Glossary of Funding-Related Terms

For help with terminology and official titles of CIHR programs and initiatives, consult the CIHR English-French Lexicon. For recommendations on style and usage in English, consult the CIHR English Style Guide.

[ A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U-Z ]

A

administrative coordinator – program leader (coordonnatrice administrative ou coordonnateur administratif – directrice ou directeur de programme)

The individual who assumes the role of administrative coordinator for the grant must also be in a role of program leader. The administrative coordinator assumes all responsibility for administrative matters related to the grant including but not limited to submitting the application and coordinating any required reporting. In cases when there are multiple program leaders, the administrative coordinator must be from a Canadian academic or research environment at a CIHR eligible institution.

Note: CIHR requires all program leaders to be fully accountable for setting and overseeing the intellectual and strategic direction of the CIHR-funded program of research. The dual role as administrative coordinator does not imply a superior contribution to the leadership of the research program.

adverse effects (effet indésirable)

An adverse event for which the causal relation between the drug/intervention and the event is at least a reasonable possibility. The term 'adverse effect' applies to all interventions, while 'adverse drug reaction' (ADR) is used only with drugs. In the case of drugs an adverse effect tends to be seen from the point of view of the drug and an adverse reaction is seen from the point of view of the patient. (Source: Cochrane, accessed 5 Jul. 17)

adverse event (événement indésirable)

An adverse outcome that occurs during or after the use of a drug or other intervention but is not necessarily caused by it. (Source: Cochrane; accessed 5 Jul. 17)

B

bridge grant (subvention transitoire)

A funding mechanism used to maximize what CIHR can invest in an investigator-initiated (open) grant competition by providing highly ranked, non-funded applicants with short-term, partial support, so that they can start and/or continue to work on the furtherance of their original research objectives and re-apply to the next competition.

Also see Priority Announcements.

C

co-applicant (cocandidate ou cocandidat)

The role on a grant application for individuals who are expected to actively participate in the proposed activities but not to direct them. CIHR funding opportunities and application forms may use other terms to refer to this applicant role.

citizen (citoyenne ou citoyen)

Encompasses interested representatives of the general public, consumers of health services, patients, caregivers, advocates and representatives from affected community and voluntary health organizations.

citizen engagement (implication de la population)

The meaningful involvement of citizens in its activities, from agenda-setting and planning to decision making, implementation and review.

clinical trial (essai clinique)

A clinical trial is a research study involving human participants that evaluates the safety and/or effects of one or more interventions on health outcomes.

Interventions include, but are not limited to, drugs, vaccines, radiopharmaceuticals, cells and other biological products, surgical procedures, radiologic procedures, devices, genetic therapies, natural health products (NHPs), process-of-care changes, preventive care, manual therapies, and psychotherapies.

Note: CIHR is a signatory to the World Health Organization’s Joint Statement on Public Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials (“WHO Joint Statement”) requiring all clinical trials to be registered and the results disclosed publicly in a timely manner. For more information, please consult the CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials.

collaboration (funding) (collaboration financière)

A business transaction in which two or more entities exchange things of value. This value can be financial, in-kind, or benefits related to visibility/exposure, or publicity. It also involves a display of affiliation that stops short of product endorsement.

collaborator (collaboratrice ou collaborateur)

CIHR defines a Collaborator as an individual whose role in the proposed activities is to provide a specific service (e.g., access to equipment, provision of specific reagents, training in a specialized technique, statistical analysis, access to a patient population, etc.).

community leader (dirigeante ou dirigeant communautaire)

An individual who has direct involvement with an affected community, understands the needs of the community and how research can lead to useful practical outcomes for the community, and who can facilitate the involvement of the community in the research process.

company (société)

A business enterprise; a firm or a group of firms.

comptrollership (fonction de contrôle)

Having clear accountabilities, effective control over resources, sound risk management and performance assessments, and an open reporting of results in relation to the expenditure of public funds.

contributions (cash) (contributions en espèces)

Contributions in cash by a partner for levering by CIHR.

contributions (in-kind) (contributions en nature)

In-kind (cash equivalent) contributions provided by a partner that:

are generally entirely relevant and central to the research (such judgment may be referred to peer review) for levering by CIHR; and
would have to be purchased by the recipient if they were not provided by a partner.

cumulative environmental effects (effets environnementaux cumulatifs)

The combined effects, good or bad, of components of a development (or a series of developments) and other activities occurring either simultaneously, sequentially, or in an interactive manner.

current funding opportunity (possibilité de financement courante)

A funding opportunity that is currently open for application. (These opportunities are located in CIHR's Funding Opportunities Database).

D

data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) (comité de surveillance des données et de la sécurité [CSDS])

An independent advisory committee who review accumulated safety and efficacy data in a clinical trial and advise the principal investigator and/or the trial steering committee on the future management of the trial.

deadline (application) (date limite de présentation des demandes)

The deadline date for institutions to electronically submit applications to CIHR via ResearchNet. Deadline dates are indicated in the funding opportunity descriptions.

deadline (application/registration/letter of intent) (date limite de présentation des demandes/d’inscription/de présentation des lettres d’intention)

The latest acceptable date that an application can be courier-stamped or submitted electronically.

deadline (institution's internal) (date limite de l'établissement)

The deadline for Nominated Principal Applicants to electronically submit applications to the Institution via ResearchNet. Institutions may define their internal deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline indicated in the CIHR funding opportunity.

decision maker (décisionnaire, décideuse ou décideur)

An individual who makes decisions about, or influences, health policies or practices. Decision makers can be practitioners, educators, health care administrators, elected officials (Exception: Federal elected officials), and individuals within the media, health charities, patient user groups or the private sector. They can work at the local community, municipal, provincial or national level. Decision makers are those individuals who are likely to be able to make use of the results of the research.

directive (directive)

An instruction that describes a set of specific actions to be taken (or avoided) to achieve compliance with a policy.

dissemination (dissémination)

Dissemination involves identifying the appropriate audience and tailoring the message and medium to the audience. Dissemination activities can include such things as summaries for / briefings to stakeholders, educational sessions with patients, practitioners and/or policy makers, engaging knowledge users in developing and executing dissemination/implementation plan, tools creation, and media engagement.

E

electronic approval of applications (approbation électronique des demandes)

The electronic approval of applications by the institution for which the Nominated Principal Applicant has identified as the Institution Paid

end of a trial (fin d'un essai)

The last follow-up of the last recruited trial participant for the primary outcome as defined in the initial protocol.

equipment (research) (appareil de recherche)

Any item (or interrelated collection of items comprising a system) of nonexpendable tangible property, having a useful life of more than 1 year and a cost of $2,000 or more, which is used wholly or in part for research.

Note that all three conditions must be met for an item to be considered equipment, i.e.:

nonexpendable tangible property; and,
useful life of more than 1 year; and,
a cost of $2,000 or more.

To be considered materials or supplies an item must meet only one of the following conditions:

expendable tangible property; or,
useful life of 1 year or less; or,
a cost of less than $2,000, excluding the non reimbursable portion of taxes.

For example, a laptop computer that costs less than $2,000 would be considered as materials or supplies even though it is a nonexpendable tangible item with a useful life of more than one year.

For the tax rate, consult your institution.

exchange (échange)

The exchange of knowledge refers to the interaction between the knowledge user and the researcher, resulting in mutual learning. According to the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF), the definition of knowledge exchange is "collaborative problem-solving between researchers and decision makers that happens through linkage and exchange. Effective knowledge exchange involves interaction between knowledge users and researchers and results in mutual learning through the process of planning, producing, disseminating, and applying existing or new research in decision making."

F

findings of clinical trials (conclusions des essais cliniques)

Consists of numeric results with interpretation.

funding pools (classes de financement)

Associated with strategic funding opportunities, they are used in funding opportunities with targeted funding envelopes for various research areas or priorities, e.g., different career levels, geographic regions, or sectors, through separate budget envelopes.

G

gender (genre)

The socially constructed roles, behaviours, expressions and identities of girls, women, boys, men, and gender diverse people. It influences how people perceive themselves and each other, how they act and interact, and the distribution of power and resources in society. Gender is usually conceptualized as a binary (girl/woman and boy/man) yet there is considerable diversity in how individuals and groups understand, experience, and express it.

grant (subvention)

Support for the direct costs of research projects including for the training of researchers and/or activities that support the translation of research findings, conducted by either an investigator working alone or by a group of investigators working together.

grant (infrastructure) (subvention d'infrastructure)

Funding that provides an optimum environment for the conduct and support of health research. This includes funding for: conferences and workshops to establish research priorities; researcher networking and collaborative activities; scientific exchanges between Canadian and international researchers; programs that inform researchers and other stakeholders about aspects of health research; and grants to selected organizations engaged in research-related activities such as the Canadian Council on Animal Care and the National Council on Ethics in Human Research.

grant (pending) (subvention en attente)

A grant that has been approved for funding by CIHR however before funds can be released, the nominated principal applicant has to resolve issues with their application.

grantee, grant holder (titulaire de subvention)

Refers to the nominated principal applicant on a funded grant application. Also see applicant (nominated principal).

guidelines (lignes directrices)

A document that provides guidance, advice or general information that aim to strengthen understanding of either a policy or directive.

H

harms (préjudice grave)

Refer to the definition of severe adverse events or harms.

I

immediate family member (membre de la famille immédiate)

The recipient's spouse (including same-sex spouse), parent, step-parent, foster parent, child, step-child, foster child, or sibling.

independent researcher (chercheuse indépendante ou chercheur indépendant)

Refers to the definition of researcher (independent)

institution (academic) (établissement universitaire)

An institution:

dedicated to education and research; and
which grants academic degrees.

institution (administering) (établissement administrateur)

An institution or organization that is responsible for receiving and administering the grant/award on behalf of the recipient. They may be a CIHR eligible institution, but not always. Also see institution paid, institution (primary), institution (secondary).

institution (Canadian post-secondary) (établissement d’enseignement postsecondaire canadien)

An entity that:

is incorporated in Canada
has a physical presence in Canada (i.e. space that will be used to perform agency-funded research and research-related activities)
is not under the control of a foreign entity with respect to its financial and other operations (i.e. must be in a position to receive and administer funds in Canada and not through a foreign institution with which it is affiliated)
must be eligible to issue tax slips in Canada (for all grants or scholarships payments on behalf of the Agencies)
can prove it is officially recognized as a post-secondary institution by the relevant Canadian provincial or territorial government authorities to grant Canadian degrees/diplomas (i.e. its students do not receive diplomas from a foreign-based institution)

Note: If a foreign post-secondary institution has multiple Canadian campuses, each campus must independently meet the requirements of Canadian postsecondary institution as per the above. Eligibility of one Canadian campus does not automatically extend to other Canadian campuses of the same foreign post-secondary institution.

institution (CIHR eligible) (établissement admissible des IRSC)

Institutions or organizations that are signatory to the Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions which authorizes them to receive and administer grant and award funds from a CIHR account. See List of CIHR Eligible Institutions.

institution (non-eligible) (établissement non admissible)

An Institution other than a CIHR eligible institution.

institution paid (établissement payé)

The institution on a funding application that approves the submission of the application and receives and administers the funds on behalf of the nominated principal applicant. Also see institution (administering), institution (primary).

institution (primary) (établissement principal)

An administering institution in direct receipt of grant funds, of which it may transfer to a secondary institution, to facilitate research collaborations. Also see institution (administering). Refer to the Tri-agency Financial Administration Guide.

institution (research) (établissement de recherche)

An institution dedicated to conducting research.

institution (secondary) (établissement secondaire)

An administering institution to which funds are transferred from a primary institution, to facilitate research collaborations. Also see institution (administering). Refer to the Tri-agency Financial Administration Guide.

institutions (établissements)

The universities, hospitals, colleges, research institutes, centres and other organizations.

intellectual property (propriété intellectuelle)

All materials, concepts, know-how, formulae, inventions, improvements, industrial designs, processes, patterns, machines, manufactures, compositions of matter, compilations of information, patents and patent applications, copyrights, trade secrets, technology, technical information, software, prototypes and specifications, including any rights to apply for protections under statutory proceedings available for those purposes, provided they are capable of protection at law.

investigator (early career) (chercheuse ou chercheur en début de carrière)

See researcher (early career).

investigator (mid career) (chercheuse ou chercheur en milieu de carrière)

See researcher (mid career).

investigator (senior) (chercheuse chevronnée ou chercheur chevronné)

See researcher (senior).

irreversible environmental effect (effet environnemental irréversible)

An effect which is irreversible within a human lifetime.

K

knowledge translation (application des connaissances)

A dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve the health of Canadians, provide more effective health services and products and strengthen the health care system.

knowledge translation (end-of-grant) (application des connaissances en fin de subvention)

Covers the diffusion, dissemination and application of knowledge that researchers undertake once the findings from a project are available.

knowledge translation (integrated) (application des connaissances intégrée)

A way of doing research that involves decision makers/knowledge-users - usually as members of the research team - in all stages of the research process.

knowledge user (utilisatrice ou utilisateur des connaissances)

An individual:
- who is likely to be able to use the knowledge generated through research in order to make informed decisions about health policies, programs and/or practices.
- whose level of engagement in the research process may vary in intensity and complexity depending on the nature of the research and their information needs;
- who can be, but is not limited to, a practitioner, policy maker, educator, decision maker, health care administrator, community leader, or an individual in a health charity, patient group, private sector organization or a media outlet.
The role on an application for knowledge users (see 1 above) expected to actively participate in the proposed activities but not to direct them. CIHR funding opportunities and application forms may use other terms to refer to this applicant role.

knowledge user (principal) (utilisatrice des connaissances principale ou utilisateur des connaissances principal)

The role on an application for knowledge users who are responsible for leading the intellectual direction of the proposed activities. CIHR funding opportunities and application forms may use other terms to refer to this applicant role.

M

micro-level data (microdonnées)

Refers to the definition of participant-level data.

monitoring (environmental assessment) (surveillance - évaluation environnementale)

confirms predictions of potential environmental impact and effectiveness of mitigation measures, and ensures that unforeseen and/or unacceptable impacts do not occur;
helps determine the validity and accuracy of the information presented in the environmental assessment screening;
depicts the effectiveness of proposed mitigation techniques or site restoration and estimates cumulative effects. Cumulative effects means the combined effects, good or bad, of components of a development (or a series of developments) and other activities occurring either simultaneously, sequentially, or in an interactive manner.

Monitoring measures may include: air quality testing, survey of species at risk, water quality testing, etc.

O

older archived funding opportunity (possibilité de financement archivée il y a plus longtemps)

An archived funding opportunity with an application deadline date of May 14, 2007 or earlier.

open access (libre accès)

A free availability of scientific and scholarly research texts on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles, crawl them for indexing, pass them as data to software, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without financial, legal, or technical barriers other than those inseparable from gaining access to the internet itself. The only constraint on reproduction and distribution, and the only role for copyright in this domain, should be to give authors control over the integrity of their work and the right to be properly acknowledged and cited. (Source: Budapest declaration, accessed 29 September 09)

P

participant-level data or micro-level data (données individuelles ou microdonnées)

Include data on each individual studied, with quantitative or qualitative results representing the observations on each individual. The set of all observations for an individual is called a record. Each of these records has an identifier that allows a researcher to retrieve a particular record or set of records. Micro-level data sets may contain tens of thousands of records.

Users familiar with statistical software such as SPSS, Stata, or SAS can conduct a variety of statistical analyses on specified variables for all records or a subset of records in the data set. The advantage of using micro-level data is that users can develop customized analyses using specified variables of interest.

partner (partenaire)

Any organization with which CIHR has a relationship that is characterized by mutual cooperation, collaboration and a shared responsibility to achieve a specific health research goal. In this relationship, each organization has a separate identity and independent accountabilities, and all parties share a clear understanding or agreement of the goal, objectives, and terms of the arrangement.

The formality of these relationships may vary, but they all must be grounded in trust, mutual respect, and effective communication. CIHR's inclusive approach to the term "Partner" welcomes other organizations that share CIHR's commitment to the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians and the global community. These collaborations may range from open, working relationships through committee work or meetings (for example, with the Health Charities Coalition of Canada), to the more formal, documented collaborations for funding opportunities (i.e., knowledge partners & competition partners).

partner (applicant) (partenaire candidate ou partenaire candidat)

Organizations identified by the applicants themselves that contribute cash and/or in-kind resources to specific projects of research, according to terms negotiated by the applicants. There is no formal relationship between CIHR and Applicant Partners. For reporting and management purposes, CIHR does not consider its relationship with applicant partners to be a partnership.

partner (auxiliary) (partenaire auxiliaire)

Organizations that have a financial relationship with a CIHR competition Partner. The CIHR partner is dependent on that relationship in order to meet its financial commitments to a CIHR funding opportunity. There is no formal relationship between CIHR and auxiliary partners. For reporting and management purposes, CIHR does not consider its relationship with auxiliary partners to be a partnership.

partner (competition) (partenaire de concours)

Competition partners collaborate with CIHR on specific health research funding opportunities, contributing financially or in-kind to the cause. While the principles of trust, respect, and communication also apply to this category of Partner, the relationship goes a formal step further by documenting roles, responsibilities, contributions, and competition dates in signed agreements. All Partners in a funding initiative share the benefits, outcomes, and risks associated with the initiative; all those engaged in the partnership also provide and gain additional value from the relationship that might not have been achieved separately. It is hoped that, after the conclusion of the funding initiative, a competition partner will become a knowledge partner.

partner (knowledge) (partenaire du savoir)

Organizations that work closely with CIHR on projects that involve sharing best practices and lessons learned. These partnerships do not necessarily involve funding programs. They include initiatives such as CIHR's work with the provincial funding agencies to obtain bibliometric data, or the collaboration between CIHR, the Health Charities Coalition of Canada and others to share best practices for communicating the impact of health research. It should be noted that this knowledge exchange and overarching support of health research flows both ways: CIHR values the input and support of its Partners, but is also available to share expertise and lessons learned. Knowledge partners can become competition partners if a funding opportunity is developed.

partnership (partenariat)

A formalized working relationship between two or more organizations with separate identities and independent accountabilities and is based on mutual benefit and a clear understanding or agreement that sets out the shared goal and objectives and the terms of the arrangement.

personnel (research) (personnel de recherche)

Includes undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, research associates, technicians, programmers, analysts, etc., who may contribute to the research activities of an independent researcher.

policy (politique)

A formal direction that imposes specific responsibilities on an organization or its stakeholders in order to achieve a desired outcome consistent with the goals of the organization.

priority announcements (annonces de priorités)

Are associated with investigator-initiated competitions, offering additional sources of funding for highly rated applications that are relevant to specific CIHR research priorities or mandates.

professor (adjunct) (professeure ou professeur auxiliaire)

An individual who has:

a primary position at an institution other than the academic institution providing adjunct professor status; and
an academic appointment (at an institution other than their primary position) as an independent researcher.

program expert (spécialiste de programme)

A program expert is an individual who participates in or contributes to the program of research but does not direct the program. The participation of a program expert may span the full duration of the grant or may only be required for a portion of the funding period.

Program experts may be named on a grant application depending on their level of involvement and at the discretion of the program leader(s).

program leader (directrice ou directeur de programme)

A program leader is defined as an individual who will be responsible for setting and overseeing the intellectual and strategic direction of the CIHR-funded program of research.

Any individual in the role of program leader who is active in the Canadian academic or research environment and whose role includes an expectation to engage in research must also:

be autonomous regarding their research activities; and
have an academic or research appointment at a CIHR eligible institution which:
- allows the individual to pursue the proposed research program, to engage in independent research activities for the entire duration of the funding, to act as the primary supervisor of trainees, and to publish the research results; and
- obliges the individual to conform to institutional regulations concerning the conduct of research, the supervision of trainees, and the employment conditions of staff paid with CIHR funding.

Individuals who are not located within the Canadian academic or research environment at a CIHR eligible institution, as defined above (e.g., knowledge-users, researchers who are not located in Canada), may apply as a program leader. These individuals are not required to meet the expectations noted above; however, they must apply jointly with a program leader who does meet the above expectations.

program leader – administrative coordinator (directrice ou directeur de programme – coordonnatrice administrative ou coordonnateur administratif)

proposal component (composante de la proposition)

Specific methodology or activity.

protocol (protocole)

A document written before participant enrolment to describe the objectives, methodology, statistical analyses, organization, and administrative details of a trial. (Source: OS1 [ PDF (208 KB) – external link ], accessed July 2017)

public disclosure of trial results (diffusion publique des résultats d'un essai)

Consists of the publication of trial results in a peer reviewed journal, and the posting of aggregate (summary) data and micro (individual participant) level data on an unbiased freely accessible results website.

R

randomized controlled trial (RCT) (essai contrôlé randomisé [ECR])

An experiment in which investigators randomly assign eligible human research participants or other human units of study (e.g., classrooms, clinics, playgrounds) into groups to receive or not receive one or more interventions that are being compared. The results are analyzed by comparing outcomes in the groups. (CIHR definition from: RCT Evaluation Criteria and Headings, accessed 1 Sept 2022)

Note: While not all RCTs are clinical trials, if an RCT is also a clinical trial, it must be registered and the results disclosed publicly in a timely manner. For more information, please consult the CIHR Policy Guide - Requirements for Registration and Disclosure of Results from Clinical Trials.

recently archived funding opportunity (possibilité de financement récemment archivée)

An archived funding opportunity with an application deadline date of May 15, 2007 or later. (These opportunities are located in CIHR's Funding Opportunities Database).

registration of controlled and uncontrolled trials (enregistrement des essais contrôlés et non contrôlés)

Refers to the definition of trial registration.

release time allowance (allocation de détachement)

When included in a funding opportunity description, is an eligible expense to facilitate the participation of knowledge users in a research program. Funds are used to compensate the organization of the knowledge user for his/her time spent engaged in the research program.

Release time allowance requests will not be considered for the following:

individuals with salaried academic research appointments;
the cost of teaching time to allow the individual to engage in research;
supplementing or replacing part of the salary of a researcher on sabbatical from their main appointment.

research administration (administration de la recherche)

Institution officials who provide administrative services to researchers, from offices such as the research grants office, research accounting office or scholarships liaison office, as relevant.

research associate (associée ou associé de recherche)

A researcher who:

has completed formal training in research in a discipline relevant to health research, usually a Masters or PhD;
is employed by an institution;
works under the supervision of a Principal Applicant, i.e., they are not independent researchers;
may contribute substantially to the intellectual content of the research;
may contribute to, but is not ultimately responsible for, the supervision of staff, including other research associates and trainees, at the discretion of the Principal Applicant.

research (biomedical) (recherche biomédicale)

Research with the goal of understanding normal and abnormal human functioning, at the molecular, cellular, organ system and whole body levels, including development of tools and techniques to be applied for this purpose; developing new therapies or devices that improve health or the quality of life of individuals, up to the point where they are tested on human subjects. Studies on human subjects that do not have a diagnostic or therapeutic orientation.

research (clinical) (recherche clinique)

Research with the goal of improving the diagnosis, and treatment (including rehabilitation and palliation), of disease and injury; and improving the health and quality of life of individuals as they pass through normal life stages. Research on, or for the treatment of, patients. A CIHR theme.

research (health services) (recherche sur les services de santé)

Research with the goal of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health professionals and the health care system, through changes to practice and policy. Health services research is a multidisciplinary field of scientific investigation that studies how social factors, financing systems, organizational structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviours affect access to health care, the quality and cost of health care, and, ultimately, Canadians' health and well-being. A CIHR theme.

research (social, cultural, environmental and population health) (recherche sur les facteurs sociaux, culturels et environnementaux qui influent sur la santé des populations)

Research with the goal of improving the health of the Canadian population, or of defined sub-populations, through a better understanding of the ways in which social, cultural, environmental, occupational and economic factors determine health status. A CIHR theme.

researcher (chercheuse ou chercheur)

An individual who carries out research activities.

researcher (early career) (chercheuse ou chercheur en début de carrière)

An early career researcher (ECR) is a researcher within five years^{Footnote 1} of the date of their first independent research-related appointment. Given that career progress for an ECR is particularly vulnerable to normal life circumstances, CIHR will adjust the eligibility window, as follows:

eligible leaves (e.g. maternity, parental, medical, family medical, bereavement) will extend ECR status (i.e. will not be counted towards the maximum) and are credited as twice the amount of time taken;
no adjustments are provided for professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative). No adjustments are provided for time spent on non-research related duties or for the pursuit of non-research related career activities.

To account for the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all those who held ECR status – or who secured their first academic appointment – between March 1, 2020, and September 15, 2022, will have their status extended by 24 months.

ECR cohort	Status
Progressed out of ECR status before Mar. 1, 2020	Standard 60-month window applies
ECR status between Mar. 1, 2020, and Sep. 15, 2022	ECR status extended to 84 months (no further extensions to ECR window)
New ECRs entering system after September 15, 2022	Standard 60-month window applies

Note: The ECR definition is used to qualify for funding equalization in CIHR’s Project grant program and may also be used to determine eligibility for select strategic funding opportunities.

researcher (independent) (chercheuse indépendante ou chercheur indépendant)

An individual who:

is autonomous regarding their research activities; and
has an academic or research appointment which:
- must commence by the effective date of funding; and
- allows the individual to pursue the proposed research project, to engage in independent research activities for the entire duration of the funding, to supervise trainees (if applicable, as per their institution’s policy), and to publish the research results; and
- obliges the individual to conform to institutional regulations concerning the conduct of research, the supervision of trainees, and the employment conditions of staff paid with CIHR funding.

Notes:

Depending on the funding opportunity, an individual who does not meet the criterion of independence at the time of application may still be endorsed in the nominated principal applicant role, provided an official letter from the administering institution is included in the application confirming that the individual's independent appointment/position will commence by the funding start date. Refer to the relevant funding opportunity for possible restrictions.
An individual who meets the above requirements but is also a "trainee" as defined in this glossary, is considered an "independent researcher" by CIHR provided:
- the research proposal covers only areas of investigation for which they are an independent researcher and not areas of study in which they are a trainee; and
- they demonstrate in their application that they will have sufficient time to devote to the proposed research.
  - In such cases, the individual must attach a description of their area of study as a trainee to their application.

researcher (mid career) (chercheuse ou chercheur en milieu de carrière)

A researcher who, at the time of application, has assumed his/her independent research position 5-15 years ago.

researcher (senior) (chercheuse chevronnée ou chercheur chevronné)

A researcher who, at the time of application, has assumed his/her first independent research position more than 15 years ago.

S

salary (salaire)

For the Tri-Agency definition of salary, consult the Tri-Agency Guide on Financial Administration.

salary award programs (programmes de bourses salariales)

All CIHR-funded New Investigators, Investigators, Mid-Career Investigators, Senior Investigators, Research Chairs not including Canada Research Chairs, Clinician Scientist (Phase 2) and Senior Research Fellowships (Phase 2), including partnered salary opportunities, unless otherwise stated in the specific opportunity description.

self-archive (autoarchivage)

To deposit a digital document in a publicly accessible website, preferably an OAI-compliant Eprint Archive. (Source: Budapest declaration, accessed June 2009)

severe adverse events or harms (événement indésirable grave ou préjudice grave)

Include adverse events that result in death, require either inpatient hospitalization or the prolongation of hospitalization, are life-threatening, result in a persistent or significant disability/incapacity or result in a congenital anomaly/birth defect. Other important medical events, based upon appropriate medical judgment, may also be considered Serious Adverse Events if a trial participant's health is at risk and intervention is required to prevent an outcome mentioned. (Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, accessed Nov 2009)

T

trainee (stagiaire)

an individual who is enhancing their research skills through actual involvement in research and who works under the formal supervision of an independent researcher; or
an independent researcher who has taken a leave of absence from their academic or research position.

For example:

an undergraduate student engaged in research at an academic institution;
a graduate student enrolled in a graduate course of study at an academic institution;
a postdoctoral fellow (post-PhD) at a academic or research institution;
a post-health professional degree fellow (e.g., nursing, physiotherapy, medicine, dentistry) at an academic or research institution.

The list of examples is not exhaustive. Applicants are encouraged to communicate with CIHR.

training award programs (programmes de bourses de formation)

All CIHR-funded Studentships, Health Professional Student Research Awards, Master's Awards, Doctoral Awards, MD/PhD Studentships, Fellowships, Senior Research Fellowships (Phase 1), Clinician Scientists (Phase 1), including partnered training opportunities, unless otherwise stated in the funding opportunity.

Tri-agency (trois organismes)

Refers to Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC).

trial information (information sur les essais)

Consists of trial research data and trial materials.

trial registration (enregistrement des essais)

Involves the assignment of a unique identification number; the recording and public release of protocol information; as well as the recording and public release of trial results. (Source: Ottawa Statement part 1 [ PDF (208 KB) – external link ], accessed July 2017)

WHO regards trial registration as the publication of an internationally-agreed set of information about the design, conduct and administration of clinical trials. These details are published on a publicly-accessible website managed by a registry conforming to WHO standards. (Source, accessed 1 Sept 2009)

trial research data (données d'un essai)

Summary level or aggregate data (this usually gets published as results- see also definition of results), and individual participant or micro-level data (also called « raw data »).

trial research materials (documentation d'un essai)

Include the protocol, and amendments, ethics approval, consent form, information about financial arrangements, and any data collection forms.

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valued ecosystem components (éléments importants d'un écosystème)

Elements of an ecosystem that are highly valued by the public.

Date modified:: 2024-10-22

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