Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund (OHCRIF)

Transcription

1 Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund (OHCRIF) Call for Proposals Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities DEADLINE: April 25, 2016 Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

2 CALL FOR PROPOSALS Objectives of the Fund The objective of the Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund (OHCRIF) is to support research and innovation projects that identify better ways to help people prepare for, return to or keep employment and become productive participants in the labour force. OHCRIF will fund research and innovation projects that align with the priorities of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU), and improve knowledge in the areas of postsecondary education, training, labour market, and employment. Projects approved for funding must be completed by March 31, OHCRIF Research Themes MTCU welcomes applications for projects on the following research themes: Skills and return on investment Investigate how skills contribute to better labour market and social outcomes by analyzing large administrative data sets or survey data (e.g., the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, the National Graduates Survey, and the Canadian Income Survey). Postsecondary education (PSE) and training policies Research funding approaches, system design features, innovation models, performance metrics, student financial aid, international education, online learning and other aspects of PSE and training that impact quality of learning, and students experiences and outcomes. Labour market programs, policy and service delivery Evaluate evidence that improves programs, policies and service delivery and supports employment, social participation and economic development, including the role of employers and industry in workforce development. Meeting the needs of diverse groups of learners (i.e. Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, immigrants and individuals on social assistance) is an important Ministry priority, and relevant research projects targeting vulnerable groups are eligible for funding under any of the three research themes. For details on MTCU priorities see the Premier s Mandate Letter to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

3 Research Activities Supported by OHCRIF For the Call for Proposals, OHCRIF will be accepting applications for the following types of projects: Synthesis Projects include literature reviews, inter-jurisdictional reviews, and environmental scans. These projects do not require undertaking original research and will focus on integrating and analyzing secondary sources. Inquiry Projects include case studies, data, discourse or document analysis, and evaluation studies. These projects require primary qualitative or quantitative research and could rely on single, mixed or multiple research methods. Doctoral Projects are small-scale synthesis or inquiry projects led by a PhD student. Impact Projects are large-scale synthesis or inquiry projects conducted by a team of senior researchers. They could include cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, large data set analysis, or inter-disciplinary collaborative projects, and may be eligible for up to three years of funding. Amount of Funding and Timelines Funding will depend on the size and nature of the proposed project. Each applicant needs to identify estimated costs to assist evaluators in awarding appropriate funds. The estimated costs and the type of project will be used to determine the level of funding. The proposal should identify the costs eligible for funding (salaries for research assistants, travel, direct expenses and overhead costs). If a project is approved, payment is provided to a recipient s institution on their behalf. Institutions are required to complete a Statement of Revenue and Expenditure Report (SRER) at the end of the project to verify that funding was solely applied to costs directly related to the activities outlined in the budget. In cases where a recipient has received OHCRIF funds totaling $100,000 or more, their institution will be required to submit their SRER accompanied by an Auditor s Report that includes a review for the period totaling $100,000 or more. Recipients will be eligible to receive additional funding for their institution to conduct the audit. MTCU will provide the following tentative levels of funding, but the level of funding could exceed these amounts by a reasonable amount provided that the project can be completed on time.

4 Project Type Amounts Timelines Synthesis Projects Up to $25,000 Inquiry Projects Up to $50,000 Doctoral Projects Up to $15,000 Impact Projects Up to $50,000 annually for up to three years Final reports due on or before March 31, 2017 First-year reports due on or before March 31, 2017 Funding for Impact Projects for subsequent years is conditional upon the successful completion of all project deliverables for the previous year and the submission of a Funding Reapplication Form. Researchers must complete the Funding Reapplication Form during each subsequent Call for Proposals to reapply for OHCRIF in the second and third year of their Impact Projects. Applicants should refer to Section 4 of the OHCRIF Guidelines for additional budget guideline information. Proposals must provide details for all budget costs and align with budget guidelines. Eligibility for Funding The OHCRIF competition is open to the following categories of principal applicants: Academic researchers and postdoctoral fellows; Non-faculty postsecondary researchers; Researchers at broader public sector or non-profit organizations; Doctoral students; and Other qualified researchers (i.e. individuals affiliated with research firms). OHCRIF applicants are required to be affiliated with an institution or organization that is a legal entity in Canada. Applicants affiliated with a public sector organization or postsecondary institutions should apply through these institutions. PhD students are encouraged to apply as principal applicants under the Doctoral stream, but should be endorsed by a faculty advisor who will provide support and mentorship for the project. The faculty advisor must be affiliated with a publicly-assisted university or College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario and could be from a different institution.

5 To be eligible for OHCRIF funding in , previous recipients of OHCRIF funding must have met the reporting and accountability requirements outlined in the Agreement and Guidelines in their respective year of funding. Evaluation of Applications Applications will be evaluated based on the strength of the proposed project and the relevance of the project to MTCU research themes. In addition, MTCU aims to fund a diverse range of projects, institutions and researchers (i.e. university or college faculty, graduate students, non-faculty researchers, etc.). Applications will be assigned a weighted score for each section (please see the Evaluation Rubric in Section D of the Application Form). Applications will be ranked and sorted by research theme, project type and type of principle applicant to determine a complementary mix of successful projects. In order to eliminate an unfair advantage during the Call for Proposals and application review period, the Ministry will not accept phone calls pertaining to the proposal and review process. The Ministry will direct applicants to forward questions to OHCRIF@ontario.ca. All questions must be received by MTCU by April 4, MTCU staff will post questions and answers on the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway website to ensure all potential applicants have access to Ministry responses. Questions and answers should be reviewed by all applicants prior to submitting their applications. If your OHCRIF Application Form is accepted by MTCU, the Application Form will form part of your agreement with MTCU. Before applying, applicants should review the OHCRIF Guidelines, Agreement template and Evaluation Rubric available on the Employment Ontario Partners Gateway website. We encourage applicants to consult their research office before applying. Application Submission Applications must be signed, scanned and submitted electronically by April 25, 2016 to OHCRIF@ontario.ca. For more information on agreement please go to: OHCRIF's page on the Employment Ontario Partner s Gateway internet site.

6 Important Dates Activity Timelines Release the Call for Proposals March 10, 2016 Deadline for questions April 4, 2016 Deadline for applications April 25, 2016 Review applications May-June 2016 Announce recipients June-July 2016 Agreement signed by both parties Transfer payment (pending ethics approval where applicable) Deadline for Interim Update Form December 15, 2016 Deadline for Funding Reapplication Form (Impact Projects only) Six to eight weeks from the date recipients are announced Once agreement is signed by both parties and all required documentation has been submitted (refer to OHCRIF Guidelines) January 15, 2017 Progress Update Session February 2017 Deadline for Final Update Form and Project Report (15-20 pages) Deadline for Research Briefs (twopage template) March 15, 2017 March 31, 2017 End of OHCRIF Agreement March 31, 2017 Note: The timelines for reviewing applications, announcing recipients and signing agreements are tentative. If the timelines change, the project budget may be adjusted to ensure that deliverables and project activities are completed by March 31, 2017.