Over 80% of CIHR programs in the July 2009 launch of Funding Opportunities will use ResearchNet to apply to CIHR for funding. This includes all Grant programs with the exception of our Community Based Research programs and most of our award programs as well. These programs will also be using ResearchNet for the peer review processes as well. Check the "How To Apply" section of the Funding Opportunity to which you are applying to determine if it uses ResearchNet or not. CIHR will complete the migration to ResearchNet in December 2009.

As communicated in previous E-Alerts, CIHR updated our signature requirements to more accurately reflect our legal obligation in December 2008. Applicants are now required to get signatures from only one authorized official from the Institution Paid. If the authorized official at the Institution Paid is not able to abide to all obligations outlined in the Meaning of Signatures in the Grants and Awards Guide the other authorized official(s) will be required to sign. Signature Blocks have been updated to allow for any other authorized official who must also sign the forms to indicate their printed name and organization.

For example, the official at University X has the authority to bind the institution to section 1-B4.2 c indicating their commitment to provide the required resources but cannot bind the institution to any of the other points under the Meaning of Signatures. The signature(s) of the authorized official(s) that can bind the institution to the other points under the Meaning of Signatures will also be required.

In an effort to increase the chances of submitting a complete application to CIHR and to increase the quality of application material going to peer reviewers, CIHR piloted restricting page limits in March for the "Response to Previous Reviews" attachment. This pilot was successful and all attachments on ResearchNet which limit the number of pages will now be monitored. Applicants will notice that some documents that were attached as one document previously will now be split into multiple documents to facilitate this functionality on ResearchNet. For example, separate attachments are now required for the "Contributions Details" of the Common CV. We suggest that applicants verify any attachment requirements on ResearchNet prior to creating attachments.

How does this work?
a) If an applicant attempts to upload a PDF document which exceeds the number of pages set by the program, they will receive an error message advising them of the error and noting the page limit for that particular attachment. The applicant can then modify the PDF file and upload a document that contains the correct number of pages.

b) Applicants can refer to the "How To Apply" section of the Funding Opportunity and/or the help text question marks in ResearchNet to view which attachments have page limits and what the limits are.

The research community and CIHR have struggled for years in determining the number of allowable pages for the Research Proposal. CIHR have identified page limits for the Research Proposal which does not include figures, tables or other graphics. This leaves much room for interpretation where researchers and CIHR staff members are left to count and exclude this information to determine if the allowable text exceeds the page limits or not for the Research Proposal. CIHR has attempted to address this problem by implementing the following changes.

a) Applicants will create the text part of their Research Proposal and upload that text PDF file on ResearchNet respecting the page limits.

b) Applicants will create a separate PDF document which will contain the necessary tables, figures or other graphics to accompany the Research Proposal. This document is called the "Research Proposal Appendix". Upload this on ResearchNet after you upload the Research Proposal text.

Sponsors will now fill in their assessment online (no login required) rather than via fillable PDF. Any Funding Opportunity on ResearchNet using the online sponsor forms will prevent applicants from submitting their application until all sponsors have submitted their assessment for the applicant.

As you know, CIHR has been re-evaluating its rules and policies to ensure that they reduce the burden on the research community. One of the changes that was made recently was regarding when and how we determine whether or not there is a funding overlap.

We reviewed the information that applicants were providing us along with the process that reviewers went through in reviewing all applications for funding overlap. We also reviewed who is responsible for declaring and determining funding overlap. This review highlighted changes necessary to reduce the burden on both applicants and reviewers and to place the responsibility for overlap in the right place.

In March 2009, we reduced the information collected through the Common CV with respect to funding. While we still require applicant's to provide CIHR with a list of funding currently held, funding applied for and funding held over the past five years, applicants are no longer required to submit additional attachments detailing the funding and the copy of the summary of research proposal at the time of application.

CIHR is implementing a new process for applicants who must declare any funding overlap to us before using any of CIHR funds for that application. All successful applicants must abide by the conditions set out in the Authorization for Funding (AFF) and will see additional information on how to declare overlap with the Authorization for Funding. The Nominated Principal Applicant is responsible for making sure that any other person involved in the research project, abide by CIHR's policies and procedures.

By accepting the grant, applicants are consenting to the release by CIHR to any academic institution to which the applicant is or may become affiliated to, any and all information, including personal information, in any way related to the carrying out of this research project or its funding.

CIHR takes funding overlap very seriously since it potentially involves misrepresentation in the use of public funds. While we firmly believe that the vast majority of applicants are scrupulous in insuring that there is no overlap in their funding, we must put in place the appropriate measures to mitigate that risk. Therefore if an applicant was to breach any of the policies and guidelines, CIHR may take one or more of the following actions as appropriate, in addition to any other remedies available at law, in accordance with its "Procedure for Addressing Allegations of Non-compliance with Research Policies":

• Reduce its funding in the event that the total of funding received from any source, in respect to expenses to which CIHR funding applies, exceeds 100%;
• Suspend eligibility of funding for the individuals involved;
• Cease all payments of the grant, including any installments that may be due; and,
• Demand a repayment of all or part of the funds already paid.

The Electronic Approval Tool pilot continues on ResearchNet, and is being used for the following Funding Opportunities only:

• Operating Grants: 2009-2010 and Operating Grant: Priority Announcements (Specific Research Areas)
• Master's Award: 2009-2010

Applicants will have access to a link called "View Funding Opportunity Details" on their ResearchNet eSubmission pages that will point to the currently published funding opportunity. The "View Funding Opportunity Details" link is also found on the "Update Status" page in the Electronic Approval Tool activity for authorized individuals at the Research Institution.

Please refer to the updated policy "CIHR Policy on the Institutional Electronic Approval of Applications" which has been updated to reflect these changes.

a) Operating Grant: 2009-2010

As of July 2009, the Electronic Approval Tool pilot is now being used by all CIHR Eligible Institutions Paid. If your institution is not on the list of institutions paid, you are encouraged to apply under an affiliation with an eligible institution. Institutions can become eligible through an approval process and funding can be transferred once the eligibility has been established.

If you are submitting an application and you have indicated a CIHR Eligible Institution Paid as the institution to administer any approved funding, your application will be routed through the authorized representative at the Research Office of the institution for electronic approval prior to it being sent to CIHR. The application must be submitted for review by the Research Institution Deadline Date (which is an internal deadline date set by the Research Institution and is clearly indicated on ResearchNet). The Research Office may return the application to the applicant requesting that changes be made or they may electronically approve it and submit it to CIHR. The applicant will be notified via email when their application has been received at CIHR.

Mail In Requirements

All necessary signatures must still be obtained prior to the CIHR application deadline. You must submit your signature pages to the Research Office first so that the Institution can approve and submit the application to CIHR via ResearchNet. When the Research Office electronically approves and forwards your application to CIHR, they are in fact confirming that all required signatures have been obtained. Make sure the Research Office of the Institution Paid also signs. After obtaining the required signatures, send only the signed pages (including the Routing Slip) to CIHR, courier-stamped by the CIHR application deadline date.

b) Master's Award: 2009-2010

As of July 2009, certain applications will be electronically reviewed by the nominating institutions using the Electronic Approval Tool.

If you are submitting an application and you have indicated that you were or are registered at a university for the Fall [2009] semester, your application will be routed through the authorized individuals of your Institution for the electronic review and approval process of the CIHR Master's Award. Based on their quota, the Institutions will approve a set number of applications and submit them to CIHR. Applicants must submit their application for review by the research institution deadline date set by the authorized office of each Institution, which is clearly indicated on Research-Net. Institutions will be able to use the Electronic Approval Tool to return the application to the applicant if changes are required. They will also be able to electronically approve or not the applications and then submit the set number of application(s) based on their quota to CIHR. The applicant will be notified via email whether their application was not approved or approved and submitted to CIHR.

If you are submitting an application and you have indicated that you were not or are not registered at a Canadian institution for the Fall [2009] semester, your application will be routed by Research-Net directly to CIHR and will not be reviewed by an Institution using the Electronic Approval Tool.

Mail In Requirements

For applicants that were or are registered at an institution for the Fall semester, all necessary signatures must still be obtained prior to the CIHR application deadline (February 1). You must submit your hard-copy signature pages and your official transcripts to the authorized individual of your institution first so they can approve and submit the application to CIHR via ResearchNet. When the authorized individual of your institution reviews and submits your application to CIHR using the tool, the individual is in fact confirming that all required signatures have been obtained. All Applicants who are either submitting an application through a Canadian Institution or are submitting directly to CIHR, must mail the signed signature pages and the transcripts (including the Routing Slip) to CIHR, courier-stamped by the CIHR application deadline date.

We want your feedback and suggestions! Fill out the online Survey on ResearchNet or send your suggestions to
support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your ResearchNet account contact:
ResearchNet Technical Support
Tel: 613-941-9080
Email: support@researchnet-recherchenet.ca

If you have questions or difficulties in completing the CIHR specific content on ResearchNet, contact:
Information Service for Funding Enquiries
Tel: 1-888-603-4178 (select option 1) or 613-954-1968
Email: info@cihr-irsc.gc.ca