From Alignment to Impact: How a Strategic Grant Is Shaping Saskatchewan Research
- Evan Poncelet for SHRF
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
By Evan Poncelet for SHRF
What Does Saskatchewan Need?
That’s the question at the heart of SHRF’s Align Grant, a Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) program created in 2022 to help researchers address provincial health priorities in a meaningful, community-focused way.
The Align Grant provides up to $10,000 for Saskatchewan researchers to meet provincial needs by connecting with communities and co-developing ideas. It was designed to be quick, adaptable, and strategic by bridging a funding gap for small but powerful ideas that can grow into something bigger.
Why does this matter? Because some of the most meaningful health research starts small. Whether it’s a pilot project, a new partnership, or a fresh approach to a local challenge, the Align Grant provides researchers the launchpad they need to turn good ideas into real impact.
Small Investments, Big Returns
In just three years, SHRF has funded 95 Align projects, and these research teams have collectively turned a relatively small investment into something much bigger:
$2.26 million in follow-on funding secured by grantees, yielding a 441% return on investment
231 collaborators engaged – many with community, healthcare, and non-profit partners
317 knowledge-sharing activities completed, reaching audiences far beyond academia
These numbers tell a story of momentum. They represent ideas that have grown into fully funded programs, partnerships that brought researchers and communities together, and knowledge shared where it can make a real difference. The Align Grant isn’t just funding research; it helps research grow, spread, and take root in communities across the province.
Grounded in Saskatchewan Realities
Align-funded projects are grounded in the realities of Saskatchewan people. They’ve tackled diverse health priorities, including virtual reality solutions for healthcare training, co-designing mental health supports with Indigenous youth, and co-developing novel methods for detecting infectious diseases.
Nearly 75% of funded teams included members from outside academia, ensuring the research reflects the needs and perspectives of those it aims to serve.
As one grantee shared in their report:
“We actually changed the entire prototype based on [partner] feedback.”
Stories of Impact: What the Align Grant Makes Possible
Behind every Align-funded project is a story of connection, creativity, and community impact.
Building a Provincial Neurorehabilitation Strategy
Dr. Sarah Donkers and her team are laying the groundwork for a Provincial Neurorehabilitation Strategy to enhance access to care for people with neurological conditions across Saskatchewan, especially in rural and remote regions.
With 2023 Align Grant funding, the team conducted a province-wide needs assessment, strengthened partnerships with the Saskatchewan Health Authority and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and created an advisory report to guide future planning.
The project has already helped secure $100,000 in additional funding to support related work and has positioned the team for larger national grants. The ultimate goal is to ensure equitable, evidence-based neurorehabilitation services are accessible to everyone in the province, no matter where they live.
Transforming Transplant Education
At the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. Holly Mansell’s team set out to improve the state of transplant patient education. With support from a 2023 Align Grant, they co-developed the Health Education and Learning Platform (HELP) app alongside patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers. This innovative tool provides personalized education and a suite of self-management tools to make care more understandable and accessible.
This early work has already led to two more grants to expand the project and bring its benefits to more patients.
These are only two of the 95 projects that show how the Align Grant helps Saskatchewan researchers start strong, stay connected, and build toward lasting impact.
A Launchpad for Growth
The Align Grant is also helping researchers advance towards greater achievements. It’s more than a one-time investment; it’s a launchpad. One third of grantees have already secured additional funding, using their Align projects as a stepping stone to national grants, new partnerships, and expanded impact.
Growing Saskatchewan’s Research Community
The Align Grant isn’t just about projects – it’s about people. Funded teams have provided trainees and early-career researchers with hands-on experience, mentorship, and confidence. Some have gone on to graduate studies or health careers. Others are now leading their own research programs.
As one grantee shared:
“Please know that it encourages a relatively new researcher to receive funding such as this. It was good for me personally and professionally and advantageous to the growth of my research program.”
From Ripple to Wave: The Align Grant’s Expanding Impact
From early ideas to province-wide impact, the Align Grant is proof that small strategic investments can spark big change. Congratulations and thank you to all past Align Grant recipients for your amazing work!
Curious about who’s carrying the momentum forward?
Meet the most recent Align Grant recipients at shrf.ca/post/2025-26-align-grant-call-3-results
About SHRF - Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) is the provincial funding agency that funds, supports and promotes the impact of health research that matters to Saskatchewan. SHRF collaborates with stakeholders to contribute to the growth of a high-performing health system, culture of innovation and the improved health of citizens by strengthening research capacity and competitiveness, increasing the investment in health research in Saskatchewan and aligning research with the needs of our stakeholders.
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