Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
Section 1: Institutional GBA+ Capacity
NSERC’s Implementation of GBA+ through the Tri-agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan
In 2020-21, NSERC continued to advance implementation of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan (2018-2025), working closely with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), and other agencies and institutions. The action plan seeks to provide equitable and inclusive access for all researchers to NSERC funding opportunities, and to influence the achievement of an inclusive post-secondary research system and culture in Canada. As part of implementation, NSERC commits to integrating GBA+/EDI considerations into its policies, plans, programs and processes, indicators of research excellence, evaluation criteria, and departmental decision-making processes in order to eliminate systemic biases that hinder equitable access to its programs. The action plan and key performance indicators were updated in 2020 and, in April 2021, the agencies publicly released the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan.
Advancing the implementation of GBA+ governance within NSERC
NSERC’s GBA+ Responsibility Centre resides in the Research Grants and Scholarships Division. Responsibility Centre staff coordinate and promote GBA+ and EDI activities across the agency; provide input and guidance; support capacity building; generally, lead on the integration of GBA+ into Treasury Board submissions; promote GBA+ Awareness Week annually; and, convene NSERC’s Working Group on EDI, a cross-divisional group that facilitates the internal strengthening of GBA+ capacity.
NSERC ensures that GBA+/EDI is integrated into agency decision-making and processes. In September 2020, a new standing committee of Council, the Committee on EDI, was created to provide advice to Council and NSERC management on matters pertaining to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Advancing departmental GBA+ capacity (training and reporting)
Mandatory training for staff at NSERC includes WAGE's Introduction to GBA+ course, as well as training on Civility and Respect and Diversity and Inclusion (both introduced in 2019-20). NSERC also requires program delivery staff to complete an Unconscious bias training module (completion is also required from peer reviewers) and encourages all staff to engage in other training supporting their GBA+/EDI capacity (including on the Relationship Between Indigenous Peoples and the Government of Canada). Recent training completion rates for staff are as follows:
Training |
Completion rates (as of March 31, 2021) |
Completion rates 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|
Introduction to GBA+ |
80% |
81% |
Diversity and Inclusion |
52% |
32% |
Civility and Respect |
68% |
24% |
Data collection and reporting
In support of NSERC’s GBA+ capacity, the agency started collecting self-identification data from stakeholders engaging in NSERC funding opportunities in 2018 (gender, age, whether they identify as a member of a visible minority group, as Indigenous, and/or as a person with a disability). This data enables NSERC staff to undertake GBA+ and other EDI-focused analyses, taking an intersectional approach, in support of enhancing equity, diversity and inclusion in research funding and in the broader Canadian research enterprise. The self-identification questionnaire was reviewed in 2020, in light of legal requirements, new legislation, and feedback from the research community. The revised questionnaire asks about eight dimensions of identity, adding sexual orientation and language to the previous questions. NSERC is currently working on implementing the revised questionnaire across its application platforms, which should be completed in 2021.
Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program
Core Responsibility: Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research and Training
Program Name: Discovery Research
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
First group |
Second group |
Third group |
Fourth group |
Fifth group |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By gender |
Men |
❌ | Women |
Key Impacts
Statistics |
Observed Results* |
Data Source |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Proportion of award holders who are members of underrepresented groups, specifically:
|
Award and application rates for the Discovery Research program:
|
Data collected through the funding agencies’ self-identification questionnaire |
Target: year over year improvement. |
* 2020-21 or most recent
Other
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding agencies implemented measures to mitigate disproportionate impacts on members of the research community from underrepresented and historically excluded groups, and avoid exacerbating inequities. These measures included: extending timelines for application intake for funding competitions; including an optional COVID-19 Impact Statement for some competitions; extending peer review deadlines; reimbursing dependent care and internet expenses for individuals participating in virtual peer review to facilitate broader participation; and, extending Tri-agency Scholarships and Fellowships for an additional four months.
- In September 2020, NSERC published GBA+ informed guidelines for applicants and reviewers on how to describe COVID-19-related delays in research and impacts on research and training activities.
- In February 2021, NSERC and the US National Science Foundation hosted the second workshop of a two-part series on embedding EDI considerations in all stages of research. Participants discussed inclusive and intersectional approaches that seek to increase the social impact, quality and equity of engineering and computer science research. NSERC is using the input to build guidance materials for researchers and reviewers to support inclusion of EDI considerations at each stage of the research process.
Supplementary Information Sources
- Canada Research Coordinating Committee 2019-20 Progress Report (2020-21 Progress Report not yet published)
- Discovery Grants Competition Results
GBA+ Data Collection Plan
- Applicants to funding opportunities falling under the Discovery Research program are required to complete the funding agencies’ revised (2020) self-identification questionnaire, providing the agency with more information regarding applicants’ identity characteristics.
Program Name: Research Partnerships
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
First group |
Second group |
Third group |
Fourth group |
Fifth group |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By gender |
Men |
❌ | Women |
Key Impacts
Statistics |
Observed Results* |
Data Source |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Proportion of award holders who are members of underrepresented groups, specifically:
|
Award and application rates for the Research Partnerships program:
|
Data collected through the funding agencies’ self-identification questionnaire |
Target: year over year improvement. |
* 2020-21 or most recent
Other
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding agencies implemented measures to mitigate disproportionate impacts on members of the research community from underrepresented and historically excluded groups, and avoid exacerbating inequities. These measures included: extending timelines for application intake for funding competitions; including an optional COVID-19 Impact Statement for some competitions; extending peer review deadlines; reimbursing dependent care and internet expenses for individuals participating in virtual peer review to facilitate broader participation; and, extending Tri-agency Scholarships and Fellowships for an additional four months.
- Applicants to NSERC’s Alliance funding opportunity must consider sex, gender and diversity in the project’s research design and consider how to promote and support a variety of forms of mentoring to ensure trainees’ equitable participation and growth. In large proposals, applicants must strive for equity, diversity and inclusion when developing their group of co-applicants, partners and trainees.
Supplementary Information Sources
- Canada Research Coordinating Committee 2019-20 Progress Report (2020-21 Progress Report not yet published)
GBA+ Data Collection Plan
- Applicants to funding opportunities falling under the Research Partnerships program are required to complete the funding agencies’ revised (2020) self-identification questionnaire, providing the agency with more information regarding applicants’ identity characteristics.
- NSERC is currently working to expand self-identification data collection to external reviewers involved in Research Partnerships programs;
- Many funding opportunities under the Research Partnerships programs are institutional grants (for example, the College and Community Innovation Programs). Currently, self-identification data is collected from the person submitting the application. Work is underway to expand data collection to provide a clearer portrait of the researchers benefiting from the funding.
Program Name: Research Training and Talent Development
Target Population: All Canadians
Distribution of Benefits
First group |
Second group |
Third group |
Fourth group |
Fifth group |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
By gender |
Men |
❌ | Women |
Key Impacts
Statistics |
Observed Results* |
Data Source |
Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Proportion of award holders who are members of underrepresented groups, specifically:
|
Award and application rates for the Research Training and Talent Development program:
|
Data collected through the funding agencies’ self-identification questionnaire |
Target: year over year improvement. |
* 2020-21 or most recent
Other
- In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funding agencies implemented measures to mitigate disproportionate impacts on members of the research community from underrepresented and historically excluded groups, and avoid exacerbating inequities. These measures included: extending timelines for application intake for funding competitions; including an optional COVID-19 Impact Statement for some competitions; extending peer review deadlines; reimbursing dependent care and internet expenses for individuals participating in virtual peer review to facilitate broader participation; and, extending Tri-agency Scholarships and Fellowships for an additional four months.
- The program has developed additional guidance for applicants and reviewers, specifically encouraging the consideration of EDI in research proposals, where applicable. A specific EDI module has been implemented for the Postdoctoral Fellowships and the Postgraduate Scholarships (PGS-D) funding opportunities.
- GBA+ recommendations for the E.W. R. Steacie awards (now the Arthur B. McDonald Prize) are in the monitoring phase. For the 2021 competition, the eligibility and selection criteria were updated and a merit grid and improved committee guidelines were introduced.
- NSERC partnered with the Canadian Forest Services to offer forestry-linked Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) supplements which are granted preferentially to underrepresented groups (Canadian Forest Sector Workforce Diversity undergraduate supplements).
Supplementary Information Sources
- Canada Research Coordinating Committee 2019-20 Progress Report (2020-21 Progress Report not yet published)
GBA+ Data Collection Plan
- Applicants to funding opportunities falling under the Research Training and Talent Development program are required to complete the funding agencies’ revised (2020) self-identification questionnaire, providing the agency with more information regarding applicants’ identity characteristics.
- The Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering (CWSE) program (which has the objective of increasing the number of women in STEM fields, providing mentorship and normalizing parallel responsibilities such as career and family), has recently undergone a formal program evaluation and the results are expected to be published soon.
Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework
Core Responsibility: Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research and Training
Program name |
Education and Skills Development |
Economic Participation and Prosperity |
Leadership and Democratic Participation |
Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice |
Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being |
Gender Equality around the World |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Research | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | |||
| Research Partnerships | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | |||
| Research Training and Talent Development | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ |
Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework
Core Responsibility: Funding Natural Sciences and Engineering Research and Training
Program name |
Prosperity |
Health |
Environment |
Society |
Good Governance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery Research | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | |
| Research Partnerships | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | |
| Research Training and Talent Development | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ | ☑ |
Definitions
Target Population: See Finance Canada definition of Target Group in the following document: User Instructions for the GBA+ Departmental Summary – Budget 2020 - Canada.ca)
Gender Scale
- First group: Predominantly men (e.g. 80 per cent or more men)
- Second group: 60 per cent - 79 per cent men
- Third group: Broadly gender-balanced
- Forth group: 60 per cent - 79 per cent women
- Fifth group: Predominantly women (e.g. 80 per cent or more women)
Income Level Scale
- First group: Strongly benefits low income individuals (Strongly progressive)
- Second group: Somewhat benefits low income individuals (Somewhat progressive)
- Third group: No significant distributional impacts
- Forth group: Somewhat benefits high income individuals (Somewhat regressive)
- Fifth group: Strongly benefits high income individuals (Strongly regressive)
Age Group Scale
- First group: Primarily benefits youth, children and/or future generations
- Second group: No significant inter-generational impacts or impacts generation between youth and seniors
- Third group: Primarily benefits seniors or the baby boom generation
Gender Results Framework Pillars: see definitions at the following page: Gender Results Framework - Women and Gender Equality Canada
Quality of Life Domains: See definitions in Annex-5-eng.pdf (budget.gc.ca)
