The objectives of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging Community Engagement and Knowledge Mobilization Fund are to:

• Provide support (funding & structure) for McMaster faculty and trainees, engaged in aging-focused health research, to conduct community engagement and knowledge mobilization activities in partnership with people with lived experiences relevant to a project’s focus.
• Promote the utilization of knowledge generated through research to improve health care practices and systems.
• Provide a platform for facilitating partnerships and knowledge (e.g., engaging partners in the grant development process; co-developing a toolkit with practical strategies for engaging communities in research).

Applicants must be: 

• A McMaster faculty member or trainee engaged or planning to engage in patient-oriented research with a focus on health and aging. Visit the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit website for more information about patient-oriented research in Ontario.
• A current member (or willing to become a member) of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging. As a member of the Collaborative, recipients are expected to actively participate in Collaborative activities and trainee events.
• McMaster trainees must be supported by a supervisor who is already a member of the Collaborative (or willing to become a member).

The proposed project must:  

• Involve relevant partners (e.g., health care providers, people with lived experience, older adult community members) in the planning and co-creation of the project.
• Aim to build trust and relationships, and/or exchange knowledge related to aging or health care for older adults.

The Collaborative can provide:  

• Guidance in determining if this funding opportunity is the right fit
• Support in formulating your engagement plan
• Training and mentorship in patient-oriented, aging-focused health research

All applicants must contact the Collaborative prior to completing an application to discuss the funding opportunity, process, and confirm eligibility.. 

Email the Collaborative: collabor@mcmaster.ca

This funding opportunity is intended to support activities that might not be included in more traditional research funding structures. This opportunity is meant to complement, not replace, sources of funding already available through grants or internal/external University/Faculty/Department sources.

Value:

Up to a maximum of $3,000, as well as guidance from Collaborative researchers, staff and older adult and caregiver partners.

Duration:

Activities supported through these funds must be initiated within six months upon notification of being a successful applicant and completed within 12 months (up to a maximum of 18 months) following initial funding notification. Extensions may be considered on an individual basis and upon written request.

Please submit your completed application by email to collabor@mcmaster.ca with the subject headline “CEKM Fund_Last Name“ and follow the required steps below: 

• Review the guidelines and eligibility checklist (found in the application form) to verify if you meet the requirements to apply. 
• Email collabor@mcmaster.ca to schedule a meeting prior to completing your application to discuss the funding opportunity, process, and confirm eligibility.
• Complete the funding application form that includes: 
  • Applicant information
  • Eligibility checklist
  • Project information and activities plan
  • Budget and timeline
  • CV/resume
  • Multimedia Consent and Release Form
  • Supervisor Acknowledgement Form (for trainees only)

Deadline: October 15, 2024

Completed application packages, with the supporting Supervisor Acknowledgement Form, must be submitted by the deadline. Please note that late or incomplete applications cannot be considered.

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee that consists of researchers, trainees and older adult members of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging. The committee will review and rank the applications with all supporting documentation and recommend recipients to the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging leadership for final approval.  

Successful applicants will be notified of decisions by email within six to eight weeks of the submission deadline. 

During the project

Successful applicants will be required to:

• Present the project proposal to the Collaborative’s older adult and caregiver partners for feedback (and follow up with revisions made based on the discussion).
• Submit a written progress report to the Collaborative at least twice throughout the funding period.
• Acknowledge the Collaborative in any reporting and presentations resulting from this fund.
• Share lessons learned (with other Collaborative trainees) during the planning and operation of the project, and the impact of engagement with older adults. Additional funds may be available from the Collaborative to support knowledge mobilization of lessons learned or outcomes of your engagement plan.
• Submit a written report highlighting outcomes of the project for the purpose of publishing on the Collaborative website and/or sharing via newsletter and/or social media.

• SPOR (Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research) Patient Engagement Framework, CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)
• Partnering Principles and Strategies: A guidance document for researchers, older adults, and caregivers, McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging
• Fairness is Excellence: The Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit’s Equity Framework, Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit
• Supporting Equity-centred Engagement: A step-by-step guide with tailored resources, Public and Patient Engagement Collaborative, McMaster University
• Ethical Considerations for Partnering in Patient-Oriented Research guide, Alberta SPOR SUPPORT Unit
• Methods for Supporting Diverse Patient Engagement in a Diverse World, BC SUPPORT Unit Tapestry Project
• Preparing for Patient-Oriented Research Meetings with Older Adults and Caregivers Trainee Workbook, McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging
• Implementing Principles of Meaningful and Ethical Engagement Meeting Planner Template, McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging
• Considerations When Paying Patient Partners in Research, CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research)

Additional resources regarding compensation can be found on the Collaborative’s external resources page.