CCS COVID-19 Challenge for Canada Initiative (CCS-C3I)
The Award
The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting millions world-wide with over 40,000 Canadians affected. The prevalence and outcomes of cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 are poorly understood and remain uncharacterized.
The aim of this initiative is to empower the CCS clinician-scientist community to be prepared to harness emerging large-scale funds. By fostering multisite cardiovascular research across Canada, our CV community will be at the forefront of readiness for large-scale, CVD-related COVID-19 disease initiatives. This effort will inform health policy in Canada relative to health services delivery for CV patients in this time of crisis.
2020 Call for Applications: Closed
Please complete the Applicant Information Form and include it with your proposal.
C3I Call for Proposals handbook
What areas of research are eligible?
We are seeking innovative approaches that will provide answers in the following categories of clinical science inquiry:
1. Impact of CVD health services restrictions to meet the COVID-19 needs on patient outcomes
2. Data-driven modeling of projected CVD complications of COVID-19 in the near and long term
3. Patient-centered approaches to enhancing digital and telehealth communications for patients with CVD during the COVID-19 epidemic
Who is eligible to apply?
The Principal Investigators (PIs) must be CCS members. We encourage that co-investigators are also CCS members.
The funds must be held in a Canadian university or affiliated research institute.
Collaboration between a minimum of two (2) Canadian institutions is required. Multi-province collaboration is encouraged.
Applicant teams must meet the following criteria:
- A CCS Member Trainee is the Lead Principal Investigator (PI), or
- A CCS Member who is Junior Faculty (<5 years since faculty appointment) is the Lead PI.
At least one award will be allocated to each of these team compositions.
- Two collaborating institutions at a minimum, preferably from different provinces.
Teams that include multidisciplinary co-investigators are also encouraged.
All research teams should address the CCS “3G” principle in team composition (representation across geography, gender and generations).
What do I need to include with my application?
a) Project details: 4 pages total
i. Synopsis (1/2 page), summarizing the project in abstract form
ii. Project background (1/2 page), articulating the specific knowledge gap related to COVID-19 to be addressed.
iii. Research activities (1 page, 3 paragraphs), outlining methods, time-line and specific deliverables
iv. References (1 page)
v. Figures and/or tables (1 page)
Note: Project descriptions exceeding the maximum page limit it will not be reviewed.
b) CVs (maximum 5 pages)The CVs of PI and co-PIs from all collaborating institutions using the CIHR format or similar.
c) Budget (1 page)For the total amount including the matched institutional funds
Note: At time of proposal submission, letters of commitment for matching funds from partner institutions would strengthen applications. If these are not included at time of submission, funds flowing to awardee institutions would be contingent upon confirmation, in writing, of matching funds.
d) Submission format
All documents, including CVs, must adhere to the following format:• Page size: 8½ x 11 inches
- Margins: no less than 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides
- Font: Times New Roman (no smaller than 12 pt) or Arial (no smaller than 11 pt).The Project details must be submitted as a single PDF with numbered pages
How many awards will be granted and how much funding is available?
This is a two-phase program.
Phase I: May 2020
Up to three (3) awards of $15,000 will be granted.Each award must be matched in cash (for a total of at least $30,000 in funding) by the collaborating institution(s).Teams with two or more collaborating institutions will have incrementally more total funds.
CCS funds will be dispensed in 1 installment.
Phase II: September 2020
At the six-month mark, teams holding awards will submit progress reports and a proposal for expanding their project. Based on progress and potential for enhanced impact, peer reviewers will select one project to receive an additional $25,000 to further advance their work.
How will awardees be chosen?
Submissions will be reviewed by a sub-committee of members from the CCS affiliates. Any potential review committee member who has any conflict of interest related to any single proposal will be exclude from the review panel.
Proposals will be scored and evaluated based on feasibility and impact.
If you have questions, please email us at researchawards@ccs.ca. We’re here to help!