Transcript Administrative Support for LargeScale Funding Applications – Session 5: SSHRC Partnership Grants Click to edit Master text styles Office of the Vice-President Research &

Administrative Support for LargeScale Funding Applications –
Session 5: SSHRC Partnership
Grants
Click to edit Master text styles
Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
Fifth level
Sarah Whitaker, Sr. Research Officer
June 28, 2012
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Goals
• To offer professional development for research administrative staff,
enabling continuous improvement in the quality of support for
research funding applications.
• To increase the number of research support personnel on campus
who have the skills and knowledge needed to support the
development of large-scale research applications.
• To increase the University’s overall capacity to support a growing
number of large-scale applications for external research funding.
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Session 5 – SSHRC Partnership
Grants
Topics to be addressed include:
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Program overview
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How to determine a project’s fit
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Project chartering
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SSHRC priority areas
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Application components – what’s required
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Budget and matching funds
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Common challenges and strategies for success
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Support services
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Effective communication of feedback to researchers
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York application process details and timelines
Program Overview
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Institutional awards
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Letter of Intent + Full Application (+ interview for 6 and 7 year projects)
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Min budget of $500,000, max budget of $2,500,000
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4-7 years
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SSHRC LOI Deadline: 15 February 2013
Program Overview con’t
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Disciplinary and interdisciplinary research partnerships
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Cross-sector co-creation of knowledge and understanding
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Networks for research and/or related activities
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Partnered knowledge mobilization
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Partnered chairs
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Partnered research centres
Partner – SSHRC Definition
Partner:
A partner is an organization that participates actively in a formal partnership
and contributes in a meaningful way to the success of the endeavour.
A partner organization may be, for example, a Canadian or foreign:
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postsecondary institution,
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government department
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for-profit or not-for-profit organization,
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Foundation.
A partner is 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.
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Formal Partnership
Formal partnership:
A bilateral or multilateral formal collaboration agreement between an applicant
(normally an individual or a Canadian postsecondary institution) and one or
more partners.
These partners agree and commit to work collaboratively to achieve shared
goals for mutual benefit.
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Types of Partnership
Existing partnerships: Support to foster new research and/or researchrelated partnership activities that are distinct from the partnership’s
previous/ongoing partnership activities.
New partnerships: Support to foster new research and/or research-related
partnership activities that are undertaken by partnerships in their initial stages.
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How to determine a project’s fit
• Does the research fit the SSHRC mandate?
• How large is the research team?
• How many organizations are involved?
• Do the described activities, outcomes and goals depend on the
collaboration of institutions?
• Do the described activities, outcomes and goals fit a 4-7 year
timeline and $500,000 - $2,500,000 budget?
• Are the application timelines reasonable for the team and for the
project’s needs?
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Project chartering
• All SSHRC Partnership Grant applications will incorporate a project
charter.
• The charter describes roles and responsibilities of each application
team member.
• The charter confirms a timeline for each stage of the application
development process.
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SSHRC priority areas
“Most SSHRC funding is awarded through open competitions accessible to all
disciplines, areas, themes and approaches. In certain cases, priorities have
been identified for either additional support and/or a more tailored
adjudication.”
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Aboriginal Research
Canadian Environmental Issues
Digital Economy
Innovation, Leadership and Prosperity
Northern Communities – Towards Social and Economic Prosperity
Applications outside of the above areas are eligible for funding in all
SSHRC competitions.
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Application Components
Letter of Intent
Identification
Contributions Plan
Host Organization Involvement
List of References
Participants
Funds – SSHRC
Description of Team
Funds – Other
Invited Partners
Budget Justification – Interim grant
List of Potential and Confirmed Partners
Suggested Assessors
Activity Details
Exclusion of Assessors
Statement of Alignment (optional)
Research Contributions
Summary
Relevant Experience
Project Goal and Description – 8 pgs
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Full Application
Identification
Training and Mentoring
Host Organization Involvement
Knowledge Mobilization Plan
Activity Details
Partnership Evidence
Statement of Alignment (optional)
List of Potential and Confirmed Partners
Previous SSHRC Funding (if applicable)
Funds – SSHRC
Participants
Budget Justification
Invited Partners
Funds – Other
Summary
Contributions Plan
Expected Outcomes
List of References
Goal and Project Description – 8 pgs
Exclusion of Assessors
Description of Formal Partnership – 4 pgs
Competitive Quotes
Partnered Chairs
Research Contributions
Governance
Relevant Experience
Participants Involvement
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Budget and matching funds
• 35% matching funds are required from Host + partner organizations
e.g., $1,000,000 from SSHRC + $350,000 from partners
• Budget Justification is required only at full application. This
document must be as detailed as possible.
• Projects over $1million should budget for staff.
• Students and other HQP are a priority for SSHRC.
• What items can compose a York contribution?
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Support Services
•Faculty-based Research Officers
•ORU staff
•Sr. Research Officer, Office of the VPRI
•Associate Deans Research
•Associate Vice-President(s)
•Office of Research Services
• Michelle Galloro, Research Applications Coordinator
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Effective communication of
feedback to researchers
• Reminders of upcoming deadlines
• List of application sections to be completed
• Editing and review + concrete suggestions for improvement
• Offer assistance with proposed timelines
• Ask constructive questions
• We’re all in this together!
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York application process details and
timelines
Tentative Timeline
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by no later than 3 December
Faculty and other unit financial support
commitments confirmed
3 December 2012
Drafts due to VPRI for SPORT review and
feedback
14 December 2012
SPORT comments sent to PIs
1 February 2013
VPRI/ORS deadline for full draft technical
review
7 February 2013 or before
Technical review sent to PIs
14 February 2013
Final versions submitted to VPRI/ORS
15 February 2013
SSHRC deadline
Common challenges
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Relaxed approach to LOI stage
Budgeting last!
Budgeting for ineligible expenses
Imbalances in budget categories
Submitting poor budget justifications
Extended timelines
Balancing stakeholder interests
Not working with partner organizations soon enough
Underestimating the level of detail required
Common challenges
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Not addressing the evaluation criteria
Using highly technical writing for a multidisciplinary committee
Partners are institutions not people
Not following formatting requirements
• e.g., semicolons, font, margins
Typos and spelling mistakes
Attachments referring to more than the past 6 years
“Career interruptions” are not well justified
Organizations should only be signed on as partners if they are
contributing something beyond the involvement of one or more
researcher(s)
Strategies for success
• Read the instructions and think through associated timelines
• Create overall budgets in post award format
• Create your own on-line form as a resource
• Know your adjudication audience
• Focus writing on the reader of the application
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Strategies for success
•Contact colleagues who have put applications together before
•Justify the budget, justify the budget, justify the budget
•Use the pages provided/space available
•Show benefit to Canada and Canadians where appropriate
•Work with Partners well in advance of the deadline
•Have the application reviewed internally/externally by staff and faculty
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Feedback
Please complete the feedback form in your kit as your
recommendations will help us improve subsequent sessions.
Thank you!
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Up Next…
Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Information Session – June 28, 2012
at 1:00pm in room 519 York Research Tower (YRT).
Workshop Series – August / September 2012
SSHRC Partnership Development Grant and Partnership Grant
Information Sessions – September 2012
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