COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund
(maximum value $40,000.00)
FUNDING PERIOD: 1 year
Operating Terms
The COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund (the "Fund") will support activities and projects in the area of Coronavirus and emerging pathogens research in various disciplines at the University of Alberta (UofA). Researchers in all Faculties are eligible to apply for funding.
The Fund will be held by and managed by the Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology (“LKSIoV”) at the University of Alberta, with review and approval of all other aspects, including the awards for this fund, by the Oversight Committee comprised of:
- A designate from the Office of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation)
- A designate from the Office of Research (Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry)
- Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
Specific activities that may be funded include, but are not restricted to:
- Materials, supplies, and other expendables;
- Equipment costs and/or maintenance of equipment;
- Animals and animal facilities;
- Computer/CPU time, data access charges and library resources;
- Computer and computing equipment or software;
- Publication costs (including open access publishing);
- Service and outreach;
- Salary and benefits for educators, students, research assistants, technicians, postdoctoral fellows, and/or staff positions;
- Research projects and their associated costs including travel, registration fees, per diem/meals, accommodations, etc.;
- Software, equipment, and supplies;
- Travel required for research data collection;
- Any other activities and projects in the area of COVID-19 and emerging pathogens research that are deemed appropriate by the peer review committee.
Research projects may include but are not limited to:
- Biomedical / discovery research;
- Clinical research;
- Health Services research;
- Social, cultural, environmental and population health research;
- Where Help is Needed Most (a general category that will act as a flexible designation).
Any UofA researcher can apply for these funds (see Appendix “A”). A peer review process will be implemented to recommend the recipients of funding. Peer Review Committees will be established by the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Office of Research and the Director of the LKSIoV, to negate any conflict of interest, with input and review from the Oversight Committee.
The Peer Review Committee will include research and subject matter experts and will have an obligation to bring in additional expertise for areas outside of their realm. The membership of the Peer Review Committee does not need to include members of the LKSIoV. The Director of the LKSIoV together with the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry Office of Research will facilitate administration of these peer review activities. The Oversight Committee will have final decision-making authority.
Designated donations made for the research related to COVID-19 or other emerging pathogens directed to a specific researcher will be honored as long as the research is recognized as worthy by the Peer Review Committee and approved by the Oversight Committee. The donation will be given to the specific researcher by the LKSIoV to ensure accountability to the funder.
Additional administrative procedures in accordance with applicable University policies will be established by the account holder as required.
It is expected that the recipient of funding will report back to the LKSIoV regarding the outcomes and impacts of the research (at any point in time during the project), upon request. A final report 30 days after the completion of the research is required.
It is also required, as with all donated funds for research, that the research undertaken using these funds complies with CRA CPS-029 and specifically with the provisions regarding public good and private benefits.
These terms represent how the University of Alberta, as Trustee, intends to describe, publish, and administer this fund. If, in the future, it becomes necessary, advisable, or preferable for changes to be made to these terms, in doing so, the University will remain governed by the original intent as expressed at the time of the creation of this fund. Should it become necessary to make changes to these terms, approval by the Oversight Committee is required.
Appendix A - Application and Eligibility
All applicants must complete the COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Grant application form. Additional administrative procedures in accordance with applicable University policies will be established, as needed, by the LKSIoV with input and guidance from the Oversight Committee.
Any researcher at the University of Alberta can apply for these funds; however:
- The Principal Investigator must have their primary appointment at the UofA;
- The Principal Investigator must be eligible to apply for and hold research funding at the UofA.
Each application will undergo a peer review process, therefore, a Peer Review Committee will be struck to recommend the recipients for this funding to the Oversight Committee. The Peer Review Committee will bring in additional expertise, if needed.
The COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund grant recipients agrees to certain obligations that include, but are not limited to:
Acknowledgement: All oral or poster presentations and publications arising from research supported by the COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund should acknowledge the support of donors, the Fund, and LKSIoV.
Reporting: The Principal Investigator is required to complete and submit a report back to the LKSIoV that includes the outcomes and impacts of the research upon request. A final report is required within 30 days of completion of the grant. A template report may be provided by LKSIoV.
Appendix B - Disbursement Areas
Appendix C - Oversight Committee
The COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund (the "Fund") will support activities and projects in the area of Coronavirus and emerging pathogens research in various disciplines at the University of Alberta. Researchers in all Faculties are eligible to apply for funding. The Fund will be held by and managed by the Director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology (“LKSIoV”) at the University of Alberta, with review and approval of all other aspects, including the awards from this fund, by the following Oversight Committee comprised of:
- A designate from the Office of the Vice-President (Research and Innovation)
- A designate from the Office of Research (Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry)
- Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry
A Peer Review Committee consisting of research and subject matter experts will be formed and will bring in additional expertise, as required. Research calls will be made, in most cases, using the same research pillars as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), which include:
- Biomedical/Discovery Research
- Clinical Research
- Health Services Research
- Social, Cultural, Environmental and Population Health Research
The Oversight Committee will be responsible for approval of:
The Peer Review Committee structure and composition
All applications recommended by the Peer Review Committee and/or the Director, LKSIoV when a Peer Review Committee is not required (see note 1).
Note 1: A peer review committee may not be required if a designated gift is smaller than $10,000 and needs to be awarded to a project in a short time frame. The Director, LKSIoV will have the latitude to make the recommendation about this type of the award and will seek the approval of the Oversight Committee.
Designated donations made for the research related to COVID-19 or other emerging pathogens directed to a specific researcher will be honored as long as the research is recognized as worthy by the Peer Review Committee and approved by the Oversight Committee. The donation will be given to the specific researcher by the LKSIoV to ensure accountability to the funder.
The Director of the LKSIoV will continue to be a direct report to the Dean, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry.
Based on the outcome of the Peer Review Committees’ review of applications, the Director of the LKSIoV will make recommendations to the Oversight Committee regarding funding for their approval.
Annually, the Director of the LKSIoV will be required to provide:
- a financial report to the Oversight Committee on the use of the COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund; and
- individual reports (and updates) from the Principal Investigators who received funding through the COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Fund; and
- other information as requested by the Oversight Committee.
COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Funding Application Requirements
Submission Instructions:
- Funding applications were due on June 30, 2020.
- Application packages must be submitted electronically to lksiov@ualberta.ca.
- Complete application packages must be submitted as a single PDF file.
You will receive a confirmation of receipt email within 24 hours of submission. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact lksiov@ualberta.ca.
Important Notes:
- Late applications will not be accepted.
- Applications with missing information / documentation will be given to the Adjudication Committee as submitted. It is the Principal Investigator's responsibility to ensure a funding request application package is accurate and complete. Eligibility to participate in the competition and/or hold funds may be affected and result in an unsuccessful application.
A completed application form must accompany the following sections.
Please provide an outline of your research proposal, including a concise summary of the current state of knowledge relating to the work proposed. The objectives and research plan must be clearly detailed, with the rationale for the methods and approaches addressed. A maximum of three (3) pages single-spaced may be appended for this section. Page total does not include references.
NOTE: An additional two (2) pages may be added for charts, figures, etc.
The budget summary and justification represent the total budget request and cannot exceed $40,000.00 CAD. Use the Budget Template for this section.
NOTE: The limit may increase based on funds acquired. Updates will be provided as they become available.
Please provide a complete list of currently held or pending grants (including potential submissions) by the Principal Investigator. In addition, provide the following information for each listed item:
- The status of each award with the corresponding period of support;
- A copy of the summary page of the application;
- A statement on the conceptual and budgetary overlap with this application.
Note: Eligibility to hold COVID-19 and Emerging Pathogens Research Grant funds may be impacted by compliance in funding overlap declaration.
