CIHR launches 2026 Catalyst Grant competition for CLSA data analysis

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) has launched the 2026 Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data, a funding opportunity that supports Canadian researchers using data from the CLSA to advance research on aging and improve the health of Canadians.

The funding opportunity aims to catalyze and support research efforts that use available CLSA data to better understand how biological, medical, psychological, social and economic aspects of people’s lives influence both the maintenance of health and the development of disease and disability as people age.

Support for the 2026 Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data is provided by the CIHR Institute of Aging (IA), Institute of Population and Public Health (IPPH), Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (IMHA), Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) and Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA), in partnership with the Quebec Network for Research on Aging (RQRV).

The total amount available for this funding opportunity is $1,415,000, enough to fund approximately 20 grants. The maximum amount per grant is $70,000 for up to one year. Additional funding may become available should new partners join the initiative.

1. General Pool ($140,000 available to fund two grants) – Funding provided by IA for projects on any research topic.
2. IA Early Career Researcher (ECR) ($140,000 available to fund two grants) – Funding provided by IA for projects on any research top led by an Early Career Researcher.
3. Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (COMPASS-ND) ($210,000 available to fund three grants) – Funding provided by IA for projects linking CLSA data with COMPASS-ND data.
4. Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging (BHCIA) ($280,000 available to fund four grants) – Funding provided by IA for projects aligned with the CIHR Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment in Aging Research Initiative.
5. IPPH Early Career Researcher ($70,000 available to fund one grant) – Funding provided to an ECR by IPPH for projects related to its mandate and to Pillar 4 research.
6. IPPH Mandate ($140,000 available to fund two grants) – Funding provided by IPPH for projects related to its mandate and to Pillar 4 research.
7. INMHA Mandate ($70,000 available to fund one grant) – Funding provided by INMHA for projects focused on the INMHA mandate or the intersection of neurodegeneration with mental health and/or substance use disorders.
8. ICRH Mandate ($70,000 available to fund one grant) – Funding provided by ICRH for projects related to its mandate.
9. IMHA Mandate ($280,000 available to fund four grants) – Funding provided by IMHA for projects related to its mandate.
10. RQRV Top-up – An additional $15,000 is available from the RQRV for the highest-ranked eligible RQRV member applicant based in Quebec whose project algins with the network’s research priorities.

Baseline data collection and three follow-up waves have been completed; the fourth follow-up period is currently underway. Researchers are encouraged to consult the CLSA Data Availability Table for a full summary of available CLSA data.

Researchers may propose projects using CLSA data alone or in combination with other datasets or cohorts to enhance the scope of research questions that can be addressed. Applications are also encouraged to consider provincial administrative data linked through the Health Data Research Network (HDRN) Canada (costs for accessing HDRN data are available here).

Building upon a consultation process with Indigenous researchers that began in 2019, the CLSA has revised its data access process for the use of Indigenous-identified data. Prospective applicants should review the webinar and resources on considerations for access/use of Indigenous-identified data to learn more about the CLSA’s expectations and guidelines for requests to access and use this data.

Applicants should also note that all applications are expected to integrate sex- and gender-based analysis (SGBA).

Researchers interested in applying should visit ResearchNet for complete information on eligibility, application requirements, funding pools and review criteria. If needed, researchers can download the CLSA Data Access Support Letter to include with their application.

The application deadline is September 24, 2026. Notices of decision are anticipated by February 25, 2027, with funding expected to begin on March 1, 2027.

For more information on how to access CLSA data, please review the CLSA Data Access Application Process.