Project Competition Q&As
Q: Where can I find the update Project Peer Review Manual?
A: See here.
Q: Does the font in Tables and Figures need to be 12pt?
A: No, the font can be smaller but must be legible at 100% magnification.
Q: Can you attach 5 scientific papers (submitted or accepted)?
A: Yes.
Q: Does the status of co-applicant (if senior or mid-career investigator) impact the status of the nominated principal applicant (NPA) if an early career researcher (ECR)?
A: No, the status of ECR for an application is only based on the NPA.
Q: If a person submits an application will they also be asked to review?
A: Possibly, but only for a different peer review committee than their application will be reviewed at and for which they have expertise.
Q: Will the 0-4.9 scoring for the grant be used overall or for each criteria?
A: Each criteria.
Q: Will success rates be similar across all peer review committees?
A: Yes, except possibly the Indigenous Health Research committee.
Q: Can CIHR funds be transferred outside Canada?
A: Generally yes, but this need to be dealt with by the institutions. Please contact your Research Facilitator for additional information.
Q: Should figures be embedded or at the end of the grant?
A: This decision is at the NPAs discretion, but reviewers seem to prefer embedded figures since then they do not need to flip to the end of the proposal to view.
Q: How come as NPA I cannot add a Co-applicant's CCV confirmation number?
A: Co-applicants and Principal Applicants' need to add their own CCV confirmation number from their ResearchNet account. (They also need to confirm from their account that they accept being CoA or PA.)
Q: Can applicants include global health and non-Canadian research sites?
A: Yes.
Q: If your status changes from trainee to faculty after the grant is awarded, can your status on the grant change? (from Co-applicant to Principal Applicant?)
A: Yes.
Q: What is the difference between the College of Reviewers and peer review for the Project competition?
A: The College is a database of reviewers, not a request to review for a specific competition.
Q: For the Summary, are applicants required to use the headings listed in the instructions? (Background and Importance, Goal(s) / Research Aims, Methods / Approaches / Expertise, and Expected Outcomes)
A: No, but it is strongly encouraged. The only exception are those submitting to the RCT panel which require their own specific headings.
Q: Can applicants budget for indirect costs at international/non-eligible institutions?
A: CIHR is in discussion with finance regarding this issue. Please email support@cihr-irsc.ca
Q: Will there be a field for selecting iKT, and if yes, will iKT grants be reviewed by a separate panel?
A: Yes, there will be a field to select iKT but there will be no specific panel for this competition. If additional panels are needed in the future, including a panel for iKT, they may be added.
Q: Are letters of support permitted?
A: Yes.
Q: When is considered the start date for early career investigators?
A: From the start of first academic appointment not counting leaves of absence. Normally, it is based on application deadline.
Q: Can applicants ask for top-ups for grants that have already received CIHR funding? For example, for an already funded clinical trial say we would like to investigate a new MRI imaging technique or a new biological marker within this trial but will need extra funding to do so.
A: Yes, just explain there is no overlap.
Q: If an applicant selects the 'commercialization committee', will their application be reviewed similar to how a POP (Proof of Principle) was reviewed in the past or will it be reviewed against the Project mandate?
A: Reviewers will be asked to follow the POP instructions and apply the POP lense however Project eligibility applies. Please see the CIHR Commercialization Projects webpage.
Q: Are there specific headings applicants need to follow for applications that are not RCTs?
A: No, but keep in mind there are three criteria that the reviewers are assessing.