This program provides funding of up to $20,000 per applicant for pilot projects which are one to two years in length. This program is intended to support new research initiatives in the following general areas:

1. Diabetes care delivery
2. Evaluation of diabetes education programs
3. Practical issues in diabetes management

This program is designed to encourage new academic research activities that would not usually be supported by traditional granting processes. Specifically, we invite applications from frontline diabetes health care professionals working in University of Toronto affiliated institutions or working with University of Toronto faculty. It is intended that this program will generate information directly applicable to management of individuals with diabetes. Preference will be given to projects that when completed should form the basis for submission of a grant to a provincial or national grants competition.

This funding is not to be used as bridging or emergency funding, nor is it intended to support ongoing studies.

NOTE: Individuals who intend on subsequently applying for the Canadian Diabetes Association's Grants for Applied Research in Diabetes Education, Management and Care may receive funding from the BBDC Pilot Grant program first as a way of collecting preliminary data.

Preference will be given to applicants who do not have access to other sources of funding.

• The principal applicant and all co-applicants must be full-time health care professionals working at a University of Toronto-affiliated institution or with University of Toronto faculty. (See Appendix 1 for complete list of eligible institutions.)
• Full-time staff at both fully and partially affiliated University of Toronto institutions are eligible to apply.
• Eligible applicants include: Full-time physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers, pharmacists, research associates, and others on the front line of diabetes care.
• IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS AT PARTIALLY AFFILIATED INSTITUTIONS: Full-time staff at partially affiliated institutions are eligible to apply, however, a University of Toronto Faculty member must be involved in the proposed project and must be listed as a co-applicant. The faculty member will be responsible for supervising the staff to ensure that proper research guidelines and procedures are adhered to.
• Applicant(s) must be exploring a new diabetes research direction which is unrelated to their current or past research studies.

THOSE NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY: Part-time health care professionals; clinical or research fellows; graduate students; research technicians; clinical trial coordinators; and staff at partially affiliated institutions who do not include a University of Toronto faculty member as a co-applicant.

Examples of projects that could be considered for funding:

• Assessment of the effectiveness and feasibility of implementing specific management strategies in the general diabetes population (e.g. intensive diabetes management; lipid screening; etc.)
• Evaluation of novel educational, psychosocial, and dietary approaches to diabetes management
• Evaluation of diabetes care delivery - understanding current levels of adherence to guidelines; testing new models to improve care
• Identifying social or clinical determinants of health outcomes in patients with diabetes, including barriers to accessing care
• Database or information systems development (project would require specific objectives and must include an evaluative component -- e.g. evaluate possible use as a patient management tool)
• Economic and health policy development with respect to diabetes
• Evaluation of current training programs for health professionals with respect to the adequacy of content on diabetes management

Examples of projects NOT eligible for funding:

• Basic science research
• Clinical/drug trials
• Continuing education of health professionals (e.g. course fees, registration fees, etc.)
• Operating costs of management/treatment programs
• Development of new hospital programs with no evaluative component
• Equipment, books, journals, travel, etc.
• Thesis projects of graduate students or fellows
• Ongoing research previously supported by the BBDC or other funding sources.

Applicants who are uncertain if their project would be considered eligible for funding are encouraged to contact the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre prior to submitting a letter of intent.

• Applicants are required to inform the BBDC of any related support currently held or requested from other funding sources, and to what extent, if any, such support overlaps with the submitted grant request. Should the application for the same project be successful with the BBDC as well as an external granting agency, the applicant must accept funding from the external agency.
• If the proposal involves human subjects in any way, funds will not be released to successful applicants until all the approvals for ethical considerations have been obtained by the institution's Research Ethics Review Board and forwarded to the BBDC.
• Funds will be made available to successful applicants after July 1, 2008. The project must commence and funds must be transferred to award recipients no later than September 30, 2008. Failure to initiate project and transfer funds by that time will result in funding withdrawal.
• The Banting and Best Diabetes Centre must be acknowledged in any publication(s) that arises from this funding. Failure to acknowledge the BBDC will result in future ineligibility for BBDC funding programs.

LETTER OF INTENT AND ESTIMATED BUDGET
In order to determine if proposals meet the eligibility guidelines of this funding program, we ask that interested individuals first submit a letter of intent and brief estimated budget to the BBDC. The following items must be submitted by the principal applicant by the deadline date indicated below:

1. A cover page listing the names of the principal applicant, all co-applicants, and institution(s). Include the principal applicant's mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address. Applicants from partially affiliated institutions must include the name and faculty appointment of the University of Toronto faculty member who will be supervising the project.
2. A letter of intent outlining the intended program of activity (1 page maximum. Type size must not be smaller than 12 point font).
3. An estimated budget briefly itemizing how money will be spent (1 page or less).

All 3 items above should be submitted together to the Centre by e-mail to: diabetes.bbdc@utoronto.ca . Deadline for receipt of cover page, letter of intent, and budget has been extended to: 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 30, 2007. Letters that arrive after the deadline will not be considered.

FULL APPLICATION
All letters of intent will be reviewed by the end of October and all applicants will be notified by that time. However, only those applicants meeting the eligibility guidelines outlined will be asked to submit a full application to the Banting and Best Diabetes Centre. The application must include an explanation as to how the project constitutes a new initiative in diabetes research and is not just an extension of ongoing research efforts. Full application deadline has been extended to: 4 p.m., Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Successful applicants are required to provide the BBDC with a financial report and detailed written report within three (3) months of the end of the funding period. The report must include the following:

1. A description of the project and results to date.
2. Whether or not any publications were generated as a result of this funding.
3. If so, was the BBDC's support acknowledged in the publications?
4. A copy of all manuscripts published and submitted must be attached to the written report.
5. Did the BBDC's support lead to any new grants/funding for this project?
6. If so, from which agencies was funding received from?
7. A detailed fund statement must be forwarded to the BBDC directly from the institution's grant administrator itemizing all expenses and showing the final balance.

Failure to provide either the written or financial report will result in future ineligibility for BBDC funding programs.