CIHR - Knowledge Synthesis Grant

• The maximum amount for a knowledge synthesis is $100,000 for up to one year.
• The maximum amount for a scoping review is $50,000 for up to one year.
• This funding is non-renewable.

All forms of knowledge synthesis are eligible, including systematic reviews, realist syntheses, narrative syntheses, meta-analyses and meta-syntheses, meta-ethnography. Syntheses that are intended to lead to the development of practice guidelines are also eligible. Syntheses in this funding opportunity may synthesize results from qualitative, quantitative or multi-method research. The types of knowledge than can be synthesized are broad and can include empirical as well as theoretical knowledge. All syntheses in this funding opportunity must assemble, analyse and summarize knowledge. Standard protocols, handbooks and checklists exist to guide the conduct of some syntheses, and A Guide to Knowledge Synthesis is available on CIHR's web site. Applicants are encouraged to make use of and cite these resources where appropriate.

• The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support teams of researchers and knowledge users to produce knowledge syntheses and scoping reviews that will contribute to the use of synthesized evidence in decision-making and practice.

  Knowledge syntheses are the cornerstone of knowledge translation. They transform vast libraries of scientific literature into knowledge that is reliable, relevant and readable for knowledge users. Syntheses are comprehensive and apply scientific methods to literature analysis which minimizes the risk of bias and error that may accompany single studies, so decisions are less likely to be based on insufficient or premature evidence. Syntheses are also a means to integrate the established literature with other forms of knowledge or map the state of current knowledge on a topic, revealing to knowledge users where there is or is not strong evidence to inform their decisions, and guiding researchers to new avenues for primary research.

• Applications to synthesize knowledge in any of CIHR's four themes - biomedical; clinical; health services and policy; population and public health - are eligible provided that they respond to a knowledge user identified need.

• This funding opportunity will support two types of projects: knowledge syntheses and scoping reviews.