GUIDELINES 2021 2022 - Lethbridge College
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GUIDELINES 2021 – 2022
Last revision: June 11, 2019 2
Table of Contents
1. Definitions ........................................................................................................................................... 3
2. CARIF Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 4
3. Eligibility.............................................................................................................................................. 6
4. CARIF Intake Cycle and Project Duration................................................................................. 6
5. Coordinating with a SSHRC Explore or SSHRC Exchange .................................................... 7
6. Application Process ......................................................................................................................... 8
CARIF Application Submission Workflow .................................................................................. 10
7. Assessment Process ....................................................................................................................... 11
8. Funding Criteria and Expense Eligibility................................................................................ 12
9. Conditions of the Award ............................................................................................................... 14
10. Assessment Criteria .................................................................................................................... 16
11. Submission Process ..................................................................................................................... 17
Appendix A - CARIF Research and Ethics Proposal Development Workflow ................ 18
Appendix B – How to Write a CARIF Budget and Budget Justification.............................. 19
The caution symbol draws your attention to important details.
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2Last revision: August 19, 2020 3
1. Definitions
According to Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), “applied research is undertaken in
order to apply new knowledge, directed primarily towards a specific practical aim or
objective. Each applied research project consists of a set of research and development
activities, is organized and managed for a specific purpose, and has its own objectives and
expected outcomes, even at the lowest level of formal activity.” (CICan Applied Research
Survey 2016-2017 Questionnaire Definitions)
Applied Research is expected to solve real-world challenges and have immediate practical
applications. It is central to Lethbridge College’s Comprehensive Institutional Plan and is a
catalyst for economic growth, sustainability and social development in the region.
Indeed, “applied research activity is strongly encouraged and supported as a means to
enhance professional development, share knowledge, and strengthen our academic
capabilities regionally, nationally, and internationally.” (Applied Research Strategic Plan
2018-2021)
At Lethbridge College, applied research is
• often focused externally and often done in collaboration with an industry partner or
organization.
• concerned with solving problems outside of the classroom and outside of pedagogy.
• focused on solving real-world problems with immediate, practical solutions.
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2. CARIF Purpose
CARIF provides funding to encourage applicants (faculty and staff) to engage in applied
research activities. The fund is designed to develop and build internal capacity by
providing funding for (a) release or backfill time for applicants, (b) student stipends and (c)
associated project costs.
Projects may involve either one or two applicants. The maximum value of
an award is $15,000, though for projects with co-applicants, a reasonable
and justified request for additional funds may be made. If a project’s budget
exceeds the maximum amount for any other reason, additional internal or
external sources of funding will be required. Additional agreements and/or
conditions may apply depending on external funding requirements and
obligations.
Project ideas might include:
• Designing and delivering a product or service demonstration and/or proof-of-
concept.
• Providing a report with conclusions and/or recommendations for solving an
industry problem.
• Assessing the commercial potential of a proposed venture.
• Providing assistance toward submitting a proposal to an external funding/granting
agency.
• Supporting the dissemination of results.
Applicants must consult with their Associate Dean / Dean / Ops Leader
before starting a CARIF application.
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Past project examples:
Applied Research Project Applied Research Project
Rob Sonnenberg Kris Hodgson
Optimizing Haskap Berry (Lonicera Caerulea L) 360-Degree Storytelling
Drying Techniques as a Value-Added Food
Product
Haskaps, also known as honeyberry, are being The overarching goal of this applied research
grown locally. The perishable and delicate study is to determine how to use 360 video to
nature of this berry requires that much of the engage various audiences in journalism. This
fruit be processed or preserved. Phoenix study is using surveys and six focus groups
Haskaps have asked for assistance in aimed at three demographics (two focus
developing value added products for the groups per demographic) – 16-29, 30-59 and
60 and over. A Digital Communications and
marketplace.
Media (DCM) student will facilitate these focus
Drying these berries in the same manner as groups after being trained to do so. Secondly, a
other fruits reduces the berry’s health – best practices guide for creators of 360-degree
promoting benefits and negatively affects dried pieces for both technical and narrative aspects
appearance. This proposal looks at factors of storytelling will be developed. Second-year
DCM students will be creating content as part
involved in drying whole berries, including
of curriculum. Instructors will document their
drying temperatures, air flow and drying times.
personal experience through journaling,
The proposed research hopes to identify reflecting student and instructor experiences
optimum drying conditions that will produce a working in this new platform. This study will
high quality, cost effective, shelf-stable product. also look at viewer engagement through the
analytics component of our website, where
360-degree content will be posted. Through
identifying what demographics engage with
360-degree content most effectively, the study
seeks to identify viewing habits to compare
mobile phone and headset use. Finally, to
identify industry future trends and plans
through a survey emailed to national print,
online and television media organizations.
Further examples of past CARIF projects are available on the CARIE Website.
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3. Eligibility
Applicants must be either full- or part-time continuing faculty or staff.
It is strongly encouraged that where possible, projects involve students in the research
process. If that is not possible, an appropriate justification must be provided in the
application.
Previous awardees who were non-compliant with the CARIF guidelines are barred from
submitting new applications. The submission of a previously successful application is
also not permitted.
4. CARIF Intake Cycle and Project Duration
A fixed submission date for applications occurs on the Wednesday following
Reading Week (the next one is February 24th, 2021) with approved projects
running from July 1st to June 30th in alignment with the College’s fiscal
year. Applicants are welcome to submit proposals at any point up to or on the
submission date.
All applications are due into CARIE by 4pm on the submission date.
Projects are one year in duration and must be completed by June 30th. For example, a
successful application submitted on February 24th, 2021 would begin on July 1st of that
same year and end by June 30th 2022. The final report for the project would be due on
or before July 31st 2022.
At the CARIF Review Panel’s discretion, projects may span 2 years if an
exceptional justification is provided and applicants commit to finding external or
internal funds to cover the entirety of the second year.
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5. Coordinating with a SSHRC Explore or SSHRC Exchange
Lethbridge College offers SSHRC Institutional Grants (SIG) for continuing faculty
members within the social sciences and humanities. These grants are used to strengthen
research excellence among faculty and foster the professional development of students.
SIG Categories:
SSHRC Explore (up to $6000) exists to seed new social science or humanities projects or to
leverage extramural funding rather than to provide ongoing support through successive
awards.
SSHRC Exchange (up to $6000) encourages applicants to
• organize small-scale knowledge mobilization activities, such as workshops and
seminars, in order to encourage collaboration and the dissemination of research
results both within and beyond the academic community.
• present at scholarly conferences and other dissemination venues that align with
SSHRC’s mandate in order to advance their careers and encourage the exchange of
ideas and research results at the national and international level.
To allow eligible CARIF applicants to leverage SSHRC funding, a call for SSHRC Explore
and SSHRC Exchange proposals will take place alongside the CARIF call.
Applicants should note that when leveraged with a CARIF, SSHRC grants
must be used for a separate or distinct component of the project.
Applicants should also note that the application and selection process
for SSHRC grants are separate from CARIF. Receiving a CARIF does not
guarantee SSHRC funding. Therefore, please ensure that your CARIF
application includes a detailed contingency plan should SSHRC funding
not be awarded.
For information on how to apply for a SSHRC Explore or SSHRC Exchange, please go to
CARIE’s SSHRC Institutional Grant webpage.
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6. Application Process
Please consult the Applied Research and Scholarship Policy as you prepare your
application.
For additional guidance see Appendix A - CARIF Research and Ethics Proposal
Development Workflow
All submissions must use the CARIF Application Form which is available from the CARIE
Website.
All submissions require applicants to provide:
• a clear project overview,
• project objective(s),
• a detailed work plan,
• a data management plan,
• required resources (e.g. students, materials, equipment) and
• an appropriate budget to complete the work.
• up to 2 potential reviewers who are subject matter experts and who have NOT been
involved in the development of the CARIF Fund application.
For an application to be considered by the CARIF Review Panel,
it must first be approved by a:
Centre Dean and Associate Dean (for Faculty) or Ops Team Leader (for Staff)
The Centre Dean and Associate Dean will ensure that the project aligns with Centre plans
and priorities. For co-applicants, the approval process is identical, however, only a single
application will be considered for assessment. For staff, the applicant’s Ops Team Leader
must approve the application.
Business Analyst (BA) or equivalent
The BA or equivalent will ensure that costs of each budget line item, along with budget
justification, are accurate. The total budget is expected to reflect the actual costs of the
project vs utilizing the entire amount available regardless of what project costs are.
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Additional considerations include:
(a) Projects involving humans, animals, biohazards and/or radioactive materials
If your project involves humans, animals, biohazards and/or radioactive materials, prior
approvals may be required. CARIE should be consulted early in the process to determine if
there are additional requirements such as Animal Care or Research Ethics Board protocols
to be considered. No research activity can begin until all required approvals are in
place.
Animal use:
If your project involves the use of animals, you must contact the Animal Care Committee
Coordinator prior to beginning your application. Information on Animal Care at Lethbridge
College, including contact information and protocol applications can be found on the
Animal Care Website.
Human subjects:
If your research involves human subjects, you must contact the Research Ethics Board
Coordinator prior to beginning your application. It is required that applicants complete the
federal Tri-Council online tutorial TCPS 2: CORE (Course on Research Ethics) before
submission of their application. CORE is an introduction to the 2nd edition of the Tri-
Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS 2). It
consists of eight modules focusing on the guidance in TCPS 2 that is applicable to all
research regardless of discipline or methodology. It is strongly encouraged that
applicants begin the online CORE tutorial at least 8 weeks prior to submission of a
CARIF application. You can register for CORE and find more information on the
Government of Canada CORE Website. More information on Research Ethics at Lethbridge
College can be found on the Research Ethics Webpage.
(b) Intellectual property
As per the Applied Research and Scholarship Policy, all Intellectual Property (IP) is owned
by Lethbridge College unless it is created by a student, in which case, the student is the sole
owner.
IP may be licensed/transferred to industry to enable commercialization through a
collaborative research agreement as per College policy.
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CARIF Application Submission Workflow
The following flow chart outlines the steps to follow when submitting a CARIF application:
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7. Assessment Process
All applications are reviewed by the College’s CARIF Review Panel that includes both fixed
members and discipline specific reviewers which vary from proposal to proposal.
Fixed Members
2 or 3 representatives from the Lethbridge College Applied Research Advisory Committee
(LCARAC).
Discipline Specific Reviewers (varies from proposal to proposal)
2 members nominated from faculty or staff who are subject matter experts and/or who
may be reviewers suggested by the applicant. These 2 members may also be external to the
College if internal experts are not available.
For proposals that involve the use of animals, Canadian Council on Animal
Care (CCAC) Guidelines stipulate that the applicant(s) MAY NOT suggest
subject matter experts as potential reviewers. In such cases, independent
subject matter experts will be chosen by the Fixed Members in consultation
with the Manager of CARIE. If the project is approved through this assessment
process, it will then be sent to the LC Animal Care Committee (ACC) for ethical
approval. Only after approval has been granted by the ACC, is the project
eligible to begin.
Administration
The Review Panel is chaired (non-voting) by the Associate Vice-President of Research and
administrative support is provided by CARIE staff.
Assessment Criteria
The Review Panel will use the evaluation criteria as described in Section 10 - Assessment
for adjudication.
Proposals that are recommended by the Review Panel, may not be
funded. Funding decisions are based on the anticipated funds available for
the upcoming fiscal year and the recommendations provided by the CARIF
Review Panel. The appropriate decision will be provided to the applicant.
Applicants whose proposals are not recommended or are recommended but
not funded, will be provided with feedback and comments from the Review
Panel. An optional follow-up meeting with CARIE will also be available.
Successful applicants may be required to adjust their project budget if there
is a reduction in overall CARIF funding between the time of decision and the
finalization of the College budget for the fiscal year.
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8. Funding Criteria and Expense Eligibility
For guidance in creating the budget and budget justification, please refer to Appendix B –
How to Write a CARIF Budget and Budget Justification.
Eligible Expenses
Release or backfill time
Applicants can use the fund to cover a course release or backfill amount in order to
complete the project. The amount specific to the applicant must be calculated and included
in the budget. Contact your BA for the cost of release time/backfill, if required for your
budget.
Backfill for faculty is based on the actual cost of the salary of the individual hired to cover
their course. A typical course release is generally around $5,500.
Staff release time is the equivalent to the time it would take for a 3 credit hour course.
Departments can contract out the work or absorb it in their internal workload.
Professional Fees
A small amount of the budget can be used for professional fees if the expertise is
specialized and critical to the success of the project.
Salaries for students or professional support
Detailed tasks and activities, period of employment, hourly rate (with benefits) must be
provided in the budget justification section for students and/or professional support (e.g.
technologists). Student labor rates generally fall between $15 and $20 per hour. If you plan
to request a higher rate, please explain why in the budget justification.
Materials and supplies
A list, including costs, of materials and supplies needed to complete the project must be
provided.
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Equipment
The applicant must first show that no existing equipment can be used to meet the needs of
the project. If not, then a list, including costs, must be provided.
Travel
Travel activities must be directly aligned with the objectives of the project. Complete
details on the purpose of trip, destination, duration, mode and cost of travel must be
provided and clearly justified. As per College policy, if conference travel is requested it
must be for the purposes of presenting rather than simply attending. The applicant
must also provide the name and link to the conference website and the conference must be
held within the period of the project. All travel must comply with College travel policies and
procedures, including pre-approval for all travel over 150km.
Ineligible expenses:
• Instructor/staff salary*
• Equipment servicing
• Membership fees
• Professional Development**
*A fee for service or ‘over contract’ honorarium is allowed for LC instructors and/or staff
who are not part of the project team. See Professional Fees (above).
** Professional Development must be directly related to the project. For example, an
applicant may need to participate in a workshop on the use of NVivo, which is a software
tool that will be used in the project for qualitative data analysis.
Any other expenses not mentioned above must be explained and justified in the budget
justification.
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9. Conditions of the Award
Successful applicants are expected to complete the research project within
one year (by June 30th).
The successful applicant must sign a CARIF Agreement and must work with CARIE and the
applicant’s BA to setup the project’s financial account. Following the acceptance of the
award, a project budget unit code will be assigned by Financial Services within a month.
Project Monitoring and Accountability
CARIE is responsible for monitoring the budget and advising the Centre Dean or Ops
Leader in conjunction with the awardee. The project’s progress will be monitored by the
Centre Dean or Ops Leader. The Dean or Ops Leader is responsible for taking any corrective
actions, which may include advising CARIE to terminate the project.
Project overruns (over-expenditure) are not permitted and unspent funds will be returned
to the master CARIF budget.
All project spending must be completed by May 31st! For example, if a piece
of equipment is needed to complete the project, the requisition must be
submitted to CARIE for approval and processing prior to May 31st to ensure
that it will arrive on campus before the end of the project on June 30th. If the
equipment is not guaranteed to arrive on campus before June 30th, the order
will be cancelled.
Please refer to Lethbridge College policies and procedures and submit all
workflows PRIOR to having any student or assistant researcher begin
work on the project. For example, if students are going to be hired for data
collection, do not have them begin work before an employment workflow has
been completed through CARIE. To begin the workflow, please complete the
Casual Research Assistant Form and submit it to CARIE.
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Deliverables
A Final Report must be submitted to both CARIE and the applicant’s Centre
Dean within one month after the award end date (by July 31st).
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10. Assessment Criteria
The following criteria and weightings will be used by the Review Panel to assess the
proposal:
Criteria Details
aligns with the definition of applied research
Quality of proposal clear rationale, objectives and deliverables
20% proposed budget is fully justified
timelines are included and feasible
research question(s) is clear
Methods appropriate theoretical and methodological approaches are used to
20% investigate the problem
chosen approaches demonstrate how stated objectives will be met.
the results contribute to the knowledge base of the field and plan for
dissemination
Innovation and Potential builds research capacity/serves as catalyst for greater impact in the field
for Future Research proof of concept or demonstration prototype
20% potential to apply for external funding e.g. NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR, NRC-
IRAP
Student involvement students actively involved as project team members
15% student’s role in project aligns with their field of studies
work plan and timetable clearly articulated
project can be completed on time and on budget
Risk assessment research activities do not pose harm to students/researchers
10% safety precautions clearly articulated
data management is clearly articulated
aligns with College’s strategic priorities
Alignment with the College aligns with College CIP
research focus area consistent with Centre’s applied research plan
10%
partner problem and/or need is clearly identified
the proposed research solves an industry/community problem
Partner Engagement relevant industry and/or community partner(s) is engaged e.g. input,
5% participation, contribution etc.
TOTAL
100%
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11. Submission Process
To review and submit your proposal, please follow the detailed instructions on the
CARIF Application Form.
For assistance with proposal development or if you have questions, please contact:
Dustin Fraser, Research Coordinator (Tel: 403-320-3202 ext. 5751)
Dave McMurray, Manager, Applied Research (Tel: 403-320-3202 ext. 5799)
17Appendix A - CARIF Research and Ethics Proposal Development Workflow The following chart outlines the steps an applicant should undertake in conjunction with the CARIF application workflow:
Appendix B – How to Write a CARIF Budget and Budget Justification Your budget tells the Review Panel how you plan to spend your grant funds. What items do you need? How much do they cost? Are they really necessary to answer the research question? Step 1: List all of your research activities Make a list of everything you plan to do and who is going to do it. Use your methodology as a guide. For example, if you are going to conduct 3 focus groups with 6 people who will receive an honorarium, write this on your list. Here are some points to consider • Do you need a thingamajig to capture data? Add it to your list. • Do you need to travel once/week for a month to collect data with a collaborator? Write it down. • Are you going to present your findings at a conference? Add it to the list. • Do you need to employ students? Write down how many students you will hire. • How much course release do you need? Your list of budget items might look like this: I will conduct 3 focus groups with 6 people. I will need 18 gift cards as an honorarium. I will drive to Medicine Hat once/week for three weeks to collect data with Dr. Sandy Smarts. I will employ two students, one for data collection and the other for data analysis. The students will work variable hours/week. I need two, 3 hour course releases – one for the fall term and one for the winter term. I will need to buy a thingamajig 3ZI plus software to analyze data and compile reports. I will be presenting a poster at the national conference of the Canadian Society of Cool College Instructors, held in Vancouver from June 10-12. Step 2: Check the rules for expense eligibility Once you have listed all your activities, check and double check what expenses are eligible. If one of your planned activities is not an eligible expense, you will have to find alternate funding for it. For example, CARIF does not fund memberships so if you need a membership to attend the conference for the Canadian Society of Cool College Instructors, you will have to contact your Dean about potential funding sources.
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Step 3: Research the cost of your activities/budget items.
The CARIF grant is limited to a maximum of $15,000, so if the cost of your activities
exceeds this amount, you will have to find cheaper alternatives, eliminate some items,
and/or scale back the scope of your project. Use a spreadsheet to plan the costs of all your
activities. A sample budget might look like this:
BUDGET ITEMS Number of items Cost per item Total cost Notes
Honorariums 18 $10/gift card $180 Tim Horton’s
for participants coffee cards
Travel to medicine 3 trips $80 $240 Car rental
Hat plus gas
Student A salary 8 hrs/week for 5 $16/hr including $640 Data
weeks benefits collection
Student B salary 5 hrs/week $16/hr including $960 Data analysis
for 12 weeks benefits
Course release 2 $4500 $9000 1 CR in fall
and 1 in
winter term
Thingamajig 1 $650 $650
Analysis software 1 $200 $200
Conference travel
-airfare 1 $450 $450
-hotel for 2 nights 1 $300 $300
-conference 1 $175 $175
registration
-meals + taxis 2 $120 $120 Two dinners
and two taxis
TOTAL $12,915
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Step 4: Write the budget justification
Now that you have identified all of your costs, you need to write a justification for
each item indicating why the costs are reasonable, rationale and necessary. For
example, ‘the thingamajig is required to capture data from the focus groups and then is
downloaded onto a laptop for analysis. The standard price in Lethbridge is $800, however
the College’s purchasing department can obtain it through their preferred vendors for
$650, including taxes and shipping. This is a standard tool for my discipline.’
A good budget justification should follow your project work plan and clearly support all of
your proposed activities. Provide through explanations for your costs so the review
committee has no confusion regarding why a particular budget item is necessary. Do not
pad your budget with expensive items because they are ‘nice to have’. If an iPhone 7 is
sufficient for your research, do not request an iPhone X.
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Step 5: Format the budget according to the grant guidelines
You now need to format your budget according to the CARIF guidelines. Note that object
codes identify the type of cost. A list of object codes can be found at myHorizon/Financial
Services/General Accounting.
Budget Item Detailed explanation Object Cost (Including
Code Taxes)
Instructor Course Release or 2 CR (1 Fall, 1 Winter) @ 50400 $11000
Staff Backfill $5500
Salaries for students and/or Student A: 8 hrs/week x 5 50620 $1600
professional support weeks x $16/hr
Student B: 5 hrs/week x 12
weeks x $16/hr
Materials and supplies Honorariums for 18 people 54071 $180
x $10 Tim’s cards
Equipment 1 thingmajig @ 650 plus 55010 $850
support software - $200
Travel to collaborate with 3 Trips to Medicine Hat @ 57060 $1285
external partners and/or to $80/trip (car rental + gas) -
disseminate research $240
Presentation at Canadian
Society for Cool College
Instructors: Air fare - $450;
Registration - $175; hotel
(two nights) - $300; 2
dinners + 2 taxis - $120
Others (please specify)
TOTAL $14,915
Congratulations! You have completed your budget! (Source)
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