1. SSHRC 2017 INSIGHT DEVELOPMENT GRANT
January 11, 2017

2. Agenda: Overview Professor Jason Plaks
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Agenda:
Overview
Professor Jason Plaks
adjudication process/assessment criteria
tips from a past committee member
Proposal
Program objectives
Budget
Writing your proposal
Submission / Deadlines
Resources

3. Insight Development Grant in brief
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Insight Development Grant in brief
$7,000 to $75,000 over 1 or 2 years
Minimum half of funding for emerging scholars
Evaluation:
Challenge 50%
Feasibility 20%
Capability 30%
Allows international co-applicants
Grants begin 1 June
UT 2016 success: emerging 54% (46% national)
established 45% (45% national)

4. Adjudication Process Professor Jason Plaks
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Adjudication Process
Professor Jason Plaks
Department of Psychology, UTSG
Chair, SSHRC 2016 Insight Development Grant selection committee, Psychology
SSHRC IG holder

5. Emerging vs Established
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Emerging vs Established
Emerging Scholar
Projects to develop new research questions/ theoretical approaches/methods
May build on graduate work and/or represent a continuation of overall research trajectory
Established Scholar
New research questions/approaches (distinct from applicant’s previous/ongoing research)
Clearly delimited project and in early stages
IDG is not intended to support ongoing research

6. Eligibility Subject matter Health outcomes ineligible
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Eligibility
Subject matter
Health outcomes ineligible
Overlap with any IG submitted the previous October
Co-applicants must be postsecondary scholars
Research Group
Keywords used to assign readers
Multidisciplinary review
Ineligible expenses
Digitization of collection or creation of database cannot be primary objective

7. Budget Minimum essential funding
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Budget
Minimum essential funding
Committee may recommend cuts if budget is deemed insufficiently justified or not appropriate
at 30% may fail on Feasibility
at 50% must fail on Feasibility
Ineligible items count
Unrealistically high or low budget will lower score
Be consistent with proposal description
Justify all costs, beware the big-ticket items

8. Budget Tips Budget Do’s
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Budget Tips
Budget Do’s
Budget should strongly relate to methodology in proposal
Explain how amounts are calculated
Follow institutional guidelines for student compensation (BO) and per diems ($55 domestic, $75 international)
Indicate hourly compensation includes benefits and vacation pay
Explain tasks students will do and why that level (undergraduate, Masters, PhD or postdoc) is appropriate
Justify use of stipends
Budget justification should mesh with application sections on Detailed Description, Training of Students & KM

9. Budget Tips Budget Don’ts
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Budget Tips
Budget Don’ts
Don’t include ineligible items – go to:
Stay current - no home internet!
Don’t pad or inflate costs
Don’t include overhead or general administrative costs
No costs for conference organization or travel/remuneration for presenters or guest speakers
Avoid:
Math errors
Multiple trips to one destination without justification
Hiring non-students without a clear justification
“Premature” expenses e.g. dissemination costs in Year 1

10. Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Budget cont’d
Tools
Max $7,000 for expenses related to development of a tool that is not “routine” and “typical” such as a survey or questionnaire
Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications
For SSHRC, applies to peer-reviewed journal publications

11. Writing your proposal Address evaluation criteria thoroughly
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Writing your proposal
Address evaluation criteria thoroughly
Follow all instructions
Read guidelines on student training, KM
Attachments: comply with formatting specs and ensure correct version is attached
Text boxes: use preview to ensure text is visible/legible
Write for a multi-disciplinary committee
Define all terms, do not assume anything is obvious
Have proposal read by colleagues
Avoid typos and math errors – proof and polish!
Have co-applicants complete CCV as early as possible

12. Resources Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Resources
Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide
UofT Guide to Financial Management
UofT per diems: $55 in Canada
$75 outside Canada
Departmental business officer
Student compensation
Typical travel and supplies costs

13. UofT Resources Department/division
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
UofT Resources
Department/division
Business officer (compensation, travel, supplies costs)
Grant writing support (peer review, archived applications, internal deadlines)
Research Manager
Guide to Financial Management
UofT travel policies and per diems
Research Services
Website
Tip-sheet
Research Services SSHRC team
Sheila Van Landeghem, Research Funding Manager
Sarah Scott, Research Funding Officer

14. SSHRC Resources Funding opportunity description
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
SSHRC Resources
Funding opportunity description
SSHRC program staff (funding opportunity questions) or
Officers for specific research groups are listed in funding opportunity description
Technical support for Research Portal and Common CV or

15. Eligibility to apply Eligibility to be PI Faculty
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Eligibility to apply
Eligibility to be PI
Faculty
My Research Applications (MRA)
Exceptional cases
Postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates in final year
Apply directly to SSHRC
Must hold appropriate affiliation by Sept 2017

16. Submitting your application
Office of the Vice-President,
Research and Innovation
Submitting your application
Complete a My Research Applications (MRA) record
Upload draft proposal, firm budget amount
Due at Research Services by noon January 30
Check with your department for their internal deadline
Submit SSHRC application via Research Portal
Deadline for online submission noon February 2
Good luck!