and/or in-kind contributions above and
beyond SSHRC funding during life of grant
− Two-stage application process:
o Letter of Intent (next deadline: January 31, 2011)
o Formal Application (fall 2011)
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Purpose
− Provide support for new and existing formal
partnerships over 4 to 7 years
− Advance research and/or knowledge
mobilization in the SSH through mutual cooperation and sharing of intellectual leadership,
as well as through resources as evidenced by
cash and/or in-kind contributions
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Program Objectives
Proposal must meet one or more of the following
program objectives:
− Insight—build knowledge and understanding about people,
societies and the world by supporting research excellence
in all subject areas eligible for SSHRC funding
− Connection—realize the potential of SSH research for
intellectual, cultural, social and economic influence,
benefit and impact on and beyond the campus by
supporting specific activities and tools that facilitate the
multidirectional flow of research knowledge
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Examples of Partnership Approaches
− Disciplinary and interdisciplinary partnerships
− Cross-sector co-creation of knowledge and
understanding
− Networks for research and/or related activities
− Partnered knowledge mobilization
− Partnered Chairs (different from PDG)
− Partnered Research Centres (different from
PDG)
A Creative Open Space:
Any other approach and any combination of the
above is possible!
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Optional Priority Areas
− Most SSHRC funding, including Partnership Grants, is awarded
through open competitions accessible to all disciplines, areas,
themes and approaches
− The following priority areas are available:
o
o
o
o
o
Aboriginal Research
Canadian Environmental Issues
Digital Media
Innovation, Leadership and Prosperity
Northern Communities—Towards Social and Economic
Prosperity
− Applicants requesting funding under one of these should, in their
application, identify their Partnership Grant proposal as related to
one of SSHRC’s priority areas
− Applicants are not obligated to choose a priority area.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Requirements and Eligibility
Same as for Partnership Development Grants, with the addition of
the following increased requirements for securing cash and/or inkind contributions:
Stage 1—LOI: Applicants are expected to include a plan to secure,
over and above the budget requested from SSHRC, a minimum of 35
per cent in additional resources from sources other than SSHRC
during the life of the grant (4 to 7 years).
Stage 2—Formal Application: Applicants are required to
demonstrate they have already begun to confirm the 35 per cent or
more in additional cash and/or in-kind contributions, and indicate
how they will secure the remaining resources during the life of the
grant. A minimum contribution of 35 per cent must be confirmed by
the mid-term evaluation of the project.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Evaluation Process (LOI Stage)
− Adjudication: Letter of Intent applications are
adjudicated by multidisciplinary committees that
include relevant expertise from the academic
community, as well as research expertise from the
public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors
− Assessments: No external assessments
− Feedback: All applicants will receive, together with their
SSHRC notice of decision, a summary of the adjudication
committee's comments
− Priority areas: At both stages, if an applicant identifies
their proposal as related to one of SSHRC’s priority areas,
the application will undergo a relevance review by an
existing or specially constituted committee to verify
alignment with the priority area
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Evaluation Process (Formal Application)
− Adjudication: Full proposals are adjudicated by
multidisciplinary committees that include relevant
expertise from the academic community, as well as research
expertise from the public, private and/or not-for-profit
sectors.
− External assessments: A minimum of 3 external
assessments are obtained before adjudication at the
committee meeting. For proposals requesting more than $2
million, up to 6 external assessments are obtained before
adjudication, and a formal interview process is required.
− Feedback: All applicants will receive, together with their
SSHRC notice of decision, a copy of the external
assessments obtained, and a summary of the adjudication
committee's comments.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Evaluation Process (Criteria)
The evaluation criteria and scoring scheme are the same
as for Partnership Development Grants, except for the
weighting of the criteria:
− Challenge—The aim and importance of the endeavour
(40%)
− Feasibility—The plan to achieve excellence (30%)
− Capability—The expertise to succeed (30%)
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Partnered Chairs
− Partnered Chairs must contribute directly to the
objectives of the Insight and/or Connection
program(s)
− Chair partners pool financial resources and
suggest an amount of funds required from SSHRC
− Partnered Chairs may be created in
collaboration with other organizations and
institutions
− Host institution will be responsible for managing
the funds and for overall partnered chair
arrangements
− See published guidelines for more details
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Application Process
− Still in development
− Will also be online
− Will also engage partners and participants in
application process
− Will incorporate invited partners’ contributions
and other contributors
− Will use similiar attachments as the Partnership
Development Grants application
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
Changes to the CV Process
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
CV Process
− All participants from postsecondary institutions must
electronically submit verified SSHRC web-based CVs.
These assist the committee in evaluating the
qualifications of the team to carry out the proposed
research
− Participants must now also include both of the
following CV attachments:
– Research Contributions; and
– Relevant Work Experience
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
CV Process (Minimum Requirements)
Participants not affiliated with a postsecondary
institution may submit the full SSHRC CV or only
complete the following mandatory fields:
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Discipline of expertise
Primary affiliation, with end dates
Primary affiliation and department
Permanent postal address
Correspondence language
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
CV Process (Attachments)
Research Contributions:
− Research contributions over the last 6 years
− Other research contributions
− Most significant career research contributions
(for regular scholars)
− Career interruptions and special circumstances
− Contributions to training
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Insight/Connection Partnership Grants:
CV Process (Attachments)
Relevant Experience:
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Explain your experience in engaging in and/or leading formal
partnerships, and any previous experience related to the
objectives of the partnership application. Include:
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your experience in engaging in and/or leading formal
partnerships;
a brief description of the nature of the work you performed;
an explanation of how this work has prepared you for your role
in the project; and
a description of the skills you developed (e.g., training,
mentoring, analysis, networking).
Examples of relevant experience include: working within or
with communities and/or organizations (e.g., not-for–profit
organizations, philanthropic foundations, think tanks,
private sector organizations), non-academic career
information, or voluntary work.
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Insight/Connection Partnership Opportunities:
New Guidelines and Procedures
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Insight/Connection Partnership Opportunities:
Guidelines and Procedures (Institutional Eligibility)
− Institutions eligible to apply for and receive
SSHRC funding include: universities, colleges,
and some not-for-profit organizations.
− An institution must demonstrate it meets all the
requirements:
o Institutional status and governance
o Research function in SSH
o Financial stability and management
o Management of the research environment
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Insight/Connection Partnership Opportunities:
Guidelines and Procedures (Securing Institutional
Eligibility—Process)
− If your organization is not on SSHRC’s eligible
institution list, you must email SSHRC’s
Corporate Secretariat, at [email protected], to begin the eligibility process.
− If you do not contact SSHRC, your institution will
not be added to the list of eligible institutions
and you will not be able to complete your
application.
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Characteristics of a Successful Application
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Characteristics of a Successful Application
1. Complete all mandatory fields (boldfaced labels).
2. Attach all mandatory electronic uploads
(application).
3. Ensure all co-applicants and collaborators (i.e.,
participants with SSHRC CVs) have submitted
their "Accept Invitation Form."
4. Ensure confirmed partners have submitted their
"Accept Invitation Form."
5. Verify and correct data until the Verification
Report indicates successful verification.
6. Click on the "Submit" button (Submit to Research
Administrator) for institutional approval.
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Characteristics of a Successful Application
− Clarity: application is well written, well
organized and error-free
− Originality: application is challenging,
interesting, and ambitious yet feasible
− Project’s significance is clear
− Potential impact is stated convincingly
− Presented confidently, not boastfully
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Thank you / Merci
Email: [email protected]
Tel.: 613-943-1007
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