Operating Grant:ECRs in Human Development, Child and Youth Health (2026)

(Early Career Researchers in Human Development, Child and Youth Health (2026))

Sponsor(s)

The CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH), in partnership with the CIHR Institutes of Indigenous Peoples Health (IIPH), Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), and Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD).

Program Launch Date

2026-03-18

Competition

202610EHC

Registration Deadline

Registration Deadline 2026-09-15

Application Deadline

Application Deadline 2026-10-20

Anticipated Notice of Decision

Anticipated Notice of Decision 2027-04-27

Funding Start Date

Funding Start Date 2027-04-01

Notices

Tri-agency CV

This funding opportunity uses the tri-agency CV . This narrative-style CV is more flexible and allows applicants to best highlight their wide range of outputs and expertise. The tri-agency CV allows applicants to capture relevant information, describe their career trajectories in more detail, provide indicators of quality and impact, and provide context to their contributions in a narrative format to help peer reviewers assess their track record.

More information on the new CV is available on the tri-agency CV – frequently asked questions page.

As we gradually transition to the tri-agency CV, the system may continue to display references to the CCV. Please note that all participants must follow the tri-agency CV instructions as specified in the Funding Opportunity (FO) and complete and attach the tri-agency CV.

The goal of this funding opportunity is to build research capacity, generate current knowledge, and support knowledge mobilization in human development, child and youth health by funding operating grants to early career researchers .

The program will fund research across the four CIHR pillars (biomedical; clinical; health services; and social, cultural, environmental, and population health) that has the potential to have a significant impact on human development, child and youth health. Ultimately, the program aims to strengthen Canada's capacity and knowledge to respond to challenges and needs by providing important early career development support to researchers in these fields.

In alignment with IHDCYH's Strategic Plan, 2022-2026 , which outlines a commitment to "reconciliation, equity, diversity and inclusion across our activities", this funding opportunity will support applications that include fundamental principles of equity.

Research Areas In addition to supporting projects relevant to human development, child and youth health in IHDCYH's areas of focus , separate funding pools will support the following priority areas:

- Indigenous Human Development, Child and Youth Health*: In partnership with the Institute of Indigenous Peoples' Health, this funding pool will support distinctions-based research that aligns with the objectives of this funding opportunity and focuses on human development, child and youth health in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and/or communities.
- Human Development, Child and Youth Health for Equity-Denied Groups*: This funding pool will support research that aligns with the objectives of the funding opportunity and focuses on human development, child and youth health in equity-denied groups. Equity-denied groups include, but are not limited to, women/girls, persons with disabilities, racialized people and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities.
- Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction: This funding pool will support research that aligns with the objectives of this funding opportunity and focuses on child (0-12 years old) mental and brain health, in line with the INMHA's Mandate and Strategic Priorities , including on Indigenous Children and Equity-Denied Groups.
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes: This funding pool will support research that aligns with the objectives of this funding opportunity and in which the objectives and aims are determined to be largely and directly relevant to the INMD mandate .

Please note that projects focused on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) human development, child and youth health must apply to the Indigenous Human Development, Child and Youth Health pool. Projects that include Indigenous people in a broader sample of rights-holding and equity-denied groups are welcome to apply to the Human Development, Child and Youth Health for Equity-Denied Groups pool, or any other pool as appropriate.

Other Considerations

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

CIHR is committed to promoting the inclusion and advancement of those who have been historically excluded from science as one of the means to enhance excellence in research, training and knowledge mobilization. This means recognizing and reducing systemic barriers, mitigating biases, as well as including and benefiting from the full pool of talented researchers and trainees. CIHR's position on equity,



diversity and inclusion (EDI) is available in the Tri Agency Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion .

CIHR recognizes that First Nations, Métis and Inuit are rights-holding as First Peoples of Canada and may not consider themselves to be part of equity-seeking groups (e.g., including but not limited to women, racialized minorities, persons with disabilities and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities). Taking a rights- and distinctions-based approach to Indigenous self-determination in research is important to reflect this position and to strengthen Indigenous health and well-being. CIHR's commitment to supporting Indigenous self-determination in health research is available in the CIHR Strategic Plan 2021–2031 and the Action Plan: Building a healthier future for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples .

Role and Contributions of Applicant Partners: CIHR recognizes that a broad range of partners may be relevant to this opportunity and it is expected that applicant(s) describe the role of all applicant partners and how/if they will contribute to research and research related activities. Any consideration of risk and/or conflict of interest should also be explained, as appropriate.

Funds Available

CIHR and partner(s) financial contributions are subject to availability of funds. Should CIHR or partner(s) funding levels not be available or decrease due to unforeseen circumstances, CIHR and partner(s) reserve the right to reduce, defer or suspend financial contributions to grants received as a result of this funding opportunity.

- The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,950,000, enough to fund approximately thirteen (13) grants. This amount may increase if additional funding partners participate. The maximum amount per grant is $50,000 per year for up to three (3) years, for a total of $150,000 per grant.
- Of this $1,950,000:
- $1,200,000 is available to fund eight (8) applications relevant to the overall purpose of the funding opportunity.
- $300,000 is available to fund two (2) applications relevant to the Indigenous Human Development, Child and Youth Health pool.
- $150,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to the Human Development, Child and Youth Health for Equity-Denied Groups pool.
- $150,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to the Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction pool.
- $150,000 is available to fund one (1) application relevant to the Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes pool.
- Applications relevant to each pool will be funded top down in order of ranking. Remaining applications in the competition will be pooled together and funded in rank order.
- If a pool is undersubscribed or lacks fundable applications, funds may be rolled into the general competition pool.

For more information on the appropriate use of funds, refer to Allowable Costs .

The specific objectives of this funding opportunity are to:

- Support early career researchers in initiating and conducting independent research in human development, child and youth health with the goal of building research capacity in this important health research area.
- Generate new knowledge that will contribute to improving human development, child and youth health outcomes, promote health equity, and increase our understanding of the challenges, needs and current gaps in this research area.
- Facilitate knowledge exchange and translation between early career researchers and other stakeholders in human development, child and youth health.

For an application to be eligible, all the requirements stated below must be met:
- The Nominated Principal Applicant (NPA) must:
- be an early career researcher affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution and/or its affiliated institutions (including hospitals, research institutes and other non-profit organizations with a mandate for health research and/or knowledge translation) and
- have at least 50% protected time for research.

- The NPA must have successfully completed one of the sex- and gender-based analysis training modules available online through the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health and submit a Certificate of Completion. Please select and complete the training module most applicable to your research project.
- For applications to be eligible for the Indigenous Human Development, Child and Youth Health pool:

- The NPA must self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) or provide evidence of having meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples, or both.




- The applicant team must include an Indigenous Elder and/or an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper identified in any role.

- For applications involving research carried out by or with Indigenous Peoples but not applying to the Indigenous Human Development, Child and Youth Health pool, at least one member of the research team in an applicant or knowledge user role (i.e. Principal Applicant, Co-applicant, Principal Knowledge User, Knowledge User) must self-identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) or provide evidence of meaningful and culturally safe involvement with Indigenous Peoples, or both.
- For applications to be eligible for the Human Development, Child and Youth Health for Equity-Denied Groups pool:

- The NPA must provide evidence of having meaningful involvement with that group.

- For applications involving research with equity-denied groups but not applying to the Human Development, Child and Youth Health for Equity-Denied Groups pool, at least one member of the research team in an applicant or knowledge user role (i.e. Principal Applicant, Co-Applicant, Principal Knowledge User, Knowledge User) must provide evidence of meaningful involvement with that group.
- Applicants may only submit one application to this competition as the NPA.

The Policy on Sensitive Technology Research and Affiliations of Concern (STRAC Policy) is applicable to this funding opportunity. Consult the Tri-agency guidance on the STRAC Policy for more information.

Applicants are advised to consult the Use of Grant Funds section of the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC) Guide on Financial Administration (TAGFA) to determine if an expenditure is an appropriate use of grant funds.

To further clarify, the following expenses are examples of appropriate uses of grant funds, provided they satisfy the principles and pertinent directives of the TAGFA:

- Costs related to the translation and preparation of information/material intended for public consumption, including for the purposes of informing and engaging partners (e.g., website content, information pamphlets, guidelines, promotional and event-related material, etc.).
- Costs related to community mobilization and engagement, including culturally relevant promotional items, such as tobacco, cloth, feasting and gift giving for honoring ceremonies, and cash reimbursements (in a method acceptable to the individual or community being reimbursed) to compensate community participation.
- Contracts and/or consultant fees for knowledge translation and communication activities for Indigenous Elders, community members, and Indigenous Knowledge Keepers involved in activities related to the Indigenous community.
- Costs associated with engaging diverse communities relevant to the research or knowledge mobilization plan (e.g., community mobilization and engagement of equity-denied communities).
- Expenses related to accessibility support(s) considered necessary for the NPA to carry out the project and engage with persons with disabilities provided the accessibility support(s) are not offered as standard provision(s)/service(s) of the employer institution to their research personnel.

Use of Personal Information

All information is shared in accordance with the Privacy Act. As per the Privacy Act, personal information means information about an identifiable individual that is recorded in any form.

- Personal information submitted during the application process, including but not limited to information provided through applicant CVs, the Tri-agency Self-identification Questionnaire and other application documents required by this funding opportunity, will be made available to select CIHR personnel with the appropriate training and security clearance and on a need-to-know basis, for the purposes of future program planning and design and evaluation and learning for organizational and program strengthening. In addition, CIHR may share de-identified, aggregated self-identification information with the sponsoring institutes and competition partners, for this purpose. For further information about the Self-identification Questionnaire and the use of personal information, see the Tri-agency Self-identification Questionnaire Frequently Asked Questions .
- The following information submitted to CIHR at the registration stage will be shared with the proposed institution paid for planning purposes: name of the NPA (and other applicants, if provided), application number, title of the proposal and requested budget.
- For this funding opportunity, some sections of the application containing information that directly or indirectly identifies the applicant(s), will be shared with some funding partner(s) and/or CIHR Institute staff, to assist with relevance review and funding decisions .
- Personal information, including related research security forms, collected as part of the implementation of the research security measures , may be shared with Canada's national security

📌 Operating Grant: ECRs in Human Development, Child and Youth Health (2026) (Canada)
🏢 Researchnet Recherchenet
📍 Canada