Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme (CINUK)

1. Call for Research Proposals Themes

To be eligible, projects must address one of two themes presented below. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult with the relevant funding organizations to ensure alignment within the themes.

Theme 1 – Arctic Ecosystems and their Impact on Inuit Communities (funding provided by UKRI, POLAR; and FRQ, if applicable)

This theme must explore research related to understanding dynamic Arctic ecosystems in the context of rapid change and the impact of these changes on Inuit health and well-being. This includes terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems and cryosphere (sea, freshwater or glacial ice, snow, permafrost) research at local, regional and pan-Arctic scales for better models and predictions; the impacts of changing marine and terrestrial environments on local ecosystems and the vitality and well-being of Inuit Nunangat communities and Inuit. Examples of research conducted under this theme could include, but are not limited to:

• collecting baseline information on terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, including abiotic elements such as the cryosphere;
• monitoring and integrated modelling of terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystem changes where baselines have been established, and the consequences of the potential impacts for Inuit communities;
•   identifying emerging risks and opportunities from environmental change and the potential impacts to Inuit and Inuit communities to develop timely and effective responses;
• changing ecosystems and the impact on the Arctic’s natural and cultural heritage and challenges and opportunities for conservation of this unique environment;
• changing diversity and accessibility of marine and terrestrial species populations and the challenges and opportunities this presents for food security and quality, and economic diversification;
• climate change influences on Inuit cultural and harvesting activities to improve understanding of associated health outcomes, and allow evidence-based climate adaptation policy-making;
• understanding and projecting climate change induced needs and gaps in the food systems Inuit depend on, including Inuit and market food security;
• knowledge of diseases in northern wildlife, including impacts on country foods and food security;
• effects of pollution and human activities on the local environment (e.g. air quality, water quality, country foods, etc.) and on community and Inuit health and well-being;
• understanding implications of environmental change on national and international laws and security;
• influences of climate change on the social determinants of Inuit health;
• identifying gaps in legislation and policy that contribute to systemic challenges in the areas of health and wellness in the region, and how these might be exacerbated by environmental change;
• issues of mobility for Inuit Nunangat communities, including the drivers for increased or decreased movement of people in the Arctic through changing climate and ecosystems, and the interactions and links with other factors such as forced migration/displacement, local heritage and cultural values, and political and economic drivers.

Theme 2 – Mitigations and Adaptations for Resilience (funding provided by UKRI, NRC; and FRQ, if applicable)

This theme must explore research related to innovative, practical and ethical mitigation and adaptation tools and technological solutions derived from understanding the impacts of environmental change on housing, health, food and water. Profound infrastructure gaps exist between Inuit Nunangat and the rest of Canada, and existing infrastructure in Inuit Nunangat is increasingly vulnerable to climate change related issues. Examples of research conducted under this theme could include, but is not limited to:

• technologies for response to changing ground conditions’ effects on community infrastructure, such as permafrost thaw and coastal erosion;
• adaptations for seasonal road systems due to fluctuating environmental conditions and the impact on community access to country foods, health infrastructure and supplies;
• the associated impacts and opportunities of marine transportation upon housing stock, food security and safety, both environmental and personal;
• innovative food, water and waste systems in response to changing environmental conditions for remote communities;
• house-scale renewable energy systems and storage;
• new technologies supporting energy efficiency retrofits in social housing;
• technical innovations, including telehealth services, to support community and Inuit physical and mental health and well-being services, as related to the impacts of climate change;
• resilient technologies for healthy, innovative, adaptive and culturally appropriate housing that address the effects of household crowding on housing performance, as related to the impacts of climate change;
• implications of environmental change on current and future availability and access to clean drinking water in Inuit communities;
• technologies for sustainable development, supporting community priorities;
• technologies that enable interjurisdictional learning and education on sustainable energy options.

Proposals must also address at least two of the three cross-cutting issues below:

• Economics of Arctic change: for example, from local level (subsistence economies, local livelihoods and trading relationships) to new industries, including circular economies, development of new fishing grounds and new logistical hubs, international trade, including global legislation and governance, and tariffs of shipping routes, tourism, and the socio-economic impact of climate change.
• Resilience and sustainability: for example, of communities, infrastructure and industry, and the environment to the changing Arctic; understanding the key determinants and solutions (social, cultural, ethical, economic, geographical, political, infrastructure-related) of Inuit community resilience to rapid Arctic climate change and/or increases in risk of shocks.
• Inuit community health and well-being: for example, the interrelated and interdependent nature of community health and well-being and changes to the natural environment; creating Inuit-specific, culturally relevant, and gender specific health and well-being indicators that incorporate climate vulnerabilities, and monitoring them to document climate change influences on Inuit health.

2. Available Funding

The available funding for this Call is approximately CAD 6,900,000 from the Canadian partners and £7,630,000 from the UKRI.

For Canadian applicants, the maximum amount of funding per project is CAD 150,000 per year. Québec applicants may be eligible for a yearly supplement of CAD 50,000 from FRQ to support the participation of researchers from the province of Québec. The total request for funding for each project cannot exceed CAD 600,000 for the 3 year period.

For UK applicants, total request for funding for each project cannot exceed £545,000 (at 80% Full Economic Cost), for the 3 year period. Note that there is no annual limit for the UK funding.

The maximum combined amount for each Research Team is approximately CAD 1,5M (CAD 600,000 + £545,000) for the 3 year period.

3. Key Dates

Webinar 1: Introduction to the new Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme will be on Wednesday June 16^th, 4:30pm – 6:00pm UK / 11h30-13h00 Ottawa & Montreal

Webinar 2: Building networks and partnerships – Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme will be on Wednesday June 30^th 4:30pm – 6:00pm UK / 11h30-13h00 Ottawa & Montreal

The deadline to submit the Letter of Intent is August 4^th 2021, 4pm EDT (9pm BST)

The deadline to submit the Full Proposal is November 10^th 2021, 4pm EST (9pm GMT)

4. Key Resources

Theme 1

To apply under Theme 1, make sure to read the Programme Guide, and all other eligibility requirements from the funding partners’ websites –

• For UK applicants – UKRI’s Terms & Conditions: Research Grants Handbook (ukri.org)
• For Canadian applicants – POLAR’s Terms & Conditions: https://www.canada.ca/en/polar-knowledge/fundingforresearchers/grants-and-contributions-to-support-the-advancement-of-northern-science-and-technology.html
• Additionally, for Québec applicants – FRQ’s Terms & Conditions: https://staging.frq.gouv.qc.ca/en/common-general-rules
• Québec Principal Investigators must be of research status 1, 2, or 3; Quebec Co-investigators must be of research status 1, 2, 3 or 4a,b,c in the FRQ Common General Rules.

Theme 2

To apply under Theme 2, make sure to read the Programme Guide, and all other eligibility requirements from the funding partners’ websites –

• For UK applicants – UKRI’s Terms & Conditions: Research Grants Handbook (ukri.org)
• For Canadian applicants – NRC’s Terms & Conditions:

English: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/call-research-proposals-under-canada-inuit-nunangat-uk-arctic-research-programme

French: https://nrc.canada.ca/fr/appel-propositions-recherche-cadre-programme-recherche-larctique-canada-inuit-nunangat-royaume-uni

• Additionally, for Québec applicants – FRQ’s Terms & Conditions: https://staging.frq.gouv.qc.ca/en/common-general-rules
• Québec Principal Investigators must be of research status 1, 2, or 3; Quebec Co-investigators must be of research status 1, 2, 3 or 4a,b,c in the FRQ Common General Rules.

In-kind support

To inquire or apply for in-kind support, please directly contact the funding agency from whom you are seeking in-kind support:

• POLAR: CHARS Campus, researchsupport-soutienalarecherche@polar-polaire.gc.ca
• NRC: Anne Barker, anne.barker@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
• PARKS: https://gccollab.ca/pages/view/3994535/enresearch-in-parks-canadas-arctic-sitesfrla-recherche-dans-les-sites-arctiques-du-parcs-canada

5. Networking

WEBINARS  TO SUPPORT NETWORKING

There will be two online sessions to promote the new programme, share information and resources and assist with building networks.

Webinar 1

The first session ‘Introduction to the new Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme’ will be on Wednesday June 16^th 4:30pm – 6:00pm UK / 11h30 -13h00 Ottawa & Montreal. The session will provide an overview of the programme, application process, timeline and key features, as well as information resources to support networking. There will be a question and answer session with representatives from all the programme partners.

This webinar has now passed.  You may view the recorded session here (Note : to see the audio transcript and chat messages, click on top right-hand button on the Zoom screen).

You may view the participant contacts, bios and interest areas here.

You may view the Q&A from the first webinar here, and in the FAQ section 6.

Webinar 2

The second online session will be on Wednesday June 30^th 4:30pm – 6:00pm UK / 11h30 – 13h00 Ottawa & Montreal. This session ‘Building networks and partnerships – Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme’ will focus in more depth on networking resources, partnerships and linking to Northern priorities. It is anticipated that the contents of this session will be informed by the details of the online collaboration platform, which potential applicants are encouraged to use.

This webinar has now passed. You may view the recorded session here (Note: to see the audio transcript and chat messages, click on top right-hand button on the Zoom screen).

You may view the webinar contacts and chat messages from the breakout groups here.

You may view the Q&A from the second webinar here, and in the FAQ section 6.

Supplemental documents and information about networking can be found here: https://cloud.staging.frq.gouv.qc.ca/d/5b24b54c307049f6b342

COLLABORATION PLATFORM

As part of the Call, the partners have created a platform for potential applicants to reach out to new collaborators, with the intent of fostering exchanges that could lead to partnerships in research. Please register at: https://cinuarc.meeting-mojo.com/. The platform is accessible to researchers, community members and others from across Canada, Inuit Nunangat and the United Kingdom who wish to connect through this programme. Use of the platform is not a requirement of the Call, but is strongly encouraged. Information gathered will only be used for the purpose of supporting networking/collaboration in this programme.

6. FAQ

View Q&A from the first webinar Introduction to the new Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme here.

View Q&A from the second webinar, Building networks and partnerships – Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme here.

Q1: What must be included in the Letter of Intent (LOI) ?

A1: Please refer to section 3.1 Documents and Information Required, in the Programme Guide. The LOI is an online form which must be filled-in on the FRQnet online platform. A sample of the LOI, for reference only, is available in the Toolbox.

Q2: How can I make contact with researchers who are Inuit, or representatives from an Inuit Land Claims Organization or their designate, or an Inuit Nunangat community ?

A2: Please refer to section 5 Networking of this Programme webpage, and join our informational webinars on this topic. You may also consult the networking support documents, also available in Section 5.

Q3: If our Research Team includes a Collaborator from Québec, are we eligible for the FRQ supplement funding ?

A3: No, collaborators are not eligible to receive funding under this Programme. Only Principal Investigators and Co-investigators can receive funding from this Programme. For information on eligibility criteria for Québec researchers, please refer to FRQ’s Common General Rules, available in  the Toolbox. For information on eligibility criteria for researchers who are not from Québec, please refer to Section 3.3 – Composition of the Research Team, in the Programme Guide.

Q4 : “I’m an adjunct professor at xyz university.  Can I be a Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator ?”

A4: Please refer to the eligibility criteria of your affiliated organization to see if you meet the requirements for Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator.

Q5 : “I’m an individual, not affiliated with an organization.  Can I be Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator ?”

A5: Funding from this Programme must be received through a recognized organization. Individuals cannot be funded directly. Please refer to the definition of Funding Holder in the Lexicon of the Programme Guide.

Q6: “I’m a researcher from the United Kingdom.  As Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator, does my part of the research have to physically happen in Inuit Nunangat or are laboratory or desktop studies that happen in the United Kingdom, that support the Canadian research in Inuit Nunangat, permitted ?”

A6: It is expected that the majority of research conducted by projects will take place within Inuit Nunangat. If any research is conducted outside of this area, it must demonstrate direct relevance to Inuit Nunangat. Laboratory, desktop or numerical modelling research components that support the project could be acceptable if the relevance to the overall project is clear.

Q7: Is it expected that all disciplinary expertise needs to be represented in the UK members of the projects? / Is it expected that all disciplinary expertise needs to be represented in the Canadian members of the projects?

A7: No, the projects are expected to include multiple disciplines, but this is across the breadth of the UK and Canadian project members.

Q8: I want to do some research on climate/environmental change where the impacts will not be felt until some point in the future. Is this in scope?

A8: Yes, the call is not restricted to impacts which are currently being felt.

Q9: Is an institutional approval required for the submission of the full proposal, or is the submission final?

A9: The submissions for the Letter of intent and the Full Proposal are final and do not require the pre-approval of the institution.

Q10: What types of researchers does the 50 000$ from FRQNT cover ? Can one be a governmental researcher (Environment and Climate Change Canada for example) and can one be a Collaborator or must one be a Co-investigator ?

A10: The FRQ supplement can be awarded to Principal Investigators from Quebec of research status 1, 2, 3; or to Co-investigators of research status 1, 2, 3, 4a,b,c. More information on the roles and research status’ may be found in FRQ’s Common General Rules (p.5). Collaborators may not receive funding from this Programme.

Q11: Is DFO/Fisheries and Oceans Canada (a Canadian federal government agency) eligible to receive funds via this proposal?

A11: Canadian federal researchers are not eligible to receive funding from NRC or Polar, as federal grants and contributions cannot flow back to fund federal activities. This is different for funding by FRQ, and applicants must verify eligible research status wth FRQ directly.

Q12: We are partnering with federal (Government of Canada) research collaborators as part of our research team.  While we understand that their salaries cannot be covered by the funds, can other costs, such as travel and accommodations, be covered through this program for those partners?

A12: Reimbursement of expenses for Collaborators depends on the funding terms and conditions of each Funding Partner. For NRC and Polar, costs incurred by federal Collaborators must be covered either through their own organization or through funding sources other than federal grants and contributions. This is different for funding by FRQ, and applicants must verify eligible expenses for Collaborators with FRQ directly.

Q13: “I would like to know if research projects submitted by members of the James Bay Cree communities are admissible to this project ?”

A13: Yes, members of the James Bay Cree communities are eligible to submit a Letter of intent to this public Call for proposals, as long as all elgibility criteria mentionned in the documents and links provided on the Programme website are met (see section 4 – Key Resources).

Q14: Can/should costs associated with the Indigenous Co-I, Indigenous Honoraria and Indigenous short-term field assistants can/should be funded by NERC, the Canadian CHARS fund, or whether these costs may be split between the two partner budgets?

A14: UKRI cannot fund the expenses made by Indigenous members of the Research Team since they are not eligible to receive funding from UKRI. Funding eligibility is based on UK or Canadian eligibility, as well as research status within the Research team, without discrimination to Indigenous status. As such, Canadian Funding Partners can only fund eligible Canadians, and UKRI can only fund those eligible to receive funding from UKRI. Honoraria and short-term contracts can be arranged by either UK or Canadian funding holders according to the managing establishment’s policies.

Q15: How would the funds be set up to flow to the northern partners? For some northern partners, administrative capacity may limit involvement as they may not be set up to receive funds directly. In this case, a contract is often simpler and most effective, especially for projects with multiple northern partners each receiving smaller amounts of money. Could the funds be set up in a way to support this?

A15: Funding from this Programme does not go directly to individuals, but to the managing establishment (Funding Holder), via a funding agreement. Once a funding agreement is in place, the funds will be fully disbursed to the Funding Holder, who is responsible for managing the funds on behalf of the Principal Investigator. How funds are further distributed to project Co-investigators depends on the requirements of the Funding Partner.

Q16: Can equipment purchased using UK funds could be left in Canada with an Inuit community to be used after the research project is over ?

A16: Ownership of any asset/equipment purchased with funding from the Programme depends on the funding terms and conditions of each Funding Holder. As such, it is at the discretion of the Funding Holder as to whether they would choose to leave it with the community.

Q17: “Looks like Canadian applicants are limited to 600kCAD, which is about £350k – can you clarify whether this is in addition to the £550k from the UK side, or whether it depends on who leads the project?”

A17: It is the intent that funding from Canada and the UK be combined on the same project. Canadian researchers will receive money from the Canadian funders and the UK researchers will receive money from UKRI, towards the same project.

Q18: Should the LOI budget already show the in-kind contributions from partners like Polar Knowledge Canada and Arctic Research Foundation? It will be short to secure these contributions in a few weeks.

A18: A detailed description of the in-kind requested will be required at the Full-Proposal stage. In the meantime, Research Teams are encouraged to make early contact with the research coordinators of the Partners they wish to ask in-kind support from, to inquire about availability and deadlines.

Q19: How should the budget be structured ? It is question in the rules of a maximum of 80%, can the remaining 20% be in-kind contribution ?

A19: The 80% condition only applies to UK researchers. Canadian researchers must request funds to Canadian Funding Partners, and researchers from the UK must request funds from UKRI.

Q20: Can small companies be included as part of the UK component of a project? What about Canadian small businesses ?

A20: For the UK, only those companies eligible for UKRI grants can apply to receive funding from the UK. UK Companies may be included in the UK component of a proposal as a Collaborator or as a sub-contractor if well justified. Canadian small and medium enterprises may be eligible for funding from Canadian Funding Partners, but eligibility must be verified directly with the relevant Canadian Funding Partner.

Q21: Can proposals request funding for PhD studentships ?

A21: Financing of student awards and salaries depends on the funding terms and conditions of each Funding Partner. For UKRI, projects are not long enough to support studentships, however this is different for the other Funding Partners. Applicants must verify eligible expenses for students with the relevant Funding Partners.

Q22: How will the relevance be assessed?

A22: Relevance Committee will evaluate Letters of Intent, by theme, based on the combined relevance to Inuit Nunangat and alignment with the themes and cross-cutting issues presented in the Call for Research Proposals. In addition to the examples of relevant research provided in the Call, you may consult the Funding Partners’ informational materials to better understand the context supporting each theme.

Q23: What should the CV look like ?

A23:  The Canadian Common CV (CCV) is not required for this application. We understand that Inuit partners might not be familiar with academic CVs. There is no required template or format for the CV, and hence can accept descriptive paragraphs for Inuit team members. The CV must minimally include the individual’s current affiliated organization and their status within that organization. They may also include any significant contributions (of any kind) they have made in the past, or note their various activities and involvement.

Q24: Our project will include contributions (financial and/or in-kind) from partner organizations and communities. Can we leverage these contributions with Mitacs funding in addition to the funds awarded from this call?

A24: To determine your eligibility for Mitacs funding, please contact Martine Valentin at Mitacs (mvalentin@mitacs.ca) who can direct you to your local Mitacs Business development specialist, who is familiar with this programme and can advise you on other such opportunities whether or not you are invited to submit a full proposal under this call. Alternatively, if you are a Canadian academic, you can find the name and contact details for your institution directly at https://www.mitacs.ca/en/contact-us/business-development. For confidentiality reasons, we cannot supply Mitacs with any information from your letter of intent, but you are free to provide Mitacs with a copy yourself if you wish.

Q25 : In the LOI form on FRQnet, in the Other Documents section, where do we upload the CV for the UK PI ?

A25: Please combine the CV for the UK PI with those of the Co-investigators, into a single pdf file.

Q26 : Are you able to share how many Letters of Intent submissions you received, and how many have been invited to submit Full Proposals ?

A26: 42 Research Teams were invited to submit a Full Proposal (theme 1, 33 teams;  theme 2, 9 teams).

Q27: I was just wondering if you were able to provide any information on the make-up of the personnel on the review panel for the CINUK research programme ?

A27: Reviewers will be independent from the funding partners, and will include Inuit reviewers.

Q28: Do you know if there is a provision in full proposals for proposing a larger Canadian budget than $150,000 in Year 1, and less than $150,000 in each of the two following years?

A28: Unfortunately, for the Canadian funding, it is not possible to support more than the 150 000$ limit that applies to each financial year. However, there is no annual limit for the UK funding.

Q29: Are letters of support required for Full Proposal ?  

A29: No, letters of support are not required for the Full Proposal application. The UK may eventually request certain letters of support for successful candidates, but those requirements will be communicated in due time.

7. Contact Information

For all general questions about the Call process, please contact FRQ. Questions will be anonymized and publically shared on the FRQ webpage in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section 6.

Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), www.staging.frq.gouv.qc.ca

Marie Vachon, arctic@staging.frq.gouv.qc.ca

For details about applicable research within each theme, or questions related to the eligibility requirements of the individual funding partners, or their specific terms and conditions, please contact the appointed resources below. Questions will be anonymized and publically shared on the FRQ webpage in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section 6.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), www.itk.ca

Conor Mallory, mallory@itk.ca

United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI), www.ukri.org

Jessica Surma, jessica.surma@nerc.ukri.org

Polar Knowledge Canada (POLAR), www.canada.ca/en/polar-knowledge.html

grants-contributions@polar-polaire.gc.ca

National Research Council of Canada (NRC), https://nrc.canada.ca/en

Questions about applicable research: Anne Barker, anne.barker@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca

Questions about eligibility or specific terms & conditions: Elena Di Francesco, Elena.DiFrancesco@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca

Parks Canada (PARKS), https://www.pc.gc.ca/en

Stephen McCanny, stephen.mccanny@canada.ca

8. Funded Projects

Public announcements of funded projects will be made in Spring 2022.

9. Partners

This Call for Research Proposals is made possible by the Canada-Inuit Nunangat-United Kingdom Arctic Research Programme Partners