Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM)

The Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) is a specialized research institute dedicated to improving the health of pregnant people, children, youth, and families. Supported by the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, CHRIM not only provides research space and infrastructure, but also administers a portfolio of internal grant and award programs that supply critical seed funding and trainee support within Manitoba’s child-health research community.

CHRIM’s funding programs are structured to cover multiple stages of the research pipeline. Operating Grants offer up to $50,000 in one-year awards (with possible extensions) to help members generate data and capacity needed to compete for major national or industry funding. Small Grants, including special streams for general pediatric residents and for research on hereditary genetic and metabolic disorders, provide more targeted support for focused projects with modest budgets.

To foster training and knowledge dissemination, CHRIM administers Travel Grants that help graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical trainees present at conferences, as well as Undergraduate Summer Studentships that support full-time research placements in the summer months. The institute also provides matching funds in partnership with organizations such as Research Manitoba, the University of Manitoba, and the ENRICH program, extending its impact across provincial and national programs.

CHRIM’s internal grants and matched funding are primarily available to Active CHRIM Members and their trainees, who must hold academic appointments in Manitoba and focus on perinatal and child health. The Grants & Awards Guide details common requirements across all programs, including ethics approvals, budget rules, reporting obligations, and conflict-of-interest safeguards.

Funds are typically administered through the University of Manitoba’s Office of Research Services, with strict rules on eligible expenses, extensions, and use of equipment. Annual and final reports are mandatory, and CHRIM may withhold or reclaim funds if reporting or compliance conditions are not met. The institute also sets clear policies on allowable costs, excluding institutional overhead while permitting expenses such as research staff support, core facility fees, specialized software, and Indigenous ceremonial and cultural offerings when directly linked to funded projects.

CHRIM’s funding activities target a wide range of stakeholders: principal investigators based in Manitoba, clinical and basic science researchers, pediatric residents, graduate students, and undergraduate trainees. By providing seed funding, small project support, travel assistance, and studentships, the institute helps build research careers, supports innovation in pediatric and perinatal health, and strengthens Manitoba’s capacity to compete successfully for larger national grants. Annual reports and “Funding Facts” documents on CHRIM’s website contribute to transparency about its programs, applicant roles, and competition timelines.

Beyond its own competitions, CHRIM collaborates with partner organizations through matching funds for studentships, fellowships, and early-career investigator awards. These include BSc Medicine and Dentistry studentships at the University of Manitoba, Research Manitoba health research programs, and the ENRICH initiative for next-generation perinatal and child health researchers. In this way, CHRIM acts as a central node in Manitoba’s child-health research ecosystem, leveraging donor support to multiply funding opportunities across institutions.