Catalyst Grant : Digital Health- Registration

Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery

Deadlines

Academic Unit: Inquire with Unit

Memorial Deadline: RIS Review not Required

External Deadline: Tuesday 16th, December 2025

Description

This funding opportunity will catalyze discovery in digital health, advance pivotal research, and inform applications or interventions relevant to CIHR-IMHA’s broad mandate areas. This funding opportunity also seeks to benefit the continued integration of technology into healthcare in Canada. These grants are reserved for early and mid-career researchers, and Indigenous Health researchers at any career stage. Patient and/or community engagement as an essential evaluation criterion for these grants, and inclusion of a Knowledge User or Patient Partner as a Principal Applicant or Co-applicant aligns with the Knowledge to Action Framework.

The CIHR-IMHA mandate includes: active living, mobility and the wide range of conditions related to bones, joints, muscles, connective tissue, skin as well as the mouth, teeth and craniofacial region. Digital health research that pertains to these research areas under the CIHR-IMHA mandate includes: SMART devices, wearables, internet of things, remote patient monitoring, clinical application of machine learning, virtual appointments, and addressing the health needs of those who live in remote and rural areas, including the northern regions, particularly given the known geographical health disparities in Canada. The development and scale-up of these tools and services has the potential to address well-established gaps in provision of care and can enhance access to, and efficiency of, healthcare services; strengthen patient-centered care including through greater health literacy relating to personal health data; and better mobilize knowledge between and among researchers, healthcare providers, patients and other knowledge users.

This funding opportunity supports the CIHR 2021-31 Strategic Plan Priority E: Integrate Evidence in Health Decisions, as a research investment that could support the mobilization of health system innovations including in technology, virtual care and artificial intelligence, and aligns with all three of the strategies under this priority. To support CIHR’s Strategic Plan, CIHR-IMHA’s will invest in digital health research that has the potential for immediate-to-medium term health impact (2-10 years). CIHR-IMHA is also committed to maintaining a focus on equity issues in this research area, specifically the assumption that clinical digital health (telehealth services) improves access.

CIHR and CIHR-IMHA support a research environment that reflects the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We are committed to reconciliation by strengthening the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples. Achieving a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive Canadian research enterprise is essential in creating the excellent, innovative, and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, and to respond to local, national, and global challenges. Beyond efforts to bolster EDI, CIHR recognizes that First Nations, Métis, and Inuit are rights-holding as First Peoples of Canada, and initiatives should be developed through distinctions-based approaches, as found in the CIHR strategic plan Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada 2019-2022. Applicants are required to ensure equitable access of diverse researchers, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, to opportunities available within the research teams that will be established with program funding. This includes ensuring the research environment is supportive and any systemic barriers are addressed effectively and swiftly (see the Best Practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Research for guidance and examples of systemic barriers).

Role and Contributions of Applicant Partners: CIHR recognizes that a broad range of partners may be relevant to this opportunity and it is expected that applicant(s) describe the role of all applicant partners and how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities. Any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest should also be explained, as appropriate.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or decrease due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

• The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,000,000, enough to fund approximately ten grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $100,000 per year for up to one (1) year

For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs.

Important Dates

Funding Sources

Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR)