The objectives of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging Partnership in Research Fellowship are to:

• Build capacity in patient-oriented research and patient engagement with a focus on aging.
• Provide opportunities for Collaborative trainees and older adult and caregiver partners to learn from each other and share their expertise.

Applicants must be: 

• Registered in a PhD program or employed as a postdoctoral fellow at an accredited Ontario university.
• A 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). 

• Engaged in existing research with a focus on aging that is supported by a supervisor who is a member of the Collaborative (or willing to become a member).

The proposed project must:  

• Be led by the applicant and supervised by a member (or willing to become a member) of the McMaster Collaborative for Health and Aging.
• Demonstrate meaningful impact and ethical engagement of older adults and/or caregivers as advisors or partners (not as participants) in the research project.
• Support the engagement of older adults and/or caregivers in the applicant’s existing research (e.g., meet with older adults/caregivers to provide feedback on their interview guide; present their findings for help in interpretation and determining knowledge mobilization strategies; recruitment of an older adult to be a peer research assistant). 

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 the area of patient-oriented aging-focused research

Please note that no previous experience in patient-oriented research is necessary. Preference will be given to applications where the proposed activities may not be feasible without this fellowship opportunity.

All applicants must contact the Collaborative prior to completing an application to discuss the funding opportunity, process, and confirm eligibility (this may be initiated at any time of the year). 

Value:

Up to a maximum of $1,500 to support the engagement of older adults and/or caregivers as advisors or partners in existing research projects as well as training and guidance for meaningful engagement from Collaborative researchers and 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.

Deadline: April 15, 2024

Please submit your completed application by email to collabor@mcmaster.ca with the subject headline “Collaborative Partnership in Research Fellowship” 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 (this may be initiated at any time of the year).
• Complete the funding application form that includes: 
  • Applicant Information 
  • Eligibility Checklist 
  • Project Information and Engagement Plan 
  • Budget and Timeline 
  • CV/resume 
  • Student Consent and Acknowledgement  
  • Supervisor Acknowledgement Form

April 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.