Community Engagement Fund
Support for Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals and/or organizations
for HIV and/or AIDS related research projects
It was an honour to be able to support the development of research projects.
This funding opportunity is no longer available. We will not be accepting applications for 2021.
This funding opportunity is no longer available. We will not be accepting applications for 2021.
2020 Recipients
The James Raven project: sharing stories about stigma in healthcare settings to heal, educate, and move forward in a good way.
Val Nicholson, NPI
The James Raven project explores the histories and experiences of Indigenous people living with HIV (IPLHIV) accessing healthcare in British Columbia, in response to the recent attention that has been drawn to the pervasive stigma and discrimination Indigenous people face when seeking care. Principal Applicant Valerie Nicholson has garnered in-kind support from allies to support the development of this project proposal. With support from the AHA centre, we will invite six IPLHIV who have accessed care in British Columbia to participate in three Gatherings grounded in ceremony. First, we will hold a Sharing Circle Gathering to build trust between the project team and participants and ground ourselves in a Good Way. The second Gathering will be a series of individual interviews with each participant sharing their histories and experiences accessing healthcare. With the consent of participants, the interviews will be audio-recorded and integrated into a short video. Finally, the project will close with a Healing Circle Gathering, connecting us with Mother Earth to honour participants’ contributions. The video and accompanying materials will be shared with undergraduate and graduate students, and medical faculty to educate upcoming cohorts of healthcare providers and researchers, ultimately optimizing the health of Indigenous people in British Columbia, which may provide the opportunity to extend beyond the province, for Indigenous people across Canada. We also recognize that meeting together in person may not be feasible due to COVID-19 restrictions and are prepared to host all aspects of the project virtually if required.
Val Nicholson, NPI
The James Raven project explores the histories and experiences of Indigenous people living with HIV (IPLHIV) accessing healthcare in British Columbia, in response to the recent attention that has been drawn to the pervasive stigma and discrimination Indigenous people face when seeking care. Principal Applicant Valerie Nicholson has garnered in-kind support from allies to support the development of this project proposal. With support from the AHA centre, we will invite six IPLHIV who have accessed care in British Columbia to participate in three Gatherings grounded in ceremony. First, we will hold a Sharing Circle Gathering to build trust between the project team and participants and ground ourselves in a Good Way. The second Gathering will be a series of individual interviews with each participant sharing their histories and experiences accessing healthcare. With the consent of participants, the interviews will be audio-recorded and integrated into a short video. Finally, the project will close with a Healing Circle Gathering, connecting us with Mother Earth to honour participants’ contributions. The video and accompanying materials will be shared with undergraduate and graduate students, and medical faculty to educate upcoming cohorts of healthcare providers and researchers, ultimately optimizing the health of Indigenous people in British Columbia, which may provide the opportunity to extend beyond the province, for Indigenous people across Canada. We also recognize that meeting together in person may not be feasible due to COVID-19 restrictions and are prepared to host all aspects of the project virtually if required.
Indigenous Women, HIV and Cannabis: What are the important questions to ask?
Saara Greene (McMaster University), NPI
Project Description: The legalization of cannabis across Canada reflects a profound shift in social policy and a pivotal time for research that investigates the impact of cannabis consumption on the health and well-being of women. Importantly, there is an absence of research on Indigenous women’s experiences of consuming cannabis in Canada, including the experiences of Indigenous women living with HIV (IWLWH). This project aims to engage with First Nations, Métis and Inuit women living with HIV who consume cannabis in order to identify research interests and priorities at the intersection of gender, Indigeneity and HIV. Activities include:
(i) Environmental Scan/Literature Review: To identify information/gaps in the literature including grey literature on Indigenous women and IWLWH who consume cannabis.
(ii) Community Engagement Workshops: To provide IWLWH with the current legal information on access to and consumption of Cannabis in Canada and to identify research interests, priorities, methods and methodologies.
(iii) Develop a research proposal grounded in Indigenous CBR principles: This team is a partnership between community-based researchers at McMaster University who have strong connections with Indigenous women living with (Saara Greene, Chelsea Gabel, Allyson Ion), the Native Women’s Association of Canada (Chaneesa Ryan, Marisa Blake and Abrar Ali), and community leaders (Claudette Cardinal and Jasmine Cotnam). We will identify IWLWH who would like to join the research team and participate in developing a CIHR CBR/HIV research proposal.
Saara Greene (McMaster University), NPI
Project Description: The legalization of cannabis across Canada reflects a profound shift in social policy and a pivotal time for research that investigates the impact of cannabis consumption on the health and well-being of women. Importantly, there is an absence of research on Indigenous women’s experiences of consuming cannabis in Canada, including the experiences of Indigenous women living with HIV (IWLWH). This project aims to engage with First Nations, Métis and Inuit women living with HIV who consume cannabis in order to identify research interests and priorities at the intersection of gender, Indigeneity and HIV. Activities include:
(i) Environmental Scan/Literature Review: To identify information/gaps in the literature including grey literature on Indigenous women and IWLWH who consume cannabis.
(ii) Community Engagement Workshops: To provide IWLWH with the current legal information on access to and consumption of Cannabis in Canada and to identify research interests, priorities, methods and methodologies.
(iii) Develop a research proposal grounded in Indigenous CBR principles: This team is a partnership between community-based researchers at McMaster University who have strong connections with Indigenous women living with (Saara Greene, Chelsea Gabel, Allyson Ion), the Native Women’s Association of Canada (Chaneesa Ryan, Marisa Blake and Abrar Ali), and community leaders (Claudette Cardinal and Jasmine Cotnam). We will identify IWLWH who would like to join the research team and participate in developing a CIHR CBR/HIV research proposal.
2019 Recipients
CHIWOS-PAWS Closing Gathering and Stakeholder Consultation
Principle Applicant: Angela Kaida, Simon Fraser University
Principle Applicant: Angela Kaida, Simon Fraser University
Niikaniganaw (All My Relations) II: Building Capacity for HIV-Stigma Free and Culturally-Safe Care for Indigenous People Living With or Affected by HIV in Ottawa-Gatineau
Principle Applicant: Dr. Tracey Prentice, University of Victoria for Somerset West Community Health Centre
Principle Applicant: Dr. Tracey Prentice, University of Victoria for Somerset West Community Health Centre
2018 Recipients
Proclaiming our Roots and Making Connections for Health and Wellbeing of Indigenous-Black Communities in Canada
Ciann Wilson, Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University
Ann Marie Beals, graduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University
This project will bring together scholars, activists, community leaders, and community members, of Indigenous, African diasporic, and Indigenous-Black ancestry in Ontario and Nova Scotia, to focus on networking and collaboration on a larger research grant about health service access (and particularly HIV-specific needs) in Black-Indigenous communities. This project builds from the first phase of a SSHRC grant that was an oral digital history project aimed at sharing the stories, histories, geographies, and realities of Black-Indigenous people in Canada.
Ciann Wilson, Assistant Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University
Ann Marie Beals, graduate student at Wilfrid Laurier University
This project will bring together scholars, activists, community leaders, and community members, of Indigenous, African diasporic, and Indigenous-Black ancestry in Ontario and Nova Scotia, to focus on networking and collaboration on a larger research grant about health service access (and particularly HIV-specific needs) in Black-Indigenous communities. This project builds from the first phase of a SSHRC grant that was an oral digital history project aimed at sharing the stories, histories, geographies, and realities of Black-Indigenous people in Canada.
NISTOHTAMOHIWEWIN (interpreting to understand): Exploring quantitative data analysis informed by Indigenous epistemologies
Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, All Nations Hope Network
Norma Rabbitskin, Sturgeon Lake First Nation
Laura Warren, University of Toronto
Jann Ticknor, All Nations Hope Network
All Nations Hope Network (ANHN) currently holds quantitative data that could benefit from a secondary analysis grounded in Indigenous epistemologies. Led by ANHN, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts in epidemiology and biostats, the research team will collaboratively reflect on and identify the elements (e.g., what wisdom is needed and people who have it) required to decolonize quantitative analysis frameworks and build new model(s) grounded in the wisdom of the peoples in the local territories.
Margaret Kisikaw Piyesis, All Nations Hope Network
Norma Rabbitskin, Sturgeon Lake First Nation
Laura Warren, University of Toronto
Jann Ticknor, All Nations Hope Network
All Nations Hope Network (ANHN) currently holds quantitative data that could benefit from a secondary analysis grounded in Indigenous epistemologies. Led by ANHN, and Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts in epidemiology and biostats, the research team will collaboratively reflect on and identify the elements (e.g., what wisdom is needed and people who have it) required to decolonize quantitative analysis frameworks and build new model(s) grounded in the wisdom of the peoples in the local territories.