Current funding opportunities

• The Principal Investigator must hold a faculty appointment as an assistant professor at a Canadian university at the time the application is submitted.
• The Principal Investigator must be an early career Investigator (ECI). To account for the impact of COVID-19 on career timelines, for this competition, an ECI is defined as a researcher who has held an independent research appointment as an assistant professor for a period of 0 to 72 months at the competition deadline date (first academic appointment must be after June 24th, 2020).
• Applications will be considered for research proposals related to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or mechanism of respiratory disease for people living with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Applications deemed outside these areas will be eliminated from the competition.
• Research projects must be new and not the continuation of an existing project.
• Appropriate facilities must be available for the research. An institution and institution’s finance officer through which the funds will be administered must be identified.
• Applicants may only submit one application as a Principal Investigator per competition.
• Collaborations, particularly multi-disciplinary collaborations, are highly encouraged but must be justified.
• The Principal Investigator and collaborator(s) are not eligible if they hold or have held funding, directly or indirectly, from the tobacco, cannabis, and/or vaping industry.

Indirect costs policy

The Canadian Lung Association supports only the direct costs of research. No funding is to be used for indirect costs of research. 

The definition of indirect costs of research for the purposes of this policy is costs which cannot be directly associated with a particular research program or operating grant including costs associated with the general operation and maintenance of facilities (from laboratories to libraries), the management of the research process (from grant management to commercialization), benefits and pensions, and regulation and safety compliance (including human ethics, animal care, and environmental assessment).

Categories of expenditures

Grantees are allowed discretion in the categories of expenditures within the approved budget. Prior approval from the Canadian Lung Association should be obtained before any major changes are made in the way the grant funds are spent.

The Canadian Lung Association–funded research and training grants do not provide for institutional overheads and/or indirect costs of research or clinical care. Limitations specified in the grant notification must be respected.

Excess expenditures

Any commitments or expenditures incurred by a grantee in excess of the grant funds or beyond the term of the grant are the responsibility of the grantee. Salary approvals and other special authorizations may be given by the Canadian Lung Association subject to available funds. 

Unspent balance

Any unspent balance at the end of the grant period reverts to the Canadian Lung Association. 

Employment under grants

Guidelines for employment are the same as those that apply to CIHR within the Tri-Agency (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) Financial Administration Guide.

• Grant funds can be used to support the salaries of technicians and research assistants employed at the research institution receiving the grant. The institution’s classification of technicians for whom funds are requested must be indicated on the application. The rates of pay shall be in accordance with the salary scale of the institution. Investigators who seek funds for the employment of research assistants must describe the role of the research assistant in the research project.
• Grant funds may not be used to employ practicing clinicians who wish to participate in a research project on a part-time basis, or for payments to individuals who receive remuneration for teaching or social work.
• Individuals who are paid from grant funds are not employees of The Canadian Lung Association. 
  Employer contributions to superannuation, group insurance, and other employee benefits normally 
  available to the institution's employees may be paid by the institution on behalf of the individuals 
  employed under The Canadian Lung Association’s grants, and the cost of such contributions may be 
  charged to the appropriate grant.
• The principal investigator or collaborator(s) shall not receive remuneration from grant funds provided by The Canadian Lung Association through its Grants Programs. The regulations of the institution with 
  respect to the employment of relatives apply also to the use of grant funds for this purpose. Only under exceptional circumstances will The Canadian Lung Association approve payment to members of 
  institution staff for consultative or other services. The applicant must complete in full the section on 
  other research funds in the application, listing not only other grant funds received or applied for but also any that overlap with the current application. A budget justification and summary page of ongoing or applied-for grants must be included as part of the application.

Acknowledgements

The Canadian Lung Association must be acknowledged in any publication arising from research supported by the grant funds. Copies of abstracts, posters, and publications arising from Catalyst Grant–supported research should be sent to the Canadian Lung Association.

Location of research

Catalyst Grant funds may only be used to support research conducted in Canada.

Transfer of awards 

Grant funds are to be used at the institution named in the application. If the grantee moves to another Canadian institution, the funds may only be transferred with the written approval of the Canadian Lung Association.

Patent rights and intellectual property

The Canadian Lung Association do not claim patent rights or intellectual property rights for any invention resulting from Catalyst Grant–supported research. However, grantees and/or their institutions may seek patent protection for inventions or developments supported by Catalyst Grants. 

Grantees wishing to obtain information concerning the patents applicable to discoveries arising from their research should consult with their institution.

Promotion of competition results 

The Canadian Lung Association may release scientific abstracts and lay summaries of Catalyst Grant–supported 
research for print and other media. Awards will be posted on the Canadian Lung Association website.

Indemnification

The Canadian Lung Association, its directors, officers, and employees shall not be responsible for any claims or other matters arising from employment or any other matter occurring by reason of or arising out of the funding of the proposed research. 

Extensions

A 1-year, no cost extension may be allowed for leaves of absence for personal, family, professional, or medical reasons upon written request to research@lung.ca prior to the leave being taken. The end of the award period will be extended by 1 year from the date of the request. 

Early termination

The institution is responsible for advising the Canadian Lung Association promptly if the grantee is unable for any reason to carry out or complete the research for which the grant funds were given. Any unspent balance at the end of the grant period reverts to the Canadian Lung Association.

The proposal should focus on the hypotheses to be tested, the background, the approach, and the timeline. The application should outline methods that are critical to the proposal and avoid explaining detailed technical 
methods.

• Maximum of four (4) pages, excluding references, tables, charts, figures, and photographs, etc
• Maximum of two (2) pages of additional materials such as references, tables, charts, figures, and 
  photographs, etc. 
   

Investigators and co-applicants

Applications may be submitted by only one investigator. If the proposed research entails significant 
collaboration with other investigators, the applicant should include a signed letter of support from each 
collaborator(s). Collaborators are not required to be ECIs. 
 

Ethics approval

Ethics approval by the Principal Investigator’s institutional Ethics Committee for human or animal experimentation, and/or biological/chemical hazards, should be submitted with the application if possible. If this is not possible, ethics approval must be sent to the Canadian Lung Association with the mid-term progress report to release the second payment of the award. 

Budget justification

• Salaries and benefits: Provide names, if known, categories of employment, and proposed salaries
  including non-discretionary benefits of all personnel identified in the budget.
• Experimental animals: Include species to be used and sample size justification along with 
  calculations, if applicable. Provide a breakdown for procurement, breeding, boarding, and feeding. 
  Where possible, include a copy of the institution’s standardized costs for these tasks as they vary from 
  institution to institution.
• Materials and supplies: Provide details and justify/explain major items. Do not simply list items.
• Publication costs: A maximum of $2,000 is permitted for costs associated with publishing in a peerreviewed journal or to allow for open-access.
• Others: Provide justification/explanation for each item listed.
   

Ineligible expenditures

• Catalyst grant funds may not be used to pay fees for membership in scientific societies or for journal 
  subscriptions.
• Catalyst grant funds may not be used for travel costs unless justified in the budget for patient 
  engagement, recruitment, or sample collection.
• Catalyst grant funds may not be used to purchase equipment.
   

Other sources of financial support (if applicable)

Provide a brief explanation of any financial (not in-kind) contribution from other sources, if applicable. 

If any of the investigators on the research proposal hold financial (not in-kind) support from other sources or if they are applying for other funding, the application must describe the degree of overlap with the current application. This includes awards funded or applied for from all sources. 

It should be indicated whether the proposal is being presently funded, applied for, or renewed. 

All funding sources must be disclosed. 

Priority will be given to scientifically excellent research proposals that are not currently funded from other sources.

Progress report

The Principal Investigator must submit a progress report to the Canadian Lung Association within six (6) months of the start date of the award. Failure to submit a progress report and ethics approvals will delay payment of the second half of the award. 

Final report

The Principal Iinvestigator is required to submit a final report within 2 months of the end of the funding period. A 
final report template will be provided to the recipient. 

The report should include a description of contributions to respiratory health and impact for people living with ILD. A list of relevant publications, presentations and photograph of the principal investigator should be appended and may be used on the Canadian Lung Association’s website, social media, and/or other communications with the public. 

Financial reporting

The Financial Officer administering the award must submit a financial report upon completion of the award.

Upload a completed application form, in PDF format, and all supporting documentation via by Wednesday, June 24th 2026 at 16:00 EST. The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of the full application by email on the following business day.

• Use only the form provided.
• Use 12-point Times New Roman. Condensed type or spacing is not acceptable.
• No photo-reduction except for figures.
• Submission must be uploaded as a single PDF file (unprotected).

Before having the application signed by those authorized to do so on behalf of the institution, the applicant 
should ensure that the application is complete and includes sufficient information to permit a thorough 
assessment of the research proposal. 

Applications that do not contain all the necessary information may be withdrawn from the competition. 

The time between the closing dates for submission and the meetings of the adjudication committee does not permit consideration of late or incomplete applications.

The Canadian Lung Association assumes no responsibility to follow up with applicants who submit incomplete 
applications. The responsibility to ensure the application is complete, including all required signatures, rests with the applicant.

• Application deadline: June 24th, 2026 at 16:00 EST
• Grant review committee meeting: September 2026
• Notification of funding: By November 2026
• Funding start date: December 1st, 2026
• Progress report and ethics approval due: June 30th , 2027
• Final report due: January 30th, 2028

Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy, PhD

Manager, National Research Programs
Canadian Lung Association

emckenzie-matwiy@lung.ca

The principal investigator must hold a faculty appointment at a Canadian university at the time the application is submitted.

Applications will be considered for research proposals related to the diagnosis, treatment, and/or mechanism of respiratory disease for people living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Applications deemed outside these areas will be eliminated from the competition.

Research projects must be new and not the continuation of an existing project. 

The applicant must submit their application by completing and uploading the application form in PDF format along with all supporting documentation by April 13, 2026 at 16:00 Eastern Standard Time. 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of the full application by email on the next business day.

Guidelines

The applicant must submit their application by completing and uploading the application form in PDF format along with all supporting documentation by April 13, 2026 at 16:00 EST. 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of the full application by email on the next business day.

Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy, PhD

Manager, National Research Programs
Canadian Lung Association

emckenzie-matwiy@lung.ca

The applicant must be a respiratory health professional from a recognized clinically based discipline, such as one of the following: 

• registered nurse
• nurse practitioner
• physiotherapist
• respiratory therapist
• pharmacist
• cardio-pulmonary technologist
• polysomnographic technologist
• kinesiologist
• dietician
• occupational therapist
• social worker
• psychologist 

MDs are not eligible for Canadian Lung Association Allied Health Fellowship.

The applicant must be enrolled in a graduate (thesis-based) program at the Masters or Doctoral level during the funding period (September 2026 – August 2027). Individuals who have applied to a graduate program but have not received acceptance may apply for a Fellowship however the award will be conditional on acceptance into the program. The award supports studies in a program at specific Canadian institutions. Transfers to another institution are not normally permitted during the course of funding.

The applicant must be pursuing a research study with respiratory health as the major focus.

Individuals who currently hold and/or are being supervised by individuals holding funding from the tobacco, vaping and/or cannabis industries are not eligible.

An applicant may apply for both an Allied Health Fellowship award, Canadian Lung Association Studentship Award, or Allied Health research operating grant in the same competition providing the applicant meets the eligibility requirements of each competition.

It is anticipated that two Allied Health Research Fellowships will be funded. The Canadian Lung Association is partnering with the Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation (CAAIF) on one award where the research project is in asthma and related areas that impact respiratory health in Canada. 

If the successful applicant is a full-time student: $5,000 + equal matching from supervisor

If the successful applicant is a part-time student: $2,500 + equal matching from supervisor

Additional fellowships may be supported by external partners. The total number of additional awards are subject to the financial commitment of these agencies. The award is administered by the Canadian Lung Association.

The annual stipend for a Fellowship award is based on a 50:50 match formula between the Canadian Lung Association and the trainee’s supervisor. The matching funds can include funding from the supervisor, the host institution, and/or a research partner, including a provincial lung association. 

The applicant’s supervisor, department, host institution, and/or a partner agency is required to provide written confirmation of the remaining funding ($5,000 or $2,500) for one (1) year. 

Funds from the Canadian Lung Association will not be released until formal confirmation of matching funding is received from the trainee’s supervisor. 

Funds may not be matched by funds from tobacco, vaping, and/or cannabis industry and/or supervisors holding or having held funding, directly or indirectly from tobacco, vaping, and/or the cannabis industry.

The recipient of a Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Fellowship Award is permitted to receive funding from other sources. Please inform the Manager, National Research Programs of other amounts received as soon as you know. 

What the funds can be used for

Funds from the Allied Health Fellowship Award are a salary or living stipend and are not to be used to pay for benefits, journal subscriptions, membership fees in scientific societies, travel expenses not specified in the approved budget, or to employ technicians, graduate students or others related to the applicant. 

The Canadian Lung Association supports only the direct costs of research. No funding is to be used for indirect costs of research including but not limited to general operation and maintenance of facilities (from laboratories to libraries), the management of the research process (from grant management to commercialization), regulation and safety compliance (including human ethics, animal care and environmental assessment). 

Payments

The Financial Officer of the supervisor’s university will receive the cheque. Please include the correct name and address of the Financial Officer responsible for administering the award in the application. 

Payments will be made in two instalments in September 2026 and March 2027 (unless otherwise agreed upon).

A progress report and copy of institutional ethics approval must be submitted in February 2027 before the second instalment is paid. The report will be reviewed to determine whether sufficient progress has been made. If adequate progress has not been made, the second instalment will not be released. 

A financial statement by the Financial Officer and final report by the awardee are required at the end of the funding period. 

Refunds and reimbursement

The Canadian Lung Association reserves the right to terminate further payments and request a refund of the award in the event that the recipient fails to fulfill the conditions specified. 

The award recipient (or the institution on his/her behalf) shall, if the need arises, immediately notify the Canadian Lung Association in writing of his/her inability, for any reason, to continue in the educational program for which support was awarded. 

In the event of termination of research training and/or graduate study during the award period, the recipient must immediately notify the Canadian Lung Association in writing. Unspent funds in the fellowship account must be refunded to the Canadian Lung Association. The recipient must contact the University Financial Officer and request that the funds be reimbursed. 

Any commitments (or expenditures) incurred by an award recipient either in excess of the current training funds or beyond the term of the training award are the responsibility of the recipient. 

A 1-year, no cost extension may be allowed for leaves of absence for personal or medical reason upon written request to research@lung.ca prior to the leave being taken.

The review process

The application will be reviewed in detail by at least two reviewers. The reviewers rank the applications according to: 

• The applicant’s potential for successful program completion.
• The strength of the postgraduate program and research project.
• The applicant’s leadership and commitment to respiratory care area and professional development. 

The application that receives the highest score by the review committee and who supports the mission of the Canadian Lung Association is given funding priority. Once the review committee makes its funding recommendations, funding announcements are anticipated to be made in August. A letter of notification including rationale for the decision regarding funding is sent to all applicants via email.

It is important that all required details and documents are provided to facilitate the review process.

Evaluation criteria

Academic Achievement, Awards, Publications, Abstracts, and other KT Activities (Section 4a – 4e of the Application)

35% 

Career Aspiration (Sections 5a & 5b)

10% 

Research Proposal (Sections 6a – 6c)

30% 

Research Environment and Referee Assessment (Section 7a & 7b)

25%

Successful applicants will be highlighted on the Canadian Lung Association website under the Research section. It is understood that the name of the successful applicant, his/her field of study and some content of the lay abstract, progress and final reports to The Canadian Lung Association may be made public. 

Successful applicants are expected to facilitate knowledge translation in their field of expertise through presentations at conferences and/or workshops, including, where feasible, conferences/workshops sponsored by The Canadian Lung Association. 

Publication of the research in a peer-reviewed indexed journal is strongly encouraged. Please notify the Manager, National Research Programs of such publications. Acknowledgement of The Canadian Lung Association support is required in all publications or presentations. Copyright of all publications belongs to the author(s). However, any publications arising from the Allied Health Fellowship award are to include an acknowledgment of award received as follows: 

Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Fellowship Award

Final report

The Canadian Lung Association requires a final report upon completion of the award. A template will be provided. The report should include a description of contributions to respiratory health and the future commitment to the field. Please provide a brief summary of any course work or study carried out that relates to respiratory health, detailing results and implications. A list of relevant publications and presentations should be appended. 

A financial statement by the Financial Officer and final report by the awardee are required at the end of the funding period.

Successful applicants may be requested to complete a survey (Fellowship/Grant Funding Impact Form) three to six years following receipt of funding support. This information will be used to develop reports on the impact of The Canadian Lung Association’s National Research Program for the Canadian Lung Association’s Board of Directors and the public.

Survey

Successful applicants may be requested to complete a survey (Fellowship/Grant Funding Impact Form) three to six years following receipt of funding support. This information will be used to develop reports on the impact of the Canadian Lung Association’s National Research Program for the Canadian Lung Association’s Board of Directors and the public.

Extensions

A 1-year, no cost extension may be allowed for leaves of absence for personal or medical reason upon written request to research@lung.ca prior to the leave being taken.

Early termination

The award recipient (or the institution on his/her behalf) shall, if the need arises, immediately notify the Canadian Lung Association in writing of his/her inability, for any reason, to continue in the educational program for which support was awarded. Unspent funds in the fellowship account must be refunded to the Canadian Lung Association. The recipient must contact the University Financial Officer and request that the funds be reimbursed. 

Registration form

Application form

Referee Assessment Form

Award guidelines

Registration deadline: March 25, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Application deadline: April 8, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Start date: September 1, 2016

Progress report and ethics due: February 1, 2027

End date: August 31, 2027

Registration

Provide registration details and upload one (1) PDF copy of the abstract by March 25, 2026. The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your registration via e-mail on March 26, 2026. 

The maximum length of the abstract is 1 page, 12-point Times New Roman font, single line spacing, with 1.9cm (0.75”) margins. Changing page margins, table size, or using a condensed font will result in the application being rejected during the administrative review. 

File must be save using the format AHF_LastName_Registration.pdf. The maximum file size is 10Mb. 

Application: What to include

The electronic copy must include a completed copy of the application form with signatures and all the relevant documents (excluding Referee Forms, which will be sent in separately by the referee). Upload one (1) PDF copy of the application by April 8, 2026 at 16:00 EST. 

File must be saved using the format AHF_LastName_Application.pdf. The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your application via e-mail on April 9, 2026.

Do not use additional pages except where indicated. Keep the application as clear and concise as possible. Note that copies of your publications are not required. 

Applicants are expected to include within the body of their application, and not in the appendices, all essential information required to permit assessment of the application. Additional information, such as academic transcripts, are to be included in the appendices. 

Transcripts

• Up-to-date official transcripts or certified true copies of transcripts for all post-secondary education, including undergraduate, are required. Photographs or screenshots of web transcripts are not allowed.
• Transcripts can either be forwarded as a .PDF directly to the Canadian Lung Association or included with the application submission in the appendices. Transcripts that are sent directly from the educational institution must be sent to research@lung.ca. 

Supervisor's statement

• A completed statement from the proposed supervisor that provides an overview of the research and academic training environment. Please give details on resources, programs, technologies, etc. that will be made available to the candidate, and on specific knowledge and skills to be acquired.
• A complete copy of the supervisor’s (and co-supervisor’s, if applicable) CV using the CIHR Biosketch form or CIHR Narrative CV. Failure to comply or the submission of an incomplete CV Module will result in the application being rejected. For international investigators, an NIHbiosketch may be substituted for an Biosketch CCV. • A letter from the applicant’s supervisor, department, host institution, and/or a partner agency confirming the value and source of matching funds. 

Referees

Request only two referees to complete the Referee Assessment form. Reference letters will not be accepted. One referee will be your current supervisor. Your other referee should either be an academic referee, a recent, or current employer. Under no circumstances may a referee be a family member. 

Select your referees with care and have them represent what each knows best of your scholarly, research and clinical abilities, and pertinent personal characteristics. The completed forms are not to be included with the submission but emailed directly by the referees to the Canadian Lung Association (research@lung.ca . 

Ethics

All applications involving human or animal investigations must be accompanied by a letter of approval from the ethics committee of the university or other institution(s) where the work is to be undertaken. If the ethics approval is not available at the time of submission, it must be sent to the Canadian Lung Association as soon as possible. The second installment will not be made available until this letter of approval has been received at the Canadian Lung Association.

Other information

An explanation listing the period and reason for any interruption in pursuit of the candidate career either in or subsequent to training, if applicable. 

Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy, PhD

Manager, National Research Programs
Canadian Lung Association

emckenzie-matwiy@lung.ca

To be eligible for a Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Research Grant, the principal investigator, who is considered the principal applicant, must be: 

• a Canadian citizen, permanent Canadian resident or landed immigrant.
• a respiratory health professional from a recognized clinically based discipline (e.g., registered nurse, nurse practitioner; physiotherapist; respiratory therapist; pharmacist; cardio-pulmonary technologist; polysomnographic technologist; kinesiologist; dietician; occupational therapist; social worker; or psychologist). MDs are not eligible for Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Research Grant as a Principal Investigator.
• pursuing a patient-centred research study with respiratory health as the major focus. 

At the time of submission, and for the duration of the award, individuals who currently hold or have held and/or are being supervised by individuals holding or have held funding, directly or indirectly, from tobacco, vaping, and/or cannabis industry are not eligible.

These awards must be held at a Canadian post-secondary institution, healthcare organization, or educational institution that is authorized to administer CIHR grant and award funds,

Award value

The Allied Health Operating grant is based on a 50:50 match formula between the Canadian Lung Association and the Principal Investigator. The matching funds can include funding from active operating grants, PI’s department or institution, and/or a research partner, including a provincial lung association. 

CLA contribution: $15,000

Minimum matching funds from principal or co-investigator: $15,000

Total award value: $30,000

The PI, department head, host institution, and/or a partner agency is required to provide written confirmation of the remaining funding (minimum $15,000) for one year. Funds from the Canadian Lung Association will not be released until official confirmation of matching funding is received.

Proposed projects and funding requested for this funding opportunity should be for projects where further funding is not required for completion of the research proposed with funds necessary and sufficient for the described project. 

The Canadian Lung Association assumes no responsibility for accidents, illness, or claims arising out of studies, work, or other activities undertaken with financial support provided by the Canadian Lung Association.

What the funds can be used for

• The Canadian Lung Association supports only the direct costs of research. No funding is to be used for indirect costs of research including but not limited to general operation and maintenance of facilities (from laboratories to libraries), the management of the research process (from grant management to commercialization), regulation and safety compliance (including human ethics, animal care and environmental assessment).
• Salaries paid to research assistants and support staff will be within the acceptable salary range for that institution.
• Grantees are not permitted to receive salary support from this operating grant award.
• A maximum of $3,000 may be budgeted for knowledge translation activities.
• Any commitments (or expenditures) incurred by a grantee either in excess of the current grant funds or beyond the term of the grant are the responsibility of the grantee.
• Title to equipment purchased under a grant remains in the institution at which the grant is held but its use for research projects listed on the grantee’s application or otherwise approved by the Canadian Lung Association shall be given priority over other uses.
• At the end of the granting period, unspent funds received from the CLA must be refunded to the Canadian Lung Association. The principal investigator must contact the Institution’s Financial Officer and request that the funds be reimbursed.

Payments

• If the award is accepted, funds are disbursed by The Canadian Lung Association twice yearly. The first installment is normally paid out in September 2026. Upon receipt of a satisfactory progress report and project’s ethics approval in February 2027, the second installment is paid in March 2027. Progress and final reports will be shared with CAAIF, if the project is jointly funded by CLA and CAAIF.
• The Financial Officer at your Institution who deals with such funds will administer the award. Please include the name and address of the Financial Officer responsible for administering your award in your application.
• The Canadian Lung Association reserves the right to terminate further payments and request a refund of the award in the event that the recipient fails to fulfill the conditions specified.  

Incomplete applications or applications that do not follow guidelines for completion will not be reviewed. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submission is complete. 

Applications will be received at the Canadian Lung Association and screened by administrative personnel for completion and relevancy. Once an application has been accepted, it will then be reviewed in detail by at least two Review Committee reviewers for scientific merit.  

Given the limited funds available, the two applications that receive the highest ranking and supports the mission of the Canadian Lung Association and/or Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation (if applicable) will be recommended for funding. Therefore, it is important that all required details are provided to facilitate the review process.  

Once the review committee makes its funding recommendations, funding announcements are anticipated to be made in August. A letter of notification including rationale for the decision regarding funding is sent to all applicants via email. 

Successful applicants will be highlighted on the Canadian Lung Association website under the Research section. It is understood that the name of the successful applicant, his/her field of study and some content of the lay abstract, progress and final reports to The Canadian Lung Association and/or CAAIF (if applicable) may be made public. 

Publication of the research in a suitable, refereed professional journal, as soon as possible after completion of the study, is encouraged. Please notify the Manager, National Research Programs of such publications. Acknowledgement of The Canadian Lung Association (and CAAIF if applicable) support is required in all publications or presentations. Copyright of all publications belongs to the author(s). However, any publications arising from the Allied Health Fellowship award are to include an acknowledgment of award received as follows: 

• The Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Operating Grant OR
• The Canadian Lung Association/Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation: Allied Health Operating Grant

Successful applicants may be requested to complete a survey (Fellowship/Grant Funding Impact Form) three to six years following receipt of funding support. This information will be used to develop reports on the impact of the Canadian Lung Association’s National Research Program for the Canadian Lung Association’s Board of Directors and the public.

Note: A maximum of $3,000 may be budgeted for knowledge translation activities.

Transfers

Normally grants are awarded in support of research to be conducted in a specific Canadian institution with concurrence of the institution’s executive head. Transfers to another institution are permitted during the course of funding however you must request a transfer from the Canadian Lung Association in writing prior to doing so. The request must include an explanation of why the transfer is requested and how the transfer will affect the course of the research and information on how the proposed institution will support the continuation of the research

Extensions

A 1-year, no cost extension may be allowed for leaves of absence for personal or medical reason upon written request to research@lung.ca prior to the leave being taken.

Early termination

In the event of termination of the research prior to completion, you must immediately notify the Canadian Lung Association in writing. Project termination requires the submission of a report detailing the reason for the termination, any results to date, and expenditures. Any unexpended funds must be returned to the Canadian Lung Association.  
 

Registration form

Application form

Guidelines

Registration deadline: March 25, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Application deadline: April 8, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Start date: September 1, 2016

End date: August 31, 2027

Registration

Applicants must register by March 25, 2026 by 16:00 EDT. 

Applicants are required to provide:

•  the names of the Principal Investigator, Co-Investigators, supervisor (if applicable),
• three (3) suggested reviewers,
• the project title,
• keywords, and
• a maximum one-page abstract of your research project. 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your registration via e-mail on March 27, 2026.
 

Application

Applicants may only submit one Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Research Grant as a Principal Investigator at any one time. Fellowship applicants may apply for both a Canadian Lung Association: Allied Health Fellowship and Grant in the same competition cycle, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

Principal Applicants may not hold by funds from tobacco, vaping, and/or cannabis industry.

Complete the application form, filling in all the requested information and obtaining all required signatures. Use 12 point, Times New Roman, single-spaced, with 1.9cm (0.75”) margins.

Upload one (1) electronic copy of the application by April 8, 2026 by 16:00 EDT. The electronic copy must include a completed copy of the application form with signatures and all the relevant documents. 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your application via e-mail on April 9, 2026.

• Applicants are expected to include within the body of their application, and not in the appendices, all essential information required to permit assessment of the application. Additional information should be included in the appendices, e.g. ethics approval for clinical facilities, questionnaires, and consent forms.
• Ethics approval for the proposed study is required if the proposed work will use human/animal subjects and/or confidential records. Before release of funds occurs, evidence is required of ethical clearance by a duly constituted ethics review committee or other body associated with the institution(s) involved. The same Principal Investigator must be named on the Ethical Approval Certificate and the grant application. The only exception is in the context of a student application where the study might be a component of an approved larger study.
• All co-investigator(s) should be identified, including their professional designations in the Co-Investigator(s) section. Postgraduate students should identify thesis committee members and/or supervisors, as appropriate.
• Ensure that the budget is accurately calculated and detailed justification is provided for funds requested. If funding and/or other support covering the costs that would otherwise be required for elements of the research will be provided by another source, please identify the item/category and source within the budget section.
• Do not use additional pages except where indicated. Keep the application as clear and concise as possible. Note that copies of your publications are not required.

Study proposal

The study proposal must not exceed four pages including figures (excluding references) and should include:

• Problem statement, significance of the problem and purpose of the study;
• A review of the present state of knowledge relative to the work proposed, including references to key publications and relevant work carried out by the principal and/or co-investigator(s);
• Research objectives, questions or hypotheses;
• A description of the methods and procedures (including study design, recruitment, sampling power calculations and sample size estimates, data collection and plan for data analysis);
• Information regarding the established reliability and validity of existing instruments to be used or steps to establish reliability and validity of any instruments being developed;
• A description of ethical considerations (please include a copy of the consent form(s) in draft or final as an appendix);
• A statement of the relationship of the proposed study to the mission of the Canadian Lung Association, and the Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation if the theme of the project is related to the allergy, asthma, and immunologic disease.
• A statement of the expected contribution of the proposed study to the respiratory health field and patients;
• A description of the roles of the principal investigator, co-investigator(s) and other key personnel (e.g. research assistants); NOTE: applicants who are postgraduate students applying for funding for research related to their thesis should include the role of the thesis committee members and supervisor(s);
• A detailed timeline;
• Plans for knowledge translation and dissemination to patient communities.
• References (Separate page)
• A complete copy of the applicant(s) (and supervisor’s and co-supervisor(s), if applicable) CIHR Biosketch or Narrative style CV.
• Provide a letter confirming source and value of matching funds.
• If collaborators who will make significant contributions to the research proposed are not listed as applicants on this application, a signed statement of agreement from each collaborator must be appended; and
• Acknowledge the eligibility criteria by checking the box and signing the eligibility acknowledgement.

Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy, PhD

Manager, National Research Programs
Canadian Lung Association

emckenzie-matwiy@lung.ca

PhD Studentship

The Canadian Lung Association will contribute $10,500 towards the applicant’s annual stipend. Tuition, travel, and poster awards are not considered as other scholarships or stipends. The application must include a signed letter from the supervisor stating their research institution’s current annual minimum stipend for a PhD student and a guarantee to provide any remaining financial support if the combination of the Canadian Lung Association’s PhD studentship and the trainee’s existing scholarship(s) do not meet their institution’s published minimum. 

Applicants currently supported by other awards in excess of their institution’s minimum annual stipend for PhD students are ineligible to apply for this studentship. Applicants may not hold Tri-Council awards or other scholarships greater than or equal to their institution’s stated minimum PhD stipend concurrent with a Canadian Lung Association Studentship.  

Post-Doctoral and Clinical Fellowship

The annual stipend for a Fellowship Award is based on a 60:40 match formula between the Canadian Lung Association and the trainee’s supervisor. The matching funds can include funding from the supervisor, the host institution, and/or a research partner, including a provincial lung association. 

The Fellowship award is a stipend valued at $45,000 for applicants with a PhD or an MD but is not licensed to practice in Canada, or $55,000 for applicants with an MD licensed to practice in Canada for a maximum of one (1) year. The Canadian Lung Association will contribute either $27,000 or $33,000 (60%) respectively. The applicant’s supervisor, department, host institution, and/or a partner agency is required provide written confirmation of the remaining funding: $18,000 or $22,000 (40%) for one (1) year. Tuition, travel, and poster awards are not included as other stipends.  

If a Fellowship recipient holds other salary awards at the same time as the Canadian Lung Association Fellowship Award, the value of the Fellowship Award will be reduced commensurate with the total value of other awards during the period of overlap. Please refer to Guidelines document for more information

 Funds from the Canadian Lung Association will not be released until formal confirmation of matching funding is received from the supervisor.  

Funds may not be matched by funds from tobacco, vaping, and/or cannabis industry and/or supervisors holding or having held funding, directly or indirectly from tobacco, vaping, and/or the cannabis industry.

What the funds can be used for

Funds from the Canadian Lung Association (and any partners) are a stipend and are not to be used to pay for benefits, journal subscriptions, membership fees in scientific societies, travel expenses not specified in the approved budget, or to employ any research staff other than the award recipient.
 

The Canadian Lung Association supports only the direct costs of research. No funding is to be used for indirect costs of research including but not limited to general operation and maintenance of facilities (from laboratories to libraries), the management of the research process (from grant management to commercialization), regulation and safety compliance (including human ethics, animal care and environmental assessment).

Any commitments (or expenditures) incurred by an award recipient either in excess of the current training funds or beyond the term of the training award are the responsibility of the recipient.

The Canadian Lung Association (and any partners) assumes no responsibility for accidents, illness, or claims arising out of studies, work, or other activities undertaken with financial support provided by the Canadian Lung Association.
 

Payments

The Canadian Lung Association will provide payment in two installments. The first installment will be paid out in September 2026. Upon receipt of a satisfactory progress report in February 2027, the second installment will be paid out in March of the first year of funding. The progress report template will be provided in January 2027. The second payment is contingent upon an adequate progress demonstrated in this report. If adequate progress has not been made, the second Canadian Lung Association payment will not be released. 

A financial statement by the recipient institution’s Financial Officer and final progress report by the awardee are required at the end of the funding period.

The Financial Officer at the University will receive and administer the award funds. Include the correct name and address of the Financial Officer responsible for administering the award. The Financial Officer administering the award must submit a financial report upon completion of the award.

The Canadian Lung Association reserve the right to terminate further payments and request a refund of the award in the event that the recipient fails to fulfill the conditions specified.
 

The award is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, protected persons within the meaning of subsection 95(2) of the Immigrant and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or international students with valid study permit. These awards must be held at a Canadian institution. 

To be eligible, the applicant must meet the following criteria: 

• Pursuing a research study with respiratory health as the major focus.
• Studentship applicants should be enrolled or accepted in a graduate (thesis-based) program at the Doctoral level at a Canadian academic institution. Candidates are only eligible to apply for the Studentship award in the first three years of their PhD or MD studies. Time spent in an MSc program is not included in the eligibility calculation.
• Fellowship applicants will have completed an MD or a PhD and will be supervised during their fellowship by a faculty member at an accredited Canadian academic institution. Only under special circumstances, an applicant may pursue a fellowship in another country; however, the applicant must justify why they could not find the same kind of training in Canada and they must have plans to pursue a career in research in Canada.

To be eligible for CAAIF partnership, the application’s theme must investigate new and better treatments that improves the lives of Canadians living with asthma and immunologic diseases.

Individuals or supervisors who currently hold or have held and/or are being supervised by individuals holding or have held funding, directly or indirectly, from tobacco, vaping, and/or cannabis industry are not eligible to apply.

The review process

Applications will be received at the Canadian Lung Association and screened by administrative personnel for completion and relevancy. The Review Committee will review all applications and supporting materials for merit. All applications are reviewed by at least two reviewers. The reviewers rank the applications according to: 

1. The quality of the applicant (academic record, research experience and potential, and documented publication(s)).
2. The quality of the research project.
3. The research environment, including the supervisor.
4. The potential for the training to contribute to career development of the applicant.

The application that receives highest ranking and supports the mission of the Canadian Lung Association is given funding priority. Therefore, it is important that all required details are communicated as clearly as possible to facilitate the review process. 

Once the review committee makes its funding recommendations, funding announcements are anticipated to be made in August.  A letter of notification including rationale for the decision regarding funding is sent to all applicants and their supervisors via email.  

Evaluation criteria

Academic Achievement, Awards, Publications, Abstracts, and other KT Activities (Section 4a – 4e of the Application)

35% 

Career Aspiration (Sections 5a & 5b)

10% 

Research Proposal (Sections 6a – 6c)

30% 

Research Environment and Referee Assessment (Section 7a & 7b)

25%

The successful applicant, their field of study and some content of the lay abstract, progress or final reports to The Canadian Lung Association will be made public. Successful applicants will be highlighted in the National Funding Report posted on The Canadian Lung Association website under the Research section.

Successful applicants are expected to facilitate knowledge translation in their field of expertise through presentations at conferences and/or workshops, including, where feasible, conferences/workshops sponsored by the Canadian Lung Association.

Publication of the research in a suitable, refereed professional journal, as soon as possible after completion of the study, is encouraged. Copyright of all publications belongs to the author(s). However, in any publication or presentation arising from the Studentship or Fellowship award are to include an acknowledgment of award received as follows:
•    Canadian Lung Association: Studentship Award; or,
•    Canadian Lung Association: Fellowship Award; or,
•    Canadian Lung Association / Canadian Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Foundation: Fellowship Award

Please notify the Manager, National Research Programs of such publications.

Successful applicants may be requested to complete a survey at three (3) and six (6) years following receipt of funding support. This information will be used to develop reports on the impact of The Canadian Lung Association’s National Research Program for the Canadian Lung Association’s Board of Directors and the public.

Transfers

Normally awards support studies in a program at specific Canadian institutions with concurrence of the institution’s executive head. Transfers to another institution are not normally permitted during the course of funding.

Extensions

The award term begins September 1, 2026 and ends on August 31, 2027. Awards must start no later than December 1, 2026. A 1-year, no cost extension may be allowed for leaves of absence for personal, professional, or medical reason upon written request to research@lung.ca prior to the leave being taken.

Early termination

In the event of termination of research training and/or graduate study or change in awardee status during the award period, you must immediately notify the Canadian Lung Association in writing. Unspent funds in the award account must be refunded to the Canadian Lung Association. The recipient must contact the University Financial Officer and request that the funds be reimbursed.

Registration form

Application form

Referee assessment form

Award guidelines

Registration deadline: March 25, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Application deadline: April 8, 2026 at 16:00 EST

Start date: September 1, 2016

Registration

Applicants must register by March 25, 2026 by 16:00 EDT. 

Applicants are required to provide their name, email, the names of their supervisor(s) and referees, institution, the project title, keywords, and the registration form. 

The registration form must be saved using the format Studentship_LastName_Registration.pdf or Fellowship_LastName_Registration.pdf. 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your registration via e-mail on March 26, 2026. .

Application format

Applications must use 12-point Times New Roman font, 1.9cm (0.75”) margins, with single line spacing. Changing page margins, table size, or using a condensed font will result in the application being rejected during the administrative review. Do not use additional pages except where indicated.

All sections must be as clear and concise as possible.

File must be saved using the format Studentship_LastName_Application.pdf or Fellowship_LastName_Application.pdf. 

What to include

Transcripts

Up-to-date official transcripts or certified true copies of transcripts for all post-secondary education, including undergraduate, are required for PhD studentship applicants only. 

Photographs or screenshots of web transcripts are not allowed. 

Transcripts can either be forwarded as a .PDF directly to the Canadian Lung Association or included with the application submission in the appendices. Transcripts that are sent directly from the educational institution must be sent to research@lung.ca.  

Referee assessment forms
Referee Assessment Forms are required in place of reference letters. Reference letters will not be accepted. Request only two referees to complete the Referee Assessment form. 

One referee assessment must be from the current supervisor. The other assessment must come from a previous supervisor but who will not be involved in the applicant’s proposed research program. 

The completed forms are not to be included with the submission but emailed directly by the referees to the Canadian Lung Association (research@lung.ca).

Statement from supervisor

A completed statement from the applicant’s supervisor that provides an overview of the research and academic training environment. Please give details on resources, technologies, supervisory and training opportunities that will be made available to the candidate, and on specific knowledge and skills to be acquired in relation to the proposed project.

Supervisor CV

A complete copy of the supervisor’s (and co-supervisor’s, if applicable) CIHR Biosketch CCV or narrative CV.

Funding letter from supervisor

A letter from the applicant’s supervisor which confirms the minimum annual stipend for a PhD student at their research institution and guarantees that the supervisor will provide any remaining portion of the annual stipend if the combination of the Canadian Lung Association PhD Studentship and other existing scholarships do not equal their institution’s published minimum. PhD students currently receiving more than their institution’s minimum PhD stipend are ineligible to apply. Applicants may not hold Tri-Council awards or other scholarships greater than or equal to their institution’s stated minimum PhD stipend concurrent with a Canadian Lung Association Studentship.

Ethics approval

All applications involving human/animal investigation must be accompanied by a letter of approval from the ethics committee of the university and, if applicable, other institution(s) in which the work is to be undertaken. 

If the ethics approval is not available at the time of submission, it must be sent to the Manager, National Research Programs at the Canadian Lung Association as soon as it is received. The second payment will be sent until this letter of approval has been received at the Canadian Lung Association.

Other information

If applicable, include an explanation listing the period and reason for any interruption in pursuit of the candidate career either in or subsequent to training.

Copies of any publications are not required.

Submitting your application

Complete the application form, filling all the requested information and obtaining all required. It is your responsibility to ensure that academic transcripts and Referee Assessment Forms are received by the Canadian Lung Association via research@lung.ca from the 2 referees by April 8, 2026 by 16:00 EDT. 

Upload one (1) electronic copy of the application form by April 8, 2026 by 16:00 EDT. 

The electronic file must include a completed copy of the application form with signatures and all the relevant documents (excluding Referee Forms, which will be sent in separately by the referee). 

The Canadian Lung Association will confirm receipt of your application via e-mail on April 9, 202

Eilean McKenzie-Matwiy, PhD

Manager, National Research Programs
Canadian Lung Association

emckenzie-matwiy@lung.ca