SPARC can help you get the competitive edge:

• Researchers: improve your success in external grant funding competitions, secure Tri-Council funding, develop new interdisciplinary collaborations to support a team grant application.
• Members of industry: leverage your Research & Development investment and work with UBC researchers.
• Consumers and community groups: connect with UBC experts and actively participate in a research project from the ground up.

SPARC has the expertise and the contacts you need. We provide confidential strategic and project management expertise to aid grant writing and development, team building, brokering relationships with non-academic partners and more.

Please contact us to learn what we can do for you.

Testimonials

SPARC now provides support to researchers in all UBC faculties and in all disciplines. This selection of testimonials is from researchers who engaged our services when the office was called HeRRO.

“I found the process invaluable during submission of my proposal to CIHR. Of particular help were the multiple internal deadlines in advance of proposal submission, the mentoring provided by both specialist and generalist peer reviewers, and the proposal editing and formatting services provided. I was glad the UBC Internal Review was required of junior investigators and would recommend it without reservation to others.”

- Dr. Thomas M. Lampinen, Clinical Assistant Professor, BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS

“Just going through the HeRRO process gets me thinking earlier and builds relationships with colleagues because we know each others’ interests better.”

- Dr. Elizabeth Simpson, Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Child & Family Research Institute

“The internal reviewers provided valuable feedback. In fact, I believe that changes made to the [CIHR] grant, many of which were a direct result of my internal reviews, were instrumental in my grant being funded for a five-year term...”

- Dr. Liisa Galea, Associate Professor and Distinguished University Scholar, Faculty of Arts

“The CIHR/NSERC Collaborative Health Research Workshop that HeRRO organized was the starting point for our proposal... The discussions during the workshop led to a second meeting and a final proposal to the Collaborative Health Research Projects program. Since both NSERC and CIHR are encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and research, it is critical for researchers from various faculties to talk to each other. I am sure similar workshops/activities in the future will definitely help to develop new research programs and collaborations.”

- Dr. Rizhi Wang, Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Applied Science

“As a new humanities faculty member who has never applied for CIHR grants before, the process is daunting. I am really grateful that you have taken the time to answer my numerous(!) questions, meet with me, and take the initiative to contact others on campus to create a network of interdisciplinary scholars who might share some common research interests. As someone who just moved back to Canada from the U.S., it was also helpful to have a valuable resource on campus to help create international teams.”

- Dr. Anita Ho, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts

“Thank you again for the opportunity to lead a discussion session on grant funding. It was fun. I also want to say that I appreciate the work of the Health Research Resource Office, and the Office of VP Research. Please let me know if I can help again in the future. Our success is due in part, to the support of our Faculty and Department, and HERRO/VPRO.”

- Dr. Jim Frankish, Senior Scholar, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Associate Director, Institute of Health Promotion Research Associate Professor, Graduate Studies & Health Care & Epidemiology

“As a first-time applicant for an NSERC Discovery Grant, I found the Information Session to be very useful. The ability to ask questions, and to hear other people’s questions, provided valuable insight into the expectations of the review committee. The Information Session also provided a good networking opportunity to meet other people preparing their first or subsequent Discovery Grants.”

- Dr. Carolyn Anglin, Division of Orthopaedic Engineering

"With the trend by research sponsors to offer funding to solve complex issues which necessitate cross-disciplinary exchange and innovation, HeRRO’s interdisciplinary team-building expertise has become an increasingly valuable resource for our researchers.”

- Robert Olaj, Research Development & Grants Facilitator, Faculty of Education

When I first started my academic career at UBC, through the link created by the HeRRO office, I made connections to the senior members in various fields at UBC. The opportunities to communicate outside my Faculty and the mentorship received have built a strong foundation for the success of my academic career. I have received funding continuously since 2005 from CIHR, MSFHR, CCSRI and TFRI."

- Dr. Catherine Poh, Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry; and Scientist, Integrative Oncology and Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Agency