The Project Grant program is designed to capture ideas with the greatest potential for important advances in fundamental or applied health-related knowledge, health care, health systems, and/or health outcomes by supporting projects of research proposed and conducted by individual researchers or groups of researchers in all areas of health. The best ideas may stem from new, incremental, innovative, and/or high-risk lines of inquiry or knowledge translation approaches.
Research Areas
The Project Grant program is open to applicants in all areas of health research that are aligned with the CIHR mandate: "To excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system".
- Global Health
- Applications focused on global health, or which include international collaborations are eligible. Applications focused in the field of global health that demonstrate that the proposed research project has the potential to improve health in Canada and/or the global community are accepted and encouraged as more than ever before, the health of Canadians is deeply intertwined with the health of people around the world. Global health research is defined as any research with a focus on the health of people living in low- and middle-income countries, as well as research that aims to understand the systematic factors that shape health and are inherently global (e.g., globalization, equity, neglected diseases, and transnational risks). Global health is relevant to all pillars. Please consult Global Health 3.0: CIHR's Framework for Action on Global Health Research for more information.
- Indigenous Health Research
- Applications with a central focus on carrying out meaningful and culturally safe research involving Indigenous Peoples with the intent to promote health through research that is in keeping with Indigenous values and traditions and follows the TCPS 2 - Chapter 9 Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada guidelines are encouraged.
- Randomized Controlled Trials
- Applications involving a randomized controlled trial (RCT) are accepted and encouraged where appropriate based on scientific and methodological grounds. All applications containing an RCT as a major component (irrespective of the suggested peer review committee) must structure their research proposal according to the RCT headings provided.
- Commercialization
- Applications related to commercialization are encouraged. Commercialization refers to the component of knowledge translation that is focused on bringing new products, tools, or services to a state of use in the private, not-for-profit, or public sectors. It can extend beyond bringing intellectual property (IP) to the marketplace for profit (e.g., cost savings in the health system, humanitarian licensing). CIHR is committed to facilitating the commercialization of health research in Canada in support of its overall mandate. For commercialization projects submitted to the Commercialization committee (CMZ), the applicant should include a Research/Technical Plan and a Commercialization Plan. For further information, refer to CIHR's Commercialization Projects page.
- Interdisciplinary Research
- Applications involving interdisciplinary research are accepted and encouraged in all committees. However, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) have formed a Tri-Agency Interdisciplinary Peer Review Committee (TAIPR), with the following mandate, specifically dedicated for the review of interdisciplinary research.
- Specific Research Areas
- Priority Announcements (PAs) offer additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific research areas. Refer to the Project Grant: Fall 2023 Priority Announcements (Specific Research Areas) for further details.
About Canadian Institutes of Health Research
As the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency, we fund world-class research across the country. Led by talented teams based mostly at universities and hospitals, this research is critical to:
Better diagnose, treat, and even prevent disease;
Understand the complexities of health, including everything from basic cell biology to the social and environmental factors that can affect us;
Strengthen our health care system using data and evidence-based models of care; and
Support the development of policies and programs that can improve the health of individuals an... continue reading
Subscribe for scholarship alert.
Be among the first to know whenever new Canadian Institutes of Health scholarship is going on.
Government of Canada Project Grant: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
Aim and Benefits of Government of Canada Project Grant: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.
The total amount available for the Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Project Grant Competitions is $650M.
- Within the investment allocated to each Project Grant competition, there will be a funding envelope of:
- $16.25M dedicated to large grants. Large grants are defined as those within the top 2% largest total grant amount requested by all applicants within the competition and varies with each competition. This budget envelope is not intended for series of projects to be bundled together for long-term support. Individual grant applications requesting a total of more than the amount dedicated for the large grant funding envelope will be withdrawn.
- $14.95M (4.6%) dedicated to supporting applications with an Indigenous health research focus.
- A portion of the competition budget will also be reserved to ensure that the proportion of grants funded is at least equal to the proportion of applications submitted by early career researchers (ECRs), female applicants, and for applicants submitting applications written in French. Should the full amount set aside not be required, all remaining funds will be returned to the Project grant competition to further increase the number of grants funded.
- The number of grants funded will depend on the requested budgets and peer review recommendations.
- Project Grant applicant funding levels are proportionate to the requirements of the research proposed, which is expected to vary by research field, research approach, and scope of proposal activities.
- Funding is augmented by Priority Announcements (PAs) that award grants in specific research areas. Refer to the Project Grant: Fall 2023 Priority Announcements (Specific Research Areas).
- For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.
The Project Grant program is expected to:
- Support a diverse portfolio of health-related research and knowledge translation proposals at any stage, from discovery to application, including commercialization;
- Promote relevant collaborations across disciplines, professions, and sectors; and
- Contribute to the creation and use of health-related knowledge.
Requirements for Government of Canada Project Grant: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 Qualification
The Project Grant program has no formal requirements for partnering; however, depending on the nature of the research proposal, a commitment from interested or engaged knowledge user(s) or other partners may be reasonably expected by peer reviewers.
Interview date, Process and Venue for Government of Canada Project Grant: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024
For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met:
- The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be one of the following:
- an independent researcher or a knowledge user affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation) at the time of funding.
OR
- if the Nominated Principal Applicant is a knowledge user, there must be at least one Principal Applicant who is an independent researcher
- an individual affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
OR
- an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
- The NPA (individual) must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
- The Institution Paid must be authorized to administer CIHR funds before the funding can be released (see Administration of Funds).
- Principal Applicants must be independent researchers or knowledge users (inclusion of one or more Principal Applicants is optional). Individuals in the principal applicant role may not be a trainee or be in a subordinate position (i.e. directed or supervised by another), with respect to the subject matter of the proposed research/activities.
- Co-Applicants can be one of the following (inclusion of one or more is optional):
- independent researchers;
- knowledge users;
- trainees;
- other.
- An individual or an organization cannot submit more than two Project Grant applications per competition as a Nominated Principal Applicant. If the Nominated Principal Applicant submits more than two applications, CIHR will automatically withdraw the last application(s) submitted based on time-stamp of submission.
- Applicants must comply with CIHR's Policy on Identical / Essentially Identical Applications
- Individuals who hold a Foundation Grant in the role of Program Leader are eligible to apply to the Project Grant competition in the role of Nominated Principal Applicant or Principal Applicant only 18 months prior to their grant expiry date. Please contact CIHR if you have questions about your eligibility.
Application Deadline
September 14, 2023
How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to
Canadian Institutes of Health Research on www.hfsp.org to apply
