Healthy Living and Injury Surveillance for Chronic Disease Prevention

1. Overview
   • Introduction
   • Background
   • Description of Funding Program
2. Letter of Intent Applications
   • Scope
   • Priority Activities
   • Submission Instructions
   • Assessment
3. Eligibility
   • 3.1 Eligible Applicants
   • 3.2. Eligible expenditures
   • 3.3 Ineligible Activities and Expenses
4. Official Language Requirements
5. Lobbyist Registration Act
6. Contact Us

1. Overview

1.1 Introduction

The Public Health Agency of Canada invites eligible organizations to submit "Letters of Intent" for the Healthy Living and Injury Surveillance for Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative. The overall goal of this initiative is to explore new tools and channels to collect, analyse, and disseminate timely surveillance information, which includes exploring new partnerships. The initiative focuses on risk and protective factors for the prevention of chronic diseases.

1.2 Background

The Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease (ISHLCD) provides a framework for the federal government to promote the health of Canadians and reduce the impact of chronic disease in Canada.

The three pillars of the ISHLCD are:

• promoting health by addressing the conditions that lead to unhealthy eating, physical inactivity and unhealthy weights;
• preventing chronic disease through focussed and integrated action on major chronic diseases and their risk factors; and
• supporting the early detection of chronic diseases.

The objective of the funding program is to enhance capacity for public health chronic disease surveillance activities. The project will develop tools and methods to:

• Increase the use of existing data sources for chronic disease surveillance;
• Expand data sources for chronic disease surveillance; and
• Improve planning, coordination and evaluation of chronic disease surveillance systems.

1.3 Description of Funding Program

Surveillance is an essential component for the planning, implementation, and assessment of chronic disease prevention. It is the tracking of health events and determinants through the ongoing collection of data, the integration, analysis, and interpretation of data, and the dissemination of information to those who can benefit by using the data. Surveillance should provide relevant information for public health action.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (the Agency) is inviting eligible organizations to submit a "Letter of Intent" for the Chronic Disease, Healthy Living and Injury Surveillance Initiative.

The overall objectives of this solicitation are to:

• Explore new tools and channels to access and disseminate timely information, and
• Explore new partnerships to facilitate data access and surveillance information dissemination
• Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how they will collaborate with partners to ensure that efforts are complementary, consistent, and coordinated to increase capacity and achieve maximum impact across Canada.

2. Letter of Intent Applications

2.1 Scope

Funding under Healthy Living and Injury Surveillance for Chronic Disease Prevention Initiative is for the development of single proposals submitted by eligible organizations for time-limited projects. Anticipated results from the project must have potential for pan-Canadian applicability. The total budget for each project must not exceed $1,000,000.00 and the funding duration must be between 12 months (1 year) and 36 months (3 years).

The application process consists of two stages:

• The first stage is the submission of a Letter of Intent (LOI). Ineligible and/or incomplete LOIs will be screened out and applicants will be notified.
• The second stage is the development of a full proposal. Organizations with LOIs deemed to best fit the overall objectives of the initiative will then be invited to submit full proposals. The proposal will be reviewed by Agency officials to determine relevance to the Agency objectives, feasibility and quality of the proposed work. The advice of external reviewers may also be sought. External reviewers may be asked to comment on quality, innovation and fit with work in provinces, territories and the community.

On the basis of the review, the Agency officials may recommend the proposal to the Minister for funding approval.

This solicitation is for projects that will start on or after April 1, 2015

2.2 Priority Activities

This solicitation is based on the two priority activities as follows:

2.3 Submission Instructions

To obtain a copy of the Letter of Intent template, please contact us at: ESCDP-PSAMC@phac-aspc.gc.ca

The letter of intent will consist of two sections.

Section 1

Applicants are asked to provide a one-page cover letter about their organization. This letter must include the following information:

a) Organizational information:

• Mandate of the organization;
• Incorporation/registration information, and complete contact information for the project lead within the organization (can be included as an attachment); and
• A description of its capacity to deliver the project on time and within the specified budget.

b) Project information:

• The title of the proposed project;
• The project focus;
• The target population;
• The project duration; and
• The amount of funding requested from PHAC, to a maximum of $1,000,000.00

Section 2

A project summary (2500 word count maximum) which includes the following:

• Evidence-base for the proposed project (e.g., does a gap exists and how the project will fill the gap?);
• The overall objective of the project and how it relates to the priorities (Section 2.2) and essential criteria (section 2.4)* of the solicitation;
• The activities that the applicant will undertake to meet the objectives;
• The partners with whom the applicant will work on the project;
• The expected results of the project;

Where to submit your LOI:

The LOIs must be submitted via email at ESCDP-PSAMC@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Applications will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure your email address is included in the LOI application form.

Deadline for Submission

There is no deadline for this LOI process. Under this invitation, LOIs will be accepted on a continual basis, however, funding will be subject to budgetary and project considerations.

2.4 Assessment

The essential criteria for the solicitation are outlined below. The LOI must provide sufficient information regarding each essential criterion so that a clear overview of all aspects of the proposed project is provided.

Note that the applicants who will be invited to submit a full proposal will have to expand upon each of the essential criteria.

3. Eligibility

3.1 Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include:

• Canadian not-for-profit voluntary organizations and corporations;
• For profit organizations;
• unincorporated groups, societies and coalitions;
• provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and agencies;
• organizations and institutions supported by provincial and territorial governments (regional health authorities, schools, post-secondary institutions, etc.);
• individuals deemed capable of conducting population health activities

3.2. Eligible expenditures

Expenses directly related to approved projects are defined in the Contribution Agreement. Eligible costs include such expenses as personnel, travel and accommodation, rent, materials and supplies, costs of services and equipment, and evaluation and dissemination costs related to the approved project. No project expenses may be incurred prior to signing the Contribution Agreement by all parties.

3.3 Ineligible Activities and Expenses

The following activities and expenses are ineligible:

• direct delivery of care and treatment services,
• profit-making activities,
• direct services which are part of other governments' jurisdiction,
• costs related to ongoing (core) activities of your organization or a percentage of the overhead or administrative fee of the organization,
• membership in professional associations,
• conferences, symposia, and workshops as stand-alone projects (this does not exclude training workshops),
• equipment (other than incidental as described above),
• contingency allowances or other miscellaneous fees,
• capital costs such as the purchase of land, buildings, renovation of space or purchase of vehicles,
• creation and/or maintenance of web sites as a sole activity, and
• pure research, in any discipline.

4. Official Language Requirements

The funding recipient must clearly identify the target population of the project and, if applicable, take the necessary measures to respect the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act to communicate with the public in the official language (i.e. English or French) of their choice, as well as supporting the vitality and development of official language minority communities.

The Government of Canada is committed to:

• enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority communities in Canada and supporting and assisting their development; and
• fostering the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

As such, all project materials (e.g., resources, reports, announcements, etc.) for public distribution must be produced in both official languages and project activities must be carried out in the target population's official language of choice.

Official language minority communities include Francophones living outside the Province of Quebec and Anglophones within the Province of Quebec.

For additional information, visit the Official Languages Act website.

5. Lobbyist Registration Act

Recent amendments to the Lobbyists Registration Act and Regulations have broadened the definition of lobbying. We encourage applicants to review the revised Act and Regulations to ensure compliance. For additional information, visit the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists website or contact the Office of the Registrar of Lobbyists directly.

6. Contact Us

To obtain additional information about this invitation to submit an LOI, please contact:
ESCDP-PSAMC@phac-aspc.gc.ca