Research grant application process and approvals

Once you have identified a research funding opportunity, follow these steps to begin the application process:

1. Review the application guidelines and any materials provided by the funder. Make sure that you are eligible to apply for the grant and that your project is a good fit for the funder. 

2. Contact our research development specialist to inform us of your intent to submit the application. This step ensures that your grant application receives proper review and Fraser Health executive approval. Please see the section below for information on how to obtain Fraser Health approval. Our team will request an initial meeting with you to discuss your plans to apply.

3. Submit your letter of intent (if applicable) and other pre-application registration information as required by the funder.

4. Compile your project team.

5. Develop study methodology, budget, knowledge dissemination plan and other required research information.

6. Fill out required application forms and prepare resumés/curriculum vitae.
   If you are applying with Fraser Health as your institution, please ensure that Fraser Health Authority is listed as your primary affiliation on your curriculum vitae (e.g., on your Canadian Common CV (CCV)).

7. Obtain letters of support or collaboration, if required, for the funding application.

8. Sign the Fraser Health Funding Application Signature Form and obtain your Director’s (or designate) signature on the form.

9. Ensure that you have obtained Fraser Health executive approval prior to submitting your application to the funder. For some competitions, application submission and final host institution approval is completed through electronic portals (e.g., MSHRBC - ApplyNet, CIHR Project Grants - ResearchNet) and your application will be forwarded to the funder after approval is granted. For all other grant competitions, please ensure that you request and receive executive approval prior to submitting your application directly to the funder (e.g., via email, other online application systems, etc.). Please refer to the section below for the process that must be completed prior to submission for all external grant applications, regardless of the submission process.

All external research grant applications are required to be reviewed and approved by the Fraser Health Department of Evaluation and Research Services’ (DERS) executive team prior to submission to the funder. In order to request approval, you must sign the Fraser Health Funding Application Signature Form and obtain your Director’s (or designate) signature on the form.

After obtaining your Director’s (or designate) signature, you will need to submit your entire application package to research.grants@fraserhealth.ca at least 5 business days before the grant deadline to allow sufficient time for review and approval of your application. This submission needs to include a penultimate proposal draft and budget, the Funding Application Signature Form (signed by applicant and director) and all attachments that will be submitted with the grant application. If you require a Fraser Health executive signature on a grant form as well (e.g., host institution signature on a grant signature page), please also include it in the full submission above.

The following aspects of application will be reviewed:

• Compliance with Fraser Health policies and procedures.
• Director-level approval of your application.
• Accurate provision of Fraser Health information.
• Relevance to submission criteria as outlined by the funding agency.

You will be notified when your application has been approved for submission. You may then submit your grant application to the funder.

Important: Significant changes to the budget cannot be made on the application after Fraser Health provided approval. Should a change be necessary, the application must be resubmitted for re-approval by Fraser Health.