APQ-QPRN CLINICAL RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP 2025-2026

Overview

The main goal of this partnership between the Association québécoise de la physiothérapie (AQP) and the Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN) is to promote evidence-informed physiotherapy practice in the context of pain management. It enables physiotherapists and physiotherapy technologists who are members of the AQP (and thus the Canadian Physiotherapy Association – CPA) and the QPRN to initiate innovative projects with high potential impact. This partnership primarily aims to foster the development of projects that improve access to physiotherapy services and enhance the quality and quantity of services provided to people living with pain in Quebec.

Focused on physiotherapy and pain (acute or chronic), funded projects must address issues related to one of the following themes: organizational and administrative structures of the Quebec healthcare system, care and service trajectories, advanced physiotherapy practices, improvement of patient monitoring and assessment tools, and the implementation of new service delivery models or new interventions. Regardless of the theme, the project must clearly aim to improve access to or interventions in physiotherapy for populations experiencing pain. Projects with demonstrated potential to secure external research funding will be prioritized.

The AQP — QPRN partnership aims to potentially achieve the following objectives:

  • Support collaborative research in pain that promotes multicenter and multidisciplinary efforts in physiotherapy, both provincially and nationally.
  • Increase recognition of physiotherapy and foster the full use of its scope and potential in Quebec’s health service delivery.
  • Support researchers with physiotherapy training working in the field of pain, and promote the development of leading-edge expertise in this area.
  • Build partnerships among organizations interested in funding strategic areas of physiotherapy research related to pain.
  • Promote knowledge transfer and exchange, as well as the uptake and use of research data by clinicians in their daily practice.
  • Highlight and disseminate physiotherapy research results and impacts.

Eligibility criteria

  • The principal applicant must have been a member of the Quebec Physiotherapy Association (AQP: how to become a member) for at least three months and a regular member of the QPRN. If the principal applicant is not a QPRN member, they must apply jointly with a co-principal applicant who is. Other co-applicants or collaborators may be from outside Quebec.
  • The principal applicant must be a physiotherapist or physiotherapy technologist and a member of the OPPQ. Holding a master’s or doctoral research degree is considered an asset.
  • The research team must include members from at least two universities, clinical settings, or research centers. The principal applicant will represent the research team and act as the main contact.
  • Each principal applicant may submit only one proposal as the lead but may participate as a co-applicant on a second submission. A maximum of two submissions per individual (as applicant and/or co-applicant) is allowed.
  • Individuals currently holding an AQP research grant may not submit a new proposal as a principal applicant during the grant’s active period.
  • The project must align with one of the AQP’s strategic goals aimed at improving access to and quality of physiotherapy services in Quebec (AQP Strategic Plan).
  • The research team must clearly demonstrate the project’s innovative nature and how it differs from any current projects led by the same team.

Scientific evaluation criteria

Funding decisions will be based on the following:

  • Clearly articulated project objectives;
  • Demonstrated complementarity of clinical and research expertise within the team, whether newly formed or already established;
  • Scientific quality of the project (methodology);
  • Relevance of the project to the program and its stated research directions;
  • Project feasibility: physical, human and material resources, timeline, budget;
  • Demonstration of potential impact on access, quality and volume of care and services, clinical practice and services offered in pain, as well as the potential to lead to external funding;
  • Quality of the knowledge transfer and uptake plan.

Application submission

Applications are submitted online via the “Send application” link at the bottom of the page. You will receive confirmation upon receipt. If you do not receive confirmation within 48 hours, contact the QPRN coordination team at gestion@qprn.ca.

  • Rational (150 words)
  • Objectives and hypotheses (if applicable) (150 words)
  • Methodology (1,200 words)
  • Scientific, clinical, and/or social relevance (150 words)
  • Strategies to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion (150 words)
  • A justified budget (file to upload), excluding student salaries (only scholarship top-ups are allowed, e.g., for a student hired for one term)
  • Information on the project’s ethical status (if available)
  • The Canadian Common CV in CIHR Biosketch format for each involved researcher
  • In-text citation format is flexible. A reference list and figures may be attached as a separate file under the “Other documents” section

Research teams are encouraged to consider the following:

  • The inclusion of trainees (undergraduate to postdoctoral) and/or clinicians.
  • Pilot projects should provide training opportunities for students or postdoctoral fellows, and a means of generating data for a larger-scale project in order to apply for funding from a clearly identified funding agency.
  • The innovative nature of the project must be demonstrated; it must not be a sub-project or a continuation of an existing one.

Review process

Applications will be evaluated by a bipartite committee made up of representatives from AQP and RQRD, and two partner organizations. This committee meets on an ad hoc basis.

Eligibility will be determined by representatives of the partner organizations, not the review committee. Only eligible applications will be forwarded to the bipartite committee for evaluation.

The review committee consists of three members: one from the AQP and two QPRN regular members who are physiotherapists or physiotherapy technologists. The AQP representative must be approved by the AQP Executive Committee.

The committee submits its funding recommendation to the AQP Board of Directors and the QPRN Executive Committee, which will award the grant. QPRN will be responsible for transferring the grant to the awarded applicant.

Funding details

  • The maximum amount for the AQP – QPRN partnership is $30,000. However, the research team may submit a budget in excess of $30,000 by providing proof of additional funding.
  • Budgets must comply with FRQ eligible and ineligible expense guidelines.
  • Maximum project duration is two (2) years from the funding date. Extensions are only granted under exceptional circumstances with a clear rationale provided at least six (6) months before the project end date.
  • Unused funds at the project’s conclusion must be returned to the granting bodies (AQP and QPRN).

Recipient obligations

  • A one-page summary of the results obtained will be required and may be published in Physio Canada magazine and on the AQP website, or by other means. The team may be asked to present its results at an AQP event.
  • Acknowledge the funders (AQP and QPRN) in all presentations and publications related to the funded project.
  • Carry out the project within 24 months (two years) of the grant payment, with no possibility of extension except for exceptional reasons, as specified in the previous section.
  • Submit a progress report 2 years after the start of the grant, then an update 4 years after the start of the grant. A link will be sent to the recipient with all the information concerning the desired content.
  • The recipient and members of the research team will be involved in QPRN activities when requested.
  • The recipient will act as an evaluating member for the 2026-2027 call for proposals.

Application deadline for 2025-2026

Applications must be submitted via the QPRN extranet (online submission) by June 1, 2025.
For any questions, contact Hélène Beaudry, Executive Director of the QPRN, at helene.beaudry@qprn.ca.

Send application