Health After 2020
Our understanding of the determinants and experience of health and wellbeing has changed.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated some existing trends and put a spotlight on others. Since then, we have been supporting efforts to address the challenge of responding to the broad and ongoing effects of the pandemic. But it also created an opportunity to think differently about how we define and value health, how we understand the complex systems that foster and support health, and how we rise to the challenge of supporting equity in health across individuals, communities, and societies.
In response to this opportunity, UBC Health created Health After 2020—a program designed to support researchers to engage in interdisciplinary, cross-institutional collaborations that aim to create change in health and systems that foster and support health and build a community of UBC Health Scholars. As we progress beyond the acute post-pandemic era, UBC Health is committed to moving forward together. This commitment centres on facilitating collaborations that emphasize community engagement and putting knowledge into action. This shift enables the Health After 2020 program to create opportunities for meaningful engagement between researchers and the public by supporting collaborations that explore innovative approaches to knowledge translation rooted in community engagement.
UBC Health will support researchers to build capacity in knowledge translation through a partnership with the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit that will leverage their expertise and network. The UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit aims to accelerate and increase societal research impact. It is UBC’s hub for contributing to public dialogue, policy, practice, and arts and culture through the sharing of knowledge with communities, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. The Knowledge Exchange Unit fosters a supportive culture of knowledge exchange and builds capacity through training, resources, and tailored support to help researchers engage in meaningful collaborations, communicate research effectively, and demonstrate and celebrate the impacts of their work with and within communities.
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
UBC Health provides funding of up to $10,000 per team to support research collaborations and capacity building in knowledge translation and invited researchers at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan to submit proposals for projects that utilize creative and innovative knowledge translation methods. The 2023-24 call for proposals is now closed, and the recipients have been announced.
The objectives of Health After 2020 are to:
- Promote interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations that produce and disseminate new knowledge related to health and health equity
- Foster knowledge exchange and dialogue and build capacity in innovative knowledge translation methods
- Create opportunities for engagement between researchers and the public
As part of the Health After 2020 program, researchers have the opportunity to lead knowledge translation activities or outputs that bring university and community partners together to learn about and inform their research projects.
UBC Health Scholars
Program participants are given the title UBC Health Scholar and engage as a network of scholars to create connections, share knowledge, and develop ideas. UBC Health Scholars contribute to building an ongoing interdisciplinary research community of scholarship and mentorship and stimulating new health-oriented research collaborations. As part of this community, UBC Health Scholars inform a broader research agenda for—and advance our understanding of—health equity for individuals, communities, and societies.
Program participants will plan and deliver one knowledge translation (KT) activity or output between July 2024 and June 2025. This may be delivered as part of an enhanced dialogue session that incorporates a KT approach or an alternative format suited to the output.
Participants will also complete a mentorship session or consultation with a KT expert provided by or connected through the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit to inform their output or their integration of a training or learning component for projects led by KT experts.
| September 27, 2023 | Call for proposals opens |
| September 27 to October 27, 2023 | Applicant consultations (as needed) |
| November 15, 2023 | Deadline for proposal submissions |
| November 2023 | Adjudication of proposals |
| December 2023 | Applicants notified of decision |
| February 2024 |
Public announcement |
| July 2024 to June 2025 | Knowledge translation activities/outputs |
| August 31, 2025 | Deadline for final reporting submissions (impact survey) |
The Health After 2020 program offers funding of up to $10,000 per team to support collaborations and capacity building with partners from outside UBC. The program provides participants with a platform to disseminate and/or seek input on their collaborative research using creative and innovative knowledge translation methods.
Funds may be used for:
- Travel expenses for external collaborators or collaborators from other campuses to travel to Vancouver or the Okanagan
- Honoraria for patient and community partners
- Delivery of an innovative knowledge translation activity or output in the context of a dialogue session or another appropriate dissemination format
- Catalyzing new, extending current, or evaluating ongoing knowledge translation activities
- Knowledge translation mentoring or consultation provided by external partners as brokered by the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit
Applicants must include a budget as part of their application to the program. UBC Health will assess appropriateness and feasibility to determine allocation of program funds. In relation to travel expenses, a clear rationale should be provided for how the planned travel will advance the collaboration or the delivery of the knowledge translation activity or output. While activities related to planning or executing knowledge translation activities are permitted, those related to conducting research will not qualify for funding.
Program participants must provide a report at the end of their participation that includes financial and impact reporting. Any unused funds must be returned to UBC Health.
The 2023-24 call for proposals is now closed. RECIPIENTS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.
UBC Health is providing funding of up to $10,000 per team to support research collaborations and capacity building in knowledge translation and invites researchers at UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan to submit a proposal for projects that utilize creative and innovative knowledge translation methods.
For an application to be considered, the proposal must meet the following minimum requirements:
- The principal applicant must be a faculty member at UBC Vancouver or UBC Okanagan.
- The proposal must include the involvement of at least one scholar or collaborator from outside UBC.
- Planned activities and outputs must provide external collaborators with opportunities for leadership and/or decision-making.
- Co-applicants must come from at least one other discipline and faculty to that of the principal applicant.
- Ideally, at least one trainee will be involved.
- Proposals must include at least one team member with experience in knowledge translation or implementation science* and/or be willing to engage in mentorship or consultation with an expert identified by the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit.
*As assessed based on self-declaration of expertise or training, research and teaching focus (for faculty), publication record, and evaluation by the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit.
Applications that meet the above minimum eligibility requirements will be evaluated based on set criteria, which assess the extent to which they:
- Present a complete and clearly defined proposal that meets the application requirements
- Outline a compelling context and alignment with the program focus
- Include interdisciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration, including clear plans for public engagement and opportunities for shared leadership and decision-making for external partners
- Include knowledge translation or implementation science experience and/or commitment to engage in mentorship or consultation
- Include defined roles and opportunities to contribute for trainees
- Address equity, diversity and inclusion in the collaboration
The UBC Health Senior Leadership Team, in collaboration with the UBC Knowledge Exchange Unit, will recommend proposal selection and prioritization to the Associate Vice-President, Health, who will review the recommendations and make final decisions.
What is the intent of Health After 2020?
The intent of the Health After 2020 program is to support collaborators to think differently about how we define and value health, how we understand the complex systems that produce health, and how we support equity in health across individuals, communities, and societies as we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. The program strives to build capacity in knowledge translation by fostering collaborations that empower researchers and the public with the tools and engagement opportunities necessary to effectively translate research into practice.
Does the collaboration need to explicitly address a COVID-19 related issue?
Issues that align with the Health After 2020 program are broad and may be related to the health, social, economic, cultural, and/or environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes issues illuminated as a result of the pandemic and emerging health-related priorities that may extend beyond the immediate scope of the pandemic.
Who is eligible to apply?
Faculty members who hold a tenure-stream position at UBC, including Professors, Associate Professors, Instructors, Senior Instructors, and Professors of Teaching, are eligible to apply as the primary applicant. Those with term appointments or affiliations with UBC (including Professors, Associate Professors, Assistant Professors, Instructors, Senior Instructors, Professors of Teaching, Adjunct Professors, Clinical Faculty, Honorary and Partner Faculty, and Research Associates) are also eligible to apply, provided that they have written approval from the appropriate UBC Department Head and Dean. Written approval must be submitted alongside the application. Students and visiting scholars are not eligible to apply.
What constitutes a cross-faculty collaboration?
Collaborators should include individuals from different disciplines in different faculties at UBC or external partners from a different discipline. For example, collaborators should not be from different disciplines within the UBC Faculty of Medicine, unless the external collaborator is from a discipline not represented within this Faculty.
Can existing collaborations be accepted to the program, or must it be a new one?
Collaborations do not need to be new. The program supports both new and existing projects that may have been challenged by policies, procedures, or funding constraints. UBC Health also encourages researchers to include patient and community engagement as part of the collaboration. Collaborations that have previously received Health After 2020 funding are not eligible.
What are the definitions of knowledge translation and knowledge exchange?
Knowledge translation is defined by CIHR as a “dynamic and iterative process that includes the synthesis, dissemination, exchange, and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve health, provide more effective health services and products, and strengthen the healthcare system.”
Knowledge exchange is an element of knowledge translation that “refers to the interaction between the knowledge user and the researcher, resulting in mutual learning.” It encompasses the reciprocal exchange of knowledge and emphasizes collaboration and engagement throughout the process. Knowledge exchange includes all activities that aim to increase the impact of research evidence on policy, practice, and further research.
What types of knowledge translation activities and outputs meet the program requirements?
Applicants are encouraged to think broadly and creatively when developing their output and should not be constrained to specific formats. Outputs can be produced at any stage of the research process.
Participants will have an opportunity to consult with the Knowledge Exchange Unit and UBC Health to ensure that their planned output is responsive and fits the program objectives.
Examples of potential activities and outputs include (but are not limited to):
- Community engagement events (town hall, public forum, knowledge café, fireside chat, workshop)
- Partnerships with community organizations
- Community-based knowledge hubs (e.g., knowledge exchange networks, physical spaces or digital forums/resource hubs)
- Art-based knowledge exchange
- Implementation science and realist evaluation
- Community-based participatory research or participatory action research
- Knowledge co-creation and co-design
- Integrated knowledge translation methods
- Peer-to-peer learning exchanges
- Data visualization (e.g., data dashboards for sharing early findings, interactive tools)
- Storytelling and narrative approaches (e.g., digital storytelling, podcasts, social media campaigns)
For further examples, visit the Knowledge Exchange Unit website.
Will I have the opportunity to consult with UBC Health and the Knowledge Exchange Unit during the application process?
Applicants can request a consultation during the application period to address questions about the program and fit (subject to availability). These consultations are not intended to provide specific feedback on application content.
Does the funding cover the program’s knowledge translation mentoring or consultation support component?
Services and support provided by the Knowledge Exchange Unit do not have any associated costs. If a project requires specific support unavailable through UBC partners, the Knowledge Exchange Unit may recommend seeking services from external partners, which may involve costs. Participants may use the funding received through the Health After 2020 program to cover these costs.
What does engagement with the Knowledge Exchange Unit entail?
The ways in which project teams engage with the UBC KX Unit will depend on your project plans and your team's expertise in knowledge translation. For example, for teams who are looking to develop their knowledge translation skills and capacity, the KX Unit can provide mentorship or offer guidance on planned knowledge translation, mobilization or engagement plans. For teams who already have substantial experience and expertise in knowledge translation and engagement, the KX Unit can provide support for building capacity within your team or help identify opportunities to engage more broadly with knowledge users in the UBC community. Teams will have the opportunity to consult with the UBC Health and KX Unit teams to identify an optimal approach.
Can this funding be used in conjunction with other funding?
Yes.
Can I submit multiple applications?
Yes, but we endeavour to make this opportunity widely available and invite different collaborators to the program.
Are activities related to the collaboration able to occur throughout Canada and internationally?
Yes. Collaborations that have a provincial, national, or global impact are encouraged.
Are there a specific number of proposals that will be accepted to the program each year?
The number of projects accepted to the program will depend on the quantity and quality of applications that align with the program theme and UBC Health’s capacity to host dialogue sessions throughout the year.
What are the expectations of program participants in the delivery of the KT activity or output?
Members of the UBC Health team will be available to assist with the overall session delivery and promotions, but all session content will be the responsibility of program participants. Sessions should be framed around the intent of Health After 2020. UBC Health will provide introductory content that will connect the session to the broader program.
When will the KT activities/outputs be held?
KT activities/outputs are expected to take place between July 2024 and June 2025. On the proposal submission, applicants can indicate their preferred timing for the KT activity/output. The UBC Health team will work collaboratively with program participants to determine and distribute event dates throughout the program year.
Will the KT activities/outputs be held online or in person?
KT activities/outputs that are delivered in an event format can be held online/virtually, in-person, or as a hybrid event with both in-person and virtual elements. Any audio/visual technology needed to support activity/output must be covered by Health After 2020 or other funding and be included in the proposed budget.
When will program participants be announced?
UBC Health will notify applicants in December 2023, with a public announcement listing program participants in February 2024 UBC Health will connect with participants on an ongoing basis to discuss the collaborations and potential timing of KT activities or outputs.
Is there a specific format or template for the final report?
For the current cohort of UBC Health Scholars, an impact survey will be distributed to participants prior to the reporting deadline. Earlier cohorts will be contacted directly by the UBC Health team regarding reporting requirements.
Whom can I contact if I have questions?
Aoife Tierney, Project Coordinator, UBC Health at aoife.tierney@ubc.ca.