Evaluation criteria

The selection of successful nominees is based on the highest standards of excellence. The Impact+ program uses a rigorous and competitive review process for awarding chairs. All applications submitted to the competition, regardless of award value, career stage or location of the nominee, will be assessed using the selection criteria for the program. 

The following rating scale will apply for each criterion:

Applications must meet a minimum rating of “Good” for each criterion in the Multidisciplinary Selection Committee’s final rating to be considered for funding.

Reviewers will consider the following criteria and their associated elements.

• 1.1 Impact and international recognition of the nominee (as appropriate, based on career stage). This includes the nominee’s research, the level of recognition they hold in their field, and their record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, advisory committees). In cases where the nominee’s research involves Indigenous research, the impact can be at the international level and/or at the community, regional or national level.
• 1.2 Nominee’s record of establishing and sustaining an equitable, diverse and inclusive research environment, including attracting, training, mentoring and providing leadership opportunities to a diverse group of students, trainees and research personnel.

• 2.1 Quality of the institutional environment (existing or planned) that will support the chairholder and the chairholder’s team throughout the tenure of the award to ensure the success of the research program. This includes the activities and additional support planned for the Chair, such as establishing governance committees and advisory bodies, stewardship plans, protected time for research (e.g., release from certain teaching or administrative duties), mentoring (if applicable), training, additional funds, office space, administrative support, hiring of other faculty members and salary support.
• 2.2 Institution’s ability to sustain the research advantage created by the proposed Chair. This includes its ability to leverage partnerships with the private and public sectors, national and international research institutions, and academic and/or philanthropic organizations; and the ability to retain the chairholder beyond the period of the award.
• 2.3 Institution’s research strengths in the proposed field, assessed against global standards of excellence.
• 2.4 Strength of the institution’s overall commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research and academia. This includes the quality of the outreach and the transparency of selection processes, and the level of support it will provide to the chairholder in helping to establish, sustain and strengthen an equitable, diverse and inclusive research team, environment and ecosystem. For more details, see the Recruitment page and the additional best practices developed for the Canada Research Chairs Program. 

• 3.1 Promise of the proposed research program in the context of leading global research in the field, the transformational and translational potential of the research, and the extent to which the Chair fills a gap within existing expertise at the institution or in Canada.
• 3.2 Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how it has embedded EDI considerations (e.g., GBA Plus or SGBA Plus) at each stage of the research process and its associated outcomes (as applicable).
• 3.3 Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how research is co-created and co-led by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, as investigators, trainees, partners and collaborators, and its recognition of Indigenous ways of knowing (as applicable).
• 3.4 Appropriateness of the proposed budget in terms of it being reasonable and well justified for carrying out the proposed activities.

• 4.1 Likelihood the work of the proposed Chair will advance the frontiers of research in the field on a global scale, as well as Canada’s reputation as a centre for science, research and innovation excellence.
• 4.2 Plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse chairholder’s team (which includes faculty, early career researchers, research trainees, other highly qualified personnel and administrative staff), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, professional development and mentoring).
• 4.3 Extent to which the proposed research program will lead to enriched learning experiences for students, trainees and other highly qualified personnel to develop relevant skills, while fostering advancement and future career opportunities.
• 4.4 Alignment of the proposed research program with one or more of the Government of Canada’s strategic priority areas for Canada Impact+ Research Chairs to create social and economic advantages for Canada.

• 5.1 Extent to which the proposed research program’s knowledge mobilization, translation and commercialization plan shows a pathway for how research results could be shared and applied in practices, products and/or services and how tangible economic or societal benefits for Canada and Canadians will be generated.
• 5.2 Extent to which the knowledge mobilization, translation and commercialization plan has identified target users and outlined engagement mechanisms and potential partnerships such as private and public sectors, national and international research institutions, philanthropic organizations and Indigenous communities (if applicable).
• 5.3 The appropriateness of the described strategies for successfully delivering on the proposed research program’s translational objectives, including (as applicable) commercialization pathways and intellectual property management, for social and economic benefits for Canada and the world.
• 5.4 Performance of the institution in terms of its demonstrated record of effective knowledge translation and its planned support for the Chair’s knowledge translation.  
• 5.5 Experience of the nominee in delivering tangible knowledge translation outcomes.