Call for fall 2022 letter of intent: Dementia Community Investment

This invitation to submit an application is now closed.

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Introduction

Launched in 2018, the Dementia Community Investment funds community-based projects that seek to:

Projects could, for example, provide PLWD and family/friend caregivers with opportunities to gain knowledge, resources and skills. Projects that do not directly benefit PLWD and family/friend caregivers will not be considered for funding.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is pleased to invite organizations to submit Letters of Intent (LOIs) for projects and initiatives that address the objectives and priorities of the 2022 fall Dementia Community Investment solicitation (see Section on Objectives).

This solicitation is the first step in a two-stage process beginning with an LOI. Successful applicants will be notified and proceed to a full application in winter 2022 for the next phase of assessment.

Context

Dementia is a major neurocognitive disorder caused by brain diseases and/or brain injury that leads to the loss of mental function, which affects daily activities. More than 452,000 seniors (65 years and older) are living with diagnosed dementia in Canada. About two-thirds of Canadian seniors living with diagnosed dementia are women.

As the proportion of seniors relative to the Canadian population continues to grow, we will see more Canadians living with dementia. Although most prevalent in older Canadians, dementia impacts individuals of all ages who may also experience young onset dementia or be in a caregiving role. A dementia journey changes as the condition progresses, and stakeholders have indicated that it is important to identify ways to enable quality of life and dignity for people at all stages.

Objectives

The objective of this current funding opportunity is to support advanced, community-based projects that meet one or both of the following objectives:

1. Improve the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia (PLWD) and/or their family/friend caregivers, and/or

2. Increase knowledge of dementia and its risk/protective factors to improve health behaviours.

In addition, all projects must undertake intervention research to assess the effectiveness of the program or initiative and promote/apply this knowledge to support expansion of the project's reach to new communities, sectors, populations and/or jurisdictions.

Advanced projects must have a high quality evidence base indicating effectiveness; have demonstrated quality and diversity of partnerships; and have demonstrated the capacity to sustain the intervention beyond federal funding.

Applicants will seek to expand the reach and impact of the intervention, to new communities, sectors and/or population groups, over a shorter-term timeframe.

Principles

Applications will be assessed based on the principles outlined below. Applications that align most closely with the following principles will be prioritized.

Applications must consider and, as appropriate, demonstrate engagement of people with lived experience. Projects must engage target populations in the planning, implementation, delivery and/or evaluation of initiatives to ensure their perspectives are integrated. It is expected that engagement of people with lived experience will be compensated appropriately.

Applications must demonstrate a person-centered approach. Projects recognize that individuals have unique values, personal histories and personalities. In the context of this funding opportunity, this means placing 'the person' at the center of the proposed program or initiative and engaging PLWD and/or family/friend caregivers in the project.

Applications must incorporate a health equity lens. Health equity is fostered by the absence of unfair/unjust systematic and avoidable differences in health status or social determinants of health among population groups. It includes considerations of:

Efforts to address the needs of populations that are at higher risk for poor health outcomes can help reduce health inequities among populations.

Applications must demonstrate multi-sectoral partnerships and collaboration. People living with dementia and family/friend caregivers engage with a diversity of sectors. In many instances, interventions are most effective when they bring together in a coordinated way these various organizations to support these populations. Multi-sectorial engagement or involvement can include, for example:

Special consideration will be given to projects that can demonstrate collaboration with other organizations through letters of support and have the ability to leverage in-kind and/or financial contributions. However, letters of support are not mandatory requirements for this solicitation.

Applications must demonstrate that the proposed program or initiative is evidence-based. This refers to rigorous, scientific research, data, and/or evaluation of the intervention, or the application of relevant research to support the relevance and impact of the proposed intervention and/or adaptation of the intervention to a new context or population.

Applications must demonstrate the proposed project is community-based. Community members play an integral role in designing, developing and delivering proposed projects. Applicants that are not community-based organization must have a minimum of two years experience working with communities.

Implemented resources and supports can be accessed from community settings such as homes, workplaces, and community organizations that serve PLWD and family/friend caregivers. Applicants are reminded that funded projects are not permitted to provide services and supports that are the responsibility of other jurisdictions such as:

However, projects may involve linkages with health care providers as appropriate.

Applications must demonstrate, where applicable, cultural sensitivity. Understanding the cultural contexts of populations is an essential element in designing and delivering culturally sensitive community-based programs.

Cultural contexts and values have a strong influence on health-related behaviours. In their applications, applicants must demonstrate how their proposed project would take into consideration the cultural context of the populations that they are targeting.

Other considerations for application development

Official language requirements

The Government of Canada wishes, among other things and where appropriate, to promote English and French in Canadian society and support the development of official language minority communities. To support the Government in achieving these objectives, you must identify the project audiences and take necessary measures to communicate and provide project related services to this population in English and in French, as the case may require.

Official language minority communities include Francophones living outside the province of Quebec and Anglophones within the province of Quebec. The recipient must work in collaboration with relevant networks and demonstrate in the project workplan, how it will serve, if necessary, the official language minority communities, as well as the overall population.

All federal institutions providing grants or contributions for projects/activities involving services to a public composed of members of both official languages must take the necessary measures to ensure that the recipients respect the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act (OLA). Where in PHAC's opinion there is a demand, the recipient will ensure that services and documentation intended for public use be available in both of Canada's official languages as per the requirements of the Official Languages Act. The recipient is also expected to report on their actions with regards to official languages communities.

When preparing a funding request:

Funding recipients are expected to report on their actions with regard to official language minority communities. Projects must be available in one or both official languages depending on the reach and audience. For additional information, consult the Official Languages Act .

Gender-based analysis requirements

The Government of Canada is committed to Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) . GBA+ incorporates in the development of policies and programs the consideration of gender as well as other identity factors, such as:

Applicants are expected to incorporate these considerations into their application.

Research ethics approval

All projects that involve research with humans must be approved by a research ethics board that adheres to the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans . In addition, the project lead should consult the Tri-Council Policy Statement website before the research portion of the project begins. Research is defined as an activity designed to:

External review

Project applications may be reviewed by external reviewers to inform funding decisions, such as:

By submitting an application, the applicant agrees to possible external reviews of their proposed project.

Working within First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities

The impact of colonization on First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada has had a devastating impact on their health and wellness. As a result, First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada face specific challenges and have unique experiences with the social determinants of health.

Organizations and research teams are encouraged to submit an application if they are:

Applicants are encouraged to reference socio-ecological models or frameworks that best meet the needs of their target population, such as:

In addition, various approaches to research will be considered, including appropriate research methodologies for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.

Applicant capacity

Applicants must demonstrate that they and/or their collaborators bring the following organizational capacities and expertise to the project:

Funding details and requirements

Applications must propose advanced interventions.

To be an advanced intervention, projects must have a high-quality evidence base indicating effectiveness of their proposed intervention. Applicants must demonstrate sustained scale-up of the intervention beyond federal funding.

Duration: up to 2 years, beginning in 2023/2024 and concluding in 24 months.

Amount: up to $400,000 per year.

Funding maximum: $800,000.

Submission process and deadline

Applications must be completed using PHAC's template, and be no longer than 10 pages, single-spaced, in size 12 Arial font, inclusive of existing template contents. The required format is Microsoft Word or PDF.

To obtain a copy of the template, or for additional information about this call for proposals, please contact cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

The deadline for submission for this application process is 14:59 EST (2:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) on November 23, 2022. Funding will be subject to budgetary and project considerations.

All applications must be submitted via email to cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca, with a Cc to phac.dci-imdc.aspc@canada.ca, and the subject line 'LOI Dementia Community Investment.'

Applications will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure that your email address is included in your application.

Eligibility

Eligible recipients

The following types of organizations are eligible for funding:

Partnerships between organizations with complementary areas of expertise are strongly encouraged.

Eligible expenses

Eligible costs include such expenses as:

No project expenses may be incurred prior to the acceptance of the contribution agreement by all parties.

Ineligible activities and expenses

The following activities and expenses are not eligible for funding:

Contact us

To obtain additional information about this solicitation, please contact cgc.solicitations-csc@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

PHAC is under no obligation to enter into a funding agreement as a result of this application process.

PHAC also reserves the right to:

Please note that PHAC will not reimburse an applicant for costs incurred in the preparation and/or submission of a proposal in response to this invitation.

Glossary of terms

Dementia

Dementia refers to a set of symptoms and signs associated with a progressive deterioration of cognitive functions that affects daily activities. It is caused by various brain diseases and injuries. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and Lewy body dementia constitute other common types. Symptoms of dementia can include:

Community-based

Community members play an integral role in designing, developing and delivering proposed projects. Implemented resources and supports can be accessed from community settings such as homes, workplaces and community organizations that serve PLWD and family/friend caregivers.

Family/friend caregiver

Family members, neighbours and friends who take on an unpaid caring role to support someone with a:

Intervention research

The use of scientific methods to produce knowledge about policy and program interventions that operate within or outside of the health sector and have the potential to impact health at the population level. The intervention research approach focuses on building knowledge on how the intervention process brings about change and the context in which the intervention worked best and for which populations.

Program or initiative

Sometimes referred to as an intervention. It is a set of actions and practical strategies that aim to bring about positive changes in individuals, communities, organizations or systems in a way that produces identifiable and measurable outcomes.

Evidence

Refers to rigorous, scientific research and/or evaluation of the intervention, or the application of relevant research to support the relevance and impact of the proposed intervention and/or adaptation of the intervention to a new context or population.

Social determinants of health

The broad range of social, economic and environmental factors that relate to an individual's place in society (such as gender, race, income, education or employment) and that largely determine individual and population health.

References

Assembly of First Nations and Health Canada. First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework. Ottawa (ON): 2015. Available from: http://www.thunderbirdpf.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/24-14-1273-FN-Mental-Wellness-Framework-EN05_low.pdf.

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy. Ottawa (ON): ITK; 2016. Page 19, Figure 6. Available from: https://itk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ITK-National-Inuit-Suicide-Prevention-Strategy-2016.pdf.

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