Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Canadian Hematology Society (CHS)

Role of Canadian Hematology Society in the Funding Ecosystem

The Canadian Hematology Society serves as a key funding organization for hematology research in Canada. Through its RK Smiley Research Grant Program, CHS provides seed funding to clinician-scientists and researchers to conduct pilot projects that are expected to lead to larger follow-up studies funded by agencies such as CIHR (Canadian Institutes of Health Research).

General Evaluation Criteria for Applications

Applications are evaluated based on the project's relevance to hematology, scientific merit, methodology, and potential to lead to larger funding applications. Preference is given to groups who will benefit maximally from the start-up grant. Applicants must be CHS members in good standing and able to hold the grant at their institution.

Transparency, Governance, and Accountability

Grant recipients must provide progress updates at the one-year mark and a comprehensive final report at the end of the two-year project period. The report must include an abstract highlighting progress, limitations faced, budget summary, knowledge transfer activities, and next steps including future funding applications.

History and Evolution of the Organization

Founded with Dr. R. Kennedy Smiley as its Founding President, CHS has been supporting hematology research since 2011 through the RK Smiley Research Grant. Dr. Smiley was also instrumental in founding the University of Ottawa's medical school.

Supported Audiences and Overall Impact

The grant targets CHS members including clinicians and scientists with projects relevant to hematology. The program has funded over 40 research projects from investigators across Canadian universities including McMaster, University of Toronto, UBC, McGill, Queen's, and others.