Seed Funding Competition

Providing growth and development opportunities to the next generation of investigators in palliative care.

Download the 2024 competition Application Guide.

Our competition is designed to support early-career investigators and trainees who are faced with a highly competitive and challenging funding environment.

Applications for the 2024 competition open December 1st, 2023.

Funding pilot and synthesis projects across Canada.

We support pilot and synthesis projects that are typically not funded by traditional larger granting agencies but need to be completed to provide the necessary groundwork and results to facilitate larger studies and funding applications.

Pilot or synthesis projects can be described as:
• Small pilot/feasibility trials
• Scoping/systematic reviews
• Data standardization/harmonization initiatives
• Descriptive health administrative studies

Supporting equitable palliative care research.

We prioritize funding for high priority populations where gaps in palliative care research and service delivery exist. Primary priority will be given to projects that directly respond to palliative care research and practice gaps for at least one of the following priority populations:

• Sex/gender/LGBTQ2-Spirit+
• Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC)
• Indigenous peoples
• Immigrants
• Minority linguistic groups
• Homeless/vulnerably housed
• Pediatric patients

2023 Awardees

This year we awarded four one-year-long grants of $20,000. Here are the abstracts from our winners.

Improving the Bereavement Experience Among People Who Are Experiencing Homelessness in BC

Dr. Joshua Black

BC Centre for Palliative Care

Our recent research at the BC Centre for Palliative Care shows that there aren’t enough grief supports available for people experiencing homelessness after someone they care about dies. Additionally, there has been very little research conducted to understand this type of grief among people living within the context of homelessness. It is not possible to improve care for this vulnerable population if their experiences are not understood. In this research study we will interview people with lived experiences of both grief (from a death of someone they cared about) and homelessness. Our goal is to better understand their experiences and learn their perspectives on how they can be best supported moving forward. The findings of these studies will inform new policy development and service improvement efforts aiming to enhance the availability and access to quality grief supports tailored to the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

Improving support of substitute decision makers: Journey mapping decision-making needs and support tools for caregivers of people living with dementia

Seema King

University of Calgary

Problem: Family caregivers often feel unprepared to make medical decisions including end-of-life decisions for people living with dementia (PLwD). This can negatively affect their ability to make decisions. Currently, there are no supports used consistently in Canada to support caregivers making decisions for PLwD. Methods: First, we will listen to caregivers of PLwD and map their decision-making journey, and the supports they used. Next, we will match available supportive resources to their decisions to see when existing resources could be used and what decisions have no current supports. Lastly, we will brainstorm with caregivers, healthcare providers and community organizations, how to improve access to decision support tools. Impact: This study fills a knowledge gap in palliative care by identifying major substitute decision points that caregivers face. It also fills a practice gap by identifying where new or existing resources could be used by clinicians to support caregivers.

Exploring the Experiences of Spousal and Child Caregivers from Minority Groups Caring for Family Members at the End-of-Life

Dr. Wenshan Li

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Family caregivers support older Canadians greatly and ensure dignity in their end-of-life days. Caregivers of individuals from racial, ethno-cultural, and linguistic minority groups often experience additional challenges and are less supported. Yet, little is known about their experiences. This study will explore the experiences and challenges of caregivers of individuals at the end-of-life who belong to racial, ethno-cultural, and/or linguistic minority groups.

Our aims are:

1) Document the experiences of spousal and child caregivers of individuals at the end-of-life, exploring nuances related to their minority status

2) Understand their experiences and perceptions of palliative care support and resources

3) Explore how caregiving experiences impact caregivers who are, or will soon be, care-recipients themselves in terms of decisions about their own care.

We will interview caregivers to collect in-depth information and interpret the findings with a health equity lens.

Improving Serious Illness Conversations in Patients with Structural Vulnerabilities

Dr. Emma Schon

Providence Health Care - Palliative Care Program

Conversations between clinicians and patients about goals of care become increasingly important when patients experience serious illness. The complexity of serious illness conversations multiplies dramatically when the patient is experiencing substance use disorders, mental health issues, homelessness or other challenges related to socio-economic factors (referred to as structural vulnerabilities). Currently, little is known about the preferences of structurally vulnerable patients while engaging in serious illness conversations. This is a major practice gap and an important area of palliative care research. Through one-on-one interviews, we will hear directly from patients about their experiences having these conversations. We will identify common themes and preferences for engaging in serious illness conversations. Ultimately, we hope to develop a best practice guide for clinicians and improve health care for patients experiencing structural vulnerabilities.

Seed Funding Competition

Download the 2024 competition Application Guide.

Our competition is designed to support early-career investigators and trainees who are faced with a highly competitive and challenging funding environment.

Applications for the 2024 competition open December 1st, 2023.

Funding pilot and synthesis projects across Canada.

Supporting equitable palliative care research.

2023 Awardees

Improving the Bereavement Experience Among People Who Are Experiencing Homelessness in BC

Dr. Joshua Black

BC Centre for Palliative Care

Improving support of substitute decision makers: Journey mapping decision-making needs and support tools for caregivers of people living with dementia

Seema King

University of Calgary

Exploring the Experiences of Spousal and Child Caregivers from Minority Groups Caring for Family Members at the End-of-Life

Dr. Wenshan Li

Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Improving Serious Illness Conversations in Patients with Structural Vulnerabilities

Dr. Emma Schon

Providence Health Care - Palliative Care Program

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