2010 Competition—
General Information

The excerpt on this page includes: • General Information • Application Process • Decision Process • Grants & Awards Management  Download the complete 2010 Awards Guide

Trainee Applicants: download the eGMS Frequently Asked Questions

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The purpose, eligibility criteria and submission requirements of all MHRC funded programs are described below, and in our 2010 Awards Guide. The MHRC encourages all applicants to review this document prior to filing out an application.

You can obtain copies of these documents on our website. If you have trouble downloading documents, click the link to the Adobe web site and download the plugin.

MHRC is currently accepting applications for—

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Clinical Research Fellowships, Graduate Studentships and PhD Dissertation Awards with a deadline date of January 29, 2010;
• Establishment Grants, Operating Grants, Manitoba Research Chairs with a deadline date of March 2, 2010; and
• applications for Bridge Funding Award with deadlines are March 19 and August 27, 2010.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Mandate

The mandate of the Manitoba Health Research Council is to promote the growth of and the coordination of the health research enterprise in Manitoba.  To this end, the MHRC provides support for health related basic, clinical and applied health research in the Province of Manitoba.  Applications for personnel awards, dissertation awards, operating grants, establishment grants, and bridge funding will be considered. 

2. Contact Information

Information about deadlines and application forms can be obtained from the Manitoba Health Research Council Office (775-1096 or info@mhrc.mb.ca) or Council’s web site: www.mhrc.mb.ca.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1.   Format

MHRC provides guidelines and forms for accessing each of its research funding programs. The required forms or access instructions are indicated in each program section of this guide. The application forms are available on the appropriate page of the MHRC web site or through the Electronic Grants Management System.

Applicants must provide all requested information and ensure their applications are concise, well-written and easy to follow. All abbreviations and acronyms should be explained and jargon kept to a minimum. The required number of copies of the application form and all supporting material must be submitted to the MHRC by the stated deadline in order to be eligible.

2.   Budgets

Budgets are reviewed very carefully and should include only those expenses allowed, as outlined in the funding program description and necessary for the proposed research. All purchases, reimbursements for services, travel costs and student support must follow guidelines and rates set by the applicant's host institution and must be undertaken according to the host institution's standard procedures. Equipment purchased with grant funds becomes the property of the host institution.

3.  Ethics

All studies involving human subjects must be ethically acceptable to Council and to the sponsoring institution. Research funded by MHRC must also comply with the ethical conduct requirements expressed in the following guidelines:

• Research Involving Humans - the Tri-Council Policy Statement "Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans" (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC, August, 1998 with 2000, 2002 and 2005 amendments) available from the web site of the Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics.
• Guidelines on Laboratory Bio-safety (3^rd Edition 2004) prepared by the Public Health Agency of Canada and available on their web site.
• Integrity in Research and Scholarship (2004). A Tri-Council Policy statement prepared jointly by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council available from the NSERC web site.
• The Stem Cell Policy Guidelines, Canadian Institutes for Health Research (Compliance with Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Research: Guidelines for CIHR-Funded Research, CIHR Governing Council, June 20, 2002 updated 2006) available from the CIHR web site.

The signing of the application or electronic consent by the appropriate institutional authority constitutes a commitment on the part of the applicant and the administrators of the sponsoring institution that these guidelines will be respected.

4.  Handling of Animals

The handling of animals used in investigations supported by the Manitoba Health Research Council is to be in accordance with the guidelines set out by the Canadian Council on Animal Care in its publication "Guide and the Care and Use of Experimental Animals" and other guidelines published or endorsed by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (available from the Canadian Council on Animal Care, 315-350 Albert Street, Ottawa K1R 1B1). The signing of the application by the appropriate institutional authority constitutes a commitment on the part of the applicant and the administrators of the sponsoring institution that these guidelines will be respected.

5. Research Involving Radioactive Materials

Information on the requirements for research involving radioactive materials is available from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

6. Disposal of Hazardous Materials

Researchers and institutions are responsible for compliance with federal, provincial and municipal requirements for disposal of hazardous materials and chemical and biological wastes, and for their use in the workplace.

7.  Training programs outside Manitoba

In disciplines where training at the pre-doctoral level is not available within the Province, Council will consider funding elsewhere. However, consideration will be given only where documented evidence is provided confirming the absence of suitable training opportunities in Manitoba and a need for individuals trained in the discipline and where there is a firm commitment by the applicant to return to the Province after training.

DECISION PROCESS

1. Screening

MHRC reserves the right to declare ineligible applications that are incomplete or do not meet applications requirements.

2. Peer Review

MHRC employs a competitive process and peer review to evaluate and select research funding proposals for the Board’s approval.  Peer review is undertaken by a committee of active health researchers and health professionals constituted appropriately to suit the nature of applications under review.  Each committee is chaired by a respected researcher from a relevant field.  Manitoba Research Chair applications are also evaluated by external reviewers from outside Manitoba.

3. Criteria

The criteria used in the peer review process are specified in the following sections describing MHRC’s funding award programs.

4. Rating Scale

MHRC reviewers use the following 5-point scale to rate proposals:

• 4.5-4.9 Outstanding
• 4.0-4.4 Excellent
• 3.5-3.9 Very good
• 3.0-3.4 Good
• 2.5-2.9 Needs revision
• 2.0-2.4 Needs major revision
• 1.0-1.9 Below Average
• 0 Not acceptable

5. Approvals

The MHRC Board makes final approvals of all grants and awards, based on review committee recommendations, compliance with all requirements and budget considerations. 

6. Notification

All applicants are notified in writing of the outcome.  Operating and Establishment grant applicants receive feedback from the peer-review process and personnel applicants may request written feedback.  

Successful applicants will receive an official letter of notification informing them of the type of grant or award and the amount of the grant or award.  Copies of the notifications will be sent to the business officer of the host institution.  Successful applicants must accept in writing before the grant or award is activated.

7. Appeals

The Manitoba Health Research Council does not have an appeal process for decisions made by review committees.  The decisions of the review committees that are ratified by Council are always considered final. 

GRANTS AND AWARDS MANAGEMENT

1. Accounts

Upon receiving written acceptance, MHRC sends the funding information to the host institutions.  The funds provided by the Council are administered by the business officer of the host institution.  Expenditures from each grant must be authorized by the grantee whose responsibility it is to see that funds are used only for expenditures directly related to the project approved for funding. 

2. Accounting

Financial offices at host institutions are responsible for:

• Establishing a separate research account for each grant or award;
• Managing the research account and ensuring the timely flow of funds to researchers;
• Submitting to Council a statement of expenditures signed by the grantee as soon as practical after the close of the grant year; and
• Notifying Council immediately if the grantee is unable, for any reason, to carry out or to complete the research for which funds are provided.

3. Expenditures

Research funds are to be spent according to budgets approved during the review and decision process.  Occasionally, it may be necessary to reallocate grant funds between approved categories if the needs or circumstances of the research project have changed.  Grant holders need MHRC approval for such reallocation only if the change involved 10% or more of the grant’s total.

MHRC grants and awards may be used only for expenses incurred during the term of the award.  In particular, please note the following:

• The unspent balance of a grant at the close of the grant period may remain to the credit of the grantee for an additional three month period, provided it is used for the purpose for which the grant was made and in accordance with current MHRC guidelines.
• Grants are awarded for the support of research at the specified institution where the recipient is located.  If the grantee moves from one institution to another the grant is normally terminated and the remaining funds returned to Council.  With prior written permission of Council, however, it may be possible to transfer the unexpended balance of the grant to another institution within the Province of Manitoba.
• Equipment purchased through a Council grant is vested in the name of the sponsoring institution.
• Any commitment incurred by a grantee in excess of the grant funds is not the responsibility of Council.
• Individuals paid from funds awarded by Council are not Council employees.  Employer contributions to benefit plans normally available to the employee are the responsibility of the institution but may be charged to the appropriate grant.

4. MHRC Acknowledgement

Awardees shall acknowledge the financial support provided by Council and any funding partners (if applicable) in any publications during the term of the award or that arise, in whole or in part, as a result of the award.  In the case of partnership awards, awardees shall acknowledge the financial support provided by Council and the partner. 

Download the entire 2010 Awards Guide document, here.