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Applying to SSHRC – How to Support an Application and Tips for Administrators

Office of the Vice-President Research & InnovationOffice of Research Services

10 May 2011

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What does SSHRC support?

•SSHRC promotes and supports university-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences

•Research vs. teaching or other university-based activities

•Public sector and not-for-profit vs. private sector activities

•No infrastructure funding

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SSHRC priority areas

–Aboriginal Research–Canadian Environmental Issues–Digital Media–Innovation, Leadership and Prosperity–Northern Communities – Towards Social and Economic Prosperity

Applications in all SS&H disciplines are encouraged.

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Eligibility to apply

•Generally, no students.

•Formal affiliation to a Canadian university required.

•University agrees by applying, to administer the grant.

•There are regulations governing what grants a researcher can hold in parallel.

•Generally, you need to have reported on existing grants before applying to the same program again.

•What about post-docs?

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Eligible expenses

•Personnel costs•Student salaries and benefits/Stipends•Non-student salaries and benefits/Stipends

•Travel and subsistence costs•Research Team – Canadian and Foreign•Student – Canadian and Foreign

•Other•Professional/Technical services•Supplies*

•Non-disposable equipment•Computer hardware•Other

•Other expenses (specify) – 3 lines

*Please see SSHRC guidelines on the ineligibility of general supplies.

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Ineligible expenses

Examples include: •Alcohol•Furniture or other infrastructure costs•General supplies•Business class airfare or other first class travel•Monthly telephone packages on university phones•iPads and iPods

•Each competition may have specific guidelines about eligible expenses. •Please see the SSHRC website for more detail.

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ORUs within an application

•Financial administration

•Workshop and conference services

•General grant administration

•Internal peer review processes

•Liaison with ORS, Research Accounting, Procurement, etc.

•Web and social media support

•Reporting to funders

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Common errors

Common errors include: •Not addressing the evaluation criteria•Using highly technical writing for a multidisciplinary committee•Budgeting for ineligible expenses•Imbalances in budget categories•Submitting poor budget justifications•Not following formatting requirements

» e.g., semicolons, font, margins•Typos and spelling mistakes•Attachments referring to more than the past 6 years•“Career interruptions” are not well justified

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Strategies for success

•Read the instructions

•Create your own on-line form as a resource

•Know your adjudication audience

•Focus writing on the reader of the application

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Strategies for success con’t

•Contact colleagues who have put applications together before

•Justify the budget, justify the budget, justify the budget

•Use the pages provided/space available

•Show benefit to Canada and Canadians where appropriate

•Have the application reviewed internally/externally by staff and faculty

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Support services for staff and applicants

•Faculty-based Research Officers

•Sr. Research Officer, Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation

•Associate Deans Research

•Associate Vice-President, Social Sciences & Humanities

•Office of Research Services–Michelle Galloro, Research Applications Coordinator –Mala Thakoor, Information Officer

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Submitting an application through York

•Office of Research Services (ORS) review available 10 working days before deadline

•Complete the application and hit “submit/complete”

•All applications must be submitted through ORS

•All applications must be accompanied by an ORS Checklist

•Due: 12noon on deadline date (Partnership Grant competition excepted)

•ORS submits the application electronically to SSHRC

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Documents and other resources

Websites:•SSHRC Website: www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca•York University Research Website: www.yorku.ca/research

Documents:Internal

–Research Costs Table–Letter of Support Form–ORS Checklist

External–Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide

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Contact

Sarah WhitakerSr. Research Officer, VPRI

sarahw@yorku.ca

Joan BroussardAssociate Director, Research Grants, ORS

joanb@yorku.ca

Michelle GalloroResearch Applications Coordinator, ORS

mgalloro@yorku.ca

Mala ThakoorInformation Officer, ORS

mthakoor@yorku.ca