Community-University Research Alliances (CURA)
Formal Application
Instructions (Web)
Introduction
Before applying, read, on SSHRC's Web site, the Community-University Research Alliances
program description and the Regulations Governing Grant Applications. For detailed
information on eligible and ineligible expenses, you should also consult the Tri-Agency
Financial Administration Guide.
We suggest that you print and consult this document and the Help with Online Forms
document while you are completing your on-line grant application. You may also refer to this
document by clicking on the "Instructions" button at any time within a screen. This button will
link you directly to the instructions for the screen you are completing.
Note: SSHRC Community-University Research Alliances grant holders must provide a Final
Research Report within six months of the termination date of their grants. In the case where
an extension has been approved for a grant, the Final Research Report should be submitted
within six months of the termination date of the extension period. (Please refer to the
SSHRC Grant Holder's Guide for further details.)
Application Process and Deadline
The applicant (director) must complete and verify the on-line CURA application form and
his/her SSHRC Web-based Curriculum Vitae (CV). The complete application, including the
electronic attachments (uploads) and the CVs (applicant/director, co-applicants and
collaborators), can be viewed and printed but must be submitted electronically to the
institution's research administrator or the financial administrator of the non-academic
organization. SSHRC will no longer accept paper copies.
Applicants must follow these steps:
1. complete all mandatory fields (boldfaced labels) (application and CV);
2. attach all mandatory electronic uploads (application);
3. ensure that all co-applicants and collaborators have submitted their "Accept
Invitation Form";
4. verify and correct the data until the Verification Report indicates successful
verification;
5. click on the "Submit" button (Submit to Research Administrator) for institutional
approval.
The research administrator at the applicant's institution or the financial administrator at the
non-academic organization will review the application and, if approved, will forward it to
SSHRC. If changes are required, the applicant will receive a system-generated E-mail
stating that his/her application has been returned and that he/she should check their E-mail
or should contact their research administrator for further details. Research administrators
will be allowed to forward applications until 8 p.m. eastern on September 17, 2010. After
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8 p.m., the "Submit" (Submit to Research Administrator) button will disappear from the
applicant's Portfolio and the "Forward" (Forward to SSHRC) button will disappear from the
research administrator's Portfolio and no further changes and submissions will be possible.
Note: Remember that most universities have an internal deadline date that is earlier than
SSHRC’s September 17 deadline date. As a result, plan ahead. Make sure you allow
enough time to obtain feedback from your research administrator before the application
deadline.
Acknowledgement of Receipt of Applications
When the Council receives electronically your completed CURA form, the data provided in
your application and CVs are then transferred to SSHRC's corporate database. SSHRC will
acknowledge receipt of your electronic application form and will assign you an application
number. Please cite this number in all correspondence with us.
Electronic Submission and Approval
Even if the electronic submission process includes appropriate controls and checkpoints to
ensure validation of the information by the institutions' research administrators before it is
submitted to SSHRC, it is important to mention that applicants will have to follow the internal
approval process in place at their institution, as specified by the relevant authorities.
By clicking on the "Submit" button, the applicant (director) confirms that all information
provided is accurate and that he/she:
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accepts the terms and conditions of the grant, if awarded;
has read and understands the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act as
they pertain to grant application information (see Regulations Governing Grant
Applications);
has read and agrees to comply with SSHRC's integrity policy and the Tri-Council
Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (see Regulations
Governing Grant Applications);
understands that competition results will be made available through the university
research office shortly after the adjudication committee meetings; and
agrees to SSHRC's use of the summary for publicity purposes if a grant is awarded.
When co-applicants and collaborators accept an invitation to participate on an
application, it certifies that they
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also agree to the above; and
agree that the applicant (director) will administer the grant on behalf of the team.
By clicking on the "Forward" (Forward to SSHRC) button, the research administrator
(institutional approval) certifies that:
the applicant (director)
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is affiliated with the institution;
has the necessary time and facilities to carry out the research; and
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the university or non-academic organization
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is willing to administer any grant received according to SSHRC policies;
agrees to take the necessary steps to ensure that machine-readable files or
computer databases are preserved and accessible under conditions agreed to by
the institution and the researcher;
will release funds to the successful candidate once all necessary certification
requirements and conditions have been met;
will notify SSHRC of any change in the grant holder's status during the tenure of the
grant;
has verified that the budgetary estimates are in accordance with the university's or
non-academic organization's rates and policies.
Identification
Identify the information requested using the "List..." button. The Country list will appear.
Select the country, the province or state (if applicable), then the organization. If the
appropriate information is not listed, select "Other" from the list and type the information in
the box provided.
Application title
Provide a short, descriptive title for your proposal in non-technical terms. Restrict use of
acronyms (e.g., DNA, NATO, NAFTA). Use upper case only for the first word of the title,
proper nouns and acronyms. Your application title will automatically be included in the
Research Activity screen.
Applicant (Director)
The applicant, who is either a university researcher or a representative from a non-academic
organization, will provide leadership and intellectual guidance for the development of the
program of activities.
If you wish to have a different position on record for this application, use this section to enter
a new organization and/or a department/division.
Lead Organization
Enter complete information about the lead organization and the contact person who will
manage or administer the funds.
Organization - Department/Division
Select the Organization and Department/Division using the "List..." button. If the
Organization or Department/Division is not listed, select "Other" from the list and type the
information in the box provided.
Address
Use only if the lead organization is not a Canadian university. If the organization is a
Canadian university, SSHRC will use the department's mailing address already stored in its
corporate database.
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Names and Initials
SSHRC will use the information you provide here to address its correspondence to you.
If you use your second or third name as your given name, see the examples below for help
in completing the initials box.
Example 1: A.J. Paul Moore
If you prefer to have your initials appear before your given name, you would enter:
Given name
Initials
A.J. Paul
Family name
Moore
SSHRC correspondence would address you as Mr. A.J. Paul Moore.
Example 2: Joanne Francine Mélanie Trudeau (normally addressed as Mélanie)
If you usually use your second or third name as your given name and do not want your
initials appearing before your given name, you would enter:
Given name
Mélanie
Initials
J.F.
Family name
Trudeau
SSHRC correspondence would address you as Ms. Mélanie J.F. Trudeau.
Participants
Enter the family name and E-mail address of each co-applicant and collaborator who will
take part in the intellectual direction of the research. Do not include assistants, students or
consultants. After the data are saved, the system will automatically display the data
alphabetically by family name on this screen and on the printed form. It will also generate an
E-mail to each person inviting them to participate on the application. It is the responsibility of
each invited person to complete, verify and submit their Accept Invitation form.
If the participant does not accept the invitation, the status will remain "Invitation not yet
accepted". If the participant deletes the system-generated E-mail requesting his/her
participation, the applicant can click on "Resend E-mail" and the same invitation will be sent
once again. If the participant declines the invitation (by deleting the Accept Invitation form
from the Portfolio), you will be notified by E-mail and you must remove the person from the
application by clicking the "Clear entry" button.
If the participant accepts the invitation, the status will change to "Invitation accepted". A
copy of his/her CV will be attached to the Accept Invitation form upon creation. You will then
be able to view each participant's CV. However, your application will not verify successfully
until each participant's form has been successfully verified.
If you incorrectly type in a participant's family name, you will receive the following error
message - Must be identical to family name above. The system will recognize the
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discrepancy only once the co-applicant or collaborator accepts the invitation. In order to
successfully verify your application, the participant's family name must be identical to the
family name found in our database. Therefore, you must type in correctly the person's family
name in the box provided.
If you require additional information on the invitation process, consult the instructions under
"Accepted Invitations" on the Portfolio screen.
Partners
For each partner, enter complete information for the organization and the contact person.
Partnerships may be with public, private, or non-profit organizations. Each CURA application
must include partners from one or more organizations from the community and one or more
postsecondary institutions. Individuals are not eligible as partners.
Identify the information requested using the "List..." button.
Contact Information
Follow the instructions given in the earlier section under Applicant (Director).
Note: At the time the formal application is submitted, the CURA must be based on firm,
identified partnerships between one or more universities and one or more organizations
from the community and be ready to undertake the proposed programs of activities. You
will be expected to provide a Letter of Confirmation from each of your confirmed
partners (see module - Letters of Confirmation).
Letters of Confirmation - maximum one page each
You must attach an electronic copy of all individualized letters of confirmation from your
partners, both universities and community-based organizations, that are participating in the
CURA, including the host institution or organization. Note that adjudicators may deem your
application less competitive if letters appear to be formulaic.
Ensure that each letter includes the following information:
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a statement that the partner has read the proposal and agrees to their role and level
of participation in the CURA;
a statement that the partner is willing and able to complete activities assigned to it;
a statement confirming the partner's financial and non-financial contribution(s).
Scan the letters, combine them into one document and save the document as a PDF file
(.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking on the "Browse" button and attach
it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button on the screen. Once you've
successfully attached the electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View
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attached file" button to ensure that you have the proper file.
Research Activity
Select appropriate entries under each of these sections using the "List..." button. Duplicate
entries are not permitted.
Application Title
The information you provided in the Identification screen, under "Application title" is
automatically included in this field.
Ethics
State whether or not your proposal will involve human beings as research subjects. If it
does, consult the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving
Humans and submit your proposal to your organization's Research Ethics Board.
Environmental Impact
Does any phase of your proposed research a) take place outside an office (e.g., fieldwork)
or a laboratory, or b) involve an undertaking as described in Part I of Appendix B (see
Appendices section). If you have checked "YES" to either question a) or b), Appendices A
and B must be completed.
This will help us identify potential environmental effects of the proposal and determine
whether or not further assessment under the Act is required. SSHRC expects that relatively
few proposals will be subject to screening under the Act.
Keywords
List keywords, separated by a semicolon, that best describe your proposed research or
research activity.
Disciplines
Indicate and rank up to five disciplines relevant to your proposal, #1 as the most relevant
and #5 as the least relevant. Do not use "Other (99999)" in Entry 1. If an applicable
discipline is not listed, you may select an entry such as "Other (relevant discipline)" (e.g.,
Other Psychology, Other Anthropology, Other Sociology) from the list, and type the
information in the box provided.
Example:
Entry 1
Sociology
Entry 2
Other Psychology
Entry 3
Other Anthropology
Entry 4
Other Humanities
Entry 5
"Other"
You may only choose "Other (relevant discipline)" once. For instance, you cannot choose
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"Other Psychology" in Entry 2 and choose it again in Entry 3. Also, you can only choose
"Other" (with an explanation once) in all of the five entries.
Areas of Research
List and rank up to three areas of research related to your proposal, #1 as the most
important and #3 as the least important.
Temporal Periods
If applicable, indicate up to two historical periods covered by your proposal.
Geographical Regions
If applicable, indicate and rank, in decreasing order of importance, up to three geographical
regions covered by or related to your proposal.
Countries
If applicable, indicate and rank, in decreasing order of importance, up to five countries
covered by or related to your proposal.
Funds Requested from SSHRC
For each budget year, estimate as accurately as possible the research costs that you are
asking SSHRC to fund through a grant. All budget costs must conform to the rates and
regulations of the applicant's (director's) institution or non-academic organization and must
be fully justified in terms of the needs of the research, including costs for organizing and
coordinating team research and for communicating research results to both scholarly
audiences and the wider public.
Enter amounts rounded off to the nearest dollar without any spaces or commas (e.g., 2000).
For blank entries, leave in the "0" value. When entering an amount, highlight the "0" and
type the dollar value in the box provided.
Note: Consult the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide for detailed information on
eligible and ineligible expenses.
Personnel costs
For each of the categories below, enter the number (#) of students and non-students you
plan to hire, whether as salaried employees or as recipients of stipends.
Note: Amounts paid to students or postdoctoral fellows cannot be paid both in the form of a
stipend and of a salary or wages during a given year. However, it is possible to choose a
different form of payment in a subsequent year of the tenure of the grant.
Student and non-student salaries and benefits
For each applicable category, enter, for each budget year, the number (#) of students and
non-students to be hired. Specify the total amounts.
Note: When students are paid by wage, the amounts should be determined in accordance
with the university's collective agreement or policy. No SSHRC maximums apply when
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paying students by salary.
Student stipends
You may request stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Stipends must be
justified in terms of the research objectives. The work performed by stipend recipients
should be an integral part of the applicant's program of research.
When students are paid by stipend, the following maximum amounts per annum must be
respected: for full-time master's students, $12,000; for full-time doctoral students, $15,000;
for full-time postdoctoral fellows, $31,500.
Note: Students and scholars who hold CGS Master's, doctoral (including CGS) or
postdoctoral fellowships may not receive stipends from grants, although they may continue
to work as research or teaching assistants for an hourly wage.
Other - Salary Replacement
For applicants and co-applicants from community-based organizations only, SSHRC offers a
certain amount of salary replacement funding to offset the work and time being invested into
the research project. Each eligible applicant or co-applicant may request salary replacement
for up to 50 per cent of their salary, for release time or salary replacement. The request for
salary replacement must be justified and explained in the proposal. Note: Community-based
organizations leading a CURA application are not required to match SSHRC's contribution
to the salary replacement.
Travel and Subsistence Costs
Enter, by budget year, the total amounts requested for travel abroad and within Canada for
both the research team and student personnel. Applicants must obtain the lowest possible
travel fares. Car rental is allowable only if it is essential to the research.
Subsistence costs must be based on rates approved by the applicant's institution or
organization.
Other Expenses
Professional/Technical Services
You may include user and consulting fees for computer services. Consulting fees are
allowable expenditures only if it is demonstrated in the Budget Justification that expert
advice is needed. If budgeting for contract consultants for amounts in excess of $25,000,
you must attach two independent cost quotations.
Supplies
You may include other supply items (e.g., software, stationery, postage, telephone calls)
only if they relate directly to the research.
Non-disposable equipment - Computer hardware
Purchase or rental of computers and associated hardware is allowable only if these are not
accessible through the university or employer.
Non-disposable equipment - Other
Purchase or rental of equipment (e.g., audio or video equipment) is allowable only if it is not
accessible through the university or employer.
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Other expenses
Specify other research expenses not already included.
Budget Justification - maximum four pages
You must attach an electronic copy of the budget justification. Using the categories listed on
the Funds Requested from SSHRC page, explain how you will use the funds in each budget
category to achieve the objectives of the proposed program of research. For example, under
the Student and Non-student salaries categories, explain why these people need to be hired
to meet the objectives of the research. Applicants are reminded of SSHRC's mandate to
provide research opportunities for students. Note that budget costs for research assistants
or associates who are not students must be fully justified in terms of the needs of the
research. You must also justify any funds that appear in the category "other".
Although an individual CURA can receive funding of up to $200,000 annually for up to five
years, please be sure that your budget requests no more than the level of funding that is
essential to complete the proposed program of research. Note that adjudicators may deem
your application less competitive if they find that you are requesting non-essential funding.
Also note that funds allocated to student training and knowledge mobilization activities
cannot be reallocated to other categories once the grant is received.
Note: In reviewing the funding you have requested, external assessors and committee
members take into account the quality of your overall financial planning, your justification of
the expenditures you have proposed, and the institutional and partner funding you have
secured.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Funds from Other Sources
You must include all other sources of funding for the proposed research. You must also
indicate whether these funds have been confirmed or not. Where applicable, include:
a. the partners' material contributions (e.g., cash and in-kind); and
b. funds you have requested from other sources for proposed research related to this
application.
If a funding source is not listed, select "Other/Unknown" using the "List..." button. Type in
the source name and amount and identify the contribution type.
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If you have received, from a single funding source, more than one contribution of the same
type (i.e., cash, in-kind) and confirmation status, you must combine these into one entry
(e.g., two $20K confirmed cash contributions from a university become one $40K confirmed
cash contribution). Enter amounts rounded off to the nearest dollar without spaces or
commas (e.g., 2000). For blank entries, leave in the "0" value. When entering an amount,
highlight the "0" in the box provided and type the dollar value.
When you save the data, five new blank entry lines will be added to the screen to allow you
to enter additional funding entries.
Note: Universities and organizations from the community participating in a CURA are
expected to provide strong support to the CURA. Such support is often reflected in the
amount of financial commitment made to the project over and above SSHRC's contribution
(including staff time and in-kind/cash contributions). SSHRC recognizes that these
capabilities will vary both among organizations from the community and among universities.
Because partners' commitment is essential to a CURA's success, the scope of commitment
on the part of participating institutions and organizations will be a criterion in the adjudication
process.
Evaluation Criteria and Weightings
Your formal application will be evaluated against the following criteria and weightings:
Relevance and Significance - 15%
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demonstrated links to stated objectives of the CURA program
significance of the research project for the partners and stakeholders involved in the
alliance;
extent to which the project contributes to innovative knowledge and practices.
Research alliance - 20%
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demonstrated quality and strength of partnership (level of commitment and
engagement throughout research cycle)
appropriateness of the budget and capacity to leverage resources (financial and/or
in-kind) from additional sources;
clarity and balance of governance structure and procedures.
Methodology & research approach - 30%
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strength and feasibility of the proposed research plans including the clarity of the
research question(s);
quality of the research approach, including the strength of the theoretical framework,
as well as the specificity and viability of proposed methodologies.
Team of researchers - 15%
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track records of academic and community-based researchers in their respective
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fields of engagement.
Outcomes - 20%
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suitability, scope and timing of proposed knowledge dissemination and mobilization
activities;
likelihood of producing significant results and impacts on research, communities,
curriculum and students training by the end of the five-year funding period;
quality of evaluation framework and process: clarity and feasibility of specific
measures (i.e., performance indicators) to assess meaningfully the performance of
the CURA.
SSHRC encourages the use of tables and charts, but bear in mind that these are included in
the page count.
It is also essential to take into account the committee comments on your LOI proposal, as
well as the objectives of the CURA program, which are to:
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foster innovative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of
importance for the social, cultural or economic development of Canadian
communities;
promote sharing of knowledge, resources and expertise between universities and
organizations in the community;
enrich research, teaching methods and curricula in universities;
improve community decision-making and problem-solving capacity; and
enhance students' education and employability by means of diverse opportunities to
build knowledge, expertise and work skills through hands-on research and related
experience.
Summary of Proposed Research - maximum one page
You must attach an electronic copy of the summary of the proposed research program. It
should be written in non-technical terms (i.e., minimal academic terminology and/or
reference to methodology). If the proposal is funded, this summary will be used for
promotional purposes outside the research community to politicians, the media and
members of the public who request information about research funded by SSHRC.
Therefore, you should indicate clearly:
a. the problem or issue to be addressed
b. the potential contribution of the research both in terms of the advancement of
knowledge and of the wider social benefit (e.g., Will this research be of interest
outside the academic community? How will it be used and by whom?)
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
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application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Detailed Description - maximum eight pages
You must attach an electronic copy of your detailed description. You should describe your
proposed research in sufficient detail to allow informed assessment by external assessors
and committee members. You should also describe the relevance and significance of the
proposed research. Clearly state the explicit objectives of your research proposal, then
outline the key research activities, strategies and methodologies that you and your team will
use to achieve the stated objectives. Justify the choice of methodologies and explain the
specific instruments or procedures you will use. For example, if you plan to conduct
interviews, specify the type of interview, the nature of the questions and how you will
analyze the data. This will enable assessors and committee members to clearly understand
what specific contributions your research will make to the creation of new knowledge. It will
also avoid leaving the impression that your proposal is simply a data-gathering exercise.
If you have already held a CURA grant, describe the accomplishments and the academic
and non-academic publications and outcomes. Explain how this proposal differs from the
previous grant and how it builds on the research already completed.
Please ensure that your detailed research proposal provides sufficient detail for assessors
and committee members to readily apply all of the following program evaluation criteria to
their assessment of your proposal.
At the time the formal application is submitted, the CURA must be based on firm, identified
partnerships between one or more universities and one or more organizations from the
community and be ready to undertake the proposed programs of activities. You will be
expected to provide a letter from each partner confirming their support and
participation on your CURA team (see Attachments - Letters of Confirmation).
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Communication of Results - maximum one page
It is recognized that the research can produce results throughout the life cycle of the CURA.
It is also recognized that by their nature, community-university research alliances often
produce innovative results in "non-traditional" forms.
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In an electronic document, outline your plans for communicating research results:
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within the academic community (peers, through refereed journals and other
appropriate channels); and
outside the academic community (practitioners, policy makers, and people for whom
the research results are significant).
Include the following information:
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dissemination plans and schedule for achieving the intended impact of the research
results;
plans and schedule for outreach to new audiences, including, as applicable, local,
national and international scholars, policy makers and the general public;
innovation and integration of the dissemination plans;
nature and significance of concrete deliverables anticipated by the end of the grant
period.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. Once you've successfully
attached the electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file"
button to ensure that you have the proper file.
Description of Team - maximum one page
You must attach an electronic copy of the description of your team. Describe the roles,
responsibilities and contributions of the applicant (director) and co-applicants and/or
collaborators on the team, clearly indicating how the activities and expertise of each
member will support and enhance the proposed program.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Partnerships and Alliances - maximum four pages
You must attach an electronic document that carefully defines and fully describes your
proposed partnerships so that external assessors and committee members clearly
understand that the proposal is truly a research alliance.
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Explain how your application integrates the expertise of both academic and
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community-based sectors in order to conduct the research.
Explain why a research alliance approach is appropriate for the proposed research
and, specifically, demonstrate how such an alliance adds value beyond what could
be achieved through a series of individual research grants.
Provide detailed information about the partners, explaining the conditions under
which they are participating and how the funds will be shared and administered.
Explain how the partner organizations are involved in the research activities and
how their goals will be met by the research proposed.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Training (Role of Students) - maximum one page
You must attach an electronic document that clearly describes the specific roles and
responsibilities of students and research assistants, indicating the work they will be
undertaking and how this will complement their academic training.
Include the following information:
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number (#) of students (indicate level of study, i.e., undergraduate, MA, or PhD) to
be trained;
nature of the proposed training activities;
nature and level of specialized skills that the students will develop as a result of their
participation;
nature and degree of mentoring;
capacity of the applicant (director) and team members to provide the promised
training;
career development opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and other assistants.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
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List of References
You must attach an electronic copy of a list of all references consulted in your review of
relevant literature. There is no page limit for this list.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Suggested Assessors
List up to nine (9) Canadian or foreign specialists whom SSHRC may ask to assess your
proposal. Suggested assessors cannot be:
a. affiliated with your institution or that of any member of your research team (including
both co-applicants and collaborators);
b. someone with whom you or any member of your research team have collaborated in
the past;
c. someone with whom you or any member of your team has a personal relationship;
d. a previous thesis supervisor or anyone who has had a similar supervisory or
mentoring relationship with you over the course of your doctoral or postdoctoral
studies.
Identify the information requested by using the "List…" button.
Names and Initials
Follow the instructions given in the earlier section under Applicant (Director).
Address
The address you provide must be complete and accurate because SSHRC will use it to
correspond with the assessor. For countries other than Canada and the United States,
select the "Other" address format and enter the city/municipality, province and postal code
in the address lines.
E-mail
We can consult with the assessors promptly and easily when you provide their personal Email addresses.
Keywords
List keywords, separated by a semicolon, that best describe the assessor's areas of
research expertise.
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Competitive Quotes (if applicable)
If you are budgeting for contract consultants under "Professional/technical services" for
amounts in excess of $25,000, you must append two independent cost quotations.
Scan the two quotes, combine them into one document and save the document as a PDF
file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking on the "Browse" button and
attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button on the screen. Once you've
successfully attached the electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View
attached file" button to ensure that you have the proper file.
Appendix A (Environmental Impact) and Appendix B (CEAA PreScreening Checklist)
If you have checked ―yes‖ to either question a) or b) under "Environmental Impact" on the
Research Activity screen, both Appendices A and B must be completed.
Appendix A: Environmental Impact
Please complete all the fields in Appendix A.
Name of other participating organizations (if applicable): Please list the names of any
federal or provincial government departments or agencies, industrial partners, or universities
that will be participating in or contributing to the proposed research.
Name of Location: Name and provide a brief, non-technical description of each location in
which the work described in the proposal will be conducted. Complete additional copies of
Appendix A if research is to be conducted at more than one location.
In the section that follows, describe in non-technical language the activities that will be
undertaken in the course of the research. This includes both the research activities
themselves and activities required for the research to take place: for example, ground
clearing or preparation; construction of access trails or roads; etc.
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Name of principal activity: For each location, give the name of the principal
activity (e.g., fossil collection).
Activity components: Each principal activity is comprised of one or more activity
components. Complete a separate page of Appendix A for each activity
component. Provide a short description of individual activities grouped within the
principal activity. Examples of activity components are construction and clearing of
access trails; construction of a boardwalk; clearing of brush from the study site;
fossil excavation; cleaning of fossils; and removal of fossils. Please provide
quantitative estimates if possible (e.g., in the preceding example, the construction
and clearing of an access trail could involve an area 500 m long by 2.5 m wide).
Environmental elements affected: For each activity component, certain
environmental elements will be affected. For the purposes of environmental
assessment, environmental elements include biological and physical elements. For
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example, the construction and clearing of an access trail might involve the removal
of all vegetation (including trees over 50 cm in diameter), or the clearing of brush up
to 2 m high only. Please provide quantitative estimates if possible.
Description of effects: Environmental effects of the project are changes in the
biophysical environment caused by the project, as well as certain effects that flow
directly from those changes. These include effects on human health, socioeconomic
conditions, physical and cultural heritage (including effects on things of
archaeological, paleontological, or architectural significance), and the current use of
lands and resources for traditional purposes by First Nation persons. Do not
describe the effects in detail; a simple statement will suffice.
For instance, returning to the previous example, removal of the vegetation might
entail erosion, the loss or elimination of particular avian or mammalian species, the
loss of livelihood for residents, or a loss of spiritual or aesthetic value. Such loss
depends on the context in which it takes place.

Mitigation measures: This section should describe the mitigation measures, if any
are required, that will be undertaken to alleviate potential environmental effects. To
continue with the previous example, a mitigation measure to minimize vegetation
loss might be to plant tree or brush seedlings, or to avoid clearing vegetation in a
known avian or mammalian habitat, or in an area that is of cultural or aesthetic
value to the residents.
Appendix B: CEAA Pre-Screening Checklist
Research proposals that are subject to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act
(CEAA) are determined in two ways. Either they involve undertakings in relation to physical
works (permanent physical structures) (Part 1), or they relate to a proposed activity not
related to a physical work (permanent physical structure) that is subject to the Act (Part 2).
Part 1 - Determination of a Physical Work (Permanent Physical
Structure) under the CEAA
Determining whether or not something constitutes a physical work under the CEAA requires
a consideration of what is defined as a physical work, and what is defined as an
"undertaking in relation to a physical work."
A physical work has the following characteristics:
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it is constructed or assembled;
it is fixed in place (that is, it is not intended to be moved frequently);
it is permanent (e.g., a building made of ice blocks is not permanent); and
it is to be maintained on an ongoing basis.
Obvious examples of physical works are buildings, towers, and greenhouses. However, the
following are also considered to be physical works under the Canadian Environmental
Assessment Act:
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boreholes that are drilled and lined with concrete or plastic sleeves;
poles or transmission towers that are erected;
ditches that are dug and maintained – for example, with reinforced sides; and
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culverts that are installed.
Undertakings in relation to a physical work must be examined. The applicant must
determine whether any phase of the proposal involves the "construction, operation,
modification, decommissioning, abandonment or other activity" in relation to a physical work.
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Applicants should carefully consider whether any phase of their research
contributes to funding the operation of a physical work. The operation of a physical
work, for example a synchrotron or radar, is considered to be an undertaking, and
provision of funds or in-kind contributions towards the operation of a physical work
may trigger an assessment. Note: User fees are not recognized as contributions.
Modification of a physical work involves the alteration of the work to suit a new
purpose.
Maintenance and repair of a physical work are considered as undertakings. If in
doubt as to the nature of the physical work, please contact NSERC’s EA unit.
Part 2 - Determination of Assessable Activities under the CEAA
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Act requires the assessment of activities not
related to physical works. In many cases, these activities require a permit or authorization
from a federal department or agency pursuant to other legislation.
Note: Applicants are responsible for verifying whether permits are required for any of the
activities. Please check with the appropriate federal authority; if you are unsure, check
"unsure."
Activity takes place in a National Park or National Nature Reserve in Canada. Note that this
does not apply to provincial parks or conservation areas.
Activity takes place on First Nation lands. Some activities on First Nation lands may require
a permit or other authorization which would trigger an environmental assessment under the
CEAA.
Activity takes place in the North. Some activities taking place in the Yukon, Nunavut, or the
Northwest Territories may require a permit or other authorization, which would trigger an
environmental assessment under the CEAA.
Activity takes place in or within 30 metres of the right-of-way of a power line, a natural gas
line, or a railway line. These activities may require a permit or other authorization, which
may trigger an environmental assessment under the CEAA.
Activity takes place in or adjacent to a water body, resulting in harmful alteration, disruption
or destruction of a fish habitat (including the removal or damaging of aquatic vegetation).
These activities may require a permit or other authorization, which may trigger an
environmental assessment under the CEAA. Note that "water body" means any water body,
including a canal, a reservoir, an ocean, and a wetland, up to the high-water mark, but does
not include a sewage or waste treatment lagoon or a mine tailings pond. "Wetland" means a
swamp, marsh, bog, fen or other land that is covered by water during at least three
consecutive months of the year.
Destruction of fish other than by fishing. This activity may require a permit or other
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authorization, which may trigger an environmental assessment under the CEAA.
Sampling or prospecting for ores or minerals. These activities may require a permit or other
authorization, which may trigger an environmental assessment under CEAA. If you are
hand-collecting rock samples, check "no."
Disposal of a prescribed nuclear substance other than in a laboratory equipped for such
disposal. If you are undertaking an outdoor activity and your research involves the use of
isotopes that are not released into the environment and that will be disposed of at a
university or institution that manages the disposal, check "no."
Deposit of a deleterious or other substance into the environment (in the earth, air, or water).
Any kind of remediation of contaminated land. The installation of passive measuring
equipment does not constitute remediation; however, the installation and use of active
remediation technologies is considered "remediation."
Deposit of oil, oil wastes or any other substance harmful to migratory birds in waters or in
any area frequented by migratory birds.
Killing or removal of migratory birds, their nests, eggs, or carcasses, or other physical
activities that may require a permit or other authorization under the Migratory Birds
Regulations or Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations. These activities may trigger an
environmental assessment under the CEAA.
The removal or damaging of vegetation, the carrying out of agricultural activities or the
disturbance or removal of soil in a wildlife area, which requires a permit or other
authorization under Section 4 of the Wildlife Area Regulations. These areas are described
under the Canada Wildlife Act.
Physical activities that are carried out in Canada and that are intended to threaten the
continued existence of a biological population in an ecodistrict, either directly or through the
alteration of its habitat. Biological populations include insects and other invertebrates as well
as plants, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians . "Ecodistrict" means an ecodistrict as
described in the publication entitled A National Ecological Framework for Canada, published
by Environment Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and as depicted on those
maps that contain ecodistricts and that are included in the series of maps entitled Terrestrial
Ecozones and Ecoregions of Canada, published by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as
amended from time to time.
Establishment or operation of a field camp in a single location that will be used for 200
person-days or more within a calendar year.
Seismic surveying involving more than 50 kg of chemical explosive in a single blast; or
marine or freshwater seismic surveying, if during the survey the air pressure measured at a
distance of one metre from the source would be greater than 275.79 kPa (40 lbs/sq in).
If you have checked "yes" to any item under Parts 1 or 2, a Screening is likely to be
required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Please contact SSHRC
for additional information.
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If you have checked "no" to all items under Parts 1 and 2, your proposal is not likely
to be subject to assessment under the CEAA.
If you have checked "uncertain" to any item under Parts 1 or 2, please contact SSHRC
for additional information.
Your Research Contributions — maximum 4 pages
You must attach an electronic copy of your Research Contributions. You have a
maximum of four (4) pages to cover the following sections, which must be presented
in this order:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Research Contributions Over the Last Six Years;
Other Research Contributions;
Most Significant Career Research Contributions (for Regular Scholars);
Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances; and
Contributions to Training.
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
1. Research Contributions Over the Last Six Years (2004-2010)
Outline research contributions within the last six years. For an application deadline in
October 2010, for example, include contributions from January 2004 onwards. In the case of
those candidates claiming Career Interruptions (see 4. Career Interruptions and Special
Circumstances below), you may include publications drawn from your most recent periods of
research activity to an overall total of six years.
Provide details, as appropriate, on the contributions you listed, as follows:
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In the left margin, identify refereed publications with an "R". A refereed work
involves its assessment:
 in its entirety — not merely an abstract or extract;
 before publication;
 by appropriately independent, anonymous, qualified experts. "Independent"
in this context means at arm's length from the author.
In the left margin, identify research contributions that resulted from previous SSHRC
support with an asterisk (*).
Specify your role in co-authored publications.
New Scholars, please list your theses.
For published contributions, provide complete bibliographic notices (including coauthors, title, publisher, journal, volume, date of publication, number of pages, etc.)
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as they appear in the original publication.
For publications in languages other than French or English, provide a translation of
the title and the name of the publication.
Group your contributions by category in the following order, listing your most recent
contributions first:
1. Refereed contributions: books (where applicable, subdivide according to those that
are single authored, co-authored, and edited works), monographs, book chapters,
articles in scholarly refereed journals.
2. Other refereed contributions, such as: conference proceedings, papers presented at
scholarly meetings or conferences, articles in professional or trade journals, etc.
3. Non-refereed contributions, such as: book reviews, published reviews of your work,
research reports, policy papers, public lectures, creative works etc.
4. Forthcoming contributions: indicate one of the following statuses: "submitted",
"revised and submitted", "accepted" or "in press". Contributions not yet
submitted should not be listed. Provide the name of the journal or book publisher
and the number of pages.
2. Other Research Contributions
Describe any other contributions to research and the advancement of knowledge within the
last six years, including your research contributions to non-academic audiences (e.g.,
general public, policy makers, private sector, non-profit organizations, etc.).
3. Most Significant Career Research Contributions
For Regular Scholars only: List and rank up to five of your most significant contributions
over your entire career. In this case, the six-year rule does not apply. Therefore, your list of
publications may differ from those you have listed under the "Publications" section of your
CV. Please ensure that you explain briefly the significance of the contributions listed.
4. Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances
SSHRC asks its adjudication committees to take into consideration both career interruptions
and special circumstances that may have affected the Record of Research Achievement of
candidates. In doing so, adjudication committee members will be able to more accurately
estimate the productivity of each researcher, independent of any career interruptions or
special circumstances. Previous productivity is one element that may predict the success of
the proposed research programs.
Career interruptions occur when, for health, administrative, family or other reasons, a
researcher is taken away from his or her research work for an extended period of time. In
these cases, as explained above in relation to 1. Research Contributions Over the Last Six
Years (2004-2010), the researcher should explain the absence(s) and ask that an equivalent
period of research activity prior (but as near as possible) to the six-year mark be taken into
consideration by the adjudication committee.
Special circumstances involve slow-downs in research productivity created by health,
administrative, family or other reasons (i.e., the researcher was not taken completely away
from his or her work).
The Council entrusts its adjudication committees with the responsibility to reach an
assessment of research productivity that takes into account the impact of career
interruptions and/or special circumstances.
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Note: If you are applying to the Standard Research Grants program as a new scholar
(category 4), you must complete 4. Career Interruptions and Special Circumstances.
5. Contributions to Training
Provide information on students you have helped train within the last six years by:
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Indicating your role in supervising or co-supervising on-going and/or completed
theses by the student's level of studies.
Describing contributions you made to involve students in your research activities
(e.g., doctoral, masters, undergraduate).
Specify if your opportunities for such contributions have been limited because your
university does not have graduate degree programs in your field or discipline.
Relevant Work Experience (if applicable) — maximum 2 pages
Explain any previous work experience which relates to the subject of your application.
Please justify how this experience will aid you in the proposed research. Examples of
relevant work include voluntary work, work within or with Aboriginal, community or not-forprofit organizations, or work in non-academic positions.
Include the following information:
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A brief description of the nature of the duties you performed
An explanation of how this work has prepared you for your role in the project
A description of the skills you developed (e.g., training, mentoring, analysis,
networking)
Save the document as a PDF file (.pdf extension), locate it on your computer by clicking
on the "Browse" button and attach it to the application by clicking on the "Attach" button
on the screen. An error message will appear if the file you are trying to attach does not
meet the required specifications for page length and page size. If you do not follow the
specified requirements for margins and font size (12 pt Times New Roman), your
application may be rendered ineligible. Once you've successfully attached the
electronic file, we recommend that you click on the "View attached file" button to ensure
that you have the proper file.
Date modified: 2010-06-29
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