2026 Working Group Research Funding Call
Applications due Friday, April 10th, 2026 at 4 PM (AST)

The CRISM Atlantic Node is pleased to support the Working Group funding call open to CRISM Atlantic members. Please review the full call details via this downloadable document

Projects must align with one of the following three themes:

  1. Concurrent Disorders;
  2. Youth and Substance Use; or
  3. Rural Access and Telehealth.

The top application for each theme will be awarded up to $40,000 in funding, for a total of three funded projects across all applications. Submissions may only be considered under one theme.

Please download and complete this form by the due date: 2026 Working Group Funding Application

Once finalized, please submit your application and supporting documents to: [crismatl@dal.ca] and reference “2026 Working Group Funding Application-First_Last_Name” in the subject line. 

Research Objectives

Research projects in this funding call may take various approaches, including qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods designs, and can focus on a wide range of goals, including one or more of the following: 

  • Enhance Understanding: Advance knowledge of the risks, protective factors, and consequences of substance use (SU) matters and related interventions
  • Identify Key Priorities: Determine critical targets for intervention, harm reduction services, and/or substance use policy
  • Develop and Evaluate Interventions: Co-develop and -evaluate novel, meaningful, and accessible interventions (psychosocial, pharmacological, policy) within priority populations to improve health outcomes
  • Bridge Research & Practice: Strengthen bidirectional collaboration between research and practice to ensure provider- and community-identified service and policy needs inform the research agenda 
Criteria

Projects considered must prioritize the following criteria: 

  • Alignment with at least one or more of the three themes: (1) Concurrent Disorders; (2) Youth and Substance Use; or (3) Rural Access and Telehealth 
  • Consideration of the following three priority areas: (1) Indigenous peoples; (2) Persons with Lived and Living Experience (PWLLE)); and (3) Sex and Gender Perspectives 
  • Capacity-building potential 
  • Novelty and scientific merit 
  • Potential to improve the likelihood of securing additional funding from other agencies
  • Inherently Atlantic in: 
    • the population studied;
    • investigators/partners involved; and
    • has the potential to or does impact 2+ jurisdictions in the Atlantic Region
  • Realistic in timeframe and allotted budget 

If you have any questions, please email crismatlantic@gmail.com and reference “Working Group Funding Inquiry” in the subject line.

For commonly asked questions, check out our 2026 Funding Call FAQs Page.

Awarded Working Group Projects

Group

Rural Access

Project

Evaluating a brief virtual cognitive remediation therapy intervention for those with early phase psychosis and substance misuse in NS/NL: Addressing challenges in underserviced areas 

Principal Applicant
  • Dr. Phillip Tibbo, Dalhousie University
Co-Applicants

  • Dr. Candice Crocker, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Sherry Stewart, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Alissa Pencer, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Christopher Bowie, Queen’s University

  • Dr. Kellie LeDrew, Eastern Health

  • Brittany Chisholm, Nova Scotia Health

  • Eliza Garland, Nova Scotia Health

Summary

This study will compare Action-Based Cognitive Remediation (ABCR) to treatment as usual among young adults experiencing early phase psychosis with problematic substance use. Potential impacts include positive changes for individuals enrolled in ABCR, and informing interventions and treatments for patients with early phase psychosis. 

Group

Concurrent Disorders

Project

Exploring trauma cue-elicited cognitions in cannabis users with trauma histories: Relevance to posttraumatic stress disorder-cannabis use disorder comorbidity 

Principal Applicant
  • Dr. Sarah DeGrace, Dalhousie University
Co-Applicants

  • Dr. Sherry Stewart, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Abraham Rudnick, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Igor Yakovenko, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Raymond Klein, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Philip Tibbo, Dalhousie University

  • Nick Murray, Dalhousie University

  • Isabella Bossom, Dalhousie University

  • Dr. Jeffrey Wardell, York University

  • Dr. Matthew Keough, York University

Summary

This project will use reaction time tasks following trauma and neutral cue exposures to investigate the automatic cognitive processes that may contribute to addiction among individuals with trauma histories. Findings may help explain high comorbidity rates between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and cannabis use disorder (CUD), identify novel intervention targets, and inform clinical practices for PTSD-CUD clients.

Group

Youth

Project

Empowering vulnerable youth: A DEI-driven approach to the DECYDE substance use prevention and harm reduction strategy

Principal Applicant
  • Dr. Jennifer Donnan, Memorial University
Co-Applicants

  • Dr. Lisa Bishop, Memorial University

  • Riley Whelan, Youth Partner

Summary

This study will focus on the needs of vulnerable youth to adapt the Drug Education Centered on Youth Decision Empowerment (DECYDE) educational program to better address these needs. Findings will inform updates to DECYDE resources, guide policy recommendations, and enhance protective factors/mitigate risk factors for vulnerable youth.