MSFHR to partner on UBC Peter Wall Solutions Initiative

A new funding program in which researchers and community members develop practical solutions for societal problems has been launched by the Peter Wall Foundation and UBC.  The Peter Wall Solutions Initiative (PWSI), supported by an initial $3 million contribution from the Peter Wall Endowment, will address issues in such areas as sustainability, health care delivery, poverty alleviation, economic policy, community wellness, diversity, and natural resources.  Principal applicants must be UBC researchers, and the team must involve a partner from a community organization or end-user group to develop a measurable, research-based solution to a defined problem.

MSFHR will be partnering on one or two PWSI-funded health related projects as part of its knowledge translation work, supporting successful teams in implementing and evaluating their “solution.”
 
“The results-oriented nature of the Solutions Initiative fits well with MSFHR’s mandate,” says Dr. John Challis, MSFHR President and CEO. “We know that there are significant gaps between what’s known to improve health and what is actually done, so we value the opportunity to help move health research results into practice – and evaluate what works and doesn’t work in the process.”
 
PWSI project budgets will vary in size – depending on the problem and the proposed research solution – from small (less than $15,000) to medium ($15,001-$50,000) to large ($50,001 to $200,000). Projects will be funded on an annual basis, and may be renewed for up to three years.
 
“As well as benefiting British Columbians, we believe that the PWSI will serve as a model for other research funding programs,” says Dr. Brett Finlay, UBC Professor and Chair of the PWSI Advisory Board. “We’re pleased to have MSFHR partner on some of the health related projects to help refine this model in future.”
 
Letters of intent are due by May 31, 2011.  For more information, visit the Peter Wall Solutions Initiative page on the UBC Research website.