Funding Programs - Team Start-up Infrastructure

MSFHR postpones announcements about new competitions
MSFHR is in discussions with the BC Government regarding an enhanced role and annualized funding for the Foundation. To allow time for these discussions, the MSFHR Board of Directors has approved postponing announcements about new competitions and deadlines until March 2009. The Board earlier approved funding extensions for current infrastructure and personnel awards.

Read about the postponement of new competitions (PDF)
Read about MSFHR funding extensions (PDF)

Purpose of the Team Start-up Award
Award Amount
Eligibility Criteria
Team Start-up Award Recipients
Additional Information
Inquiries and Further Information

Purpose of the Team Start-up Award
The Team Start-up Award is a developmental award that provides one-time funding for up to three years to enable researchers involved in multidisciplinary and cross-theme research in British Columbia to coalesce and enhance their capacity to compete successfully for infrastructure and operating funds from provincial, national and/or international sources. Applications are invited from all areas of health research, including initiatives that support health care-related methodology and technology development and assessment initiatives. This award is intended to support emerging teams to:

launch planned research initiatives
start building a supportive research and training environment
increase team productivity
initiate and advance collaborative activities
leverage additional funding that would not be otherwise available.

MSFHR infrastructure funding is intended to cover the costs of providing common services to researchers that will enhance the research environment, increase productivity, build critical mass and improve integration. MSFHR funding is also intended to augment infrastructure funding and resources available to the Team from its host institution and/or other sources, not to replace it or to take the place of support that otherwise would be allocated to the Team in the absence of MSFHR funding. The maximum award amount from MSFHR is $75,000 per year for three years. See Award Amount.

Award Amount
Applicants to the Team Start-up Award may apply for up to $75,000 per year for three years. The maximum allocation per year is fixed for the funding period. Unspent funds can be carried forward from year to year, subject to a revised budget indicating likely use of those funds in the following year, and approval by MSFHR. Unspent funds at the end of the third year must be returned to MSFHR. MSFHR also reserves the right to reduce or terminate funds where circumstances justify such a decision.

Eligibility Criteria
The main purpose of the Team must be to conduct health-related research. The Team must be able to demonstrate a clearly-defined research agenda (goals and accountability pathways) that is distinct from a traditional university faculty, department or division, hospital administrative unit, or other MSFHR-funded Team or Unit. See Award Recipients.

The Team must be focused on multidisciplinary and cross-theme research. The Team must comprise a minimum of three and a maximum of ten Qualified Health Researchers (QHRs) including the Team Leader. Inclusion of Associated Health Researchers (AHRs) is optional. Up to a maximum of 20 AHRs can be listed.

All members of the Team and all elements of the application must comply with the MSFHR Infrastructure Program Definitions to be eligible.

Team Start-up Award Recipients
2008: 5 Teams
2007: 4 Teams
2006: 2 Teams

Additional Information
Please see the following sections for additional information on Team Start-up Awards:
Definitions
Eligible Expenses
Evaluation Criteria
Conditions of Award

Inquiries and Further Information
For further assistance, please contact the following:

For inquiries and help with MSFHR ApplyNet online applications or the Common CV, contact the MSFHR Help Desk:
E-mail the Help Desk
Local phone: 604.714.6609
Toll-free phone: 1.866.673.4722 (ask for the MSFHR Help Desk)

For inquiries and information about the Team Start-up Award and Team Start-up Guidelines:
E-mail the Infrastructure Program
Andrea McLean, Program Coordinator, Infrastructure, 604.714.6605
Dr. Angela Todd, Senior Director, Infrastructure, 604.714.5371