Deadline: 19 May 2020
The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) is now launching the first of several funding calls for British Columbia researchers. The focus of this first call will be on high quality research that evaluates BC’s response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and informs ongoing response, especially strategies for avoiding or mitigating subsequent waves of transmission.
MSFHR is working to support British Columbia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through two main streams of work:
- funding needed research, and
- providing secretariat support for a provincial strategic research advisory committee that reports to the Provincial response Planning Section Chief, Health Emergency Coordination Centre, and will advise the Province on what research needs to be done to support the Province’s response to the pandemic.
This first call will focus on high quality research that evaluates BC’s response to the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and informs ongoing response, especially strategies for avoiding or mitigating subsequent waves of transmission.
Applications to this call should address one or more of the following:
- Rapid evaluation/and or modelling of public health countermeasures to support the timing of levels of their withdrawal and potential future redeployments in BC;
- BC population-specific epidemiologic support for decision-makers, including the identification of strategies to prevent high burdens of illness among key/vulnerable groups (e.g. residents of long-term care facilities, inner city populations, Indigenous people, health care workers, etc.);
- Human geographic considerations in BC, including rurality, community, culture and population movement with a view to preventing transmission and mitigating effects;
- The identification and mitigation of the impacts of the pandemic and pandemic response, including the secondary effects on the health of the population of BC;
- The impacts of rapid health service redesign and redeployment on health outcomes in BC.
Successful applications will build on BC-specific capacities and strengths, draw on available expertise and resources and include cross-institution collaborations where appropriate. Projects should have results available in time to help inform public health responses through the fall and winter of 2020/2021.
Funding Information
The MSFHR COVID-19 Research Response Fund – Funding Call #1 will provide award amounts of up to $150,000, for a maximum duration of 12 months. Extraordinary requests above $150,000 will be considered but will require additional justification to exceed the limit.
Eligibility Criteria
- The proposed work must address one or more of the five areas.
- The researcher must be based in BC and affiliated with an eligible BC host institution that has a signed memorandum of understanding with MSFHR to administer award funds. The researcher must be able apply for and hold operating funds as a principal investigator.
Additional Contributions
MSFHR encourages applicants, when appropriate, to engage other organizations and stakeholders in:
- Contributing to the co-development of the proposed research programs, projects, and/or activities; and/or
- Enhancing the availability of funding for the proposed co-development of research programs, projects, and/or activities through additional cash or in-kind1 support. Any additional in-kind or cash support should be indicated in the budget section of the application, and appropriately captured in a signed letter of support outlining the nature and amount of the contribution.
For more information, visit https://www.msfhr.org/news/features/msfhr-launches-covid-19-research-response-fund-first-call-proposals
