2021 Innovative Approaches to Research in the Pandemic Context: Full Application Guide

On this page

• Completing the application
• Required information
• Submitting the application
• Submitting the application as the research administrator
• Contact information

Completing the application

You must complete your application using the Convergence Portal. The portal is supported only on the latest versions of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari and Mozilla Firefox.

Follow the instructions provided in the portal to complete your application. The information needed to complete an application is outlined below.

The NPI must complete all sections of the full application and submit the application via their institution’s research administrator. Any new team members (co-PIs and co-applicants) must each complete their own profile in the Portal before the NPI submits the application. Team members will be able to see all sections of the application, but will not have edit access.

NPIs must verify the page lengths and formatting of any attachments uploaded to the application. Should a submitted application contain one or more attachments that do not comply with the page length or formatting standard, the application may be withdrawn from the competition.

Required information

All relevant information from the NOI will be prepopulated in the full application. You must include the following content to complete an application. Complete sections ‘a’ through ‘d’ within the Convergence Portal.

1. Proposed budget

   Enter the planned amount of funds to be spent in each category (direct and indirect costs). Contact your research administrator for direction on how much to request for indirect costs.

2. Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)

   Indicate whether GBA+ considerations are appropriate for the project and whether they have been integrated into the proposed research. If the team believes no aspect of the research may benefit from GBA+, provide a rationale for this. These fields must be completed before your application can be submitted.

3. Certifications, licences and permits

   Answer the questions as they relate to the proposed research project. Consult the Requirements for Certain Types of Research for more information or clarification, if needed. With the exception of research taking place outdoors, which may require submission of an Impact Assessment at the time of application (follow the instructions in the portal), no forms or certifications are required at the time of application. If you are awarded a grant, the necessary certification requirements must be met in accordance with the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions.

4. Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

   Applications must not include any self-identifying information about members of the research team in the EDI section. Focus on the team’s commitment to EDI, not on its EDI profile. See NFRF’s Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research guide for more details.

   Applicants may draw on institutional EDI policies and practices where these exist, but they must be tailored to the particular context of the fields and teams involved. Applicants are encouraged to be specific and concise.

   In this section, provide the following:

   1. information about the team’s specific circumstances related to EDI, including identification of structural biases that could affect members of underrepresented groups (character limit: 2,500);
   2. the best practices that will be applied for each of the following elements (character limit: 250):
      • team composition and recruitment processes;
      • training and development opportunities; and
      • inclusion

      For each best practice, a brief explanation must be provided, including how each practice applies to the team’s specific context; how it will be implemented; the expected impacts; and how the impacts will be measured (character limit: 2500).

   Information that reveals team members’ affiliations (including departments, lab groups, etc.) may be included in this section, if relevant.

5. Supporting documents

   Upload each document as a separate attachment, with page limits as noted, following the instructions for attachments:

   1. Research proposal (maximum 4 pages English or 4.8 pages French)

      Describe the proposed research project, providing a rationale for how it meets program expectations. Specifically, address why the research should be considered high risk and high reward, describing:

      • how the current research has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic (context);
      • the new methodology being trialed and tested; and
      • the anticipated outcomes and impacts of the project (for both researchers and the communities involved).

      Provide a concise overview of the research objectives and briefly describe the work plan and timeline. Discuss the approaches to Indigenous research, if appropriate (see SSHRC’s Guidelines for the Merit Review of Indigenous Research), and explain how the methodological design was informed by GBA+, if appropriate. (The use of headings is suggested.)

   2. Biographical information about the research team (maximum 1 page English or 1.2 pages French)

      Provide a brief overview of the research team’s knowledge, background and expertise, from the perspective of how each team member will contribute to the project. Identify the anticipated contributions of each team member (NPI, co-PI, co-applicants and collaborators, as applicable) and explain how their contributions will be coordinated and integrated.

      If a team member’s self-identification (gender, Indigenous identity, disability or racial background) is relevant to the research project, that self-identifying information may be included here, although only with their consent.

   3. Budget justification (maximum 1 page English or 1.2 pages French)

      Provide a breakdown and explanation of the direct costs of the research project. Provide sufficient information to allow reviewers to assess the appropriateness of the requested resources. If necessary, you can also use this section to describe other resources, such as funding, materials or equipment, that will contribute to the project. Securing other sources of funding is not expected for this funding opportunity. A breakdown of the indirect costs of research is not required and should not be included.

      To ensure anonymity, this section must not include any identifying information about the team members.

   4. Literature references (maximum 5 pages English or 6 pages French)

      Provide a list of literature references cited in the application.

Submitting the application

Review your application to ensure that it is complete.

From the Finalize Application section, follow the prompts to submit your application.

After you accept the terms and conditions, the status of your submission will change to Received by Administrator. If you want to make any changes at this point, you may request that your research administrator return the application to you.

Once your research administrator has approved and submitted your application, the application status will change to Received by Agency. No changes can be made at that point and your application will not be returned to you.

Submitting the application as the research administrator

When you receive an application submitted by an NPI at your institution, you will be asked to approve the application and submit it. By submitting it, you are confirming that:

• the participants meet the eligibility requirements; and
• the proposed research project meets the eligibility requirements.

By submitting the application, the research administrator, on behalf of the institution, will also be certifying that the NPI:

• is affiliated with the institution or organization;
• has the necessary time and resources to carry out the activity; and
• will email NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca if there are any changes during the tenure of the grant, including changes in the composition of the partnership, such as the addition of new co-PIs, co-applicants, collaborators, etc.

Contact information

If you have questions:

• about the NFRF program, contact NFRF-FNFR@chairs-chaires.gc.ca
• about the Convergence Portal, contact the Online Services Helpdesk at websupport@convergence.gc.ca or 613-995-4273