Sponsor
Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
Program
Initiative for Digital Citizen Research (IDCR) Connection Grants Special Call
For More Information
Connection Grants — Joint Initiative for Digital Citizen Research
Description
Canadian Heritage is partnering with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to provide funding support through arms-length Connection Grants. These grants provide assistance to selected events and outreach activities for short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. These events and activities represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and engage on research issues related to online disinformation and other related online harms as well as their impact in the Canadian context.
The Joint Initiative has 3 broad objectives:
- to promote Canadian research that will develop better understanding — based on empirical evidence — of the impacts of online disinformation in Canada in order to better inform programs and policies;
- to build Canada's capacity to conduct research on and related to countering online disinformation and other related online harms, specifically in the target areas described below; and
- to help foster a community of research in the digital citizenship and online disinformation space in Canada.
Eligibility
Applicants (except postdoctoral researchers) must be affiliated with an eligible Canadian institution at the time of application. Researchers who maintain an affiliation with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but whose primary affiliation is with a non-Canadian postsecondary institution, are not eligible for applicant/project director status in a Connection Grants application.
Postdoctoral researchers are eligible to be applicants or project directors for a Connection Grant. However, in order for SSHRC to release grant funds, applicants/project directors must formally establish an affiliation with an eligible Canadian institution (postsecondary) within three months of the grant start date and maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period.
Individuals may apply, as an applicant, for only one Connection Grant per calendar year. An applicant may not apply for or hold more than one Connection Grant for the same event or outreach activity. Applicants or project directors on an active SSHRC Connection Grant cannot be the applicant or project director for another individual or institutional Connection Grant.
Maximum Project Value
$7,000 to $25,000 for events, and up to $50,000 for other outreach activities
Note: SSHRC will not fund the full cost of any connection event or outreach activity. Additional support in the form of cash and/or in-kind contributions (excluding registration fees), equivalent to a minimum of 50 per cent of the amount requested from SSHRC, must come from sponsoring organizations. For example, an applicant asking SSHRC for $10,000 in funding will have to provide additional support equal to $5,000. SSHRC will consider only those funds stemming from sponsoring organizations in its calculations of matching funds; individual contributions will not be considered in the calculation of matching funds.
Indirect Costs
0%
Project Duration
All activities must take place within 12 months of the date indicated on the notice of decision.
Special Notes
In addition to adhering to SSHRC's policies and regulations pertaining to the Connection Grants, the proposed projects must also address the broad objectives pertaining to the Joint Initiative.
The Joint Initiative requires that the proposals focus on one or more of the following specific areas:
- Creators and propagators of (online) disinformation in a Canadian context.
- Digital techniques used to spread (online) disinformation in a Canadian context.
- Sectors of Canadian society more or less vulnerable to (online) disinformation, including how disinformation may specifically affect marginalized, minority and Indigenous communities.
- Effects of exposure to information and (online) disinformation on Canadians’ individual beliefs behavior as well as overall mental health.
- Different impacts of (online) disinformation in Canada, including on democratic institutions and elections.
- Government responses to (online) disinformation.
Deadlines
If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.
| Type | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Internal Deadline | PI to submit a signed OR-5 form along with a copy of the full application to: research.services@uoguelph.ca Please select 'submit' on the SSHRC Portal on or before the internal deadline. | |
External Deadline | Application will be submitted to SSHRC electronically by the Office of Research Services. Deadline moved to next business day as February 1, 2020 falls on a Saturday. |
How to Apply
Interested applicants must submit their application to the SSHRC’s Connection Grants funding opportunities.
To be considered under the Joint Initiative, applicants are required to select this option from the drop-down list of the “Joint or special initiative” field under the “Application — Identification” section of the application form.
Applications received for this joint initiative will be assessed against all other proposals received under SSHRC Connection Grants. Canadian Heritage will determine which applications are relevant to the Joint initiative and fund the relevant proposals recommended for funding by the merit review committee.
Information For Co-applicants
If you need to meet a deadline set by the lead institution for this opportunity, please ensure that you provide the Office of Research with at least five days in advance of the lead institution’s deadline to review the application, or your proposed component of the project. Please be in touch with the Office of Research (contact information below) ahead of the deadline if it looks like it will be difficult for you to submit all the required documentation on time (i.e. budget, proposal, OR-5 Form).