Background: CIHR’s Partnerships for Health System Improvement (PHSI) program has been revitalized, strengthened and improved. The next two launches of the PHSI competition are planned for December 2008 and June 2009. Recognizing the effort, time and expense involved in building meaningful partnerships between researchers and decision makers, CIHR is now offering new PHSI Partnership Development Funds through the Meetings, Planning and Dissemination (MPD) grant available three times per year in June, December and April. Applicants successful in the June 2008 round of Partnership Development Funds (note upcoming application deadline: 1 October 2008) will receive funds in time to prepare a full-scale PHSI application for the December 2008 call for applications (note upcoming application deadline: April 2009).
We encourage decision makers and researchers with health systems, services and policy questions that are interested in working together to find applied and policy-relevant solutions to take advantage of this new funding opportunity and apply now!
Objectives: CIHR recognizes that strong relationships between decision makers and researchers form the foundation of the PHSI program. CIHR also recognizes that these partnerships take time to build, and must be promoted and fostered in order to become meaningful and productive. The new PHSI Development Funds were conceived with this in mind.
Partnership Development Funds are intended to help support the formation and development of partnerships between decision makers and researchers interested in applying to the PHSI program. CIHR will fund development activities to facilitate collaboration and partnership formation between Canadian decision makers and researchers with the objective of developing and/or enhancing:
- Partnerships between decision makers and researchers interested in pursuing a collaborative research initiative through the PHSI program that will address a high priority and policy-relevant health care services or systems problem;
- Initial planning and discussion of a PHSI research project among potential PHSI team members including both decision makers and researchers to assess the viability of the research project and the partnership;
- Support for activities that assist potential teams of decision makers and researchers in identifying emerging issues and priorities that could potentially be addressed by projects funded in the PHSI competition.
Relevant Research Areas: IHSPR will fund applications in health services and policy research areas that have the potential to contribute to the improvement of the health care system and the health of Canadians. For subject matter examples, please see the results of the Listening for Direction III consultation exercise.
New funds available: Funding has increased! The total amount available for the Partnership Development Funds opportunity has doubled, and is now $240,000. The maximum amount awarded for a single grant is $15,000 for up to one year. Apply now!
Application deadline: 1st October 2008; Notice of decision: 1st December 2008
For more information, please visit the funding opportunity guidelines or contact Meghan McMahon at meghan.mcmahon@utoronto.ca or 416-978-5172