Ottawa, ON
Following the recent statement by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Genome Canada issued a response and committed to exploring mechanisms to ease the burden of the conflict and provide support to Ukrainian and other researchers impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.
In alignment with the announcement by Canada’s federal research granting agencies of a limited-time Special Response Fund for Trainees, we are now offering a complementary program—the Ukraine Research Trainee Relief Program.
This new program will initiate or maintain the support of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working on Genome Canada-funded projects who are directly impacted by the crisis in Ukraine.
Objective
To ease the burden of the conflict and provide support to Ukrainian and other researchers impacted by the crisis, this additional funding for currently funded Genome Canada projects will support trainees, defined as graduate students or postdoctoral researchers, through salaries and stipends.
Funding amounts and term
Support can be requested for a period of up to 12 months. The maximum allowable amounts are as follows, in Canadian dollars:
| Master’s level | Up to $20,000 |
| Doctoral level | Up to $25,000 |
| Postdoctoral level | Up to $45,000 |
Requested amounts must be pro-rated to reflect the expected duration of the support.
Co-funding is not required.
Application process
Applications will be accepted using a continuous intake up to December 22, 2022.
Project Leaders will be required to submit a short application form to Genome Canada through their regional Genome Centre requesting funds to initiate or maintain the employment or financial support of a new or existing trainee. In this form, the Project Leader attests that:
- the trainee will participate in research activities associated with the eligible costs of this project;
- the trainee is directly impacted* by the crisis in Ukraine;
- the trainee is not benefiting from other federal funds (e.g., tri-agency) for the same purpose; and
- the trainee’s support would end or not be possible if the requested funds were not granted.
*Direct impact is defined as:
- a trainee who was expected to return to Ukraine in 2022 but cannot because of the current crisis; or,
- a trainee who cannot continue their planned course of studies or research in Ukraine because of the crisis and is now in Canada.
To apply, eligible Project Leaders must complete the application form and have it signed by the relevant institutional representative prior to submitting it to their regional Genome Centre. The regional Genome Centre will then review and sign the form before submitting to Genome Canada. If the Project Leader has—or expects to have—more than one graduate student or postdoctoral researcher supported by this relief program, one form should be submitted for each impacted individual.
Eligibility
The applicant (the Project Leader) must hold Genome Canada funding for an active project (including the no-cost extension period, if applicable) at the time of application. Project Leaders must also maintain an active project (including the no-cost extension period) during the entire period of tenure of the supplement.
The trainee must be an individual directly impacted by the crisis in Ukraine (as defined above) but need not be a Ukrainian citizen.
Communication of decisions
Applicants will be notified of Genome Canada’s decisions within 20 business days following submission to the regional Genome Centre.
This special response fund will be in effect until the end of 2022, subject to review based on the evolving situation.
For more information, or to ask about special circumstances that are not covered by the guidelines and form provided, please contact your regional Genome Centre or Genome Canada at ukrainetrainees@genomecanada.ca.
