The Vancouver Foundation is now accepting applications for the Participatory Action Research Grants, which provide funding to support health-related research projects that use a participatory action research (PAR) method. PAR projects are co‑designed and co‑led by community members and researchers to understand the root causes of pressing issues that negatively affect people’s physical or mental health, or clearly defined community‑level health outcomes. For this program, PAR projects must focus on a specific health issue or outcome and clearly describe how it affects people’s health, explaining the direct link between the issue and its impact on health and well-being.  

While PAR can take different forms, strong PAR projects share several core features: 

  • Community members and researchers are active co‑participants in all phases of the research. 
  • The team learns from one another, combining lived experience and research expertise. 
  • The research process includes ongoing reflection and shared decision‑making. 
  • The work is action‑oriented, aiming to influence systems and contribute to meaningful change. 

Two different grant types are available that reflect the various stages of a participatory action research process: Convene and Investigate.

1. Convene Grants

Convene grants are short‑term grants (up to $25,000 for up to one year) that help teams come together to unpack a clearly defined health issue or health outcome. These grants support early work to understand what is driving the issue, including the system behaviours that have created it or are keeping it in place. The goal of a Convene grant is for the research team to develop research questions and a viable research project plan. 

2. Investigate Grants

Investigate grants are multi-year grants (up to $100,000 per year over three years, for a total of up to $300,000) that help teams answer a research question, analyze their findings, and share knowledge in a way that supports the community and others to take action on a health issue.   

For further information about the Participatory Action Research Grants or to apply, click here.