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Eligibility Quiz: Participatory Action Research Grants Program
Take our eligibility quiz
To help you assess whether your organization is eligible to apply to Vancouver Foundation, or whether your project is likely to be funded, just answer the questions below.
Question 1. Who are you?
A non-profit organization A for-profit business An individual
Okay, keep going!
Vancouver Foundation cannot make grants to businesses. Social Enterprises or Community Contribution Companies that are also listed as qualified donees by the Canada Revenue Agency may apply.
Vancouver Foundation cannot make grants to individuals; however, some of our partners' granting programs (such as Neighbourhood Small Grants or Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants) can. Please refer to the grants section of our website for more details.
Question 2. Are you applying as a collaboration between a community organization and a research institution?
Yes No Not Sure
Great! Please note that either the community organization or the research institution can be the applicant, as long as it's a qualified donee.
Vancouver Foundation only awards Participatory Action Research (PAR) grants to research teams that are a collaboration between community organizations and institutions with access to an ethics board (such as a university, health authority or other research-based organization). Please approach other research funders if you intend to lead the project solely.
Participatory Action Research (PAR) grants support research teams that are a collaboration between community organizations and institutions with access to an ethics board (such as a university, health authority or other research-based organization). Although the applicant organization must be a qualified donee, the partnering organization does not. Either the community organization or the research organization can be the applicant, as long as it's a qualified donee.
Question 3. Do you have an existing grant with vancouver foundation?
Yes No Not Sure
Our practice is to award only one Participatory Action Research grant to the same project team at a time; however, under certain circumstances, we may consider additional applications for different projects submitted by similar project teams, if different people are co-leading the project.
Okay, keep going!
If you're not sure whether you have an existing grant with us, then please try the Grant Search feature on our website or contact one of our Grant Administrators.
Question 4. Are you planning to submit multiple applications?
Yes No Not Sure
Our practice is to consider only one application that has the same person listed from a project co-lead at a time; however, we will review every application received. Submitting more than one research project application at the same time will not increase the likelihood that your project team receives funding.
Okay, keep going!
Our practice is to consider only one application that has the same person listed as project co-lead at a time; however, we will review every application received. Submitting more than one research project application at the same time will not increase the likelihood that your project team receives funding.
Question 5. Is your project a participatory action research project related to the social determinants of health?
Yes No Not Sure
Great, keep going!
Sorry, the Participatory Action Research Grants Program only funds projects that use a participatory methodology to research a health-related question brought forward by the community as an urgent question to answer.
Participatory Action Research Grants Program only funds projects that use a participatory methodology to research a health-related question brought forward by the community as an urgent question to answer.
If your project is trying to influence or change directly the systemic behaviours that have created the pressing health issue or that are holding that issue in place, then you may want to consider our Systems Change Grant Program instead.
If you're unsure, then please contact one of our Grant Managers.
Question 6. Will your project take place in bc?
Yes No Partially
Great, please continue!
Sorry, our grants are limited to projects that take place in BC.
Our grants are limited to projects that take place in BC. This may include:
Organizations based elsewhere in Canada that are working in BC.
Projects which cross provincial/territorial boundaries (e.g. taking place in BC and the Yukon). Note: Vancouver Foundation will only fund expenses related to the project's BC-related activities.
Question 7. when will your project take place?
It's already started Within the next 3 months In 3-6 months In 6-12 months
No worries! We will consider applications for research projects that have already begun, provided that the request does not include expenses that have been, will be, or that we feel should be covered by other funding sources. Vancouver Foundation does not provide retroactive funding, nor bridge funding to sustain research projects between grants. Submitting an application for a project that is already running will not increase the likelihood that it will be funded.
Okay, that timing might work.
If you're applying for a Convene grant, then you can submit your application at any time, and we'll have our decision back to you by the end of the following month. For example, if you submit on February 9, you'll have a response back from us by March 31.
If you're applying for a multi-year Investigate grant, then you can submit an application during either our spring or fall grant calls. It usually takes us about 5 months from the submission deadline to process applications, and so you will need to have or find funding from other sources in order to begin your research earlier than that.
Okay, that timing might work.
If you're applying for a Convene grant, then you may want to wait a bit longer until you have more information. That's because you can submit your application at any time, and we'll have our decision back to you by the end of the following month. For example, if you submit on February 9, you'll have a response back from us by March 31.
If you're applying for a multi-year Investigate grant, then you can submit an application during either our spring or fall grant calls. It usually takes us about 5 months from the submission deadline to process applications, and so you will need to have or find funding from other sources in order to begin your research earlier than that.
You'll most likely want to wait until the next granting cycle (in 6 months) before applying. That way, you'll have a clearer project plan and more partners/funders to tell us about.
Question 8. what would you like to use the funding for?
To generate ideas and then to develop a project plan for a future participatory action research project that can then be submitted to funders.
These kinds of projects are a good match for CONVENE funding through our Participatory Action Research Grants Program.
To investigate a well-articulated health-related research question, and then to share our finding with the community so that it can take action on the health issue in the future.
These kinds of research projects are a good match for INVESTIGATE funding through our Participatory Action Research Grants Program.
To fund health research that is led solely by a research institution.
These kinds of research projects are better aligned to other funding sources.
To try to influence or change directly the systemic behaviours that have created the pressing health issue or that are holding that issue in place.
These kinds of projects are a better match for funding through our Systems Change Grants Program.
To fund a program that meets the urgent, immediate needs of our constituents.
These kinds of projects are better aligned to external sources of funding, such as the direct service grants offered by many municipalities, foundations, services clubs, businesses and unions. Our grants only fund direct service if it's part of a larger project that focuses primarily on influencing the systemic behaviours that are creating the pressing issue for your constituents, or that are holding the issue in place.
To travel to and/or attend conferences, competitions, symposia, or annual events.
These kinds of requests are not eligible unless they are part of a broader participatory action research project.
To sponsor an event.
These kinds of requests are not eligible unless they are part of a broader participatory action research project.
To fund bursaries, scholarships, and/or awards.
These kinds of requests are not eligible unless they are part of a broader participatory action research project.
To fund on-going operations
These kinds of requests are not eligible.
To support our fundraising initiatives
These kinds of requests are not eligible.
To fund small capital costs (e.g. equipment, renovations)
These kinds of requests are not eligible unless they are part of a broader participatory action research project.
To fund large capital and public infrastructure projects (laboratories, clinics, health care facilities)
These kinds of requests are not eligible.
To provide emergency, bridge, or debt-retirement funding
These kinds of requests are not eligible.
To increase our reserves, such as through endowment matching grants
These kinds of requests are not eligible.
Question 9. Will your project include activities that canada revenue agency considers "political activities"?
Yes No Not Sure
No problem! Vancouver Foundation understands that non-partisan political activities, as part of a larger systems change project, can be an effective way to address pressing issues.
No worries! Vancouver Foundation understands that not all participatory action research projects require political activities.
Question 10. Will your project generate knowledge and resources that can be shared with others?
Yes No Not Sure
Fantastic! Please refer to our Open Licensing Policy for more information about our expectation for you to apply a CC BY 4.0 license to these resources.
No worries! Vancouver Foundation understands that not all participatory action research projects generate resources that can be shared. If this situation changes, then please refer to our Open Licensing Policy for more information.
Under our Open Licensing Policy, materials and resources produced grantees using Vancouver Foundation funding are expected to be licensed as openly as possible. While the default open license is CC BY 4.0, in some situations an alternate license (e.g. CC BY SA, CC BY ND, CC BY NC) is more suitable and can be considered. This may be true in cases where:
the work contains sensitive information or would put privacy of individuals at risk,
revenue generated by the work is critical to a creator's or project's financial sustainability,
the work belongs to other rights holders, or
sharing the work would contravene Indigenous traditional knowledge and culture sharing practices.
When immediate release would negatively impact the success of a project, grantees can delay licensing (e.g. after campaign is complete, or a one-year delay).
Question 11. Will your project offer living wages to salaried positions?
Yes No Not Sure
Fantastic! Vancouver Foundation supports the inclusion of living wage-based salaries through its grants.
Okay! We hope you'll consider offering living wages in the future. Please refer to our Living Wage Statement for more information.
We hope you'll consider offering living wages to all paid positions within your project. Please refer to our Living Wage Statement for more information.
Your quiz results
Thank you for taking the eligibility quiz. Our responses to the answers you provided should indicate whether your organization and your project are eligible to apply for a Participatory Action Research Grant from Vancouver Foundation.
Please note - we do not store your quiz results, and you will not need them later.
