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Team Grant : Pan-Canadian Network: Emerging LHS in Perinatal Mental Health

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

This funding opportunity will support the development of a learning health system (LHS) network in perinatal mental health. The LHS approach integrates research, data, and knowledge for continuous improvement in care to help ensure that the most effective treatments are consistently updated and implemented equitably across Canada. This approach would also enable the rapid translation of research findings into clinical and care practice, providing a mechanism for evaluating program impacts and improving equitable service delivery. Furthermore, this approach would ensure continuous improvement in efficiency and effectiveness of the processes of the LHS. The network is expected to develop an LHS by: (i) collecting and synthesizing data from real-world practice ('practice to data'), (ii) using that data to answer questions and generate new and useful knowledge ('data to knowledge'), and (iii) applying that knowledge to improve care to equitably meet the needs of people with lived/living experience (PWLLE), caregivers/families and communities served ('knowledge to practice'), which includes knowledge mobilization and implementation science; see Additional Information.

Excellent research and LHSs should incorporate open science practices that enable timely access and sharing of research findings, data, and other outputs, see Additional Information.

Perinatal mental health (PMH) is an area that has seen significant research and service delivery investment/advancement in recent years at the local and regional levels. Perinatal mental illness occurs during prenatal and postpartum periods and includes conditions such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If untreated, these conditions can have long-lasting effects, increasing the risk of chronic mental health issues for the parent and developmental challenges for the child. Despite the availability of evidence-based treatments, barriers such as stigma, lack of knowledge, and limited access to care—especially in rural areas—create a gap in treating individuals to full remission. Additionally, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples, racialized people, persons with disability, and those that identify as 2SLGBTQI+ face higher rates of perinatal mental illness, with even less access to appropriate care.

Across Canada, there are several specialized PMH programs located in academic centers that provide gold-standard care, including psychological and pharmacological treatment, but they are often burdened with long waitlists. Referrals depend on geographic location and primary care provider knowledge, creating an inequitable system. Timely intervention can prevent long-term negative outcomes and improve quality of life for both parent and child. Specialized programs are already collaborating on clinical guidelines and quality indicators for care, as well as engaging Indigenous experts for culturally safe care. However, despite these efforts, there remains a lack of an integrated, equitable system for timely access to perinatal mental health services. The ability to link programs and local networks to develop an LHS in PMH would improve health outcomes, health equity, service delivery, and cost. Additionally, an LHS would ensure proper integration of PWLLE and caregiver/family insights, which are key in PMH patient care.

Applicants are expected to ensure equitable access of diverse researchers, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, to opportunities available within the research team 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).

Applicants are expected to adopt data management best practices to enable reproducible science and to enable successful sharing across the network (e.g., the FAIR principles – Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Final data policies and procedures, for example data access procedures, are expected to be publicly available. See Additional Information for more details.

Research Areas

This funding opportunity will support a project relevant to the development of a pan-Canadian learning health system network in perinatal mental health (PMH).

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 for this initiative are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or are decreased 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 $6,000,000, enough to fund one grant for up to five (5) years.

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

Mental Health

Eligibility Requirements

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met and be clearly identified as such in the Participant Table (See How to Apply section):

The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must be an independent researcher affiliated with a Canadian post-secondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge mobilization).
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 to administer CIHR funds before the funds can be released.
While there is no limit on team size, including the NPA, a maximum of 15 individuals can be identified as key participants. Applicants are strongly encouraged to develop a diverse and equitable team. Note that an individual can fulfill multiple key participant roles as indicated.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

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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