SSHRC Insight GrantWorkshopSeptember 10, 2015

Andrew Hacquoil, MAResearch Grants Officer, Research ServicesTamara Varney, PhDDepartment of Anthropology

Insight Grants Insight Grants support research excellence in the social sciences

and humanities (SSH). Funding is available to both emerging and established scholars for long-term research initiatives.

Insight Grant applications may be submitted by an individual researcher or by a team of researchers (consisting of one applicant and one or more co-applicants and/or collaborators).

Notice of Intent no longer required.

Researchers involved in formal partnerships are encouraged to apply for Partnership Grants or Partnership Development Grants.

For scholars interested in carrying out research in its initial stages, SSHRC also provides short-term support by way of its Insight Development Grants

Insight GrantValue: $7,000 - $400,000 (maximum of $100,000 is

available in a single year). Duration: 3 – 5 years

SSHRC deadline: October 15, 2015

Lakehead U internal deadline: October 1, 2015

Results announced: Spring 2016

Multiple applications: - Only one application as applicant per competition - Can only be applied to one of SSHRC,

NSERC, CIHR- Cannot submit for both an Insight Grant

AND an Insight Development Grant (in a calendar year)

Eligibility Anything in social sciences and humanities that does NOT fall under the mandate of NSERC or CIHR (note: SSHRC does not fund health-related research)

Insight Grant Research Team: Applicants

• Applicant: At the time of application, is affiliated with Lakehead University (or another Canadian postsecondary institution). Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant status within the Insight Grants funding opportunity.

• Must completed any outstanding final reports from past SSHRC grants.

• Postdocs must be affiliated with a Canadian eligible institution within five months of grant start date and maintain affiliation throughout the grant period

• Applicants can be Emerging

AND Established Scholars

Co-applicants and Collaborators

Co-applicants (except postdoctoral fellows/researchers and PhD students) must normally be affiliated with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution at the time of application. If they are not, they must contact SSHRC. Co-applicants on a successful application must be affiliated with an eligible institution before the grant is awarded.

Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for co-applicant status within the Insight Grants funding opportunity.

Collaborators: Any individual who will make a significant contribution to the research initiative is eligible to be a collaborator. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution. No access to research funds, but some travel costs covered. New: No CV required.

SSHRC: Future Challenge Areas

What new ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need to thrive in an evolving society and labour market?

What effects will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage?

How are the experiences and aspirations of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada essential to building a successful shared future?

What might the implications of global peak population be for Canada?

How can emerging technologies be leveraged to benefit Canadians?

What knowledge will Canada need to thrive in an interconnected, evolving global landscape?

Parts of an Insight Grant Application Identification (mandatory)

Participants (co-applicants and collaborators)

Research Activity (mandatory)

Response to Previous Critiques — maximum one page (optional)

Request for Multi/Interdisciplinary Evaluation — maximum one page

Summary of Proposal — maximum one page (mandatory)– Should address:

• the challenges or issues to be addressed;• the potential contribution of the research in terms of the advancement of

knowledge; and• the wider potential benefit of the research

Parts of an Insight Grant Application (continued) Detailed Description — maximum six pages (mandatory)

• Objectives• Context (including literature review and theoretical approach)• Methodology• address the applicable Challenge and Feasibility evaluation criteria listed

under Evaluation and Adjudication in the funding opportunity description

Knowledge Mobilization Plan — maximum one page (mandatory)• plan for increasing knowledge uptake by target audiences, and anticipated

outputs, outcomes and/or impacts of social sciences and humanities knowledge among various appropriate audiences or participants (academic and/or non-academic).

List of References — maximum 10 pages (mandatory)

Parts of an Insight Grant Application (continued) Research Team, Previous Output and Student Training — maximum four pages

(mandatory)• Description of the research team (if applicable)• Description of previous and ongoing research results• Description of proposed student training strategies

Funds Requested from SSHRC (mandatory)• Committees may consider failing a project on the Feasibility criteria if they

deem that 30 per cent or more of the overall budget request is insufficiently justified and/or not appropriate to the proposed objectives or outcomes of the project.

Budget Justification — maximum two pages (mandatory)• It is important to justify your budget items as they relate to the needs of the

research.• HQP costs?

Parts of an Insight Grant Application (continued) Funds From Other Sources

• Potential GA funds from Lakehead?

Expected Outcomes (mandatory)• Outcomes, not outputs

Environmental Impact — Appendix A

Sport Participation Research Initiative (Statement of Relevance)—maximum one page

Suggested Reviewers/ Exclusion of Potential Reviewers

SSHRC CVs (each applicant and co-applicant) – not the CCV.

Research-Creation Support Material — maximum one page

Assessment and Adjudication

Two groups of individuals will be involved in the evaluation of Insight Grant applications:

• external assessors; and• members of the Insight Grants adjudication committees.

SSHRC will seek, but cannot guarantee, a minimum of two external assessments per application. Adjudication committees consider but are not bound by the judgments of the external assessors.

Committee members read an entire cohort of applications, along with the pertinent assessments provided by external assessors. Members, as a group, then evaluate and rank all of the proposals assigned to their committee.

Adjudicating Research GroupsGroup 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

History Anthropology Economics Sociology Education

Medieval studies Archaeology Business and management

Communication studies

Psychology

Classics Linguistics Demography

Literature Translation Journalism

Fine arts Political science Media studies

Philosophy Public admin Gender studies

Religious studies Geography Library and info science

Urban planning and environmental studies

Cultural studies

Law and Criminology

Social Work

Adjudication Scoring

Challenge; 40%

Feasibility; 20%

Capability; 40%

Evaluation Criteria

Adjudication Scoring: Challenge

The aim and importance of the endeavour (40%)

Student/Scholar/

HQPtraining

Methods

Originality/

Significance

Adjudication Scoring: Feasibility

The plan to achieve excellence (20%)

Adjudication Scoring: Capability

The expertise to succeed (40%)

Scoring Table

Score Descriptor

5-6 Very good - Excellent

4-4.9 Good - Very good

3-3.9 Satisfactory - Good

< 3 Unsatisfactory

Submission Process

Initial Submission to ORS

Submit application to RS by October 1, 2015 by pressing “Submit” in the SSHRC site (this does not send the application to SSHRC, but gives the ORS access to the application)

ORS ReviewORS sends comments to the researcher on their submission usually within 2-3 days of initial submission; ORS returns access of the application to the research on the SSHRC portal for edits

Internal Forms Submit a completed and signed Research Proposal Approval Form (RPAF) and Use of Facilities form (if applicable) to ORS prior to SSHRC deadline

Final Submission to ORS Press “Submit” on the SSHRC portal which will deliver your completed application to ORS at least two days prior to external SSHRC deadline

Final Submission to SSHRC Once ORS approves an application on the SSHRC portal, the application is forwarded to SSHRC

Reflections from a Recent Adjudicator of the Insight Grant Program

Additional Resources

Tri-council resource pages: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/research-and-innovation/research-services/resources/tri-council-information-pages

SSHRC Resources Page: https://www.lakeheadu.ca/research-and-innovation/research-services/resources/tri-council-information-pages/sshrc-resources

List of grant writers/editors:https://www.lakeheadu.ca/research-and-innovation/research-services/resources/writing