Call for Proposals BC Diabetes Research Network
Funding Opportunity: Type 2 Diabetes Spark Innovation Challenge
Submission Deadline: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Funding Available: $25,000
Award Value: $10,000-$15,000, non-renewable
Award Term: 1 year
Application Website: https://event.fourwaves.com/t2dspark/pages
About T2D Spark Innovation Challenge:
The purpose of T2D Spark! is to provide a platform for researchers, students, health care providers and people living with or affected by type 2 diabetes to present their unique and innovative ideas for solutions or technologies and to foster collaboration and networking opportunities with industry professionals, academics and individuals with lived experience.
Our Partners:
Presented by Boehringer Ingelheim, in association with UBC, the BC Diabetes Research Network, Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management and Interior Health Authority.
The Competition:
T2D Spark aims to foster innovation in type 2 diabetes by supporting partnerships between university researchers, healthcare practitioners, industry, and/or community organizations. We will award one grand prize of $15,000 and one runner-up prize of $10,000 from teams that have an innovative idea, product, or concept in the areas of prevention, treatment, or reversal of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Funding is available for new and emerging projects to address specific challenges, barriers and or inequities among patients living with or affected by type 2 diabetes.
To apply for funding teams must complete a short online application form and submit a budget.
Teams are asked to submit a brief description (500 words, not including the list of references) of their research idea and its potential to transform our approach or thinking related to type 2 diabetes.
Successful proposals will be invited to present their proposal a community event held on September 20, 2023 at the Innovation Centre in Downtown Kelowna. The pitch event format will be similar to a CBC “Dragon’s Den” where proposals will be presented to a panel of judges. The judges will decide on the awardees.
Eligibility:
The competition is designed to encourage innovation, identify novel and disruptive ideas, foster collaboration and inspire unique approaches to T2D.
Teams must include participants from at least 2 of the following categories:
1) University Researcher;
2) Licensed Healthcare Practitioners (HCP) (e.g., physician, pharmacist, nurse, registered dietitian, etc.);
3) Private Industry/Technology;
4) Community Organization (e.g., not-for-profit, registered charity); and/or
5) Individuals living with or affected by type 2 diabetes.
For example, your team could include a UBC or UBCO Researcher and a local physician (2 categories) or your team could include a local physician, industry partner, and researcher (3 categories) or your team could include at least one person from all 4 categories.
Teams are encouraged to include persons with lived experience (PWLE). This is not an explicit requirement. One team member must be designated as the team lead/principal applicant responsible for communication, administration of funding, and reporting.
At least one of the awards will be given to a team led by a UBC Okanagan researcher that involves an innovation that is of direct relevance to the local (Interior Health Authority) region.
Funding Proposal:
Proposal should include: Team Lead and Names of team members, Title/Position, Category (Researcher, HCP, Industry, Community Organization, PWLE, checkbox), Contact Info – up to 10.
Location of Innovation (City where innovation or majority of work will take place):
Brief Description of Innovation – What is it? Who is involved? Who is the target audience/user? Why is it innovative? (500 words)
Outcomes/Deliverables:
List up to 3 outcomes/deliverables that will be achieved after 1 year.
Acknowledge that a final report will be submitted within 3 months of project end date.
Submitted applications will be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel of researchers, healthcare providers, industry innovators, and persons living with T2D so please make sure it is accessible to a broad audience. Clearly articulate what you will do and why it is innovative.
Budget template:
Send an e-mail to: [email protected] to request a budget template Word document.
Judging Criteria:
Please consider the following guidelines when preparing your application:
Originality (20%): The application should clearly state the originality of the idea, and demonstrate that it is not currently being researched in the lab or elsewhere.
Relevance and Feasibility (40%): The idea must demonstrate the relevance to the field of type 2 diabetes and how it has the potential to advance prevention, management, and/or improve patient outcomes.
Clarity (20%): The idea must be clear and concise, outlining the key components of the idea, its objectives, and its potential impact.
Presentation Skills (20%): The pitch should be well-organized and effectively communicated, with clear and concise language.
Online Application Link: https://event.fourwaves.com/t2dspark/submission
Proposal Submission deadline: September 6
Submit a proposal and budget as PDF documents to the website portal.