Kids Brain Health Network-Mitacs research awards to support children with disabilities

Vancouver, BC — The Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and Mitacs launch the second year of collaborative research awards to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families across Canada. College, undergraduate, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows from all disciplines are invited to participate in the 2021 KBHN-Mitacs awards competition. The KBHN-Mitacs awards support collaborative research between KBHN, a non-academic partner, and an intern. 

The call for research proposals includes 10 internship stipends of $20,000 maximum including $5,000 contribution from KBHN, and a contribution from the participating agency or business. The required contribution from Canadian or international enterprises, municipalities, or hospitals, is $7,500; a cost reduction to $3,750 is available for small-and-medium sized Canadian companies or eligible not-for-profits. 

“KBHN is delighted to collaborate for the second consecutive year with Mitacs on this important initiative to address social innovation. Last year’s internships were both timely and essential. They focused on how research could support COVID-19-related challenges for front line agencies that provide necessary services and supports to children and families. As a result, each brought expertise at a critical time that will ultimately benefit the lives of vulnerable children and their families,” says Nicky Lewis, CEO at KBHN. 

“Our collaboration with Mitacs ensures that interns focusing on neurodevelopmental research are given the opportunity to collaborate with researchers and community partners to co-create and implement research programs that will meaningfully and positively impact the lives of kids with neurodevelopmental conditions. We are excited for the next round of trainee internships and the important contribution they can make in policy, programming, and practice.” 

According to Mitacs’s CEO and Scientific Director, Dr. John Hepburn, “Mitacs is pleased to continue this important partnership with the Kids Brain Health Network to accelerate the development of research-based solutions. By mobilizing researchers to work with community-based organizations and businesses across Canada, together we are developing solutions to support children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.” 

Mitacs-KBHN accepts applications throughout the year with four adjudication deadlines: 

• November 30, 2021 
• February 28, 2022 
• June 30, 2022 
• September 30, 2022

To qualify for the joint KBHN-Mitacs funding, projects must have an emphasis on community-based services and supports for children with a neurodevelopmental disability and their families. Priority will be given to projects that directly address one or more of the following thematic areas. 

• Early screening and identification: Work with community partners and stakeholders to implement novel approaches to earlier recognition of developmental vulnerability. 
• Evidence-based interventions and treatment: Support the implementation of evidence-based interventions that target the functional needs of the child, and work with community partners to ensure that innovations are integrated effectively into policy and practice. 
• Family support: Work with community partners in identifying and providing the most effective strategies to support parents and caregivers to reduce family stress, improve communication, and access resources that help children and their families realize their full potential. 

To learn more, please connect with your local Mitacs Business Development representative.

About Kids Brain Health Network: 

• The Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) is a national research network established under the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) Program, an initiative of the Canadian government to foster partnerships between universities, industry, government, and not-for-profit organizations with the goal of mobilizing knowledge generated through research in ways that deliver socio-economic benefit to Canada. 
• As a national organization, KBHN partners with community groups, non-profit organizations, industry, parents, clinicians, health professionals, and provincial and federal governments to advance evidence-based solutions to improve outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. KBHN particularly values the voice of families and individuals with lived experience in the research that it funds, as partners in the research itself, in the review process and in mobilizing the knowledge generated. 
• For information about Kids Brain Health Network and its programs, see www.kidsbrainhealth.ca. 

About Mitacs: 

• Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions. 
• Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada along with the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.

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