Operating Grant
Important deadlines
Letter of Intent: December 1, 2012
Full application: February 15, 2013
Updates to applications: May 1, 2013
Please note that the deadline for submitting an operating grant application has now passed.
The operating grant is the principal means by which the Cancer Research Society supports basic research activities by a scientist or a team of scientists on the different aspects of cancer. The operating grant competition takes place every year.
It is mandatory to use the application form specific to the current year to apply for an operating grant. Forms from previous years will be rejected.
•
Yearly calendar•
Specific areas of research funded with partners•
Eligibility requirements•
Required documents and forms - Letter of intent
- Full application
•
Term and amount of grant •
Financial rules and eligible expenditures•
Review•
Grant recipient agreement - Award acceptance
- Financial reports
- Progress reports
- Publications
•
Important modifications to the CRS Operating Grant Competition
Yearly Calendar
| November 1 |
Letter of intent form is available online |
November 30
|
Application form is available online |
| December 1 |
Deadline for submitting the letter of intent |
| December 20 |
Results of the letters of intent are announced |
| February 15 |
Deadline for submitting the full application (following the acceptance of the letter of intent) |
| May & June |
Review meetings |
| End of August |
Results are announced following the Cancer Research Society’s Board of Directors' approval |
| Early September |
Payments to grantees begin |
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Specific areas of research funded with partners
Over the last years, the CRS is proud to offer additional operating grants to the scientific community through its regular competition. These grants on specific types of cancer are added to the regular operating grants that may apply to the broad field of cancer. The funding of these specific grants is made possible thanks to important collaborations that the CRS has developed over the last years with invaluable partners.
The CRS offers additional grants in the following specific fields:
• Environment-Cancer, in partnership with Read for the Cure and funded by the Cancer Research Society’s Environment-Cancer FundTM
The grants in environment-cancer are dedicated to finding scientific evidence relating the risk of developing cancer to the impact of environmental factors, such as our lifestyle (eating habits, physical activity, etc.) and our working, leisure and living environments.
• Breast Cancer, in partnership with the S. Cohen Fund
The CRS - S. Cohen Fund Grant will be the first specific operating grant in the field of breast cancer.
• Neuroendocrine Tumours, in partnership with the Carcinoid NeuroEndocrine Tumour Society Canada (CNETS)
The CRS - CNETS Grant is dedicated to funding research projects on neuroendocrine tumours, a rare form of cancer that does not receive much funding.
* Applicants responding to these proposals will have to fill in the appropriate box on the application form in order to be considered.
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Eligibility requirements
Conditions
There must be only one main applicant for the purposes of this award. This person will also administer any grant awarded. All other applicants are considered co-applicants.
Candidates in postdoctoral training are not eligible.
The CRS will not award funds if overlapping and/or comparable support for a project has been obtained (even partially) from another agency. Each application sent to the CRS has to be original.
Should the applicant accept an award from another agency, which would disallow the applicant from accepting or holding a grant from the CRS, the CRS must be informed without delay.
Multiple applications
The number of applications a researcher may submit to the program as a main applicant is not limited. A researcher may also participate to other projects as a co-applicant.
Appointment, citizenship and residency
All applicants and co-applicants must hold an academic appointment in a Canadian university or accredited institution and must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Collaborators may be from outside of Canada however no funds from the Cancer Research Society can be transferred outside of the country.
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Required documents
Letter of intent (compulsory)
- Letter of Intent application form: electronic version sent via email.
The CRS will confirm applicants’ eligibility in December of each year. Only those applicants who have been approved may submit complete applications.
Documents to download:
Complete application
- Complete application form: electronic version & paper copies
- The “Disclaimer and Indemnity” page
- Any originals of the certificates for research involving human subjects, animals or biohazards requiring containment.
These certificates may follow the application’s approval for funding but must be received no later than August 31 when the grant takes effect.
Documents to download:
Updates: Applicants may update their award notices and publication lists after submission of their full applications. The deadline to do so varies every year depending on the date of the first panel meeting and is generally announced in March of every year.
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Term and amount of grant
Operating grants are usually awarded for a period of two years. A maximum amount of $60,000 per year is granted. This amount was fixed by the scientific committee in order to fund the greatest possible number of applications. Researchers submitting an application for less than $60,000 and who qualify for funding will receive their grant for the amount requested.
The CRS accepts renewal requests for this program however, renewals are not assured. Please note that if the grant is not renewed, no terminal grant should be expected. Applicants should ensure that their internal arrangements allow for possible nonrenewal of the grant. If the renewal is approved, it could be granted for an additional two (2) years. Applicants whose grants have not been renewed can subsequently apply for a new operating grant.
The annual CRS funding period is from September 1 to August 31 of every year. Payments to awardees are made on a quarterly basis: September, December, March, June.
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Financial rules and eligible expenditures
CRS funds cannot be used for:
• Remuneration of principal investigators, co-investigators and collaborators
• All indirect expenditures related to layout organization or reorganization, facilities leasing and maintenance or the indirect costs covered by the host institution
• Equipment acquisition
• Travel expenses or sabbatical leave
• Meetings, seminars or conferences: all expenses related to these activities including
registration fees, travel, etc.
• Living expenses
• Clinical drug trials
• Funds may not be transferred outside of Canada
For a continuing grant, up to 25 percent (25%) of the annual award may be carried over to the next year. For a terminating grant, up to 15 percent (15%) of the annual award may be carried over for up to one (1) additional year without a written request. If this amount exceeds 15%, a written request to the CRS for an extension is required. This request must include the amount of funds remaining, the reason why the funds were not spent for their intended purpose, how the remaining funds will be used and the requested timeframe needed.
Any funds not spent for their original purpose, by the end of the award period (2 or 3 years depending on carryforwards), must be returned to the CRS.
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Review
Process
All applications are reviewed by one of our peer-review committees made up of 9 to 15 Canadian and/or international scientists having expertise in the appropriate domains of cancer research. The applications are assessed based on the research area and topic and are categorized into one of the four following panels:
Panel A: Cell signaling
Panel B: Pharmacogenetics/Cancer immunology
Panel C: Tumour suppressor genes, Oncogenes and DNA repair
Panel D: Tumour progression and metastasis
The number of expert committees varies each year depending on the quantity of applications received. For example, a specific competition year could see two panels C. To consult the different topics covered in each panel, please click HERE.
The expert panels conduct a critical and distinct analysis of each application, which is first reviewed and scored by two experts and impartial reviewers, to then be discussed and scored by the entire panel. The two expert reviewers do an independent analysis and do not know the identity of the other panel member to whom the proposal has been assigned. At the end of the process, the scientific merit, depicted by the scoring system, is the sole criterion for the awarding of a grant.
To be considered for funding, a project must meet the CRS’ assessment criteria of a minimum score of 7.5 out of 10. However, due to the high quality of proposals received each year and unfortunately, due to the lack of available funds, all projects having obtained this minimum scientific score are not always funded. Over the past 5 years, the number has varied between 28 and 48 projects. The financial cut-off score is usually higher than 7.5 and varies from year to year depending on the available funds and competition.
CRS funding is attributed to the projects with the highest scores and, where applicable, to the projects that fulfill the requirements for grants on specific cancer research topics as a result of partnerships with the CRS. All applicants, regardless of their score, will receive an official letter notifying them of the outcome of their application. If an applicant refuses the offered funding, the CRS will offer the grant to the next meritorious project on the list.
CriteriaThe following criteria are considered during the review of an application:
- Originality of the research plan
- Ability of the investigator to conduct the research in its respective milieu
- Significance of the project to cancer research
- Strengths and weaknesses of the proposal
- Budget relevance:
• No monies are allowed for travel or equipment.
• The budget must be appropriate to the project proposed.
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Grant recipient agreement
In accepting a grant from the Cancer Research Society, the Grantee and all co-applicants agree to observe and comply with the terms and conditions stipulated in the program description listed on this page, as well as on the signed Disclaimer and Indemnity page submitted with the complete application (this page must be signed by all applicants, co-applicants and their respective officials).
In addition, the Grantee and all co-applicants agree to comply at all times with the general principles of honesty and scientific ethics, especially in relation to using the research funds received from the Cancer Research Society for their intended purpose, and the Policy regarding open access to published research outputs.
Notably, every project involving human or animal subjects requires the approval of the research ethics board of the principal investigator’s institution. Disbursement of the grant is contingent on provision of an ethics certificate and related documents to the CRS.
The award will be revoked if the Grantee and co-applicants fail to comply with these rules.
Award Acceptance
Upon acceptance of an award, different actions need to be taken by the principal investigator in order for his/her award to take effect:
• Formally accepting the award and its pertaining rules in writing while stating that no overlap of the project exists, within 30 days of receiving the offer. Should the CRS fail to receive this notice of acceptance, it will consider the principal investigator as having refused the grant;
• Advising the official in charge of the financial management of research grants in his/her organization of his/her award and its pertaining conditions;
• Completing and sending his/her researcher’s profile, including a recent picture, for our website and donor relations. Please click HERE to download the appropriate form and instructions.
Financial reports:
At the end of each funding year (i.e. August 31) and before November 30 (three months later), the host institution must return a brief financial statement to the CRS attesting to the fact that the funds in question have been disbursed for their intended purpose. Please click HERE to download the appropriate form.
Financial Reporting Instructions for financial officers:
• Prior to filling out the form, please read carefully the appropriate financial rules and reporting obligations specific to the CRS funding (as mentioned above).
• Please use the appropriate CRS form to submit your financial report (link to this form included above).
• Once completed, print the form in order to obtain original signatures.
• Send all completed reports to the Cancer Research Society, by email to grants@src-crs.ca or by mail to the attention of the Scientific Department, by November 30 (625 President-Kennedy Avenue, suite 402, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 3S5).
Progress reports
For all terminating projects, a final progress report is required from the principal investigator in order to follow the status of the research project. This report is due by November 30 following the end of the project regardless of whether or not a renewal of the project has been accepted for funding. Please click HERE to download the appropriate form.
Publications
The financial support awarded by the CRS must be acknowledged in all forthcoming publications and presentations, by properly using our name: Cancer Research Society.
The CRS requests that it be informed of, or consulted on, any upcoming media relations (i.e. press releases, interviews, newspaper articles, etc.) regarding the work and/or discoveries of a researcher resulting from CRS funds, as to perhaps include its participation (via a quote, etc).
A copy of each publication must also be sent, in PDF format, to grants@src-crs.ca. When the CRS needs to be mentioned along with other granting agencies, it may become necessary to explain what portion of the research was specifically supported by the CRS.
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Important modifications to the CRS Operating Grant Competition
1. Letter of intent: As of the 2012 CRS Operating Grant Competition, the submission of a letter of intent is now a preliminary and compulsory step in the application procedure, which helps to ensure the validity of the project and to organize the evaluation committees. Failure to submit a letter of intent will result in the rejection of a complete application. Subject to the acceptance of the letter of intent, the CRS will invite the applicants to submit an official grant application.
2. Usage of funds: Budget restrictions regarding the support of students and postdoctoral fellows are no longer in effect. It is no longer limited to two in any combination. Stipends paid from the operating grant for a postdoctoral trainee or a graduate student must follow the guidelines set by the host institution. The guidelines ensure equity within the research group and academic unit.
Please forward questions to grants@src-crs.ca.
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