Patient-Oriented Research Awards

As part of our commitment to facilitating research relationships between patients, researchers, healthcare providers, decision-makers and other stakeholders, we provide awards to support teams conducting Patient-Oriented Research in the Island Health region.

Graduate Student Fellowships (*Competition currently closed)

The Island Centre’s Graduate Fellowships seek to provide students with training and support in the principles and practice of patient-oriented research, create opportunities for collaboration, and build capacity for patient-oriented research.

  • Application Deadline: October 19, 2020 (4 p.m. PDT)
  • Number and Value: 1 Master’s award ($10,000) and 1 doctoral award ($15,000)
  • Award Term: 9 months (December 1, 2020 – September 1, 2021)

Eligibility

Students enrolled in a full-time thesis-based Masters or PhD program as of the application deadline and who are interested in undertaking Patient-Oriented Research are eligible to apply. Students must be enrolled at an academic institution within the Island Health region.

Areas of Research: Preference will be given to students conducting research aligned with the strategic priorities of healthcare partners on Vancouver Island. Students who wish to conduct research in other areas will be considered for funding, but must show that they are exploring an identified need or patient priority.

Application Guidelines

For full competition details, please review the application guidelines. 

How to Apply 

  • Read the application guidelines.
  • Complete the application form
  • Submit the completed application form and required attachments to Jennifer.Cartwright@viha.ca in Word or PDF format by or before October 19 at 4 pm.
Questions

Please address any inquiries to Jennifer.Cartwright@viha.ca.

Team Assist Awards

Team Assist awards are intended to fund planning and pre-grant activities to inform future patient-oriented research projects.

These awards:

  • Facilitate the formation of multi-disciplinary POR research teams
  • Promote collaboration amongst stakeholders and remove barriers to engagement
  • Support patients to provide input on priorities for health research
  • Enable teams to submit strong POR applications to future competitions

Eligible Costs

In addition to planning and coordination of meetings, funds are available for catering for an engagement opportunity or workshop, renting meeting space for public fora and compensation of patient partners or physicians to attend brainstorming sessions. 

Team Assist awards cannot be used to fund teams that are not patient-oriented.

Get all the details, including how to apply, here.

Planning & Development/Research-to-Action Awards (*Competition currently closed)

The Island Centre’s Planning & Development/Research-to-Action Awards seek to support teams in the Island Health region who are planning POR projects, or mobilizing and implementing the results of POR projects into practice or policy.

  • Application Deadline: Sunday, November 1, 2020 (4 p.m. PST)
  • Number and Value: A total of $100,000 is available, with one-time funding up to a maximum of $10,000 per team
  • Award Term: 8 months (January 1, 2021 – August 31, 2021)

ELIGIBILITY

The Lead Applicant must be affiliated with an institution or organization that is able to hold funds on their behalf. Applicants may only identify themselves as the Lead on one application, and projects should be based in the Island Health region. The proposed activities must be relevant to Island Health populations. 

Preference will be given to teams conducting patient-oriented research aligned with the following strategic priorities:

  1. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated implications for health 
  2. Substance use concerns, including responses to the opioid crisis 
  3. Cultural safety and humility/Indigenous health
  4. Mental health and wellness
  5. Seniors’ health/care transitions 

Applicants proposing research activities in other areas will be considered, but must show that they are exploring an identified need or patient priority.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES

For full competition details, please review the application guidelines. 

HOW TO APPLY 

Have Questions?

Please address any inquiries to Jennifer.Cartwright@viha.ca.