&&YORK RESEARCH

Applying to IDRC, CIDA and Other International Funders – How to Support an Application and Tips for Administrators

Sarah WhitakerSr. Research OfficerOffice of the Vice-President Research & Innovation

July 27, 2011

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

“IDRC supports applied research to find local solutions that will have lasting impacts on communities around the world. We are facilitators, drawing together the best scientific minds to collaborate on finding knowledge that works.” 

•Agriculture and environment •Health and health systems•Information and communication technologies for development•Innovation, Policy, and Science•Social and economic policy

&YORK RESEARCHWhere does IDRC work?

•Eastern and Southern Africa•Latin America and the Caribbean•Middle East and North Africa•South Asia and China•Southeast and East Asia•West and Central Africa•Global

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

Canadian PartnershipsWe fund research and related activities carried out by Canadians from across different sectors (universities and non-governmental organizations), often in collaboration with their counterparts in developing countries. We support activities that have the potential to influence policy and practice. Most of our more than 90 recipients a year receive funds through our small grants program.

For example:•Event Fund $1,000 - $15,000•Project Fund up to $60,000

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

Development Innovation FundIDRC is the Government of Canada’s lead for its new $225 million Development Innovation Fund, an initiative aimed at bringing together Canadian and developing-country scientists, and the private sector, to tackle persistent health challenges facing poor countries.

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

Canadian International Food Security Research FundAround the world, a lack of food security affects an estimated one billion people. To meet global needs, food production must double by 2030. Yet while demand for food grows, so too do the mounting problems of environmental degradation, decreasing water resources, and loss of fertile soil.  The Canadian International Food Security Research Fund supports applied research that combats hunger and poverty.

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

Fellowships and Awards IDRC’s Fellowships and Awards program supports Canadians, permanent residents of Canada, and citizens of developing countries to acquire more practical and research-oriented knowledge.

From graduate students conducting applied research with African farmers to scholars studying environmental issues facing the urban poor, IDRC funding is helping to create a generation of researchers in Canada and in developing countries with enhanced skills, deeper knowledge, a broader world view, and greater experience.

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

Global Health Research InitiativeAs a research funding partnership of five Canadian government agencies and departments, the Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI) brings people together from different countries, sectors, and areas of expertise to tackle the complex problems that affect health around the world.

The goal of this program is to support researchers and decision-makers in their efforts to develop effective policies, programs, and strategies to improve health and strengthen health systems.

GHRI programs fund innovative global health research and strengthen the ability of low and middle-income countries to carry out and use research as they work to improve the health of their populations.

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does IDRC support?

IDRC Challenge FundThis fund: •is to spark the creation of new research partnerships that tackle global issues and those of particular importance to low- and middle-income countries. •responds to the growing interest in collaborative international research.•creates joint funding opportunities to complement our existing research initiatives.  The Challenge Fund works in partnership with Canadian and international funding agencies such as the CRC Program, CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC.  

&YORK RESEARCHEligible expenses @ IDRC

•Research expenses•Personnel •Consultants/Technical Services•Evaluation and monitoring•Equipment •Travel and subsistence costs•Training •Indirect costs (Overhead) - generally 10-13%

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does CIDA support?

CIDA is Canada's lead agency for development assistance. CIDA's aim is to: Manage Canada's support and resources effectively and accountably to achieve meaningful, sustainable results

Engage in policy development in Canada and internationally, enabling Canada's effort to realize its development objectives.

Three priority themes are part of that agenda and guide CIDA's work: –Increasing food security–Securing the future of children and youth–Stimulating sustainable economic growth

&YORK RESEARCHWhere does CIDA work?

Americas: Bolivia, Caribbean Regional Program, Colombia, Haiti, Honduras, Peru

Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Vietnam

Eastern Europe: Ukraine

North Africa and Middles East: West Bank and Gaza

Sub-Saharan Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique,

Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does CIDA support?

The Partners for Development Program aims to leverage the development expertise and initiative of Canadians by funding the most meritorious proposals put forward by Canadian organizations to deliver development results on the ground and contribute to poverty reduction.

–Projects with CIDA support of over $2million–Projects with CIDA support of under $2million –Knowledge partners–Volunteer cooperation–University partners

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does CIDA support?

International School Twinning Initiative (ISTI)

International Youth Internship Program (IYIP)

International Aboriginal Youth Interships Initiative (IAYI)

&YORK RESEARCHWhat does CIDA support?

&YORK RESEARCHEligible expenses @ CIDA

•Canadian salaries•Non-discretionary benefits•Field staff benefits and allowances•Locally engaged staff•Outside consultants (please refer to York’s internal policy on the procurement of consultants)•Travel•Translation•Printing and copying (conditional)•Equipment and capital assets (in target country) (includes vehicles)•Materials and supplies (conditional)•Communications – long distance, courier, and advertising•Meetings and conferences•Indirect costs (Overhead) - 12%

&YORK RESEARCH

Ineligible expenses @ CIDA*

•Salary and benefits of university personnel whose actual time is not spent on the initiative•Discretionary benefits•Office costs in Canada and abroad – rent, heat, etc.•Costs to create and/or maintain websites, email, etc.•Any cost to be capitalized•Translation and reproduction costs of day to day operations•Expenditures for fundraising•Child sponsorship•Humanitarian assistance and emergency relief•Conferences or visits that are not an integral part of the program•Visits to Canada by resource people from non-eligible countries•University advertising•Hospitality•General supplies and small office equipment*This information is taken form one funding competition specifically, but the general principals apply to the majority of CIDA competitions.

&YORK RESEARCHEligibility to apply

•Universities are generally eligible to apply for a significant portion of the funding opportunities offered by IDRC and CIDA (contact ORS for details on eligibility for each competition)

•Institutional and/or individual applicantions

•Area of research must focus on target countries

•Partnerships with organizations/scholars in target countries must be confirmed

•Agreement from York to administer funds required by IDRC

&YORK RESEARCHORUs within an application

•Financial Administration

•Workshop and conference services

•General grant administration

•Internal peer review process

•Liaison with ORS, Research Accounting, Procurement, etc.

•Web and other social media support

•Reporting to funders

&YORK RESEARCHOther International Funders

United NationsWorld BankWorld Health OrganizationOpen Society Institute / Soros FoundationMinistries of Foreign Affairs (e.g., DFID and SIDA)

INGOs (see list @ UNESCO site)

Foundations (e.g., Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation)

&YORK RESEARCHCommon errors

Common errors include: •Not addressing the evaluation criteria and/or failing to link work to funder mandate•Failing to address cross-cutting themes in funder priorities•Failing to locate research activities with IDRC vs. development initiatives at CIDA•Using highly technical writing for a multidisciplinary committee•Imbalances in budget categories•Failing to include overhead in the budget•Typos and spelling mistakes

&YORK RESEARCHStrategies for success

•Read the instructions

•Print and read all application requirements

•Create a checklist using application and adjudication criteria

•Know your adjudication audience – speak to a program/desk officer

&YORK RESEARCHStrategies for success con’t

•Focus writing on the reader of the application

•Contact colleagues who have put applications together before

•Justify the budget, justify the budget, justify the budget

•Have the application reviewed internally/externally by staff and faculty

&YORK RESEARCH

Support services for staff and applicants

•Faculty-based Research Officers

•ORU Coordinators

•Sr. Research Officer, VPRI

•Associate Deans Research

•Associate Vice-Presidents

•Office of Research Services–Michelle Galloro, Research Applications Coordinator –Mala Thakoor, Information Officer–Alon Teper, Technological Information Officer

&YORK RESEARCH

Submitting an application through York

•Office of Research Services (ORS) review available 10 working days before deadline

•Internal Deadlines may be required for competitions where York University can only submit a limited number of proposals

•All applications must be submitted through ORS

•All applications must be accompanied by an ORS Checklist

•Deadlines vary by competition – check with ORS and/or your RO

&YORK RESEARCH

Documents and other resources

Websites:•IDRC Website: http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Pages/default.aspx•CIDA Website: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/home•York University Research Website: www.yorku.ca/research

Documents:Internal

–Research Costs Table–Letter of Support Form–ORS Checklist

&YORK RESEARCHContact

Sarah WhitakerSr. Research Officer, VPRI

sarahw@yorku.ca

Joan BroussardAssociate Director, Research Grants, ORS

joanb@yorku.ca

Michelle GalloroResearch Applications Coordinator, ORS

mgalloro@yorku.ca

Mala ThakoorInformation Officer, ORS

mthakoor@yorku.ca

Alon TeperTechnological Information Officer, ORS

tepera@yorku.ca