RSN Data-to-Policy Program 2026

Program overview 

The Digital Health Research Network (RSN) is launching a call for applications for financial support aimed at turning digital health research findings into knowledge mobilization products intended for decision-makers and practice settings. The program fosters the use of knowledge from research on data and artificial intelligence in the development of public policy, the improvement of organizational practices and the development of innovative approaches in digital health. 

The program supports the production of position papers, briefs, recommendations, knowledge syntheses, practical guides or other tools intended to inform decision-making in government settings, in health and social services network (RSSS) institutions, and in organizations involved in the governance, organization or delivery of care and services. It also aims to strengthen ties between research settings and decision-making actors. 

This program differs from the RSN's other forms of support in one respect: the project is carried out in collaboration with a decision-making organization. The deliverables may inform an upcoming decision or prompt a reflection that will lead to a decision.Dissemination or popularization projects without a decision-making partner fall under the RSN's knowledge popularization program. 

For the purposes of this program, a decision-making organization is a public, para-public or non-profit organization that has the authority to adopt, change or recommend a policy, a program, a governance framework or an organizational practice. Examples include a ministry or government body, an advisory body, an institution of the health and social services network, a professional orderor a non-profit organization. The decision-maker is the person within that organization who makes or prepares these decisions. For-profit companies are not eligible as decision-making partners. 

Amount, duration and envelope 

• Amount: $5,000 to $15,000 per project 

• The RSN may fund up to 100% of the project's eligible expenses 

• Duration: one year 

An envelope of $60,000 is reserved for this competition. The RSN reserves the right not to award the full envelope if the number of eligible applications of sufficient quality does not warrant it. 

Eligible expenses 

The financial support may cover: 

• professional fees related to writing, synthesizing or popularizing knowledge; 

• graphic design services or the production of dissemination materials; 

• consultation, coordination or validation activities with partners; 

• translation and language revision costs; 

• costs related to organizing workshops or knowledge mobilization activities; 

• compensation for partners, including patient partners and citizens, for their contribution to producing or disseminating the deliverables; 

• any other expense directly related to producing and disseminating the project's deliverables. 

Non-eligible expenses 

• remuneration of the project lead and of the award holder; 

• collection of new data or the conduct of new research work; 

• indirect costs of research; 

• purchase of computer equipment and subscriptions to software or creation platforms; 

• scientific article publication fees and scientific conference registration fees; 

• hospitality expenses, meals, alcoholic beverages and gifts; 

• fees paid to evaluators; 

• expenses incurred before the date the funding is awarded. 

Eligibility criteria 

To be eligible, the project lead must: 

• be a regular researcher, an early-career researcher or a postdoctoral fellow, affiliated with a Quebec university; 

• be a regular member of the RSN or, for a postdoctoral fellow, a student member of the RSN; 

• submit the application in partnership with at least one decision-making organization, as defined in the program overview; 

• propose a project whose deliverables explicitly aim to support decision-making, policy development, the improvement of clinical or organizational practices, or the development of governance frameworks in digital health; 

• demonstrate the project's feasibility and describe the planned use of the deliverables, for example for an upcoming decision, a consultation process or a concrete need expressed by the partner regarding data and artificial intelligence. 

The funds are managed by an award holder who is a regular member of the RSN. When the project lead is a researcher, they are also the award holder. When the project lead is a postdoctoral fellow, a regular member of the RSN, usually their research supervisor, acts as the award holder. 

Only one application may be submitted per project lead per competition. The support may not be combined with other RSN funding covering the same expenses. 

Evaluation criteria 

Eligible applications are assessed against five criteria, for a total of 30 points. The partnership criterion is scored out of 10 points, and the other four out of 5 points. A score below 6 out of 10 on the partnership criterion excludes the application, regardless of its overall score.

• Strategic alignment of the project (5 points): relevance of the project to the RSN's priorities and work streams in digital health. 

• Quality and relevance of the partnership (10 points): commitment of the decision-making organization or organizations to defining, carrying out and using the deliverables. 

• Quality and rigour of the knowledge mobilized (5 points): scientific quality of the knowledge used and the team's expertise in addressing the identified need. 

• Relevance and potential influence of the deliverables (5 points): fit between the deliverables and decision-makers' needs, and potential contribution to policy, governance or practices. 

• Feasibility and planned use of the deliverables (5 points): realism of the work plan and clarity of the planned use of the deliverables by the partner organization; a schedule linked to an upcoming decision is an asset. 

Required documents 

Applications are submitted online using the RSN form and include: 

• the completed application form; 

• a summary of the project and its objectives; 

• a proposal document (maximum 2 pages); 

• a detailed budget of planned expenses (maximum 300 words); 

• a letter of commitment from the partner decision-making organization (maximum 1 page); 

• the curriculum vitae of the project lead. 

Applications may be submitted in French or in English. 

Timeline 

• Competition launch: September 30, 2026 

• Submission deadline: November 8, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) 

• Evaluation of applications: from November 16, 2026 to January 24, 2027 

• Announcement of selected projects: February 15, 2027 

• Project period: April 2027 to March 2028 

Evaluation process 

Applications are first checked for eligibility by the RSN coordination team. Eligible applications are then assessed by a multidisciplinary committee appointed by the RSN. 

Evaluators declare any real, apparent or potential conflict of interest before the evaluation begins. An evaluator in a conflict of interest, in particular one belonging to the research team or to the partner decision-making organization of an application, takes part neither in the evaluation nor in the discussion of that application. In line with the position of the Fonds de recherche du Québec, the content of applications may not be entered into a generative artificial intelligence tool. 

Projects are funded according to the highest scores obtained, until the available envelope is exhausted. The RSN treats all applications confidentially. Every applicant receives a decision notice together with the committee's comments. 

Payment and use of funds 

The award holder must be added to the RSN team composition report as a co-investigator so that the funds can be transferred. Their consent and an up-to-date FRQnet account are required. The funds are transferred to their managing institution. 

The funds are used in accordance with the rules of the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Any amounts left unspent at the end of the project are returned to the RSN. 

Deliverables, dissemination and ownership 

Each project produces at least one deliverable intended for decision-makers, accompanied by a summary of two pages or less. Deliverables are disseminated in French, and the summary is provided in both French and English. Translation costs are eligible. 

Intellectual property in the deliverables remains with the research team. By accepting the financial support, the team grants the RSN and the partner decision-making organization a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence allowing them to use, reproduce, translate and disseminate the deliverables for non-commercial purposes. 

In accordance with the rules of the Fonds de recherche du Québec, the RSN does not fund work whose results must remain confidential. A dissemination delay may be agreed with the partner; it should not exceed three months following delivery of the deliverable. 

The use of generative artificial intelligence tools in producing the deliverables must be declared to the RSN and mentioned in the deliverables where it is substantial. The team remains fully responsible for the content produced. 

Recipient commitments 

By accepting the financial support, recipients undertake to: 

• acknowledge the RSN's support in the deliverables produced, in the manner described below; 

• send the RSN the position papers, briefs, syntheses, recommendations or other tools developed under the project; 

• disseminate the final deliverables in French and provide the summary in both French and English; 

• submit a short completion report at the end of the project, including the use made of the deliverables by the decision-making partner; 

• take part, at the RSN's request and on terms to be agreed, in a network dissemination activity presenting the project and the use made of the deliverables: a webinar, a lunchtime talk or an article on the RSN website; 

• submit a financial report by August 31, 2028 at the latest; 

• use the funds in accordance with the rules of the Fonds de recherche du Québec; 

• return any unspent funds to the RSN. 

Acknowledging the RSN's support 

One of the following three formulations must appear in the documents produced: 

• “Réseau santé numérique (RSN), Fonds de recherche du Québec” 

• “RSN, FRQ, Québec, Canada” 

• “With the support of the Réseau santé numérique (FRQ)” 

The official RSN logo must appear on the documents produced under the project. The logo and its usage guidelines are provided when the funding is awarded. Deliverables are sent to the RSN for promotion and possible dissemination through the network's channels.