The Physicians’ Services Incorporated Foundation
This site is primarily for individuals with an interest in the research programs of the Foundation
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The Physicians’ Services Incorporated Foundation This site is primarily for individuals with an interest in the research programs of the Foundation |
THE PHYSICIANS' SERVICES INCORPORATED FOUNDATION
GUIDE TO SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATIONS
GRANTING POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: THE FOUNDATION IS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS ON CD ONLY. THREE CD COPIES SHOULD BE SUBMITTED, ACCOMPANIED BY ONE COMPLETE PAPER COPY CARRYING ORIGINAL SIGNATURES. THE APPLICATION ON CD SHOULD BE PRESENTED AS ONE PDF FILE, CONTAINING THE FOUNDATION'S APPLICATION FORM, THE BODY OF THE APPLICATION, AND ALL C.V.'S, APPENDICES, AND RELATED MATERIAL.
The Foundation's granting interests are currently limited to two areas: education of practising physicians and health research.
EDUCATION OF PRACTISING PHYSICIANS
Support in this area is limited to a program of fellowships for practising physicians operated directly by the Foundation.
Fellowships for Practising Physicians
This program is directed at physicians in established practice in Ontario, particularly those residing outside the teaching centres, who wish to take a period of training to bring to the community a clinical skill or knowledge that is currently lacking in that community or to undertake training in research methodology. Preference is given to applicants wishing to take training extending beyond one week. The maximum period of support is one year. The program is not designed to assist physicians taking refresher courses.
Applications and the complete terms of reference are available from the Foundation.
HEALTH RESEARCH
In order of priority the categories of research which will be considered are:
1. Clinical research
2. Medical education research and development at the post M.D. level
3. Health systems research
4. Community based research
CLINICAL RESEARCH
Clinical research is defined as research which is of direct relevance to patient care. Studies involving animals will be considered only if the animals are required as an immediate patient surrogate and this should be indicated in a written statement attached to the application. Within this category research into any clinical problem will be considered other than in the areas of cancer, heart and stroke, mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, pharmaceutical drug studies, or where there is substantial funding available through other agencies.
Eligibility. Applications will be considered only where a practising physician is the principal investigator, which is defined as one having direct patient care responsibilities. Applicants must possess an academic appointment, and academic appointment is defined as someone who is allowed to apply for his or her own research grants and be an independent investigator
Further in establishing priorities among the applications submitted, when scientific merit and clinical relevance are equal, preference will be given to the new investigator, as opposed to the established investigator.
Fellows are eligible to apply for research grants, but are required to have a co-investigator who has an academic appointment. Fellows must provide evidence of having official hospital status, which should be in the form of a letter from his or her supervisor or Department Chair.
Duration of projects considered by the Foundation will be for a maximum of two years, with the possibility of renewal for one further year.
Maximum Amount. The Foundation cannot consider applications for projects requiring more than $85,000 per year.
RESIDENT RESEARCH
Clinical research being undertaken by a resident will be considered if the project is supervised by a physician with an academic appointment, and this is best evidenced by the physician being shown as the applicant, with the principal investigator being the resident. Projects must not extend beyond a twelve month period and the maximum amount that will be provided per project is $20,000.
Proposals within this category should be short term, concise projects which have been largely developed by the resident. The majority of the work involved in completing the research must be done by the resident. The resident must append a letter to the application clearly describing what his or her role will be in the study.
The maximum the Foundation feels it can award in any one year for all resident research is $300,000, but as these applications are in competition with all others, the maximum amount expended could obviously be less, depending on the Foundation's available funds.
The restriction whereby the Foundation will not consider applications for research within the areas of cancer, heart and stroke and mental health DOES NOT APPLY to resident research projects.
The following criteria is set out for the purpose of clarifying eligibility under the resident research program.
1. Salary for the resident must be provided by a provincial Ministry of Health.
2. The individual must be in a recognized program leading to certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons or the College of Family Physicians. Residents in Royal College programs by accreditation without certification are also eligible.
3. Must be registered as a postgraduate student at the University where residency training is being taken.
MEDICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH
Limited funds are available for support of research and development projects designed to assess the post M.D. educational environment such as curricula, methods and teaching resources. The Foundation recognizes that research within this area may involve teams which include non-medical researchers and consultants.
Projects within this category should not exceed the maximum of 2 years duration and $85,000 per year set for clinical research.
HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCH
Projects of a special nature within the health care system, such as preventive medicine, care of the elderly, communications within the system, underserviced regions and ways of enhancing the effectiveness of medical practice will be considered under this category.
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH
Physicians practising in a community setting may apply for a grant to assist them in undertaking a review of their practice patterns which would enhance effectiveness of practice and patient care in their own clinic, hospital or region. Grants up to $5,000 are available to cover the costs of the data gathering and analysis, support staff and preparation of reports. Up to an additional $600 will be provided for travel costs incurred in presenting papers on the results of a community practice study.
Funds cannot be paid directly to a physician and therefore arrangements must be made with a hospital or other charitable institution in the community to administer the grant. A letter from the appropriate person at the hospital or institution should accompany applications for support of community-based research.
AREAS OF NON-SUPPORT
As a further aid in clarifying the Foundation's interests, listed below are a number of items and areas which normally will not be supported.
Annual fund-raising campaigns
Building funds or other capital cost campaigns
Applications will not be accepted for research in the areas of cancer, heart and stroke and mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, pharmaceutical drug studies or where there is substantial funding available through other agencies
Operating costs of any organization or department
Budget deficits
Service programs
Ongoing research previously supported by another funding agency
Major equipment, unless required for a research project being supported by the Foundation
Projects outside the province of Ontario
Films, books and journals
The Foundation will support only one project, per investigator, at any given time. If an investigator is currently being supported by the Foundation as the principal investigator, the Foundation will not consider an application for a new project until the current granting period has ended.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
NOTE:
Recognizing that physicians in private practice wishing to undertake research may not have the necessary skills to design a research proposal, the Foundation will consider applications from such physicians for a grant to engage expert assistance to design the project and prepare the research application.
1. Institutions or organizations applying for grants must be registered with Revenue Canada as carrying on charitable activities. Please enter the Charitable Registration number on the application. Grants cannot be given to individuals nor to organizations not recognized as charitable under the Federal Income Tax Act.
2. Requests for financial support should be submitted on the Foundation's application form and must carry the required signatures of the officials of the institution at which the proposed project will be carried out. Where applicable, a signed approval form of the local committee for human or animal experimentation must be provided.
If applicable, evidence that the trial has been registered with a public clinical trials registry must be provided.
3. All applications must be submitted through a university medical school, with the exception of Toronto. With the larger proportion of hospitals in the Toronto area, as well as grantees, this rule would be more of a burden for the University of Toronto. Applications from Toronto may therefore be submitted through the applicants' hospitals.
The policy whereby all applications must be submitted through a university medical school is to ensure that the administration of grant funds will be undertaken by the department of research accounting at the respective university.
4. Submit applications at least three months in advance of the proposed commencement of the project. All applications will be acknowledged within ten days of receipt. The dates for meetings are set at the end of April each year. Generally these meetings take place in June, September, December, and March. The submission deadline for each meeting is approximately three months in advance of the meeting date. For specific dates please call the Foundation office. A decision will be given within ten days of a meeting and, if funded, the money will be available as soon as the applicant is ready to start the project.
5. If applying for support of a drug related study (other than a study which should be underwritten by a pharmaceutical firm), please indicate whether an IND number is required from the Health Protection Branch of Health & Welfare Canada before the drug can be used. Applications should not be submitted until after this approval has been obtained because the Foundation cannot release funds without the approval.
6. Applicant/principal investigator must indicate the number of hours per week to be devoted to the project. No salary will be approved for the principal investigator nor for fulltime members of faculty.
7. The application must contain a detailed budget indicating the funds required for:
a) Personnel
Please state type of personnel required and the educational and experience requirements of each person. When a person is to be employed part-time on a project please indicate the amount of time per week or per month he or she will devote to the project.
Salaries for personnel must be in accordance with those paid to similarly qualified persons at the institution where the project is undertaken. The employer's cost of fringe benefits may be included in the budget. The Foundation will not provide salary support at a level greater than the experience required for the work to be undertaken on a project.
Salary support is generally limited to such personnel as technicians, technologists, research assistants and other similar persons required for the successful completion of the project, but not assigned to the project for the purpose of receiving training. Research fellows, residents, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are examples of excluded persons. Secretarial assistance is excluded for clinical research studies.
b) Equipment
Equipment necessary for carrying out the project may be included. Cost of office furniture, tape recorders, photographic equipment, calculators, personal computers, etc., will not normally be acceptable in the budget. Service contracts on equipment will not be covered, and fees imposed by the investigator's institution for IT support (internet/web connections, software licenses, network components, etc.) will also be removed.
c) Material and Supplies
The applicant may include the cost of necessary material and supplies.
The cost of purchasing animals and the maintenance thereof is an allowable expense.
d) Travel
Travel funds are acceptable when necessary in carrying out the project. A maximum of $1,000 per project may be allowed for travel to attend scientific meetings to present papers on a project.
e) Publication Costs
Publication costs and the cost to purchase a reasonable number of reprints may be included, to a maximum of $500 per project.
8. Please submit a budget justification for each item in the budget. The budget justification should explain the duties of personnel required and the need for each item of equipment, material, etc. Where major equipment is required indicate whether the price in the budget is firm or an estimate.
9. It is expected that the institution at which the project will be undertaken will provide research and office space.
10. The Foundation recognizes the applicant is the best judge of the use of the funds awarded and is free to use the grant funds as he or she best determines, except where the Foundation has specifically excluded an expense item from the grant, and further, provided such adjustments do not result in a request to the Foundation for a supplemental grant. However, the Foundation should be informed of any major changes in expenses.
11. Title of equipment purchased with grant funds rests with the Foundation. Upon completion of the project or expiration of the grant, title to such equipment will, unless otherwise stipulated by the Foundation, be transferred to the institution where the project was undertaken.
12. Funds awarded will be deposited with the institution where the project will be undertaken, to be administered by the appropriate officer.
13. A statement of disbursement of the funds awarded must be submitted to the Foundation at the completion of the project. In projects that exceed a year in duration the Foundation expects to receive an accounting at the end of each twelve month period, as well as a final accounting at the end of the granting period.
When a grant is approved, details of the schedule of payments will be given to the applicant at the time he or she is notified of the award being made. At the time an installment is sent by the Foundation to the administrative officer of the institution, a copy of the letter accompanying the installment is sent to the applicant. When work is completed, or cannot be continued, unused funds must be returned to the Foundation.
14. Reporting
A report on the project must be submitted to the Foundation at the end of the project. This report should clearly state the findings obtained during the period of the grant.
Where papers are published or presented, reprints or copies must be submitted to the Foundation. The papers should indicate the name of the journal and the issue in which it was published.
The principal investigator has a responsibility to promptly report on the results of the project, as this is one way the Foundation measures the success of the projects it is funding. Failure to report promptly could jeopardize your chances for funding in the future.
15. All publications concerning the project should include acknowledgement of the financial assistance "of the physicians of Ontario through The P.S.I. Foundation".
16. Where royalties are generated from projects financed in whole or in part by Foundation funds, the applicant must agree to disposition of such royalties in a manner satisfactory to the Foundation.
17. Granting Period
If a grant is awarded, the study must commence within six months of notification.
The institution to which a grant is paid should promptly notify the Foundation if a grantee is unable, for any reason, to carry out or complete the research for which the grant is given.
18. Extensions to Granting Period
When a grant is awarded, the Foundation expects the project to be completed within the time frame set out in the proposal and extensions to the granting period will not be permitted without good cause.
If it is necessary to seek an extension, a detailed progress report must accompany the request which may then be subject to final approval by the Foundation’s Grants Committee.
19. Leave of Absence
A grantee must notify the Foundation of any leave to be taken, apart from ordinary vacation, in order to make adjustments to the status of the study and to the payment of the funds.
In the case maternity/paternity leave, the grantee may request an extension to the granting period of six months. The request for an extension must be justified and endorsed by the appropriate institution officials, in order for adjustments to be made to the dates of tenure and to the payment of funds. During the absence of the grantee, another investigator with an academic appointment at the same university (or institute) as the principal investigator should be given the responsibility of monitoring the project, supervising the personnel working on the project, as well as act as signing authority for the grant. A letter is required from this investigator, confirming that the required arrangements are in place.
Criteria for Assessment of Grant Applications
It may help you in preparing your submission to be aware of the questions to which the Grants Committee and independent referees seek answers when assessing an application. These questions will not necessarily be applicable to each and every proposal but are intended as a further guide to submission.
1. Is the proposal within the interests and objectives of the Foundation? Is it a proposal which is more appropriate for support by another granting agency? Does it represent truly innovative work?
2. Is the investigator aware of the present state of knowledge in the area to be investigated? The application must include evidence of a comprehensive literature review. Will the proposal add significantly to the state of knowledge on the subject?
3. Are the aims of the project feasible and can they be achieved realistically within the time outlined in the application? Are the objectives of the project testable and, if the objectives are stated in the form of a hypothesis, is the time reference reasonable with respect to the realization of the testing of this hypothesis.
4. Is the methodology of the proposal sound? The application must include details of the methodology to be used. Are the methods of data collection and analysis sound?
5. Is the investigator qualified and the environment in which he or she works satisfactory to carry out the project? A curriculum vitae must be submitted for each investigator.
6. Are the personnel and equipment proposed adequate to carry out the project? A budget justification for personnel, equipment and other expenses should be submitted with the application.
7. Is the budget realistic in relation to the objectives of the study? Has the applicant identified other sources of income for the project, if any?
8. Will the project have any impact on reducing health costs?
9. What is the relevance of the project to the provincial health scene?
10. Are there alternative ways to undertake this proposal?
11. Has the applicant identified sources of continued funding if required at the completion of the project?
The Foundation is a granting agency and does not normally engage directly in charitable activities other than awarding medical fellowships. In accordance with the Federal Income Tax Act the Foundation cannot award grants to other than registered charities as defined by the Income Tax Act. Hospitals and medical schools come within this definition for the purpose of the Foundation’s granting activities. Organizations seeking funds from the Foundation must provide the Foundation with the organization’s charitable registration number issued by Revenue Canada. It is a policy of the Foundation to devote its funds to charitable endeavours in the health field solely within the Province of Ontario.
The Foundation’s granting interest is currently limited to two areas – education of practicing physicians and health research with emphasis on research relevant to patient care.