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QEII Foundation Translating Research into Care (TRIC) Healthcare Improvement Research Program

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The QEII Foundation Translating Research Into Care (TRIC) health care improvement research program supports research that will provide evidence and facilitate the translation of clinical science into improved health care policy, service delivery, and patient care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and across Nova Scotia Health. This funding program was established in 2013 with funding from the QEII Foundation.

Important dates

NEW Applications deadlines: anticipated for Fall 2023

Registration deadlines: Applicants are asked to pre-register their project idea by completing the registration form and submitting it at least four weeks before the application deadlines.

Levels of funding

Three levels of funding support are available:

  • Level 1: up to $3,000 over one year
  • Level 2: up to $30,000 over one or two years
  • Level 3: up to $60,000 over two years

Priority will be given to QEII Foundation TRIC grant applications that do one or more of the following:

  • Improve patient reported outcomes
  • Improve the safety of health care
  • Improve wait times for health care
  • Reduce the need for health care
  • Improve access for under-served populations
  • Identify and reduce unnecessary health care costs.
  • Reduce unnecessary interventions, de-adopt unnecessary tests, interventions or clinical practices that are of low value.

Eligibility

QEII Foundation TRIC grants must:

  • Lead to improved health care at the QEII or Nova Scotia Health 
  • Be co-led by a researcher and an administrator
  • Include the patient voice
  • Be able to be implemented and sustained at the health centre(s) where the research takes place
  • Funding from the QEII Foundation TRIC program will cover research costs; however, all operational costs must be absorbed by the department/unit involved and signed off by the Administrative Co-PI.

Additionally:

  • The Scientific Co-Principal Investigator must be an employee, medical staff member, or have an affiliate scientist or medical appointment at the institution where the research will take place and for the duration of the proposed project, if the application is successful.
  • It is recommended that at least one team member attend at least one QEII Foundation TRIC workshop and/or review the presentations on the website prior to submitting their application.
  • Administrative Co-Principal Investigators must possess signing authority for the relevant departmental/unit budget; authority to approve and support the implementation of a health care improvement plan; and authority to sustain a successfully implemented plan.
  • All health care improvements that require changes to be made to the Health Centre’s IT system must be approved prior to submission.

Before considering an application to the QEII Foundation TRIC Program, applicants applying for level 2 and 3 funding should be able to answer yes to the following questions about implementation and sustainability:

  • Will this research change practice?
  • Will this practice change have an impact on the health system and/or patient care?
  • Is there solid evidence for this practice change in the literature?
  • Is this practice change supported by the Administrative Co-PI?
  • Is the impact of this project likely to be sustainable over the long term?

Level 2 and 3 applications that do not meet the criteria above will not be considered for funding. 

Preparing and submitting your QEII Foundation TRIC Grant

Information about the QEII Foundation TRIC program can be found in the QEII TRIC Application Guidelines document (see Related Documents). To ensure that you’re using the most recent guidelines and application forms, please check this webpage prior to preparing your grant application. Updates are made to improve these documents after each funding competition.

How to submit your QEII Foundation TRIC Grant:

  • Please submit one PDF file to joe.halbersma@nshealth.ca
  • Large files over 5MB should use the secure email transfer service MOVEit Transfer
  • Please do not submit applications from a gmail or hotmail account as firewalls may prevent them from being delivered.
  • Please do not submit a paper copy.     
  • Incomplete or ineligible applications will not be considered.

Post-deadline notes

  • Funding notifications will be sent within two to three months after the application deadline.
  • QEII Foundation TRIC awards must be held in a Nova Scotia Health Authority research account.
  • Recipients of Level 1 grants are required to submit a final report. Recipients of Level 2 and 3 grants are required to submit an interim report and a final report. A reminder will be sent to the Scientific Co-PI’s in advance of the report deadline.