canadian diabetes association · prevention, etiology, management, and cure of diabetes and related...

CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION

OPERATING GRANT GUIDE

2015 COMPETITION

CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION MISSION STATEMENT

To lead the fight against diabetes by:

helping those affected by diabetes to live healthy lives

Preventing the onset and consequences of diabetes

Discovering a cure

Operating Grant Applications Due:

September 1, 2015

Funding will start February 1, 2016

Canadian Diabetes Association 2

The 2015 Operating Grant Guide supersedes all previous Canadian Diabetes Association Grants and Awards Guides and Applications. Applicants should always refer to the latest version. The Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) may, without notice, alter the programs or terms of an award. Any major changes will be announced immediately on the CDA website at diabetes.ca. The CDA reserves the right to interpret these guidelines and policies. Applicants should contact the Coordinator, Grants & Personnel Awards at [email protected] for clarification as required.

Applications must be submitted online in ResearchNet.

Applications are due on September 1, 2015.

Note: Individuals whose Operating Grant funding ends June 30, 2016 are eligible to apply

to the 2015 competition. For information regarding research programs, to discuss extenuating circumstances with respect to eligibility criteria, or for information on governing policies and application submissions, including CommonCV, please contact:

Canadian Diabetes Association Research & Education Department Telephone: 416-408-7085 Email:[email protected]

For technical support related to ResearchNet, please contact: ResearchNet Support Telephone: (613) 941-9080 Email: [email protected]

http://www.diabetes.ca/

mailto:[email protected]



TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 4

2.0 OPERATING GRANTS .................................................................................................. 4

3.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURES ...................................................................................... 5 3.1 Application submission process ................................................................................................... 5

4.0 PEER REVIEW PROCESS ............................................................................................. 7

5.0 GOVERNING POLICIES ............................................................................................... 8 5.1 Application Submission Requirements ........................................................................................ 8 5.2 Definitions of Nominated Principal Applicant, Co-Applicant, and Collaborator ...................... 9 5.3 Funding Period of Grant ............................................................................................................... 9 5.4 Overlap ........................................................................................................................................... 9 5.5 Competition Results and Feedback .............................................................................................. 9 5.6 Ethics Approval............................................................................................................................ 10 5.7 Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) .......................................................................................... 10 5.8 Clinical Trials ................................................................................................................................ 11 5.9 Annual Progress and Final Reports ............................................................................................. 11 5.10 Knowledge Translation ................................................................................................................ 11 5.11 Media Relations ............................................................................................................................ 11 5.12 Proprietary Rights ........................................................................................................................ 12 5.13 Transfer of Grants ........................................................................................................................ 12 5.14 Parental Leave .............................................................................................................................. 12 5.15 Misrepresentation or Dishonesty ................................................................................................ 12

6.0 USE OF GRANT FUNDS .............................................................................................. 12 6.1 Budget Justification/Financial Assistance .................................................................................. 12 6.2 Administration of Funds .............................................................................................................. 12 6.3 Accountability and Auditing ........................................................................................................ 13 6.4 Eligible Expenses .......................................................................................................................... 13 6.5 Ineligible Expenses .......................................................................................................................14

7.0 RESEARCH CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA, AND MEETINGS ...................................... 14

8.0 TAXATION ................................................................................................................. 15

9.0 APPENDIX 1: PAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTACHMENTS .................................... 16

10.0 APPENDIX 2: PAGE LIMITS FOR OPERATING GRANTS ............................................. 17

11.0 APPENDIX 3: BUDGET OVERLAP ............................................................................... 19

12.0 APPENDIX 4: MATCHING FUNDS .............................................................................. 20


1.0 INTRODUCTION CDA administers the Charles H. Best Research Fund to support research to enhance our understanding of diabetes and its prevention, causes, cure, and management. The National Research Council (NRC) of CDA, on the basis of ratings from each of the peer review committees, makes final funding recommendations for grants submitted to the Operating Grants competition. Research symposium requests are reviewed by the NRC for funding recommendations.

2.0 OPERATING GRANTS

The CDA invites Operating Grant applications for diabetes-related research. Please refer to the Governing Policies (5.0) and Use of Grant Funds (6.0) sections prior to completing an application.

a. Description: CDA offers support for research projects designed to enhance our knowledge of the

prevention, etiology, management, and cure of diabetes and related complications; as well as population health, health services, diabetes education, community and practice-based research.

b. Eligibility: The Nominated Principal Applicant must be an independent researcher. Nominated

Principal Applicant and Co-Applicant(s) must have an academic or research appointment with an eligible Canadian Institution. Post-Doctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as a Nominated Principal Applicant or Co-Applicant on Operating Grant applications.

If, at the time of applying, the applicant does not have an independent faculty position (due to a requirement by their institution that he/she must secure independent peer-reviewed operating grant funding prior to the position being finalized), then a detailed letter from the department Chair or Dean providing details regarding the faculty position must be included in the application. Failure to provide this letter will result in the application being streamlined. CDA reserves the right to request additional information to clarify the position offered. Furthermore, applicants must clearly demonstrate independence from their mentor. CDA reserves the right to request additional information to confirm independence.

c. Assessment Criteria: The reviewers will each conduct a thorough written review and rate the

application based on the following criteria:

1. Assessment of applicant, including past productivity, publication record, and suitability of research training

2. Assessment of strengths and weaknesses of the proposal, including:

i. Relevance to diabetes and its prevention, causes, cure, and management

ii. Applicant’s expertise with respect to the research proposal and the synergy of the research team

iii. Merit of the proposal, including originality, clarity, and feasibility of the hypotheses, transparency and appropriateness of methodologies, statistical rigour, and achievability

iv. The appropriateness and thoroughness of the literature review v. Originality and potential impact of the research

vi. Relationship to previous work by the applicant vii. Feasibility and appropriateness of the research plan

viii. Suitability of the research environment ix. Accuracy of the budget

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/34190.html#r6

http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/22630.html#1-D2


d. Funding Ceiling and Duration of Support: The maximum amount that can be requested is $100,000 annually for a period of up to three years. The final budget and duration of the award is at the discretion of the review committees and the National Research Council, and subject to the availability of funds.

3.0 APPLICATION PROCEDURES Please refer to the Operating Grant (2.0), Governing Policies (5.0), and Use of Grant Funds (6.0) sections prior to completing an application. All applications must clearly demonstrate relevance to diabetes. CDA will accept applications submitted in French and reasonable efforts will be made to maintain bilingual CDA peer review committees.

3.1 Application submission process To apply for an Operating Grant, applicants require a:

1. CDA PIN 2. ResearchNet account

Please note:

Nominated Principal Applicant/ Principal Investigator, and each Co-Applicant/Co-Investigator will require a CDA PIN to submit their application.

To obtain a CDA PIN go to http://www.diabetes.ca/research/research-grants-awards-competitions/2015-research-competition.

Once you apply for a CDA PIN, you will receive an automatic email reply with your PIN. ResearchNet ResearchNet is a secure internet portal which allows the applicant to electronically submit grant applications and obtain funding-related information. To register for a ResearchNet account, please go to https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca. The CDA 2015 Operating Grants Competition will be located under Funding Opportunities in ResearchNet. Application Application submissions must be made online through ResearchNet at https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca. The deadline date is 20:00 hrs (EST) September 1, 2015. Attachments must be uploaded in PDF format. Please see Appendix 2 for page limits. Applications must include: 1) CDA Common CV and supporting documents: Completed CDA Common CV,

Contributions and Publications for the Nominated Principal Applicant and Co-Applicant(s). The CDA Common CV is not required for collaborators, if any. For the full application, if the CDA Common CV template is submitted to CDA (and a confirmation number obtained), no PDF attachment for the supporting documents is necessary in ResearchNet. However, if the applicant and co-applicant choose to only submit personal information in Common CV with no data on Contributions and Publications, they will require a confirmation number as well as the supporting documents (Contributions and Publications), which must be uploaded as attachments to the Common CV task in ResearchNet.

http://www.diabetes.ca/research/research-grants-awards-competitions/2015-research-competition

http://www.diabetes.ca/research/research-grants-awards-competitions/2015-research-competition

https://www.researchnet-recherchenet.ca/




*Please Note: The Nominated Principal Applicant is responsible for obtaining confirmation numbers and any contribution details from their co-applicants.

2) Roles and responsibilities: A ONE (1) page document describing the roles and responsibilities of the Nominated Principal Applicant and Co-Applicant(s) must be submitted.

3) Structured lay summary:

Provide a brief summary of the project (250 words maximum). Please ensure that the summary is indeed a “lay” summary that uses simple language understandable by a lay audience (general public).

4) Research proposal and supporting documents

Research proposals must not exceed seven (7) pages, not including references, tables, charts, figures, and photographs.

Relevant tables, charts, figures, photographs, and accompanying legends must not exceed FIVE (5) pages.

There is no page limit to project references. Be mindful, however, that only references relevant to the project should be submitted.

Relevant publications (published, in press, or submitted) may be uploaded, but cannot exceed THREE (3) in number. For papers not yet published, please include a letter from the journal confirming the status of the submission. Manuscripts in preparation but not yet submitted cannot be included.

5) Summary of Progress

Renewal applications - Applicants must summarize their progress under their most recent CDA grant that is relevant to this application. Include a list of all publications that resulted from this CDA funding. [ONE (1) page maximum]

New application submissions - Applicants are encouraged to summarize any previous work relevant to this proposal. This section can also be used to present preliminary data. [ONE (1) page maximum]

6) Response to Reviewers (for resubmissions only):

If you have previously applied to CDA for the same research grant, and not been successful, the application is a resubmission. If the grant has changed, the applicant should address the rationale for the changes in this section. It is not necessary to attach the comments from the previous reviewers. The response must be appended as ONE (1) attachment, total maximum of TWO (2) pages.

7) Financial Assistance Requested: The maximum requested amount cannot exceed $100,000 per year for up to three years. Please provide sufficient budget information for the project. [TWO (2) page maximum]

8) Letters of Collaboration, if applicable:

Under Other Application Materials, include letters of collaboration/agreement briefly outlining the nature of the collaboration for each collaborator. Please include all letters in one document.

9) Signatures: Ensure that the required parties sign, scan, and upload the signature pages. The actual signature for a Principal Applicant is not required. By submitting the application through ResearchNet you have already given legal consent.


Please note, CDA reserves the right to reject incomplete applications without appeal. It is the responsibility of the principal applicant to ensure the application is complete prior to submission.

4.0 PEER REVIEW PROCESS The Operating Grant Committees are standing volunteer committees of the National Research Council (NRC). Each Committee is composed of a Chair, a Vice-Chair who acts as Scientific Officer, and 10-15 additional voting members. Each committee member has demonstrated scientific expertise in diabetes or a related area. Appointment of committee members takes into consideration the required expertise, regional distribution, gender, and language skills to ensure a fair and balanced process. Members are appointed for a one-year term, renewable for up to three years. Additional members may be added to committees depending on the number of applications received and the expertise required. Committee Chairs reserve the right to allocate applications to the committee with the appropriate expertise. All applications are reviewed by two committee members and, whenever deemed appropriate by the Chair and Vice-Chair, one reader and an external reviewer when additional expertise is required. Each reviewer conducts a thorough written review and rates the application based on the following criteria:

i. Relevance to diabetes and its prevention, causes, cure, and management ii. Applicant’s expertise with respect to the research proposal and the synergy of the

research team iii. Merit of the proposal, including originality, clarity, and feasibility of the

hypotheses, transparency and appropriateness of methodologies, statistical rigour, and achievability

iv. The appropriateness and thoroughness of the literature review v. Originality and potential impact of the research

vi. Relationship to previous work by the applicant vii. Feasibility and appropriateness of the research plan

viii. Suitability of the research environment ix. Accuracy of the budget

Prior to the committee meeting, all reviewers submit their scores to CDA. Applications that receive scores below 3.8 from internal and external reviewers will be streamlined into the non-fundable category prior to the meeting and will not be discussed by the committee. The committee discusses every application that receives a score of 3.8 or higher. After a detailed discussion, a consensus rating is negotiated, around which each member votes. The average of all votes allows for a ranking of applicants, which is put forward, in a blinded manner, to the NRC for funding recommendations.

There are four peer review committees, each of which specializes in specific areas of research, so that we can ensure that each application is reviewed by the very best experts available:

Committee I reviews applications focusing on genetics, immunology, and islet biology

Committee IIA reviews applications focusing on diabetes complications

Committee IIB reviews applications focusing on metabolism

Committee III reviews applications focusing on population health, clinical/lifestyle intervention, diabetes education, and health services


Rank and Rating Scale Descriptor Range Outstanding 4.5-4.9 Excellent 4.0-4.4 Very Good 3.5-3.9 Acceptable but Low Priority 3.0-3.4 Needs Revision 2.5-2.9 Needs Major Revision 2.0-2.4 Seriously Flawed 1.0-1.9 Rejected 0.0-0.9

5.0 GOVERNING POLICIES

5.1 Application Submission Requirements The Nominated Principal Applicant on an Operating Grant is not eligible to apply for or hold more than one Operating Grant, at any one time. There are no restrictions on the number of applications upon which an individual can be listed as a co-applicant or collaborator. An application must be submitted through the institution that will administer the funds. All applications require a 200-250 word structured lay summary and a clear explanation of how the research proposed is relevant to diabetes. Please ensure that the summary is written using simple language understandable by a lay audience (general public). If the application is a renewal, the summary of progress section of the application form MUST be completed. A list of all publications that resulted from this CDA funding must be attached. If the application is a resubmission, applicants MUST indicate how reviewers’ comments have been addressed. If the research proposal has been changed substantially based on reviewers’ comments, it will still be considered a resubmission. Only if it is an entirely new project and it has never been submitted to CDA, should the application be labeled as new. Submitted manuscripts included in the application, but not yet published, must be accompanied by documentation from the journal verifying the status (i.e. submitted, accepted, or in press). Letters confirming acceptance of a manuscript for publication must be received by the Association by October 15, 2015 to be included in the peer review discussion. New manuscripts prepared after application submission cannot be included as an update. Manuscripts in preparation but not yet submitted also cannot be included. When completing the publication section in the Common CV, please indicate clearly which publications resulted from CDA funding.

For the 2015 competition, the Association has implemented a matching funds program that will allow

applicants to find other sources to match 50% of their funding (at minimum) at the time of application. If

the application falls in the fundable range (see below) but funds are not available, those with matching

funds may be funded.

Criteria that need to be followed if application falls within the fundable range:

Application has secured at least 50% of matching funds

Operating Grant applications rank in the top 25%

Note: It is not a requirement to identify matching funds to submit an application. It is an option.


5.2 Definitions of Nominated Principal Applicant, Co-Applicant, and Collaborator The Nominated Principal Applicant (i.e. Principal Investigator) directs the intellectual and scientific design of the research project and takes financial and project management responsibility for ensuring completion of the project within budget projections. Co-Applicants (i.e. Co-Investigators) make significant contributions to the intellectual and scientific direction of the research, project management, and may, with direction from the Nominated Principal Applicant, have some responsibility for financial aspects of the research activities. All Co-Applicants must sign the application and, in so doing, agree to abide by all policies laid out in the CDA Operating Grant Guide. The actual signature for a Nominated Principal Applicant is not required. By submitting the application through ResearchNet, the PI has already given legal consent.

Post-Doctoral fellows are not eligible to apply as a Nominated Principal Applicant or Co-Applicant on Operating Grant applications. Collaborators are individuals who provide and may be reimbursed for services, materials, advice, etc. to facilitate completion of the proposed research activities; however, their intellectual contribution to the work is limited. Collaborators must sign a letter of agreement briefly outlining the nature of the collaboration.

5.3 Funding Period of Grant

Due to the change in fiscal year, the funding year for all grants will be shifted as follows:

Grants awarded in the 2015 competition - funding period will be February 1 to January 31

All grant recipients must be prepared to accept the grant and begin their research on February 1, 2016. Up to 15 per cent of annual funding may be carried over for use in the next funding year or for up to 6 months after the end date of the grant. Authorization for extensions to the funding period must be requested in writing to [email protected]. CDA does not assume any financial obligation beyond the funding period specified in the notification letter.

5.4 Overlap Applicants are encouraged to submit independent projects to the Canadian Diabetes Association. The Nominated Principal Applicant must include the abstract and budget pages and clearly describe the degree to which there is overlap with this application and other grants held or applied for as per the guidelines outlined in the Common CV. In the event that funding for the grant submitted to CDA is offered by another agency, the Nominated Principal Applicant must notify CDA in writing within 2 weeks of receiving the offer. If the funding obtained is from a public granting agency (e.g. Tri-Council), and if the amount is equal to or greater than that requested from CDA, then the applicant must accept funding from the public agency.

5.5 Competition Results and Feedback



Competition results will be posted on the CDA website in mid-January. All applicants will receive notification through ResearchNet in mid to late January regarding the decision of the NRC. Successful applicants are requested to complete the Operating Grant Agreement form and return it to CDA via email to [email protected] within one week of receiving notification. Failure to do so will be construed by CDA as declining the grant. Reviews and Scientific Officer notes will be available on ResearchNet. Principal Applicants are expected to share this information with Co-Applicants. The identity of peer reviewers is confidential and will not be disclosed.

5.6 Ethics Approval

The primary responsibility for ethical conduct rests with the Nominated Principal Applicant and their institution, which must have the appropriate ethics committees in place to review and authorize research proposals. An application for research funding to the Canadian Diabetes Association constitutes a pledge on the part of the applicants and their research institutions to respect all relevant guidelines involving human subjects, animals, biohazards, or stem cells. For example:

Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines, (3rd Edition 2004). Public Health Agency of Canada.

Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (2nd Edition 2010). Panel on Research Ethics.

Guide to the Care and Use of Experimental Animals (Volume 1, 2nd Edition, 1993 and Volume 2, 1984). Canadian Council on Animal Care.

Updated Guidelines for Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research (2010). Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Research Involving Radioactive Materials must comply with regulations of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Ethical approvals will not be required when the application is submitted; however, all successful applicants must forward the appropriate ethics approval to CDA, prior to the release of funds. Please note that the timeline between notification of funding and distribution of funds is short; therefore, applicants should initiate ethics approval prior to funding notification.

5.7 Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) is an experiment in which investigators randomly assign eligible human research participants or other units of study (e.g., classrooms, clinics, playgrounds) into groups to receive or not receive one or more interventions that ae being compared. The results are analyzed by comparing outcomes in the groups. The CDA review committee should take into account key points and questions when assessing each application. The Need for a Trial:

Present or future resources implications for Canadian healthcare and the economy in general

Are the hypotheses to be tested and/or the study objectives specified and described clearly?

Is the trial addressing the right question(s)?

Are the reasons for the study and the changes that might be implemented as a result of the study adequately explained?

Is the proposed research compatible with the extent of the available knowledge, nationally and internationally?

What evidence is available to inform the need for and design of this trial (e.g. systematic reviews)?

Will the results of the trial be generalizable beyond the immediate research setting of the trial in a way that will maximize the impact of the results?



The Proposed Trial:

Is the study design appropriate to answer the research questions posed?

Has sufficient account been taken within the study design of the issues of generalizability and representativeness?

What is the justification for the hypothesis underlying the power calculations?

Are the outcomes, and their measures, clearly described and appropriate to the scientific hypothesis?

Has the trial population been defined adequately in relation to the target population so that the results will have meaning?

Have the measures been validated specifically for the target population(s)?

Is the control group appropriate?

How will sources of bias be avoided or taken account of?

Trial Management:

What are the arrangements for the day-to-day management of the trial? (e.g. randomization, date handling, and who will be responsible for coordination?)

What will be the role of the principal applicant and the co-applicant? For further information, visit http://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/39187.html.

5.8 Clinical Trials CDA has adopted the Position Statement on Registration of Clinical Trials from the Health Charities Coalition of Canada. Thus, all clinical trials funded by the Association must be registered with a recognized, publicly accessible clinical trials registry. Please visit: http://www.healthcharities.ca.

5.9 Annual Progress and Final Reports Annual progress reports must be submitted to [email protected] at CDA by March 31, 2017/2018, and a final report will be due on July 31, 2018. Failure to submit these reports may result in loss of future funding.

5.10 Knowledge Translation

The Canadian Diabetes Association expects grantees to disseminate knowledge created from CDA funding to various users (e.g. the public, healthcare practitioners, the media, scientists, and policy makers) and facilitate their translation into improved health, more effective products or services, and/or a strengthened healthcare system. In all knowledge translation activities, including but not limited to publications and presentations, grantees must prominently acknowledge the funding provided by CDA. Note that the costs of dissemination are eligible expenditures in all CDA-funded grants.

5.11 Media Relations

All recipients of CDA grants engaging in media-related activities related to the work supported by CDA must advise and send copies of relevant materials in advance of the release to the Director, Research at [email protected]. This would not apply to papers for presentations at various scientific meetings or when there is casual discussion with the news media on matters not related to CDA funding.

http://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/39187.html

http://www.healthcharities.ca/




5.12 Proprietary Rights

CDA claims a proprietary rights interest in any patent rights resulting from research supported by its funds of 20 per cent of the investigator's share that is in excess of $25,000. Any question of the amount or extent of such interest is to be determined by agreement between the investigator and CDA and in default of agreement by a sole arbitrator under the Ontario Arbitration Act. CDA must be notified in writing within 1 month of receipt of patent rights related to any research that it has funded.

5.13 Transfer of Grants

If a Nominated Principal Applicant is relocating from the institution where his/her grant was awarded, permission must be obtained from the Canadian Diabetes Association to transfer grant funding. In the event a grantee is unable to continue as the Nominated Principal Applicant at the institution administering the funds, it is the responsibility of the grantee/institution to provide an estimated Statement of Expenditures for the research project and submit it to the Canadian Diabetes Association before the request can be considered. The Canadian Diabetes Association will make every effort to authorize the proposed change, but does reserve the right to terminate the grant. Should the grantee request to move equipment purchased with CDA funding, the institution co-owning the equipment is encouraged to accede to such a request. If a Nominated Principal Applicant is unable to continue his/her research, the grant may be transferred to a co-applicant who is already listed on the research application. Please note, transfers cannot be made to collaborators or post-doctoral fellows. Also, transfers cannot be made outside of the country.

5.14 Parental Leave

Grantees will advise CDA when applying to their institution for parental/maternity leave. During the period of the leave, CDA will defer payment on the grant until the recipient returns to work. The end date of the grant will be extended for the same period of time that the grantee was on leave. The Annual Financial Report will still be required and a final Financial Report must be submitted no later than 2 months after the extended end date of the grant.

5.15 Misrepresentation or Dishonesty

Misrepresentation of facts or academic dishonesty will result in disqualification of the application and possible suspension of the applicant from future CDA research competitions. A suspension period, if applicable, will be determined in consultation with the NRC.

6.0 USE OF GRANT FUNDS

6.1 Budget Justification/Financial Assistance Please explain and justify each budget item, providing sufficient detail for reviewers to assess whether the resources requested are appropriate. Failure to provide detailed information and appropriate justification may result in recommendations to reduce the funds awarded.

6.2 Administration of Funds The institution administering the funding must have the necessary accounting systems and financial controls in place to hold funds in trust for the Nominated Principal Applicant. Payments will be distributed quarterly to the administering institution as follows:


Grants awarded in 2015 – February 2016 April 2016July 2016, and October 2016

6.3 Accountability and Auditing Grantees and their institutions are at all times accountable for the use of CDA funds in accordance with the policies set out by CDA. CDA reserves the right to audit any or all grants/awards funded in any given year. Annual Financial Statements must be submitted to CDA by March 31 of each year and should be completed on the Revenue Expense Report form that will be sent to each institution. Failure to submit will result in the delay of subsequent payments.

6.4 Eligible Expenses

a. Supplies and Materials: All supplies and materials related to the research project are considered

eligible expenses. b. Personnel: Operating Grant applications may include salaries for support staff and trainees.

Annual stipend levels for students and fellows must conform to current CDA funding levels for trainees (i.e. $21,000 for doctoral students and $40,000 for post-doctoral fellows).

c. Equipment: Purchases of equipment up to $5,000 (per year) are eligible if clearly justified in

the budget. The title to equipment purchased with CDA funding will be given jointly to the grantee and the institution administering the funds. Service contracts and common equipment usage fees are eligible expenses in wet laboratories, while network and firewall charges are eligible expenses for research involving secure database applications.

d. Fieldwork Travel: Fieldwork travel expenses must be clearly outlined and justified (e.g. data

collection or transportation of subjects). e. Knowledge Translation: Costs related to dissemination of research results to various users (see

section 5.9 for details). In all knowledge translation activities, grantees must prominently acknowledge the funding provided by CDA.

f. Subject Payment: A modest honorarium for subjects may be included in the budget and

subjects can be reimbursed for expenses incurred as part of their participation in the research project (e.g. travel, parking, food, etc.).

g. Small Modifications to Budget: A grantee is expected to use the money for the purposes

outlined in the application. Small variations to the budget are considered acceptable; however, permission must be obtained from CDA if the grantee makes significant changes to the budget (i.e. 25 per cent or greater).

h. Carry Over: Up to 15 per cent of annual funding may be carried over for use in the next granting

year or for up to 6 months after the end date of the grant. A final Revenue Expense Report must be submitted no later than 2 months after this 6-month extension, at which time any unused funds must be returned to CDA. Requests for approval of extenuating circumstances must be made in writing to the Director, Research at [email protected].

i. Conference Travel: A maximum of $3,000 per grant year can be used for conference and/or

meeting-related travel. Any unspent conference travel monies from one funding year can be carried forward to the next year; however, no more than $6,000 can be expensed over a two-year grant period or $9,000 over a three-year grant period.



6.5 Ineligible Expenses CDA reserves the right to request reimbursement of funds, in the event that any of these expenses are incurred on a CDA grant. a. Indirect Costs: Administrative and indirect costs to institutions administering the funds

(included but not limited to heating, lighting, infrastructure, and space maintenance, ethics reviews, facilities for animals used in research, central research and financial services, management of intellectual property, providing resources, such as library and computer information, environmental assessment, and safety compliance).

b. Sabbatical Leave: Expenses incurred as a result of the grantee/awardee taking sabbatical. c. Professional Training: Costs related to professional training or development (e.g. computer or

language training). d. Membership Fees: Fees for professional associations or scientific societies. e. Citizenship Fees: Fees for post-doctoral fellows applying for citizenship. f. Cellular Phone: Cell phone charges cannot be expensed unless clearly documented as a method

of data collection. g. Investigator Salaries: Nominated Principal Applicant and/or Co-Applicant salaries. h. Overseas Funding: CDA research funding is intended for research conducted in Canada;

however, if an exceptional need for collaboration outside of Canada is identified, it should be addressed at the time of application in order to seek approval from the peer review committee and NRC.

7.0 RESEARCH CONFERENCES, SYMPOSIA, AND MEETINGS

CDA will provide up to $5,000 in support of diabetes-related research conferences, symposia, and meetings held in Canada. Subject to the availability of funds, small conference grants (if deemed worthy of funding) are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Frequency of applications from any particular individual or group should be reasonable (no more than once every 3 years). Conferences, symposia, and meetings that take place annually are not eligible to apply for funding. Applicants must submit the following:

letter of request outlining: the name, contact information, and affiliation of project organizer(s)

title of proposed conference/symposium/meeting

objectives of proposed conference/symposium/meeting

clearly state relevance to diabetes

draft program of the meeting

affiliations of anticipated attendees

proposed budget with justifications

state clearly how CDA funding will be acknowledged in all meeting related material

additional sources of support requested or received


Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria: clarity of objectives, degree of alignment with CDA’s mission and vision, potential outcomes or impact of the meeting, and budget justification. Within 3 months after the meeting/symposium/conference, a brief report, which includes a post-event and a summary of outcomes/future activities as a result of the event, must be forwarded to CDA. Please include a brief description of how CDA funds were spent. Deadlines: Letters of request for support MUST be submitted to the Association at least 3 months before the event. No exceptions will be made to the time requirement. Requests are reviewed by CDA’s NRC in November and April of each year. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

8.0 TAXATION

Training awards, whether held inside or outside Canada, are taxed as income by the Canadian government.

Training award recipients receiving payments through Canadian institutions must be issued T4 or T4A slips by the institution rather than by CDA. Since no deductions are made at source by CDA, training award recipients are responsible for determining the amount of tax they must pay, and for forwarding this amount to the Canada Revenue Agency. For information, call toll-free 1-800-959-5525 for services in English or 1-800-959-7775 for services in French. Training award recipients can obtain information about the amount and method of payment, the deductions allowed, and the receipts required from their local tax services office. Residents of Quebec must also contact Revenue Québec, Service des renseignements spécialisés at 819-770-1768. The amounts received in the year by an individual on account of scholarships, fellowships, and bursaries may be excluded from income. Please contact the Canada Revenue Agency directly for further information.


9.0 APPENDIX 1: PAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTACHMENTS File attachments created by the applicant may be prepared with the word processing software package of your choice, but they must be uploaded in PDF format. ResearchNet will not accept supplementary audio or video material. Documents must be in one of the official languages (English or French), and must be typed and formatted following the instructions for formatting attachments listed below. The reason for these formatting requirements is to ensure that all applicants have exactly the same amount of space to write their proposals. CDA indicates, under each section, the total number of pages permitted. This also facilitates the work of peer reviewers who must review multiple applications. Below are instructions for preparing and formatting attachment documents. CDA has simplified its attachment formatting requirements. The following apply to all attachments (including those for the Common CV):

Please indicate your name, the project title and the section title (e.g., Summary of Research Proposal) at the top of each page. Indicate the page number clearly at the bottom of each page. For CV attachments, only your name (i.e., does not have to be nominated principal applicant name) and the section title (e.g., Patents and Intellectual Property Rights) are required in the header.

Insert a margin of 2 cm (3/4 inch) - minimum - around the page.

Observe page limitations, additional pages may NOT be added unless specified.

Use only letter size (21.25 X 27.5 cm / 8.5" X 11") white paper/background for all attachments.

Photo-reduce the supporting documents if the originals are larger than (21.25 X 27.5 cm / 8.5" X 11").

Use a font size of 12 point, black type. Six lines per inch. No condensed type or spacing.

Attachments must be uploaded in PDF format.

The size of the attached document(s) cannot exceed 30 MB per document. For all documents that need to be attached, please follow the instructions provided within ResearchNet.


10.0 APPENDIX 2: PAGE LIMITS FOR OPERATING GRANTS The following table outlines the page limits for uploading attachments in ResearchNet. If you exceed the page limits, an error message will appear. Please note that ResearchNet only accepts PDF attachments. The asterisk (*) denotes a mandatory document.

Document Page Limit

# of documents

Notes

Common CV and Supporting Documents

CDA Common CV (CCV) is required for each applicant and co-applicant. The contribution details are no longer mandatory as some applicants/co-applicants may have completed this information in the new CDA CCV templates. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the contributions details are completed either on the CDA CCV or in ResearchNet.

Common CV confirmation number*

N/A N/A Applicants will need to enter their CDA CCV confirmation number as well as their co-applicant’s CCV confirmation number. This confirmation can be obtained when the Academic CDA Common CV template is submitted to CDA.

Contributions Details - Most Significant Contributions

1 1 Not mandatory in ResearchNet if this information has already been entered as data in your CDA Common CV. If not, applicants must attach the necessary document.

Contributions Details - Activities and Contributions


Contributions Details - Interruptions and Delays


Contributions Details - Patents and Intellectual Property Rights


Contributions Details - Publications List


Roles and Responsibilities*

1 1 Please elaborate on specific expertise, roles and responsibilities as the principal applicant and your co-applicants in this project.

Enter project info - Attachments

Research Proposal* 7 1 Please provide a clear, concise outline of your proposed project, including applicable backgrounds knowledge, hypotheses, objectives, experimental design, methods and statistical analyses, anticipated results and conclusions, significant of the work, possible problems and solutions, and pertinent


references. Research Proposal Appendix*

5 1 The Appendix includes any tables, charts, figures, photographs and accompanying legends.

Project References Unlimited 1 Only references relevant to the project should be included.

Response to previous reviews

2 1 If you have previously applied to CDA for the same research project, the application is a resubmission. If the project has changed, the applicant should address the rationale for the changes in this section. The applicant should also address all concerns of the reviewers in this section. It is not necessary to attach the comments from the previous reviewers.

Summary of progress 1 1 Renewal applicants MUST summarize their progress under their most recent CDA grant that is relevant to this application. Also, include a list of all publication that resulted from this CDA funding. New applicants are encouraged to summarize any previous work relevant to this proposal. This section can also be used to present preliminary data.

Project Publications (relevant to the proposal)

Unlimited 3 The applicant may append:

a maximum of THREE (3) related publications (published, in press or submitted) for submissions.

For papers not yet published, please include a letter from the journal confirming the status of submission. Manuscripts in preparation but not yet submitted cannot be included.

Budget Information Budget Attachment: Financial Assistance Requested Details*

2 1 All requested budget categories must be well justified.

Other Application Materials Letters of collaboration Unlimited Unlimited A letter describing the nature of the collaboration

listing the name, title or position, and institution of all collaborators on this proposal. Please include documentation for each collaborator separately.

Signature pages* N/A 1


11.0 APPENDIX 3: BUDGET OVERLAP List all research funds currently being held and applied for, including all sources of support applied for as

a Nominated Principal Investigator, Co-Applicant, or personnel awards.

Please complete this form, save it as a PDF, and upload it to ResearchNet under “Other Application

Materials”.

Title of Proposal: _______________________________________________________

Is there overlap with the current application submitted to CDA? Yes No

If yes, please indicate the funding agency(s), the funding period(s), and the amount(s) received.

Funding Agency submitted to: ____________________________________________

Funding period applied for: ______________________________________________

Your role: Nominated Principal Investigator Co-Applicant

Name of Nominated Principal Investigator: Last Name: _______ First Name: _______ Initials: ___







Name of Nominated Principal Investigator: Last Name: ________ First Name: ________ Initials: ___







Name of Nominated Principal Investigator: Last Name: ________ First Name: ______ Initials: _____


12.0 APPENDIX 4: MATCHING FUNDS

For the 2015 competition, the Association has implemented a matching funds program that will allow

applicants to find other sources to match 50% of their funding (at minimum) at the time of application.

If the application falls in the fundable range (see below) but funds are not available, those with matching

funds may be funded.

Criteria that need to be followed if application falls within the fundable range:

Application has secured at least 50% of matching funds

Operating Grant applications rank in the top 25%

If you have secured matching funds, please list all sources and amounts below.

Please complete this form, save it as a PDF, and upload it to ResearchNet under “Other Application

Materials”.


Funding Agency: ____________________________________________

Funding period: ______________________________________________



Funding Agency: ____________________________________________

Funding period: ______________________________________________



Funding Agency: ____________________________________________

Funding period: ______________________________________________
