海角社区

海角社区.CA / D2R / Funding Opportunities

Core Platform Sustainability

海角社区

1. About the Program

State-of-the-art Core Platforms play a key role in supporting research and development, and seamless technology uptake and transfer. They provide academic researchers and industry collaborators with the latest technologies and resources on a fee-for-service basis, while also enriching the quality of research and accelerate the pace of discovery. Given that D2R fields of research are technology-driven and rapidly evolving, new core facilities in areas such as genomics, RNA chemistry, data science, biomanufacturing, and clinical research may be established during the D2R term. Additionally, novel platforms in research ethics, policy, regulatory compliance, Indigenous health, and other areas of social sciences may be developed, promoting knowledge mobilization and translation to society. These platforms also offer a competitive edge in recruiting early career researchers (ECRs). This program offers operational support to select existing or newly formed 海角社区 Core Platforms, for technical personnel, data managers, extended warranties, and equipment repair and services.

2. Objectives

The Core Platform Sustainability Program aims to:

  • Strengthen research capacity in D2R fields of research with state-of-the-art technology and expertise, enabling world-class research and development.
  • Optimize their operations to improve the accessibility and responsiveness of services for D2R researchers.
  • Expand their scientific and technical capabilities, providing vital support to the broad research community in D2R areas.
  • Adopt and foster best practices in governance and management, including long-term strategic and operational planning, such as cost recovery (user fees) and long-term financial sustainability.
  • Promote industry collaboration and, as relevant, foster multi-disciplinary collaborations
  • Serve as a training ground for the next generation of researchers, equipping them with the skills and experience needed to excel in cutting-edge scientific fields.

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Key Information
Key Dates
  • Application Deadline: September 30 at 5 PM Eastern time. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  • Award Announcement: November 2024
Application

The application consists of an with up to seven (7) documents to upload. The templates linked below must be used.

Review the online form and gather all necessary information and documents beforehand. The form needs to be completed in one session as it does not support saving and resuming
Eligibility

Core Platform Status

  • Core Platforms which are recognized or approved by the Lead Faculty are eligible.
  • Core Platforms located outside of 海角社区鈥檚 campuses (i.e. at a 海角社区-affiliated hospital听or institute) must have听undergone a formal approval or recognition process by their respective institute.
  • Core Platforms which are pending recognition may receive funding for one year, with continued funding contingent on obtaining full recognition by the Lead Faculty within the first year of D2R funding.

Alignment with D2R

  • The Core Platform鈥檚 mission and overall purpose must align with D2R鈥檚 mission, objectives and needs, including conducting activities aligned with D2R's Foundational Axes and Priority Disease Areas.

  • Only those Core Platform with strong alignment and which can demonstrate a significant impact on D2R's research areas will be considered for funding.

Applicant

  • The Principal Applicant, and any Co-Applicants, must be a faculty member at 海角社区 who is eligible to hold Tri-Agency research funding. Normally, the Scientific Director of the Core Platform is the Principal Applicant.

Limitations

  • The application limitation within a funding cycle set for some of the D2R鈥檚 Funding Programs does not apply to the Core Platform program.
Funding and Duration

Funding per Award: up to $250,000 annually for up to three years for a maximum of $750,000

3. Funding Envelope and Duration for this Competition

  • Funding per Award: up to $250,000 annually for up to three years for a maximum of $750,000
  • 4 to 6 Core Platforms are expected to be funded

4. Key Dates

  • Application Deadline: September 30 at 5 PM Eastern time. Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  • Award Announcement: November 2024

5. Expenses

Eligible expenses:

  • Salary and benefits for technical personnel operating the instrumentation and for personnel who provides support (e.g., training, service) to users of the Core Platform
  • Materials and supplies consumed in providing the services
  • Costs related to professional development and training for personnel to ensure that they have appropriate skills and expertise for their work, e.g., technical training, health and safety, or accreditation related.
  • Costs related to organizing information sessions and workshops for users.
  • Upgrades, repairs and service contracts for instruments
  • Software licenses for instrumentation at the Core Platform
  • Purchase of small equipment up to a maximum of $25,000 for the replacement of aging instruments and broken parts. This is intended for maintaining existing capabilities.
  • Laptops, phones, and other material for personnel
  • All expenses must comply with the .

Ineligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

  • Research infrastructure operating costs already supported by CFI
  • New capital research equipment adding new functionalities to the Core platform
  • Salary support for research trainees at all levels (including Postdoctoral researchers)
  • Salary support for PIs
  • Salary support for administrative personnel for PIs
  • Costs for the renovation, moving or rental of research facilities

6. Eligibility

Core Platform Status

  • Core Platforms which are recognized or approved by the Lead Faculty are eligible.
  • Core Platforms located outside of 海角社区鈥檚 campuses (i.e. at a 海角社区-affiliated hospital听or institute) must have听undergone a formal approval or recognition process by their respective institute.
  • Core Platforms which are pending recognition may receive funding for one year, with continued funding contingent on obtaining full recognition by the Lead Faculty within the first year of D2R funding.

Alignment with D2R

  • The Core Platform鈥檚 mission and overall purpose must align with D2R鈥檚 mission, objectives and needs, including conducting activities aligned with D2R's Foundational Axes and Priority Disease Areas.
  • Only those Core Platform with strong alignment and which can demonstrate a significant impact on D2R's research areas will be considered for funding.

Applicant

  • The Principal Applicant, and any Co-Applicants, must be a faculty member at 海角社区 who is eligible to hold Tri-Agency research funding. Normally, the Scientific Director of the Core Platform is the Principal Applicant.

Limitations

  • The application limitation within a funding cycle set for some of the D2R鈥檚 Funding Programs does not apply to the Core Platform program.

7. Application

The application consists of an with up to seven (7) documents to upload. The templates linked below must be used.

Review the online form and gather all necessary information and documents beforehand. The form needs to be completed in one session as it does not support saving and resuming.

7.1 Documents to Upload

Include the Core Platform name in file name of each uploaded documents.

  1. Proposal* (Template)
  2. Budget and User Tables* (Template)
  3. Biosketch* (Template) for the Principal Applicant and all Co-Applicants
  4. Key Staff biographies. In a maximum of two pages, summarize the qualifications for all the key personnel who run and maintain the facility.
  5. Milestones and Timeline* (Template)
  6. Annual Report or Support Letter. Upload the Core Platform's most recent annual report, if available. For Core Platforms which are pending approval, upload a letter confirming the application to the Lead Faculty. No additional听supporting documents should be uploaded.
  7. Suggestions for External Reviewers* (Template)

*required

7.2 Proposal

Page Limits:

a) English applications: maximum 9 pages, inclusive of references
b)听French applications: maximum 10 pages, inclusive of references

Any additional pages will be removed prior to review.

Use the template provided to address the following.

A. Background and Rationale

  • Mission, Objectives, and Goals: Brief background and rationale of your Core Platform, including when and how it was established.
  • Services Provided: Overview of services, technologies, instruments, or tools provided to the community.
  • Uniqueness: What sets your Core Platform apart from others?
  • Alignment with D2R: Describe how the Core Platform aligns with D2R鈥檚 mission and objectives and responds to the needs of D2R-related research areas. Include timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
  • Impact: Discuss the Core Platform鈥檚 potential short-term and long-term impact on the D2R research community, particularly at 海角社区.
  • Support for Researchers: How will your Core Platform support researchers in advancing D2R鈥檚 mission and objectives?
  • Support for Trainees: What services and training opportunities are available to students (at all levels), postdoctoral fellows, and any other trainees?

B. Operations, Governance, Management, and Human Resources

  • Operations: Describe the Core Platform鈥檚 operations, including Standard Operating Procedures.
  • Governance and Management: Outline the governance and management structure. Include an organizational chart if applicable.
  • Human Resources: Describe the team, listing all core personnel. (Note that one of the attachments is two-page biography for key personnel.) Include strategies for training and professional development.
  • Resource Management: Outline the resource management plan, including equipment use and maintenance.

C. User Base, Engagement, Communications, Training of HQPs

  • User Base: Describe the need for your Core Platform for the 海角社区 D2R community and beyond.
  • Engagement and Communications: Detail strategies for user engagement, training, and promoting services.
  • Feedback and Outputs: Describe how you will obtain and respond to user feedback and track user publications, grants, and other outputs.
  • Overview of Users: Provide a summary description or any additional relevant context to the detailed information that is in the 鈥淯sers鈥� tab of the Budget and Tables Excel workbook. In particular, describe the work or outputs of high-frequency users.

D. Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

  • EDI Principles: Describe your approach to embedding EDI principles in your Core Platform鈥檚 practices and strategies.
  • Assessment Measures: Outline measures to assess the effectiveness of these strategies.
  • Advancing 海角社区鈥檚 EDI Commitment: Explain how the Core Platform advances 海角社区鈥檚 commitment to EDI.
  • Support Required: Outline the support needed to implement these practices.

E. Financial Management and Need for D2R Funding

  • Cost Recovery Strategy: Describe your cost recovery strategy.
  • Operating Expenses and Non-D2R Funding: Provide an overview of total cash operating expenses and non-D2R funding (confirmed and anticipated) for the next three fiscal years.
  • Budget Justification: Provide any additional details for those budget items or expense categories which may require additional justification, from the requested D2R funding.
  • Need for D2R Funding: Demonstrate the need for the requested D2R funding.
  • Sustainability Plan Beyond D2R Funding: Describe the sustainability plan beyond D2R funding (starting in year 4). If you expect no or minimal user fees, describe other revenue-generating strategies.

F.听References

  • Provide DOIs when available for works cited.
  • Provide references only for documents cited in the proposal.

8. Evaluation Process, Criteria and Decision

The review and evaluation process involve three steps:

Administrative Review: An administrative review will be conducted for each application to verify completion and eligibility of the Core Platform and the Applicant(s).

Merit Evaluation: All eligible applications will be evaluated by experts in managing core platforms who are free of conflicts of interest. It is based on the five criteria found in Appendix 1 (100 points total).

Strategic Alignment: This review will be completed by the D2R Strategic Alignment Review Committee (SARC) based on three aspects:

  • Mission and objectives alignment between the Core Platform and D2R.
  • Contribution to D2R鈥檚 mission and overarching objectives and the impact to the D2R community.
  • Need for D2R support as described in the budget justification.

9. Announcement of Results

Applicants will be informed of the results by email in November 2024.

Successful Applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA), which details the terms, conditions, and reporting obligations.

Successful Applicants (i.e., the Scientific Director of the Core Platform) must complete the D2R Award Acceptance Form and 海角社区鈥檚 Research Funding Checklist (RFC) within two weeks of receiving the NoA.

10. Contact Information

Email: D2R.Funding [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Core%20Platform%20Sustainability%20program)

Appendix 1: Evaluation Grid for External Reviewers

Evaluation Grid for External Reviewers
Criteria Points

1. Background and Rationale for Proposed Core Platform (25 points)

  • Clarity and feasibility of proposed services, including timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
  • Potential to support researchers in advancing D2R鈥檚 mission and objectives.
  • Evidence of responding to identified needs in D2R-related research areas.
  • Justification that the proposal supports a Core Platform rather than a research program.
  • Uniqueness and usefulness of the service provided to its intended user base.
  • Short-term and long-term impact on the D2R community.
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2. Operations, Governance, Management, and Human Resources (20 points)

  • Adoption of best practices in operations and governance, suitable for the size and complexity of the platform.
  • Qualifications and appropriateness of leadership and staff to manage and deliver objectives.
  • Professional development plan for Core Platform personnel.
  • Effective resource management plan, including equipment use and maintenance.
 20

3. User Base, Engagement, Communications, and Training (20 points)

  • Demonstrated need from the D2R research community (e.g., academic institutions, industry).
  • Size and diversity of current and anticipated users, including a detailed list for existing platforms.
  • Regular user engagement and training activities (e.g., courses, seminars, workshops).
  • Plan for tracking user outputs, such as publications and grants.
  • Comprehensive communication plan with user feedback mechanisms.
  • Regularly updated and informative website.
  • Regular communications (e.g., newsletters, event announcements) to potential users.
 20

    4. Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) (10 points)

    • Integration and promotion of EDI principles in Core Platform management, including staffing and user access.
    • Transparency in the process for accessing services (e.g., user fees and booking access) available on the Core Platform website.
    		 10

    5. Financial Management and Need for D2R Funding (25 points)

    • Demonstrated need for funding to develop and optimally operate the Core Platform.
    • Clear cost recovery strategy and budget planning for the next three years.
    • Appropriateness of budgeted expenses for proposed activities.
    • Relevance and feasibility of the sustainability plan, including other funding sources and user fee structure.
    • Overall appropriateness of the budget relative to services provided and the number of users served.
    • Completed budget template, following guidelines.
    		 25

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