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Call for letter of intent: Transmission and non-pharmaceutical prevention of respiratory infectious diseases

Current status: Closed

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Introduction

The Public Health Agency of Canada is seeking to fund research that investigates transmission and non-pharmaceutical prevention of respiratory infectious diseases, such as:

Specific areas of interest include:

Results should be expected to inform federal policy and recommendations regarding public health measures for respiratory infectious diseases, including:

We are inviting researchers to submit letters of intent for projects that address the objectives and priorities of this solicitation. This solicitation is a 2-stage process, with the letter of intent being the first step. Successful applicants will then be invited to submit a funding request.

Context

Respiratory pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV, and other emerging and re-emerging pathogens cause significant morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic disruptions. The circulation of these respiratory viruses can lead to a surge in hospital admissions and health care visits, straining health care resources. Interventions that can be implemented to help reduce the transmission and impact of respiratory infectious diseases include public health measures, such as:

When multiple respiratory infectious diseases circulate simultaneously, further pressure may be placed on:

This necessitates a more robust public health response.

Understanding the transmission and non-pharmaceutical prevention of different respiratory infectious diseases is essential for informing future public health policy, and can help guide the implementation of appropriate public health measures, including:

This call for proposals focuses on filling knowledge gaps related to:

This type of research will:

Objectives

This opportunity's objective is to support research projects that have a focus on examining transmission and non-pharmaceutical prevention of respiratory infectious diseases, such as:

The number of projects funded will be limited by the available funds and funding needs for the successful projects.

Applicants may submit research projects in the form of:

We will prioritize projects collecting or analyzing real-world data as opposed to those limited to simulations or modelling. Relevant and eligible research projects that include/focus on Indigenous populations or other equity-deserving groups will also be prioritized.

Research projects should aim to inform federal policy and recommendations regarding public health measures for respiratory infectious diseases.

Applicants who are unsure if their proposed project aligns with the funding opportunity objectives are encouraged to submit a letter of intent for assessment.

For examples of relevant guidance and advice products, see:

The following types of projects are considered within the scope of this funding opportunity. This list is not exhaustive and is only intended to provide examples.

Projects that investigate transmission of respiratory infectious diseases or factors that influence respiratory particle transmission

For example:

  • How do factors such as proximity and exposure duration influence respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • What effects do modifiable environmental factors (e.g., temperature or humidity) have on respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • How does respiratory particle size affect transmission of respiratory infectious diseases?

Projects that focus on real-world investigations of improving indoor ventilation and air quality, and their effectiveness in preventing respiratory infectious disease transmission

For example:

  • What is the effectiveness of ventilation interventions in specific settings (e.g., schools, office buildings, long-term care) at preventing respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • What is the effectiveness of different combinations of ventilation and filtration interventions in preventing respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • How is indoor air quality related to the risk of respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • What is the optimal air changes per hour or minimum ventilation rate in public settings to effectively reduce respiratory infectious disease transmission?
  • What air treatment or filtrations systems are most effective in preventing respiratory infectious disease transmission and under what circumstances?

Projects that investigate interventions to promote the use of public health measures

For example:

  • Does providing masks in public settings (e.g., businesses, schools) increase their use or effectively reduce transmission of respiratory infectious diseases?
  • Does paid sick leave increase the probability of staying home when sick or effectively reduce transmission of respiratory infectious diseases?
  • Are educational interventions (e.g., handwashing education) effective at increasing public health measure use or reducing transmission of respiratory infectious diseases?
  • What interventions are effective at increasing use of ventilation strategies (e.g., opening a window, using an air filtration device) to prevent respiratory infectious diseases?

Note that interventions only targeting messaging and communication strategies are considered out of scope for this solicitation.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

Principal applicants must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution or an affiliated institution, including:

Individuals working with municipal, provincial or territorial governments are also eligible if the research proposed is not already funded by that government sector. Applicants must have their substantive role in Canada for the duration of the requested grant term.

Applicants and recipients of funding must ensure that their employees and directors are in compliance with the:

Where an applicant or a recipient employs or has a major stakeholder who is either a current or former (i.e., in the last 12 months) public office holder or public servant in the federal government, compliance with the code(s) must be demonstrated.

Contact us if you require further information at cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Other considerations for applications

Official language requirement

The Government of Canada is committed to:

Funding recipients may be expected to report on their actions with regard to official language minority communities. We encourage applicants to submit a letter of intent in the official language of their choice.

Learn more about:

Gender-based analysis requirements

The Government of Canada is committed to using Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) in the development of policies and programs. GBA Plus considers gender as well as other identity factors, such as:

As the objective of this proposed project is to inform federal recommendations and policies, we expect applicants to incorporate these considerations into their application.

Learn more about:

Working within First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

The impact of colonization on First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada has had a devastating impact on their health and wellness. As a result, First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada face specific challenges and have unique experiences with the social determinants of health.

We encourage organizations and research teams to submit a letter of intent if they are:

We will consider various approaches to research, including appropriate research methodologies for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

Research ethics approval

All projects that involve research with humans must be approved by a research ethics board that adheres to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans. The project lead should also consult the Tri-Council Policy Statement website before the research project begins.

Learn more about:

External review

We may show letters of intent to external reviewers, such as:

By submitting a letter of intent, you agree to possible external review of your proposal.

Applicant capacity

Applicants must demonstrate that they and their collaborators have:

Funding details

Project duration: 12 months, beginning February 2025 and concluding February 2026.

Amount: up to $200,000 per project.

Eligible expenses

Eligible costs include such expenses as:

A detailed budget is not required as part of your letter of intent. However, we will ask you to provide a budget if you are invited to submit a funding request.

You may not incur project expenses until all parties sign the grant letter.

Ineligible activities and expenses

The following activities and expenses are not eligible for funding:

Stand-alone activities are also not eligible for funding. These could include:

These activities are considered standalone when they are unrelated to the research project.

Submission process and deadline

You must complete your letter of intent using our template. The letter of intent must be:

We only accept letters of intent in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

Email us to request a copy of the template, or for additional information about this call for letters of intent.

Email: cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca

The deadline for submissions is 12 pm (ET) on July 19, 2024. Funding will be subject to budgetary and project considerations.

Email your submission to cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca, with:

We will email you to acknowledge receipt of your proposal. Make sure that your email address is included in your application.

Rights and obligations

The Public Health Agency of Canada is under no obligation to enter into a funding agreement as a result of this letter of intent process.

We also reserve the right to:

Please note that we will not reimburse an applicant for costs incurred in the preparation or submission of a proposal in response to this solicitation.

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