Alliance Society

PIVP Selection Committee Review Instructions

The goal of your review is to determine whether the proposed project demonstrates the potential for public impact that justifies the need for a higher level (up to 100% of project costs) of investment of public funds. You are required to review only the three-page Public Impact Value Proposition (PIVP) section (but you may refer to other sections of the application if needed) to assess the PIVP against three characteristics: Societal Impact; Making Connections; and Broad Outputs. The project must meet all three characteristics to justify the request for a higher NSERC contribution permitted in Alliance Society. Refer to the points below when making your evaluation.

Each Alliance Society application has passed a completeness / administrative check prior to being assigned to three or five members of the PIVP Selection Committee, depending on the availability of the members and the expertise that is needed.

Please be prepared to justify your evaluation of each of the three characteristics and ultimately explain if the proposal provides a convincing summary of why the higher level of investment is needed.

NSERC expects reviewers to consistently guard against the possibility of unconscious bias influencing the decision-making process, whether these biases are based on schools of thought, the perceived value of fundamental versus applied research, areas of research or research approaches (including emerging ones), size or reputation of an institution, age, gender, and/or other personal factors associated with the applicant and/or co-applicants. NSERC cautions reviewers against any judgment of an application based on such factors. To assist reviewers in recognizing both conscious and unconscious bias, all reviewers are asked to complete the 20-minute Bias in Peer Review online learning module.

Evaluation guidelines

Societal impact

Review answers to these PIVP questions

Describe the issue the project aims to address and explain the societal impact the project results will have. Describe the new technical knowledge that will be generated.

Describe the current barriers impeding a solution and the proposed novel strategy for addressing the issue. Explain why and how the research team and partner organizations are positioned to address the challenge.

Meet

Does not meet
  • focuses on relevant and important regional, national or global issues or opportunities that could positively affect or benefit Canadian end users and society*

AND

  • outlines the new knowledge to be generated by the project while including an approach involving science and engineering research

AND

  • aims for benefits that align with the needs of societal end users and go beyond the direct interests of participating partner organizations, and aims to remove or lower the barriers to help achieve what would otherwise not be possible, such as:

    • improvements to a category of product or service that has potential to transform a sector
    • providing the evidence needed to support new policies or regulations or to improve them
    • solving an issue affecting an entire sector
    • creating a new area of the economy
  • primarily focuses on the specific priorities of the partner(s) involved

OR

  • primarily focuses on the long-term goals of the partner(s), such as increasing profitability, market share, efficiency, visibility, reputation, etc.

OR

  • marginal or incremental improvements to knowledge, a product, a service process, policies, regulations or standards

The project may solve a challenge or take a first step toward achieving the proposed ultimate societal goals. The proposal should demonstrate how NSERC’s contribution allows crucial advances toward longer-term benefits . Benefits can be realized in collaboration with any sector—private, public or not-for-profit.

* Issues and opportunities include priorities of Indigenous communities or nations.

Making connections

Review answers to these PIVP questions

Describe the current barriers impeding a solution and the proposed novel strategy for addressing the issue. Explain why and how the research team and partner organizations are positioned to address the challenge.

Describe how the project is designed to take into account the needs of end users and implementers. Outline the project’s plan to involve groups in your partner organizations’ network to achieve optimal results and impact.

Meet

Does not meet
  • identifies partner organizations and societal groups affected by—or interested in—the problem, including those outside natural sciences and engineering, when appropriate

AND

  • engages these partner organizations and societal groups incorporate their knowledge to the research design and implementation

AND

  • involves these partner organizations and groups integrating the solutions within and across sectors
  • partner(s) and researcher fail to demonstrate connections with key end users and implementers

OR

  • project shows insufficient opportunities or an insufficient justification on the approach to connect beyond partner organization(s)

OR

  • inadequate evidence of consultation with relevant groups and limited input and commitment from them

OR

  • low degree of participation from partner organizations and unclear intent to share results beyond the project’s partner organizations

The approach should bring together academic, partner organizations and societal groups throughout the collaboration—from design through execution to implementation. The partner organizations can advance the project through a high level of participation and sharing results beyond their own organizations. The application must explain how the partner organizations’ involvement will encourage adoption.

Broad outputs

Review answers to these PIVP questions

Explain how the project outcomes will reach beyond the partner organizations to impact society. Describe the ways in which interested individuals or groups will be able to learn about and use the products, services or policies that stem from this research.

Meet

Does not meet
  • has a clear plan to communicate progress and the resulting products, services or policies beyond the academic world

AND

  • uses appropriate non-technical and innovative formats that partner organizations and societal groups can understand and that help exchange knowledge with these organizations and groups

AND

  • demonstrates how the management of intellectual property (IP) the project generates allows organizations and groups affected by the societal challenge to use the results without any obstacles
  • project outcomes flow to partner organizations only

OR

  • knowledge mobilization beyond partners is solely through journal articles

OR

  • no plan to transfer the knowledge to the relevant groups

OR

  • provides an IP management plan that would limit access to the outcomes

The project must aim for outcomes that are more than a product or service improvement. The project may advance a sector and its practices, or it may provide evidence leading to new policies or regulations. Outcomes are any activities undertaken as a result of new insights from the project. These outcomes must contribute to the societal impact promised in the application.

Contact Newsletter

Get highlights of things happening at NSERC delivered to your email inbox. View all Newsletters

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube
  • Instagram


TOP OF PAGE

Modified: 2023-12-04