Knowledge Mobilization Grants — uOttawa Research Centres and Institutes

The directors of the 23 research centres and institutes that receive funding from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (OVPRI) and of the Collège des chaires de recherche sur le monde francophone can submit one grant application if: 

• They submitted the latest activity report to the OVPRI (when applicable). 
• The activity is consistent with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) mandate and involve one or more researchers from SSHRC research areas (given that these grants are funded by SSHRC). 

Applications opting-in to Trebek Fellow public policy supplement, must demonstrate the involvement of PhD students or postdoctoral fellows working on public policy-related knowledge mobilization activities, including the collaboration with policymakers, government or other organizations that contribute to public policy.

Applications must include the following:

1. Completed application form (PDF, 440 KB)
2. The proposal (max. 2 pages for applications submitted in English and 2.5 pages for applications submitted in French):
   • Brief description of proposed knowledge mobilization activities including:
     • The objectives
     • The knowledge users and their contribution to the development of activities
     • The target audiences for each activity
     • The relevance of KMb activities for the target audiences
     • The anticipated results of the proposed KMb activities
     • The timeline 
     • The evaluation plan, including indicators (qualitative and quantitative) to measure the impact of the proposed KMb activities
     • A description of the roles and contributions of stakeholders in the KMb process (applicants, knowledge users, students, other team members).
     • a description of the role of PhD students or postdoctoral fellows working in public policy-related knowledge mobilization activities, including the collaboration with policymakers, government or other organizations that contribute to public policy (for applications opting-in to the public policy supplement only
3. A detailed budget (including other sources of funding if applicable) (max. 1 page for applications submitted in English and 1.5 pages for applications submitted in French);
4. The request for Funds form (RE form) completed and signed by all parties. This form confirms the approval of the application by the centre or institute’ as well as by the faculty.

General presentation of the application 

Proposals (including supporting documents and attachments) must be formatted in compliance with the presentation standards generally accepted by funding councils.

• single-spaced, with no more than six lines per inch
• Sans Serif font, in black, 12 points, or any other comparable font – no smaller

The maximum amount awarded for a KMb grant is $7,000, and the maximum for the Trebek Fellows supplement is $5,000, to be spent within a year. The budget section of the application should detail the budget for the entire funding period and reflect the knowledge mobilization activities detailed in the proposal. Expenses must comply with SSHRC’s eligibility guidelines. 

Examples of eligible expenses

• Salary of research support staff, students and postdoctoral fellows
• Professional fees (e.g., for speakers)
• Materials or supplies needed to carry out the project
• Travel or teleconferencing fees
• Room and audiovisual equipment rental
• Expenses related to meetings, workshops, or other KMb activities
• Expenses related to the participation of knowledge users
• Promotion or publishing costs
• Travel costs related to networking and knowledge exchange with knowledge users
• Expenses related to traditional Indigenous practices
• Other direct costs

Examples of ineligible expenses

• Professional or consulting fees for the applicant or other academic team members 
• Cell phones or similar digital devices
• Purchase of journals, computers or any service provided by the University
• Alcohol, entertainment, or gifts

Any funds not used at the end of the period indicated on the notice of decision must be returned.

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on February 20, 2025. 

Please send your application in a single PDF file by email to [email protected] with subject line: 2025 KMb Grants

Applications will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary selection committee whose members are appointed by the Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) or a person delegated by the VPRI.

The decisions of the committee are final.

The evaluation criteria are:

1. 1. Relevance, importance and clarity (30%)
   • Relevance of the proposed KMb activities or products, in relation to the research project and the target audiences.
   • Ability to disseminate research in a way that is understandable to the target audience and/or knowledge users.
2. Expected impact (20%)
   • Potential impact of KMb activities (on policies, programs, practices, behaviors, etc.).
   • Measurability of impacts with indicators of success (quantitative and/or qualitative).
3. Participatory process and inclusive culture (30%)
   • Meaningful and equitable involvement of knowledge users beyond the research community.
   • Meaningful and relevant participation of students and postdoctoral fellows from the University of Ottawa.
   • Inclusion of underrepresented communities, where applicable.
4. Innovation and Feasibility (20%)
   • Innovative, creative, and original nature of the proposed activities.
   • Feasibility of implementing the activities according to budget and timeline.

• Awardees must submit a final, one-page report including the account number and describing the results of the event or outreach activity to Research Management Services.
• For projects that opted-in to the public policy supplement: the Trebek Fellows (PhD students or postdoctoral fellows) working in the public policy-related activities must attend a session with OVPRI staff to share the lessons learned during their involvement in the project. Trebek Fellows may also be invited to present their work to the uOttawa research community.
• Applicants’ and Trebek Fellows’ public acknowledgment of Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue financial assistance is a condition of receiving the grant supplement.
• The funds are provided for the specific activity outlined in the application and cannot be used for other activities.
• Any funds remaining at the end of the validity period indicated on the official Notification of Decision will revert back to the program.
• If the activity does not take place, applicants must inform RMS immediately. In case of unforeseeable circumstances, exceptional extension requests must be sent and approved by RMS before the End Date indicated on the Notice of Decision.
• Awardees may be called upon in the future to serve on the selection committee for this opportunity.