Upcoming Funding Opportunities: Health System Impact (HSI) Program

The Health System Impact Program is led by CIHR’s Institute of Health Services and Policy Research (IHSPR) in partnership^{Footnote *} with CIHR’s Institute of Aging (IA), Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH), Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), Institute of Infection and Immunity (III), Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH), Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD), Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH), Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness and Health Emergencies (CRPPHE), Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network (Capacity-Building), Healthy Cities Research Initiative (HCRI), Fonds de recherche du Québec –Santé (FRQS), Michael Smith Health Research BC (Health Research BC), Mitacs, New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation.

Overview

The Health System Impact (HSI) Program provides highly qualified PhD trainees, postdoctoral researchers, and (new!) early career researchers in health services and policy research/related fields with the opportunity to develop embedded research projects/programs that address the most pressing problems faced by health system organizations and to support evidence-informed decision-making.

Central to this program is participation in a national cohort and professional development aligned to the HSPR Enriched Core Competency Framework.

Program components

The HSI program comprises three streams aligned to different career stages. The HSI Program will launch as two independent funding opportunities:

1. Health System Impact Fellowship: PhD & Postdoctoral Fellow Streams (launched annually): These streams are for PhD trainees and postdoctoral researchers who are currently enrolled in a doctoral program or have completed their PhD, and provides a one or two-year embedded research experiential learning opportunity within a health system organization.
   • Doctoral Fellows receive a one-year experiential learning opportunity where they are embedded in their health system partner organization for at least 60% of their time focused on an impact-oriented project of direct relevance to their partner organization. The remaining time (up to 40%), is protected to continue with their Doctoral program commitments.
   • Postdoctoral Fellows receive a two-year experiential learning opportunity where they are embedded in their health system partner organization for at least 70% of their time focused on their impact-oriented program of work. The remaining time (up to 30%), is protected for academic research.
2. Health System Impact Early Career Embedded Researcher Stream (to be launched bi-annually): This stream is for early career researchers (ECRs) and provides a four-year award to establish a career pathway for embedded ECRs, increase their potential for impact and contribution as embedded scholars, and increase the probability that they will secure an embedded scientist position with a Canadian health system organization and/or a faculty position in a Canadian academic institution.
   • Through this 4-year award, ECRs are embedded within a health system organization for 60% of their time. The remaining 40% is protected for other scholarly and organizational activities within the health system organization and/or the university. The awardee must have a confirmed embedded scientist or equivalent role at a health system organization and a confirmed academic faculty appointment at an eligible Canadian university by the start date of the award.

Funds Available

• HSI Fellowship for Doctoral Trainees: The maximum amount per doctoral award is $50,000 per year for up to 1 year ($45,000 stipend plus $5,000 professional development training and research allowance)
• HSI Fellowship for Postdoctoral Fellows: The maximum amount per post-doctoral award is $155,000 total for 2 years ($70,000 stipend per year, plus $7,500 professional development training and research allowance per year)
  • Note: CIHR, FRQS, Health Research BC and Mitacs will contribute up to a maximum of 70% of the total award value (i.e., $35,000 of the $50,000 doctoral award, and $108,500 of the $155,000 post-doctoral award). Applicants must secure the remaining 30% of the award value in cash from the host partner organization at the time of application.
  • New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation have expressed interest in supporting the 30% host partner organization funding contribution for applicants working with host partner organizations in their respective provinces.
• HSI Award for Early Career Researchers: The maximum amount per Early Career Researcher award is $400,000 total for 4 years (Salary: Up to a maximum of 70% including benefits, or $70,000 per annum, may be requested; Research and professional development allowance: A minimum of 30% or $30,000 per annum must be requested).
  • Note: applicants must also secure 1-1 or $100,000 per annum, in partner contributions from their host health system organization and academic institution (the amount paid by each is not prescribed and will be determined independently of CIHR). This contribution must be outlined and confirmed at the time of application. Of the $100,000 total partner contribution, at least $50,000 must be a cash contribution towards the applicant’s salary and/or research and professional development allowance. The remaining amount, up to $50,000, may include research-related supports that directly benefit the applicant’s research program such as: salaries for trainees, research assistants, administrative support and/or other research program personnel.
  • New Brunswick Health Research Foundation and Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation have expressed interest in supporting a portion of the host partner organization funding contribution for applicants working with host partner organizations in their respective provinces.

How to find a host partner organization

Our host Partner Linkage Tool will feature a list of organizations that have expressed interest in hosting doctoral trainees, post-doctoral fellows, and/or early career researchers. Note: This is not a mandatory tool. Applicants may pursue opportunities with profiled organizations and/or organizations that are not profiled.

Are you a health system organization looking to host a fellow or ECR?

• Fill out our Partner Linkage Tool online form to ensure your profile is posted on our web page by the funding opportunity launch dates!
• Join us for a Host Organization/Academic Institution information session on December 6, 2022 (12:00 – 1:00 pm ET). Register here.

Anticipated Timelines for the Health System Impact Fellowship (for PhD and Postdoctoral streams)

• Launch Date: Late Fall 2022
• Information Webinar for Applicants: December 21, 2022 – 12:00-1:00pm ET. Register here.
• Applications Due: Winter 2023
• Fellowship start date: September 1, 2023

Anticipated Timelines for Health System Impact Early Career Researcher stream

• Launch Date: Early Winter 2023
• Information Webinar for Applicants: March 1, 2023 – 1:00-2:00 pm ET. Register here.
• Applications Due: Spring 2023
• Fellowship start date: Winter 2024

Date modified:

2023-02-15