FUNDING ORGANIZATIONS

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency responsible for funding health research in Canada. CIHR was created in 2000 under the authority of the CIHR Act and reports to Parliament through the Minister of Health. CIHR consists of 13 "virtual" institutes, a structure that is unique in the world. Each institute supports a broad spectrum of research in its topic areas and, in consultation with its stakeholders, sets priorities for research in those areas.  The links down the left of the page provide access to resources for finding funding calls, viewing decisions and other useful information.  If you need help using the site, this page: How to Use CIHR’s Funding Opportunity Database can help you get started.

Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF)

CHSRF’s new 5-year plan (2009-2013) has three strategic priorities:  to engage and support citizens, to accelerate evidence-informed change, and to promote policy dialogue.  The site is pretty easy to navigate.  It has some great reference resources under its Publications and Resources and topical Links pages that fit with its mandate.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) is the federal agency that promotes and supports university-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. SSHRC-supported research in the social sciences and humanities enhances our understanding of modern social, cultural, technological, environmental, economic and wellness issues. It raises profound questions about who we are as human beings and what we need in order to thrive in complex and challenging times.  The section of the website dedicated to Funding information provides information on upcoming deadlines, application procedures and access to the necessary forms.

Canadian Foundation for Innovation

Only eligible institutions – and not individual researchers – may submit a proposal to the CFI. Check with your institution as to whether your research idea qualifies for any of the CFI’s funding opportunities. The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. The CFI's mandate is to strengthen the capacity of Canadian universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians. The CFI normally funds up to 40 percent of a project’s infrastructure costs which are invested in partnership with eligible institutions and their funding partners from the public, private, and voluntary sectors who provide the remainder. 

US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grants

NIH funds grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts that support the advancement of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems to meet the NIH mission of extending healthy life and reducing the burdens of illness and disability. While NIH awards many grants specifically for research, it also provides grant opportunities that support research-related activities, including: construction, training, career development, conferences, resource grants and more. Grant application basics helps in getting up to speed on the process and eligibility criteria and to access guides, tips and tutorials. 

European Commission: CORDIS: Framework 7 (FP7) Grants

The CORDIS website is the gateway to European research and development.  It is therefore chock full of information relating to various funding calls, finding partners, meetings, conference information, funded research and new funding calls.  The set of links down the left of the Funding page has a lot of information to help you find funding and direction on applying for funding.  There is a reference section which points to searchable databases of projects, programmes, acronyms and contacts for further help.  A good overview of the FP7 and the Health theme is presented in this set of slides.

Non-European researchers who wish to submit proposals under the FP7 programme may wish to consult this document:International dimension of FP7: process, instruments and trends