Health Innovation Funding Investment (HIFI) Awards
Health is produced by a complex interplay of individual, social, political, and economic factors. Interdisciplinary and cross-faculty collaborations have the potential to lead to more innovative solutions to improve health and address health inequities.
The Health Innovation Funding Investment (HIFI) Awards are intended to catalyze these collaborations by supporting cross-faculty and cross-campus research at UBC's Vancouver and Okanagan campuses.
Awards of $10,000 to $25,000 will be granted to faculty members who are collaborating across faculties, disciplines, and campuses to develop new teams, pursue new ideas, or translate findings from innovative health-related research.
Funding projects should align with the strategic priorities of UBC Health and have a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of individuals, communities, and/or society.
There will be two calls for proposals:
2022 Spring Call for Proposals
Opens: February 15, 2022
Closes: April 15, 2022
Team-Based Care Funding Stream
For the spring call, in addition to the general, open call for HIFI, we are inviting applications that focus on initiatives that contribute to provincial efforts to establish and enhance team-based care. The call is open to all innovative ideas, particularly in areas that address education and pedagogy or system change and outcomes. Examples of relevant initiatives include, but are not limited to, efforts to advance research on educational models intended to prepare learners for team-based care and advance research about the system readiness or outcomes of implementation of team-based care.
2022 Fall Call for Proposals
Opens: August 15, 2022
Closes: October 15, 2022
For an application to be considered, the proposed investment must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Led by a UBC faculty member (trainees and staff can be co-applicants); and
- Must include faculty members and/or trainees from at least two different UBC faculties.
Applications that meet the above minimum requirements will then be evaluated based on the following differentiating criteria:
- The extent to which the initiative sets out a compelling context, clearly identifying an existing or emerging issue or opportunity
- The extent to which the deliverable relates to the context as described
- The quality and potential impact of the deliverable
- The extent to which the initiative represents true interdisciplinary and cross-faculty collaboration
- The inclusion of trainees
- Cross-campus collaboration
- Equity, diversity, and inclusion of both the team and the project is addressed
If your proposal meets the criteria above, please download and complete the HIFI Awards Proposal Information Form. (Note: This is a Word document that will automatically download to your computer.)
Completed forms must be submitted by email to Veronica Grant, Project Coordinator at veronica.grant@ubc.ca by the following deadlines:
- Spring Call: April 15, 2022
- Fall Call: October 31, 2022
The HIFI Review Committee will use the eligibility criteria listed above to recommend proposal selection and prioritization to the Associate Vice-President, Health, who will review the recommendations and make the final decision about the number of projects to be funded.
What are the key dates?
Spring Call
| February 15, 2022 | Call for proposals open |
| April 15, 2022 | Deadline for proposal submissions |
| June 2022 | Applicants notified of decision |
| July 2022 | Distribution of funds |
| March 31, 2024 | Final reports due |
Fall Call
| August 15, 2022 | Call for proposals open |
| October 31, 2022 | Deadline for proposal submissions |
| December 2022 | Applicants notified of decision |
| January 2023 | Distribution of funds |
| March 31, 2024 | Final reports due |
Where do I find the application form?
HIFI Awards Proposal Information Form (Note: This is a Word document that will automatically download to your computer.)
Who judges the applications?
An interdisciplinary HIFI Review Committee will recommend proposal selection and prioritization to the Associate Vice-President, Health, who will review the recommendations and make the final decision about which proposals will be funded.
How long will the funding be available for?
Proposals must be completed within one year of receiving the funding.
Can this funding be used in conjunction with other funding?
Yes
Can I submit multiple applications?
Yes, but we endeavour to distribute the funding widely and award funds to different collaborations.
If I apply to the team-based care funding stream, will I still be considered for the general award?
Yes. All applications will be evaluated concurrently, with specific funds dedicated to the team-based care stream.
Is there a limit on the number of co-applicants?
No
Are CVs or references required as supporting documents?
No
Are institutional signatures required?
No
Are applications required to be blinded for review?
No
Whom can I contact if I have questions?
Veronica Grant, Project Coordinator, veronica.grant@ubc.ca