Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research (WLN)

Funding Programs

The Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Network (WLN) is one of ten networks across Canada funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through their Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR) Program. The WLN supports community-led health research that addresses the specific health needs of Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous communities and aims to improve the health of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. By putting funds in the hands of ICCOs (Indigenous Communities, Collectives and Organizations), we hope to support the robust research community across the Wabanaki-Labrador region.

The Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Program aims to 1) Enhance capacity for undertaking meaningful, relevant, and respectful Indigenous health research in the region; and 2) Shift the balance of power in the research relationship from academic institutions to Indigenous communities in the region. The overall goal of this funding program is to build Indigenous-led health research capacity across the Wabanaki-Labrador region. The specific objectives of this funding program are to: 

Support Indigenous communities in addressing their health research priorities.

Generate research that supports improvements to individual and community health and wellbeing.

Advance self-determination in research and research oversight.

Support research governance and data sovereignty.

Support research training within Indigenous communities.

The Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Network is generously supported by

Application Process Overview  

NEW: We have changed our application process to make it more secure for applicants.

Before the funding call deadline, all applicants must indicate their intent to apply by emailing wln@dal.ca. Please state the following:

Which WLN funding call you are applying to,
The lead applicant’s name;
The team member who is responsible for corresponding with the WLN;
Which team members should have folder permissions; and
The host institution.

Once we have your information, we will create a One Drive folder for your team’s application, and send you a link. Once your application package is complete, you may submit it to your designated One Drive Folder. The Folder will only be accessible by the WLN Manager, and your team members.

Before you submit your application: 

Attend one information webinar. The WLN will offer informational webinars that will describe the funding opportunity in detail and answer your questions about it. See individual funding calls (below) for details.

There will be three upcoming information webinars (virtual) on September 10th, 18th, and 23rd from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Atlantic. Please e-mail wln@dal.ca to receive the meeting link!

Book an Expression of Interest meeting. An Expression of Interest meeting is an opportunity to give a short presentation of your team’s research plan to the WLN Core Team. This meeting will not, in any way, affect the evaluation of your submission, but provide the WLN an opportunity to understand the needs of the research team and offer ideas to strengthen the application as needed (optional).

What to include in the application: Each funding opportunity has specific requirements that are unique to the competition. Please read instructions carefully for each funding call. The WLN core team will be available to offer support and answer questions as you prepare your application. Please contact us anytime at wln@dal.ca.

OPEN Funding Call Opportunities

2025 Indigenous Health Research Training and Travel Fund

Conditions of Funding

Successful applicants of any of the WLN funding programs must agree to the following:  

WLN Membership: To be eligible to apply for funding all members for your research team must register to become a member with the WLN. By joining the WLN you agree to receive our e-digest, email communications, and invitations to participate in WLN activities. Please register here.

Eligibility to hold WLN Funds: Funds for WLN calls can be held by a Not-for Profit Indigenous community, collaborative or organization (ICCO), so long as it has an explicit health research or Knowledge Translation mandate and is in the Wabanaki-Labrador region (NS, NB, NFLD and Labrador, and PEI). Funds can also be held by an academic institution.

Transfer of Funds: A Dalhousie University Transfer of Funds Agreement must be signed. (If you are interested in seeing a draft Dalhousie Transfer of Funds Agreement, please contact us directly at wln@dal.ca).

Reporting: You will be required to submit two kinds of reports:

A Financial Report: (Form 300) must be submitted to Dalhousie’s Finance annually by April 30th. A representative from Dalhousie Finance will reach out to the Team Lead to facilitate this process.

WLN Reports: The WLN requires a narrative research report outlining the research team’s activities and achievements over the course of the funding period. Templates will be provided to the research team.

a) a final report for a one-year research project; or

b) an annual report for each year of a multi-year project, and an end of project report. Report templates will be provided to you once you receive funding.   

Certifications: The funded research team must ensure all necessary certifications are in place for research conducted, as applicable before funds are released, for example, Human Research Ethics, Regional Research Licencing etc.

Acknowledgements: Funded teams must acknowledge the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Wabanaki-Labrador Indigenous Health Research Network (WLN) support in all verbal and written correspondence related to their project. For guidelines and CIHR policies go here.

*Note: funds cannot be released unless the community/organization has provided proof that research funds can be held. 

Use and Disclosure of Information 

The WLN may publish the names of the ICCO’s, the nominated team lead and team members as well as general award information on its website or other communication materials. For more information, please contact wln@dal.ca.

Budget Information (Use of Funds) 

Allowable Expenses (essential expenditures that would not have been incurred had the project not been undertaken) 

Salaries: (full- or part-time) based at an ICCO, as long as they do not also have a paid academic appointment at a Canadian post-secondary institution. Employees of an ICCO can receive salary from project funds as long as a Time Release Form is submitted;

Contracts and/or consultant fees: fees for training and capacity building activities for Indigenous Elders, community members, and other Traditional Knowledge Keepers involved in activities related to the project being proposed;

Venue costs: Audio/visual, translation, interpretation, space rental, catering;

Travel and accommodations: participants and travel companions (when required);

Care costs: dependent care expenses associated with dependents or nursing parents;

Communication material costs: advertising, flyers, printing, needs, etc.;

Culturally relevant items (for honouring participants and partners): These may include but are not limited to traditional medicines, sealskin, cloth, sculpture/art, feasting, and cash reimbursements;

Translation and/or interpretation services: translation of text, documents, materials, simultaneous language interpretation;

Honoraria payments to individuals as a thank you for providing time, knowledge, etc. (i.e., opening/closing prayers, speeches, sharing teachings, mentorship, etc.).

Ineligible Expenses (Costs that are not directly related to the coordination of a workshop) 

Office rental;

Monthly telephone rental;

Internet;

CIHR policy indicates that Project Leads are not permitted to use the project funds for their own salary unless they apply for an exception. Employees of an ICCO can receive salary from project funds as long as a Time Release Form is submitted.

For more information about the budget and budget justification please visit DOCs

SPORs Available to Help with your Application

In addition to WLN Staff and team members, you can reach out to Canada's Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) projects located in the Maritimes. Applicant teams that are applying to WLN funding opportunities can reach out to the Newfoundland and Labrador Support (NL SUPPORT) and the Maritime SPOR Support Unit (MSSU) to get help with aspects of research and research proposal writing. The SPORs are available to work with ICCOs to help strengthen research skills and knowledge.

Maritime SPOR Support Unit:

The MSSU is one of 11 SUPPORT Units that form part of the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR), a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) initiative that is match-funded by the provinces. The MSSU is the only SUPPORT Unit that serves more than one province, offering expertise, training, and resources to help engage people with lived experience in health research across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Request for Consult - MSSU

Newfoundland and Labrador:

NL SUPPORT is Newfoundland and Labrador’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) SUPPORT unit. NL SUPPORT provides expertise and training in research and evaluation methods that prioritize real world outcomes and the meaningful engagement of relevant lived/living experience perspectives in their design.

Please contact us at info@nlsupport.ca for support with your patient/public engagement and knowledge translation planning, or to learn about our free resources and training. Learn more at https://nlsupport.ca/.