Strong partnerships between researchers and those who use the evidence are essential to resolving complex health challenges across British Columbia. Michael Smith Health Research BC is strengthening those collaborations with the launch of a new program.
The Impact Pathways Program is a new funding initiative that will support collaborative, community-connected health research across British Columbia.
“Solving today’s health challenges requires stronger connections between those generating evidence and those using it,” said Dr. Geoff Payne, President and CEO of Health Research BC. “The Impact Pathways Program supports these connections, ensuring research is more relevant in policy and practice.”
This program reflects our evolving approach to supporting health research in British Columbia. It focuses on supporting new and strengthening existing partnerships to ensure research evidence effectively informs decision-making.
“We want researchers and research users to collaborate right from the start so that their work responds to actual community needs,” said Dr. Ellie Griffith, Health Research BC Vice President, Research & Innovation. “The Impact Pathways Program lays this groundwork to turn great ideas into real-world impact.”
The program includes two awards — Engage and Mobilize — which support engagement and knowledge mobilization activities at different stages. These awards bring together researchers and research users, which could include people with lived experience (PWLE), communities, health system partners, and industry to work on shared health research priorities.
Now accepting applications for the Engage Award
The Engage Award provides up to $5,000 in short-term funding for activities that bring together researchers, research users, communities, and people with lived and living experience across BC.
The award supports activities that:
- Form new connections or relationships between researchers and research users;
- Strengthen existing connections or relationships between researchers and research users; and
- Support researchers and research users to explore the potential for collaborative production of research and mobilizing research evidence into practice, policy and the public sphere.
The award can not be used for research operating funds, or to support knowledge mobilization activities.
Applications will be organized into regional funding pools based on the location of the primary applicant’s host institution. Funding decisions will use a modified lottery approach following eligibility and relevance review.
Engagement with research users
Applications require a primary applicant and co-lead representing a researcher and research user partnership. Primary applicants may include researchers or eligible health system staff at approved host institutions.
Applications may include research users from not-for-profit, private, or public sector organizations, including, for example, health system staff, community members, policymakers, PWLE, or research users from industry.
Indigenous health research
Representatives from Indigenous communities and organizations (ICOs) may participate as research users, co-leads, or as primary applicants, if they hold an eligible position at an approved host institution. Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and researchers affiliated with ICOs may serve as researcher co-leads.
Building meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples is an ongoing learning journey. Our path is guided by Indigenous advisors and colleagues, as well as the shared learning of others on this same journey.
Competition key dates
- Webinar: May 6, 2026 – Register
- Application deadline: May 25, 2026 (4:30 p.m. PDT)
- Host institution approval deadline: June 1, 2026 (4:30 p.m. PDT)
We encourage applications from across all regions of BC. Full guidelines, eligibility, and application instructions are available on the funding opportunity page.
Stay informed
The Mobilize Award, a second funding opportunity under the Impact Pathways Program, will open later in 2026 and support knowledge mobilization activities. The award will provide up to $20,000 in funding. More information will be available this Fall.
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