Call for fall 2022 letter of intent: Dementia Community Investment
This invitation to submit an application is now closed.
On this page
- Introduction
- Context
- Objectives
- Principles
- Other considerations for application development
- Applicant capacity
- Funding details and requirements
- Submission process and deadline
- Eligibility
- Contact us
- Glossary of terms
- References
Introduction
Launched in 2018, the Dementia Community Investment funds community-based projects that seek to:
- improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia (PLWD) and family/friend caregivers
- increase knowledge about dementia and its risk and protective factors
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:
- age
- race
- culture
- language
- geography
- sex and gender
- sexual orientation
- socio-economic status
- the intersections between these identity factors
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:
- private
- academic
- not-for-profit
- other levels of government
- education organizations within and outside the health sector
- Indigenous organizations working with First Nations, Inuit or Métis
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:
- respite care
- primary care
- hospital care
- long-term care
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:
- Specify if project audiences are composed of individuals or groups belonging to both linguistic communities
- Consider in the general public what the level of potential demand for services is in both official languages
- Say if the project addresses only one linguistic group whether it could be promoted to the other group to encourage increased understanding between the two groups
- Mention if the project is delivered in a geographic area with a significant official language minority
- Say if the project is national in scope and highly likely to reach both language groups
- Say if the project relates to the visibility of Canadian identity abroad
- Indicate if the recipient is a national organization that should clearly have a concern for official languages
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:
- age
- culture
- income
- language
- education
- geography
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:
- test a hypothesis or answer a specific research question
- permit conclusions to be drawn
- extend knowledge through the use of:
- systematic collection or analysis of data
- scientific methods and standardized protocols
- other types of inquiry
External review
Project applications may be reviewed by external reviewers to inform funding decisions, such as:
- people with lived experience
- professional and academic experts
- representatives from other levels of government
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:
- led by First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada
- have strong partnerships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities (including demonstrated collaboration)
Applicants are encouraged to reference socio-ecological models or frameworks that best meet the needs of their target population, such as:
- First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Model
- Social Determinants of Inuit Health
- other culturally appropriate models/frameworks
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:
- Experience or expertise related to dementia and supporting PLWD and/or family/friend caregivers
- Confirmed access to the target population for which the project is proposed (e.g., a partnership with a community organization) and a minimum of two years of experience engaging the population
- Capacity to engage PLWD and/or family/friend caregivers in the design and implementation of the project
- Evaluators or researchers with appropriate subject matter knowledge and sensitivity
- Experience and capacity to conduct intervention research
- Financial management capacity to undertake the community-based 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:
- not-for-profit voluntary organizations and corporations
- for-profit organizations, provided they partner with a not-for-profit organization
- unincorporated groups, societies and coalitions
- provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and agencies
- organizations and institutions supported by provincial and territorial governments (regional health authorities, post-secondary institutions, etc.)
- Indigenous organizations working with First Nations, Inuit or Métis
Partnerships between organizations with complementary areas of expertise are strongly encouraged.
Eligible expenses
Eligible costs include such expenses as:
- personnel
- travel and accommodations
- materials and supplies
- equipment
- rent and utilities
- evaluation/dissemination
- 'other' costs related to the approved project
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:
- statutory and extended benefits exceeding the 20% ceiling
- personnel payments related to performance, maternity leave, and severance
- pure research in any discipline
- provision of services that are the responsibility of other levels of government
- costs of ongoing activities for the organization
- stand-alone activities, which could include conferences, symposia, workshops, audio visual production or website/smartphone application development and maintenance
- such activities are considered stand-alone when they are unrelated to the delivery, evaluation and dissemination of the program or initiative
- capital costs, such as the purchase of land, buildings or vehicles
- ongoing operational support or overhead/administrative fees expressed as a percentage of ongoing activities of an organization
- unidentified miscellaneous costs
- travel and hospitality expenses that exceed the National Joint Council rates
- renting charges for space and computer use when already owned by the recipient organization
- membership fees
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:
- reject any submission received in response to this invitation
- cancel and/or re-issue this invitation at any time
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:
- memory loss
- judgement and reasoning problems
- changes in behaviour, mood and communication abilities
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:
- diminishing physical ability
- debilitating cognitive condition
- chronic life-limiting illness
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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