Community-based research grants

To be eligible, the projects must:

• Be co-led by a regular, full-time University of Ottawa professor. This includes APUO professors, affiliated institute scientists and clinician scientists with an academic appointment at uOttawa at the rank of assistant, associate or full professor. For the purpose of this grant, this is the “nominated principal applicant (NPA*)”.
• Be co-led by a community-based applicant who is affiliated with a community-based organization working with Indigenous, equity-deserving or marginalized groups. For the purpose of this grant, this is the “co-principal community applicant (CPCA)”.
• Involve persons with living and lived experience (PWLLE) or frontline workers of community-based organizations working with Indigenous, equity-deserving or marginalized groups.

AND meet the following stream-specific requirements:

Stream 1 (Planning Grant): 

• Have not received funding for the same project in the CBR Grant Competitions.
• Recipients commit to developing a community-based research grant proposal and submitting it to an external funding opportunity within 18 months of receipt of funds.

Stream 2 (Research Support Grant): 

• Have not received funding for the same project under the Stream 2 (Research Support) from previous CBR Grant Competitions. 
• Have evidence of existing commitments with the community partner (such as workshops, white papers or MOU) and/or external funding for research activities. If the proposed activities contribute to a project that is already funded, have received REB approval, as appropriate.

*Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI) research priority projects (only) – NPA must be a core academic member of BHI

Applicants can only submit one project per year as NPA, but they can be named as co-researchers in other projects the same year.

Eligible and ineligible activities

This program is designed to support community-based research activities from any discipline and at any research stages, from partnership-building to data collection and knowledge mobilization activities (read the Definitions section carefully for CBR-related definitions).

Examples of eligible activities

• Community-based research activities (design, data collection, analysis, knowledge mobilization, etc.)
• Community or patient engagement activities (including consultations and training)
• Co-development of a funding proposal to submit to an external source
• Initial work to co-develop and plan a community-based research project, such as needs assessment to identify community priorities for research and co-development of community-based interventions (Stream 1)
• Initial relationship and partnership-building with community leaders, community members, community partners or community-based organizations (Stream 1)

Examples of ineligible activities

• Internal uOttawa training and/or networking activities within a research team, research centre or institute, or department
• Annual general meetings or any other activity directly related to the business meetings of an association, organization, centre or institute
• For-profit marketing activities (e.g., book launches or similar)
• Receptions for academic association members
• Any activities normally paid for through the operating fees of an organization or association

Any activity not included here will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For expense eligibility, please see the section on budget justification, eligible and ineligible expenses.

Selection partner-specific research priorities

The uOttawa partners (i.e., Brain-Heart Interconnectome (BHI), Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL), Office of Public Policy Research and Outreach (OPPRO), and the Office of Social Accountability, Faculty of Medicine (OSA)) will support community-based research projects relevant to one or more of the following priorities and research areas:

1. Homelessness and the housing crisis: Responding to homelessness and the housing crisis, including examining solutions that provide stable, affordable housing, and examining services, supports and policy solutions that respond to the needs of street-involved individuals with community partners at any level (local, regional, national and international).
   
   There is $50,000 available for this priority through the Office of Public Policy Research (OPPRO) and Outreach from the Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue.  

   For more information about this priority and to learn more about the uOttawa Pop-up Lab on Housing and Homelessness contact the OPPRO: [email protected].

2. Interconnected brain and heart health: Enhancing community-based solutions to prevent and care for interconnected brain and heart conditions through social, economic and/or health programs, services, policies and perspectives at any level (local, regional, national and international).

   There is $50,000 available for this priority from the Brain-Heart Interconnectome (for BHI core academic members only).

3. Ottawa’s Community Safety and Well-being Plan: Projects funded under this priority must be Ottawa-based and address one or more of the following priorities of the plan:

   1. Discrimination, Marginalization and Racism: Promoting equity and inclusion by addressing systemic barriers  
   2. Financial Security and Poverty Reduction: Enhancing economic security and access to resources
   3. Gender-Based Violence and Violence Against Women: Preventing gender-based violence and violence against women with support to survivors
   4. Housing and Homelessness: Addressing homelessness and providing stable, affordable housing
   5. Neighbourhood Solutions and Community Safety: Improving coordination across services by streamlining access, aligning funding, and leveraging shared data for responsive, place-based solutions.
   6. Mental Well-Being: Increasing support for mental health and reducing harm associated with substance use
   7. Youth Social Development: Improving well-being so every young person can reach their full potential by ensuring access to services, opportunities, and a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. 

   There is $30,000 available for this priority from the Office of Social Accountability, Faculty of Medicine (for Faculty of Medicine projects only).
   
   Career Development and Experiential Learning has $17,500 in funding available for priorities 3 and 4 (Ottawa’s Community Safety and Well-being Plan, and Ottawa’s 2023-2026 Term of Council Priorities – see below).

4. Ottawa’s 2023-2026 Term of Council Strategic Priorities: Projects funded under this priority must be Ottawa-based and address one or more of the following Term of Council priorities:
   1. Liveable for All: Create an Ottawa that has affordable housing and is more liveable for all
   2. Connected City: Create an Ottawa that is more connected with reliable, safe and accessible mobility options
   3. Green and Resilient: Create an Ottawa that is green and resilient
   4. Diversified Economy: Create an Ottawa that has a diversified and prosperous economy

Applicants can select the priority areas that their project aligns with in their application form.

Applications for these grants must include the following (A, B, C, D and E) – please also refer to the Evaluation Criteria: 

• A. Completed application form (PDF, 396 KB), which includes a short summary of the project and a full list of the team
• B. Proposal (max. 3.5 pages for applications submitted in English and 4 pages for applications submitted in French)

• C. Budget and budget justification, including other sources of funding, if applicable (maximum 1 page for applications submitted in English and 1.5 pages for applications submitted in French). See next section for details.
• D. The Request for Funds form (RE form) completed and signed by all parties.
• E. Two letters of support (max. 2 pages each):

One letter from the vice-dean of research confirming: 

• The Faculty’s endorsement of the project
• The Faculty’s contributions to the amount being requested (i.e. cash, in-kind, teaching release), if applicable

One letter from the community-based organization (signed by the organization’s board chair, executive director, or any authority figure, other than the Co-Principal Community Applicant (CPCA)), confirming their commitment to and their participation in the proposed CBR activities that will be supported by the grant, including but not limited to:

• The organization’s role (current or anticipated according to stream)  
• The CPCA’s role
• The organization’s or the CPCA’s role in drafting this application
• Confirmation of existing partnership between the researcher and the community organization or the CPCA (stream 2 only)
• Other in-kind contributions, if applicable    

General presentation of the application

Proposals (including supporting documents and attachments) must comply with the formatting and presentation standards generally accepted by funding councils:

• Single-spaced, with no more than six lines per inch
• A minimum of 2 cm margins
• A sans-serif font (like “Arial” or other “sans” fonts), in black, 12 points, or any other comparable font – no smaller  

Information session

Information sessions about this funding opportunity will be held on:

In French: June 18, 2 p.m. on Microsoft Teams  

In English: June 18, 10:30 a.m. on Microsoft Teams 

Applicants who have not conducted CBR in the past are strongly encouraged to attend. For questions regarding this session, please contact [email protected]. 

Helping you find community partners 

Career Development and Experiential Learning (CDEL) has a team of six Partnership Specialists and Community Engagement Advisors who can help you identify community-based organizations working on the topics or with the communities that match your research expertise or interest. Feel free to contact the Community Engagement Supervisor: [email protected]

If your research is related to the partner-specific research priorities 3 or 4 (Ottawa’s Safety and Wellbeing Plan or Ottawa’s 2023-2026 Term of Council priorities), you can also contact the Career Development and Experiential Learning team for help in matching with community-based organizations that have partnered with the City of Ottawa to work on those priorities. Please contact [email protected].

If your research is related to the interconnected brain and heart health priority, and you have questions about membership or community partners, contact [email protected]

If you want to connect with the Pop-up Lab on Housing and Homelessness at uOttawa or the Alex Trebek Forum for Dialogue, please contact the Office for Public Policy Research and Outreach (OPPRO): [email protected]  

The budget section should describe the entire budget, including the faculty contributions, if any, for the duration of the award. While not a formal requirement, Faculties are encouraged to match the funds received from this grant.

The budget is expected to follow community-based research principles; therefore, appropriate financial support to the community-based partners and people with living and lived experience should be reflected in the budget.  

Eligible expenses must be direct costs of research, in particular partnership development, or research activities. Please review the uOttawa Guide on the Management of Research Expenditures (which complies with the Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration).  

Budget justification

The justification must briefly state:

1. the need for the CBR funds relative to other funding available. You must disclose all sources of funding the project has received, describe how these funds are used and how the requested funds supplement other funding, and why are they needed.
2. how the costs were established for each item in the budget (i.e. collective agreement rates; community-member stipends).
3. how the funds contribute towards the direct costs of the CBR project, and the engagement of equity-deserving or marginalized groups.

Examples of eligible expenses

• Honoraria or compensation for community participants
• Reimbursement to the community-based organization for costs incurred in compensating individuals for time spent on the grant activities
• Expenses related to accessibility
• Expenses related to traditional Indigenous practices or contexts (i.e., ceremonies, gifts, protocols for Elders and Knowledge Keepers, Indigenous research methods, honoraria for community members)
• Materials, fees and supplies for research activities, including community engagement
• Research-related travel for the co-principal community applicant (CPCA), trainees or community members
• Research assistant or student salaries  
• Trainee placements or training to learn about community-based research
• Other direct research or research planning costs incurred by community partners (i.e.: hospitality, providing devices to allow engagement) 

All anticipated expenses must be specified and justified in the budget.  

Examples of non-eligible expenses

• Professional or consulting fees to the grantee or other academic team members
• Administrative fees, standard monthly connection or rental costs of telephones, connection or installation of lines (telephone or other links), voice mail
• Education costs: thesis preparation, tuition and course fees, thesis examination/defence fees
• Cell phones, Blackberry devices, and/or personal digital assistant devices
• Library acquisitions, computer and other services already provided by the University
• Cost of alcohol
• Expenses related to the buy-out of a company
• Internal uOttawa training and/or networking activities within a research team, research centre or institute, or department
• Annual general meetings or any other activity directly related to the business meetings of an association, organization, centre or institute
• For-profit marketing activities (e.g. book launches or similar)
• Receptions for academic association members
• Any activities normally paid for through the operating fees of an organization or association 

Other expenses not included on this list will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

If your work plan and budget include a transfer of funds to your community partner, and invoicing via Workday presents a barrier, feel free to contact the Research Contracts team for support in developing an agreement with your partner: [email protected].

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. on July 31, 2026.
Send your request in a single PDF file.
Subject: CBR Grants 2026
Send your application to [email protected].

Full applications are comprised of: 

• The completed application form
• The proposal
• The budget and budget justification
• The RE Form
• The two letters of support  

Results will be sent to the uOttawa email address specified in the RE form. 

After the eligibility and relevance reviews, applications will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary selection committee whose members are appointed by the Vice President, Research and Innovation (VPRI) or delegate.

Our review process is grounded in established best practices for community-based research. The evaluation of proposals involves both academic and community reviewers with community-based research expertise. This dual perspective ensures that proposals are assessed for scientific quality and feasibility, as well for their meaningful engagement with communities and potential for real-world impact (Coombe et al., 2023; Levkoe et al., 2019). 

The decisions of the committee are final. Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria: 

1. Quality and relevance of the proposal and rigour of the process (50%)
2. EDI and participatory approach (30%)
3. Expected outputs and potential impact (20%) 

Stream 1 (Planning grant):  

1. Quality and relevance of the proposal and rigour of the process (50%)

• Relevance of the proposal in relation to the problem/context and to the values and principles of community-based research (examples of CBR values and principles)
• Rigour and soundness of the proposed planning activities  
• Overall quality and clarity of the proposal’s goals and objectives
• Relevance and appropriateness of the partnership with the community-based organization  
• Feasibility of implementing the activities according to budget and within the grant’s timeline

2. EDI and participatory approach (30%)  

• Meaningful, respectful and equitable engagement of Indigenous and marginalized groups, including fair compensation for their participation
• Meaningful engagement of partners, students and trainees
• Intersectional approach/GBA+ analysis
• Ability to conduct the project in a way that is accessible for the Indigenous or marginalized groups and for the community partner
• Depth and honesty of reflection surrounding power dynamics

3. Expected outputs and potential impact (20%)

• Appropriateness of the expected outputs of the project
• Potential impact of the project for the benefit of the communities
• Potential impact of the project for the team and the University
• Relevance of the anticipated contributions to knowledge in the discipline(s) 

Stream 2 (Research support grant):

1. Quality and relevance of the proposal and rigour of the process (50%)

• Relevance of the proposal, in relation to the problem/context and to the values and principles of community-based research (examples of CBR values and principles)
• Scientific rigour of the research, including methodology used
• Soundness of other proposed activities, including partnerships strengthening and community engagement.
• Relevance and appropriateness of the partnership with the community-based organization and with the other co-researchers and knowledge users
• Feasibility of implementing the activities according to the current state of the research and the budget, and within the grant’s timeline

2. EDI and participatory approach (30%)

• Meaningful, respectful and equitable engagement of Indigenous, equity-deserving or marginalized groups, including fair compensation for their participation
• Meaningful engagement of partners, students and trainees
• Intersectional approach/GBA+ analysis
• Demonstrated ability to conduct the project in a way that is accessible for the Indigenous, equity-deserving or marginalized groups and for the community partner
• Depth and honesty of reflection surrounding power dynamics  

3. Expected outputs and potential impact (20%)

• Appropriateness of the expected outputs of the project  
• Potential impact of the project for the benefit of the communities
• Potential impact of the project for the team and the University
• Relevance of the anticipated contributions to knowledge in the discipline(s) 

OVPRI may also consider the applicant’s discipline and faculty representation, when making decisions on applications.

• Awardees must submit a final report that lists the account number and describes the results of the project to Research Management Services (RMS).
• The funds are provided for the specific activities outlined in the application and cannot be used for other activities.
• Any funds remaining on the project end date, as specified on the official Notification of Decision, will revert back to the program.  
• It is expected that any awardee who is called upon to serve on the selection committee for this grant in future will agree to do so.   
• The funds will only be released once the NPA meets all certification requirements (ethics of research with human subjects and/or stem cells, animal care, radiation safety, etc.), where applicable.  
• At the end of the funding period, the NPA and the CPCA will be required to submit a final report and/or participate in an exchange session with Research Management Services (RMS) to discuss and describe progress and share reflections on lessons learned and outcomes (impacts) of the project.  
• Recipients are expected to be available for promotional activities that showcases their work. 

Public acknowledgement of the financial support, as detailed in the decision letters, is a condition of funding.

We understand community-based research (CBR) as a participatory, emancipatory, and transformative research approach in which community, academic, and all partners equitably engage in the research process, bringing their unique expertise to respond to the needs of the community.  

According to the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR), CBR is:  

“a collaborative approach to research that equitably involves all partners in the research process and recognizes the unique strengths that each brings. CBR begins with a research topic of importance to the community with the aim of combining knowledge and action for social change […]. CBR brings researchers together with members of the community to: identify the issues; generate and/or collect, analyze and interpret the data; and decide how to use the results to inform policy, change practice and improve conditions in the community.” (CAHR Community-Based Research Program)

We situate community-based research as part of the transformative research frameworks, which according to Kara (2020) are:  

“a specific type of methodology that both acknowledge and seek the possibilities for transformation inherent in all research. These frameworks include participatory research, community-based research, feminist research, emancipatory or activist research, queer research, and asset-based research. Many of these frameworks were devised by people experiencing oppression, some of whom were further marginalized by research and researchers. The intention was to make research more equitable and ethical […].” (p.45)  

Community-based research is highly participatory and action-oriented. It seeks to focus on “communities or groups and emphasizes the full involvement of participants at every stage of the research process. The research should benefit these communities or groups as well as the researchers. The aim is to empower disempowered groups, communities and individuals.” (Kara, 2020: 46)  

The emancipatory aspect of community-based research aims to develop new ethical dimensions by questioning how research is conducted and who controls its resources” (Kara, 2020: 50). 

The government of Canada Guide on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion terminology defines a “marginalized group” as: “A group of people that is excluded from full and meaningful participation in society, typically through discrimination or other means of oppression. […] Members of a marginalized group have reduced access to resources, opportunities and services.”  

A group of people can be marginalized on the basis of factors that include, but are not limited to:  

As for “equity-deserving group”, the government of Canada Guide on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion terminology defines it as: “A group of people who, because of systemic discrimination, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to the resources and opportunities that are available to other members of society, and that are necessary for them to attain just outcomes.”

Equity-deserving groups can include, but are not limited to:  

• Indigenous persons
• Racialized persons
• Persons with disabilities
• Members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities
• Women  

Also referred to as the voluntary sector or the third sector (neither the State nor the private), community-based organizations are:

“non-profit, non-governmental, or charitable organizations that represent community needs and work to help them. CBOs may be associated with a particular area of concern or segment of the community” (Carleton University - Community First)

Some researchers have identified key characteristics of community-based organizations:

1. organized (i.e., institutionalized to some degree);
2. separate from government (i.e., in the sense that they are not run or overseen by a government agency and therefore not part of the public sector);
3. non-profit distributing;
4. self-governing; and
5. voluntary (i.e., some meaningful degree of voluntary participation in the organization’s affairs)

(Source: Wilson, Lavis & Gutta, 2012: p. 2)

We understand that this definition might not reflect Indigenous ways of community organizing. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our team to discuss.

• Canadian Institutes for Health Research, CIHR HIV/AIDS and STBBI Community-Based Research Program 
• Canadian Science Publishing. (2023, April 17). Beyond the academic: The value of non-academic peer reviewers. https://blog.cdnsciencepub.com/the-value-of-non-academic-peer-reviewers/ 
• Carleton University, Community First
• Carleton University, Centre for Studies on Poverty and Social Citizenship, Community-Based Research Toolkit
• Clark, J. K., et al. (2024). Perspectives of community members on community-based participatory research: A systematic literature review. Journal of Urban Affairs. 
• Community Based Research Centre (CBRC), CBRC's Research Principles
• Coombe, C. M., et al. (2023). Building the foundation for equitable and inclusive research: Seed grant programs to facilitate development of diverse community–academic partnerships. Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, 7(1), e2. https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2022.495
• Government of Canada, Tri-agency Guide on Financial Administration
• Government of Canada, Guide on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion terminology.
• Kara, Helen. Creative Research Methods: A Practical Guide. Second edition., Policy Press, 2020.
• Levkoe, C. Z., Schembri, V., & Wilson, A. D. (2019). Community-Academic Peer Review: Prospects for Strengthening Community-Campus Engagement and Enriching Scholarship. Engaged Scholar Journal (Print), 4(2), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.15402/esj.v4i2.61745 
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. (2025). Guidelines for the merit review of Indigenous research. https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/funding/policies-regulations-and-guidelines/guidelines-merit-review-indigenous-research.aspx 
• University of Manitoba, Engaging people with lived experiences in patient reported measurement initiatives
• University of Ottawa, Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan for Research
• University of Ottawa, Guide on the Management of Research Expenditures
• University of Ottawa, Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies
• University of Ottawa, Knowledge Mobilization Institutional Strategy
• University of Ottawa, Policy 124 - Provision for Indigenous Ceremonial Practices for Events on University Campus
• University of Ottawa, Strategic Areas of Research | Research and innovation
• University of Ottawa, uOttawa Guide to Indigenous Protocols
• Wilson, M.G., Lavis, J.N. & Guta, A. Community-based organizations in the health sector: A scoping review. Health Res Policy Sys 10, 36 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1186/1478-4505-10-36