The Collaborative Activity Grant Program is generally applicable to work defined in collaboration with the IRSST, and whose cost and duration are more limited than for a research project. For the most part, a collaborative activity is work that falls within the IRSST’s priority themes and that is preliminary to or follows a research project. This work takes the form mainly of literature reviews; preliminary, exploratory or feasibility studies; statistical analyses; or expertise activities applying a proven methodology or promoting a technique, approach or product resulting from an IRSST-funded project.
Proposals for collaborative research activities are developed by researchers in collaboration with the research field leader, knowledge transfer advisor and research management advisor. First, the researchers are asked to send a brief summary of their proposed research activity, using the Summary page of the Activity Estimate form, to the research management advisor for the field concerned. This person coordinates the collaborative process. Once the process has been completed, the researcher may officially file his or her grant application by one of the periodically announced deadlines.
Eligibility
An applicant who applies for funding as a principal investigator must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada. In particular, the IRSST hopes to receive proposals from scientists who hold a doctorate or the equivalent and a position in a Quebec post-secondary educational establishment or research institution.
A principal investigator is responsible for the intellectual leadership of the proposed project or activity, assumes administrative responsibilities, and acts as the project’s respondent to the IRSST. Only one person may assume this role.
Submissions
Applications must be prepared using the Activity Estimate Form.
Approval Procedures
- Submission of the “Activity Estimate” form. Activity estimates must be submitted by the deadlines announced periodically by the IRSST. Send the form by e-mail to the research management advisor for the research field concerned.
- Verification of compliance. The activity estimate is first checked to establish its compliance with the eligibility conditions and the guiding principles. A preliminary analysis is then done.
- Verification of correspondence to the Institute’s research fields and orientations. The activity estimate is submitted to the Institute’ Scientific Division in order to determine whether the proposed subject corresponds to one of its fields of research and to its orientations. It is strongly recommended that researchers who wish to apply for collaborative activity grants contact the leader of the research field in question when preparing their application.
- Decision on the relevance and priority of the proposed subject, and on funding. Depending on the amounts requested, the activity estimate is forwarded to the IRSST’s administrative committee or the Scientific Advisory Board, which evaluates its relevance and priority, and makes a recommendation regarding its acceptance or not for funding.
- Announcement of the decision. An award letter, accompanied by the Timetable and Instalment Procedures form, is sent to all grant recipients.