The Manitoba Aging, Rehabilitation, and Technology Institute (MARTI) located at Riverview Health Centre (RHC) is currently being developed under the auspices of AgeWell, A Networks of Centres of Excellence based at the Toronto Rehabilitation Hospital.
AgeWell’s core mission is to develop technologies and services to enhance the lives and care of older adults. With a strong commitment to research and training, and building productive relationships between scientific research and the private sector, AgeWell sees itself and its affiliated researchers and innovation hubs as central to accelerating the development, commercialization, and dissemination of technology-based solutions that contribute positively to the lives of Canadians. (For more information about AgeWell, go to AgeWell-NCE.ca.)
MARTI’s mission is to develop and test research applications and innovations designed to improve the health and well-being of older adults in institutional and residential care and to improve the quality of life for those using geriatric outpatients and rehabilitation services. MARTI’s objectives are: (1) to serve as a regional innovation ecosystem supporting research in aging, rehabilitation, and technology by bringing together researchers, private sector partners, and community-based organizations; (2) to identify and test technology-based solutions to AgeWell’s key challenge areas, taking into consideration the unique population and geographical characteristics of Manitoba, and at institutions like RHC; and (3) to act as a knowledge broker in the wider community by focusing resources and results on knowledge transfer and exchange, and commercialization.
The Opportunity
AgeWell has provided MARTI a small pilot innovation hub grant. These funds will be used to strengthen our submission to AgeWell in the last summer/early fall of 2019. A total of $18,000 is being allocated to support a few demonstration projects. It is not our intent to assign the full amount to any one project. Requests should not normally exceed $6,000. Funds will be available until March 31, 2020, and cannot be carried forward into the next fiscal year.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and should incorporate an emphasis on the training of highly qualified personnel, product development and/or testing, and/or pre-commercialization or commercialization activities. Ideally, projects should have relevance to and/or be conducted at RHC or in the areas of care offered at RHC (for further information about RHC, go to riverviewhealthcentre.com).
Who is Eligible?
Preference will be given to researchers and partners affiliated with MARTI. Individuals and companies not already affiliated with MARTI should contact Dr. Karen Grant, the administrative lead of MARTI for further information (Karen.Grant@UMR.UManitoba.ca or 431-777-7466).
Applying for Funds
There is no formal application, but submissions should identify:
A. the principal applicant and any co-investigators or partners;
B. the key objectives of the initiative and expected outcomes (including specific deliverables);
C. how the initiative aligns with AgeWell’s challenge areas, and the key objectives of
MARTI;
D. how the initiative supports the training of HQP, the building of academic-private sector partnerships to foster innovation; and/or knowledge exchange, transfer, and commercialization;
E. a budget with justification of the expenses;
F. a timeline for completion of the project.
Applications should not exceed 4 pages, single-spaced, and should be submitted in PDF format to Dr. Karen Grant at Karen.Grant@UMR.UManitoba.ca.
Proposal Deadline: Tuesday, July 2 at 4:30 pm CDT.
Results of the competition will be made approximately 1 week after the deadline for applications.