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Catalyst Grant : Digital Health

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Description

This funding opportunity will catalyze discovery in digital health, advance pivotal research, and inform applications or interventions relevant to CIHR-IMHA's broad mandate areas. This funding opportunity also seeks to benefit the continued integration of technology into healthcare in Canada. These grants are reserved for early and mid-career researchers, and Indigenous Health researchers at any career stage. Patient and/or community engagement as an essential evaluation criterion for these grants, and inclusion of a Knowledge User or Patient Partner as a Principal Applicant or Co-applicant aligns with the Knowledge to Action Framework.

The CIHR-IMHA mandate includes: active living, mobility and the wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin as well as the mouth, teeth and craniofacial region. Digital health research that pertains to these research areas under the CIHR-IMHA mandate includes: SMART devices, wearables, internet of things, remote patient monitoring, clinical application of machine learning, virtual appointments, and addressing the health needs of those who live in remote and rural areas, including the northern regions, particularly given the known geographical health disparities in Canada. The development and scale-up of these tools and services has the potential to address well-established gaps in provision of care and can enhance access to, and efficiency of, healthcare services; strengthen patient-centered care including through greater health literacy relating to personal health data; and better mobilize knowledge between and among researchers, healthcare providers, patients and other knowledge users.

This funding opportunity supports the CIHR 2021-31 Strategic Plan Priority E: Integrate Evidence in Health Decisions, as a research investment that could support the mobilization of health system innovations including in technology, virtual care and artificial intelligence, and aligns with all three of the strategies under this priority. To support CIHR's Strategic Plan, CIHR-IMHA's will invest in digital health research that has the potential for immediate-to-medium term health impact (2-10 years). CIHR-IMHA is also committed to maintaining a focus on equity issues in this research area, specifically the assumption that clinical digital health (telehealth services) improves access.

CIHR and CIHR-IMHA support a research environment that reflects the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We are committed to reconciliation by strengthening the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Achieving a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential in creating the excellent, innovative, and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national, and global challenges. Beyond efforts to bolster EDI, CIHR recognizes that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are rights-holding as First Peoples of Canada, and initiatives should be developed through distinctions-based approaches, as found in the CIHR strategic plan Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada 2019-2022. Applicants are required to ensure equitable access of diverse researchers, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, to opportunities available within the research teams that will be established with program funding. This includes ensuring the research environment is supportive and any systemic barriers are addressed effectively and swiftly (see the Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research for guidance and examples of systemic barriers).

Role and Contributions of Applicant Partners: CIHR recognizes that a broad range of partners may be relevant to this opportunity and it is expected that applicant(s) describe the role of all applicant partners and how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities. Any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest should also be explained, as appropriate.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or decrease due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,000,000, enough to fund approximately ten grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $100,000 per year for up to one (1) year

For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

Support original, high quality research in digital health that has the potential to catalyse future research (e.g. may support securing funding through Project Grant and at other Agencies/Councils), including generation of pilot data, and research into evaluation, scale up, or implementation of a digital health product, platform or application.
Incentivize research that focuses on digital health solutions for the CIHR-IMHA mandate areas.
Foster a community of CIHR-IMHA digital health researchers that partner with Canadian leaders in equitable digital science.
Provide research leadership, stimulate innovative research and practice, and strengthen research capacity by dedicating funds to early and mid-career researchers as part of CIHR-IMHA's commitment to Nurture Leaders.
Strengthen health research by embedding patient and/or community engagement in the funding opportunity.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1️⃣ High Scientific Excellence & Rigorous Methodology (Most Important)

CIHR reviewers heavily weight methodological rigor, including:

Strong theoretical framework

Clear hypotheses or research questions

Robust study design

Adequate controls, power calculations, and statistics

Reproducibility & transparency practices

Clear milestones and contingency plans

Predictor: Methodological strength is the #1 determinant across all CIHR committees.

2️⃣ Strong Significance & Clear Health Impact for Canadians

CIHR prioritizes research that benefits:

The health of people living in Canada

Canadian healthcare systems and policies

Vulnerable or underserved populations

Chronic disease burdens in Canadian demographics

Predictor: Clear articulation of Canadian relevance dramatically improves scores.

3️⃣ Feasible, Focused, Achievable Objectives

Successful CIHR proposals:

Have 2–3 well-defined aims

Present realistic deliverables within the grant period

Include detailed methodologies for each aim

Avoid overambitious or unfocused scope

Demonstrate precise timeline and project management

Predictor: Feasibility + clarity of approach = high reviewer confidence.

4️⃣ Strong Investigator Track Record & Appropriate Team Expertise

Reviewers value:

Publications relevant to the field

Prior successful funding

Expertise aligned to each aim

Multi-disciplinary teams (clinicians, statisticians, biomedical scientists, policy experts)

For early-career investigators: mentorship, protected time, and institutional support

Predictor: A well-matched, credible team is essential.

5️⃣ Compelling Preliminary Data (especially for Project Grants)

Highly competitive CIHR proposals commonly include:

Pilot experiments or feasibility data

Retrospective analyses

Early mechanistic insights

Proof-of-concept findings

For high-risk or exploratory programs, strong rationale can substitute, but evidence is still preferred.

Predictor: Preliminary data significantly boosts chances.

6️⃣ Strong Integration of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)

CIHR explicitly evaluates EDI in:

Team composition

Training environment

Research design (sex, gender, intersectionality, inclusive sampling)

Barriers to participation or recruitment

Engagement with under-represented or Indigenous populations

Predictor: Meaningful EDI integration is essential; weak EDI sections lower scores.

7️⃣ Clear Knowledge Translation (KT) & Dissemination Plan

CIHR places high value on:

How findings will reach clinicians, policymakers, communities, or the public

Realistic KT activities (briefs, publications, engagement, partnerships)

Integrated knowledge translation when applicable (co-design with stakeholders)

Predictor: Strong KT plan with defined stakeholders and products.

8️⃣ Alignment With CIHR Priority Areas (If Applying Under Strategic Calls)

High success when aligned with:

Indigenous health

Digital health & AI

Aging and dementia

Chronic disease (cancer, cardiovascular, neurological)

Rare disease

Implementation science

Mental health, substance use

Health system strengthening

Predictor: Direct strategic alignment increases competitiveness.

9️⃣ Access to Required Data, Cohorts, Facilities, or Patient Populations

CIHR reviewers look for feasibility evidence:

Confirmed clinical recruitment sites

Existing cohort or biobank access

Computational / lab infrastructure

Letters of support verifying data access

Agreements for collaboration or sharing

Predictor: Proven resource availability reduces perceived risk.

🔟 Well-Justified, Realistic Budget

Successful budgets:

Are lean and proportional to aims

Avoid unnecessary equipment or inflated salaries

Align with Canadian Tri-Council rules

Include justification for trainees, supplies, analyses

Predictor: A clear, efficient budget strengthens feasibility.

🚫 COMMON PITFALLS (Reasons CIHR Applications Fail)

Pitfall	Why It Hurts
Vague or overly ambitious aims	Feasibility concerns
Weak or missing preliminary data	Too speculative
Poor methodology or unclear analytic plan	Low rigor
Minimal relevance to Canadian health	Weak significance
Poor EDI integration	Fails mandatory criteria
No KT or weak dissemination plan	Low potential impact
Unclear roles of team members	Execution risk
Overinflated budget	Reviewer concerns

Specialties

Environmental Health

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility to Apply

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met:

The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be:
- An early or mid-career independent researcher, or a knowledge user, affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation);
  OR
- A Principal Knowledge User (PKU) who identifies as a patient partner at any career stage.
  OR
- An individual of any career stage who is affiliated with an Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate;
  OR
- An Indigenous non-governmental organization in Canada with a research and/or knowledge translation mandate.
The NPA must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.
The Institution Paid receives and administers the funds on behalf of the NPA and therefore must be authorized by CIHR before the funds can be released.
Any research applications involving Indigenous Peoples must include at least one Principal Applicant or Co-Applicant who self-identifies as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or provides evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples (see How to Apply section for more details).
With the exception of research related to Indigenous Health, research must be co-led by an Early- or Mid-Career independent researcher and a Principal Knowledge User (PKU) who identifies as Patient Partner (at any career stage);
- If the NPA is an Early or Mid-Career Researcher, each applicant team must also include at least one (1) PKU of any career stage who identifies as a Patient Partner as Principal Applicant or Co-Applicant
- If the NPA is a PKU or an organization, each applicant team must also include at least one (1) Early or Mid-Career Researcher as Principal Applicant or Co-Applicant
- If the NPA is an Indigenous researcher and/or has experience in working with Indigenous peoples, they may be of any career stage and there is no requirement for a patient partner to be co-applicant.
The NPA must have completed at least one of the sex and gender-based analysis training modules available online through CIHR-IMHA and submit a Certificate of Completion for each (see How to Apply section).
The NPA must have completed all four modules for Patient Engagement available online through the CIHR-IMHA and have submitted their Certificates of Completions (see How to Apply section).

A NPA can submit a maximum of one (1) application under this funding opportunity. If the NPA submits more than one (1) application, CIHR will automatically withdraw the last application(s) submitted based on time-stamp of submission.

Note: NPAs applying as an ECR or MCR can identify participants (Principal Applicants and/or Co-Applicants) at other levels of seniority (ECRs, MCRs, Senior Researchers).

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 234 Laurier Ave West, Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

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