IRSST

Letter of Intent Writing Guide

Introduction

The letter of intent is used to submit a grant application under the Collaborative Research Grant Program. Specifically, it is used to obtain an opinion regarding the pertinence and priority of a proposed project prior to writing the detailed research protocol.

Requests for information and form

Requests for information can be submitted to the research management advisorfor the research field concerned. A copy of the letter of intent form can be downloadedfrom theIRSSTwebsite.

Investigators are encouraged to contact the research field leader and the knowledge transfer advisor for the research field concerned as soon as they begin developing the research design (

Submitting the letter of intent

If the principal investigator is affiliated with an external organization, the letter of intent and appended documents must be emailed to the research management advisorfor the research field concerned.

Principalinvestigators from the IRSSTmustemail their letter of intent and appended documents to their manager.

How to complete the form

Technical information

Use a font equivalent to 12-point Times New Roman, single-spaced, to complete the document (with the exception of tables set in 11-point Times New Roman).

Definitions

  • Principal investigator

The person who is responsible for the intellectual direction of the proposed research, assumes the administrative duties related to the grant and acts as the contact person with the IRSST. Only one person can play this role.

  • Co-investigator

A person who makes a significant contribution to the project’s direction and running. There may be more than one.

  • Collaborator

Any other person who brings specific expertise to the running of the project (another investigator, scientific professional, technician, knowledge transfer advisor, etc.).

  • Workplaces and groups concerned

The workplaces and groups that will benefit from the knowledge generated by the research: professional associations and orders; employer associations; joint sector-based associations; union associations; the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST); businesses and other organizations; educational institutions; government departments and other government bodies; the Réseau public québécois en santé au travail; etc.

  • Follow-up committee

A group that makes its field expertise available to the investigators when defining, developing and performing research and when transferring and applying results in workplaces. It is recommended that a follow-up committee be formed whenever appropriate for the planned research (action research, field research).

  • Knowledge transfer advisor

An IRSST representative who provides support to the investigators to ensure, when necessary, that the research proposals are grounded in the needs and realities of the workplaces and groups concerned. The advisor facilitates these workplaces’ and groups’ contribution to the carrying out of the research and the transfer of knowledge, in particular by forming and leading follow-up committees. Through appropriate knowledge transfer strategies and means, the advisor ensures that the knowledge obtained is accessible.

  • Financial and other partners

Government or granting organization, research centre or private company that contributes to the activity, either financially or by providing resources (personnel, equipment, etc.).

  • Research management advisor

An IRSST representative who acts as a resource person for the principal investigator from the initial development of the research project through submission of the final deliverable(s). When the principal investigator is an IRSST investigator, this responsibility is assumed by his/her manager.

  • Indirect costs of research (known by the French acronym FIR)

Conducting research activities results in many indirect costs for the institution where the research is being done. These are overhead costs common to a set of research activities. They include research space expenses and service fees. FIRs are expressed as a percentage of the direct costs of research.

The IRSST, as granting agency, agrees to cover FIRs for the projects it finances. In the case of co-financed projects, only the IRSST’scontribution to the project is taken into consideration in the calculation of FIRs paid by the Institute. Each of the other financial partners assumes its share of the FIRs. When transferring funds between institutions, as part of a grant, the grant-managing institution is responsible for transferring the amounts associated with FIRs.

FIRs must be calculated solely on direct research costs and must be requested when the grant application is initially submitted.

Summary

The project summary must be:

1)written in French using language that is simple and accessible to the general public, and

2)no longer than one page. This text will accompany the application throughout the review process.

  • File number

Each grant application has an IRSST file number. If you know it, write it in the header; otherwise, contact the research management advisorfor the research field concerned.

  • Title

The title should clearly and concisely state the purpose of the project. Avoid using company or brand names in the title. Write out any scientific symbols. The title of the activity will be used for publication purposes.

  • Investigator(s)/Organization(s)

Enter the name of the principal investigator and those of co-investigators, if applicable, followed by the name of their organization. Do not enter the name of the department.

  • Amount/Duration (in months)

First, enter the total amount of the grant requested from the IRSST. Subsequently, enter the expected monetary contribution from the financial partner(s) if applicable. Finally, enter the planned duration of the project (in months).

For example: $100,000 IRSST ($60,000 external,1$40,000 internal2)3 + $30,000 (name of the partner organization)/ 24 months.

¹external: portion of budget requested from the IRSST for the external research team, if applicable.

²internal: portion of budget requested for the IRSSTresearch team, if applicable.

³If the application is being submitted by an external team only, add “external only”between parentheses. If the application is being submitted by an IRSSTresearch team only, add“internal only” between parentheses.

  • Date written(in the page footer)

Enter the date when the document was written or updated.

SECTION 1 – General Information

  • File number

Enter the file number in the header.

  • Project title

Enter the title. It must be identical to the title in the Summary.

  • Relation to previous research

Enter the titles and numbers of any research projects and activities that are related to this application and have received funding from the IRSST (include the IRSST file number).

  • Principal investigator

Enter the name and complete contact information of the principal investigator.

  • Ethics, potential negative environmental impact of the research and follow-up committee

If the research project involvesthe participation of human subjects or a secondary use of identifiable information, tick the box provided for the purpose and ensure compliance with the IRSST’s Ethics Policy for Research Involving Humans. Note that the Institute wants to make investigators aware of the risks to health and physical integrity to which research personnel may be exposed when performing research work.

If the research is likely to have negative effects on environment, describe in annex 1 to the letter of intent form the nature of the potential adverse impacts as well as planned mitigation and monitoring measures. Indicate the permits obtained and the issuing organizations, if applicable.

If the research project anticipatesthat a follow-up committeewill be formed, tick the box provided for the purpose.

  • Planned duration (in months)

The number of months planned to completethe project, from the start date to the date on which the final deliverable (report and, if applicable, other deliverables) will be submitted to the IRSST.

  • Budgetrequested from the IRSST

-For external investigators, enter the total amount of the grant requested from the IRSST by the external research team.

-For IRSST investigators, enter the total budget requested for the internal research team.

  • Contribution from partners

Financial partners: enter the amount of the monetary contributionexpected from the financial partner(s).

Other partners: enter the dollar amount of the contribution of human and physical resourcesexpected from the other partner(s) involved in the research.

  • Date written (in the page footer)

Enter the date on which the document was written or updated.

  • List of co-investigators

Enter the name, position and affiliation of each of the co-investigators.

  • List of collaborators

Enter the name, position and affiliation of each of the collaborators.

SECTION 2 – Occupational Health and Safety Issue

Provide an overview of the issue, organized as follows:

1)relevance and significance of the subject (e.g. types of accidents, diseases or risk factors; number of workers affected; seriousness of injuries; economic sectors; costs);

2)origin of the project (needs identified by the investigator or expressed by workplaces or the OHS network and, if applicable, the steps taken with the OHS partners to define the issue);

3)originality of the project in relation to existing knowledge;

4)scope and limitations of the proposed project.

Do not exceed two pages.

SECTION 3 – Research Project

Briefly present the research project, organized as follows:

1)the project’s objectives;

2)methodology (target population, sampling model, data collection and types of analysis);

3)project schedule;

4)anticipated results: scientific and technical contribution.

Do not exceed two pages.

SECTION 4 – Impacts, Knowledge Transfer and Application of Research Results

The IRSSTplaces high priority on the application and transfer of the results of the research it funds. Describe the results application and knowledge transfer efforts that are planned to reach the various target audiences (scientific community, OHS network partners, workplaces, etc.), organized as follows:

1)Deliverable(s) submitted to the IRSST.

2)Knowledge transfer to the scientific community(publications, presentations, other means of dissemination).

3)When applicable to the planned research, knowledge transfer to the workplaces and groupsconcerned(name the workplaces and groups concernedas well as the anticipatedstrategies and means, if known. Specify the tools they plan to develop to facilitateapplication of the research results in the workplaces concerned: guides, utilities, website, newsletter articles, and workshops.

4)Foreseeable impacts.

Note that the knowledge transfer advisorfor the research field concerned can provide support in this area. Applicants are encouraged to consult with him/her as soon as they begin preparing their letter of intent.

Do not exceed one page.

SECTION 5 – Anticipated Budget

State the anticipated budget, adhering to the rules governing eligible expenses. Round off all figures to the nearest dollar.

External Budget
  • Human resources

-Investigators’ and collaborators’ salaries are not eligible if they are already paid by their respective organizations.

-The salaries included in the budget must be determined in compliance with the respective standards of the home institutions.

-IRSST scholarship students cannot be remunerated for more than 150 hours per session.

-The IRSST authorizes the payment of allowances to students hired for a research project. The maximum amount is $13,500 per year at the master’s level, $17,600 per year at the doctoral level, and $28,500 per year at the post-doctoral level, in accordance with the federal Income Tax Act and the regulations in effect in the home institution. However, the recipients of such allowances are never considered IRSST scholarship holders.

  • Equipment purchase and leasing

-Equipment costing less than $10,000 belongs to the institution receiving the grant, unless there is a specific agreement to the contrary.

-Equipment costing more than $10,000 belongs to the IRSST, unless there is a specific agreement to the contrary.

  • Travel expenses

The travel expenses incurred by research team members during the project. Conference-related expenses must be entered as expenses related to the application, dissemination and transfer of results.

  • Other operating expenses

Provide an estimate of the operating expenses (equipment, supplies, services directly related to the proposed research project) and enter the total amount. If applicable, also enter under this heading the amounts requested for financial compensation offered to the research subjects.

  • Expenses related to the application, dissemination and transfer of results

-Only investigators’ and collaborators’ expenses are accepted; expenses incurred by members of the follow-up committee are not reimbursed by the IRSST.

-The expenses related to presentations at conventionsand symposia include registration fees and travel and living expenses. Note that the IRSST will reimburse the participation expenses of only one conference per year, for a maximum annual amount of $3,500, and only as of the second year of the project.

-The expenses incurred for meetings with the workplaces and groups concerned include the travel expenses (please specify) and living expenses of research team members for meetings away from their workplace.

-Translation and publication expenses other than for reports published by the IRSST are eligible (e.g. graphic design).

-Costs related to the production of knowledge transfer tools are eligible but must receive prior authorization from the IRSST.

  • Indirect costs of research (known by the French acronym FIR)

FIRs must be calculated solely on direct research costs and must be requested when the grant application is initially submitted. The following charges* are not eligible for the calculation of FIRs:

-travel and living expenses;

-expenses related to the application, dissemination and transfer of results;

-expenses related to human resources who are not employed and remunerated by organizations subsidized by the IRSST;

-organization of symposia, conventions and seminars;

-subcontracting contracts;

-other operating expenses (e.g. approval, issuing and monitoring of ethics certificates; support and upgrading of computer systems; support for writing grant applications, research contracts; etc.).

*This list is not exhaustive and may be subject to updates.

Internal Budget
  • Labour costs

Include the salaries of all the internal team members and the salary of the knowledge transfer advisor (in accordance with prevailing wage schedules). Exclude the time devoted to laboratory analyses and the time spent by office staff.

  • Other operating expenses

Laboratory analyses: include the cost of analyses as agreed to by the Laboratory Division.

Laboratory equipment and travel expenses: do not include these expenses unless they cannot be covered by the department’s current budget.

  • Expenses related to results application, dissemination and transfer

Include the costs for producing transfer tools, such as graphics, page layout, printing and translation. Exclude all conference-related expenses.

Contribution from partners
Contribution from financial partners (cash): enter the amount in the box provided.
  • Contribution from other partners (human and physical resources): enter the amount in the box provided.

SECTION 6 – List of Follow-up Committee Members

Enter the name and affiliation of each of the members of the follow-up committee. When completing this section, investigators are encouraged to contact the knowledge transferadvisorfor the research field concerned.

SECTION 7 – Signatures

By signing the form, the principal investigator and the representatives from his/her affiliation organization agree to comply with the provisions governing the IRSST’s search grants. Only duly signed forms will be accepted.

When the principal investigator is affiliated with an external organization, his/her signature and those of his/her program or administrative unit director and of the representative of the managing organization (Vice-President, Education and Research, or his/her representative) are mandatory.

In cases where an IRSST investigator is involved in the project as the main investigator or a co-investigator, his/her signature as well as those of his/her manager and of the Director, Research and Expertise, are mandatory.

SECTION 8 – Bibliographical References

List all the bibliographical references used for the purposes of this grant application. Do not exceed one page.

Documents to be appended

  • Thecurricula vitae of the principal investigator and co-investigators are mandatory.

Your CV must include the following headings:

a)identification and contact information;

b)university education;

c)work experience;

d)funding obtained;

e)activities and contributions (dissemination activities, knowledge transfer, presentations as aguest speaker, patents obtained, participation in organizing international conferences, othercontributions);

f)publications;

g)supervisory experience.

The information under headings e), f) and g) must be limited to the last five years.

  • Support letter(s)from the workplaces and groups concerned and describing the importance to them of the proposed project as well as their involvement in the research work and the application and transfer of the results.
  • Checklist(use the sheet attached to the form).

IRSST –Letter of Intent Writing Guide- 1 -Version: 02-2018