Depending on the program, applications are categorized by theme with a review panel for each (e.g. biomedical, clinical, health services and population health research). The chairs and scientific officers of all review panels cross check these groupings to ensure the research proposed within each application aligns with the panel it is assigned to.

Once the application deadline has passed, we recruit reviewers who are subject matter experts in areas that directly align with the applications we’ve received. These reviewers are selected for their research excellence, breadth of knowledge, and maturity of judgment. We’ve been matching reviewers to applications based on expertise for 15 years, drawing on “external readers,” often from the international community, for highly specialized applications.

Review panels for our major funding awards are held in a virtual format. Each reviewer is encouraged to share unbiased feedback and discuss scoring for each application (excluding those with conflicts). We find that through this frank and open discussion, reviewers challenge and hold each other accountable for adjudication decisions.

For each application, two lead reviewers (chosen for their subject matter expertise) share their assessments and initial scores. The panel discusses the application, and, based on these additional insights, the lead reviewers have the opportunity to revise their scores. This creates the “consensus score” which forms the basis for the voting range. Finally, all panel members (excluding those with conflicts) score the application anonymously; the average of these scores is the final score for the application.

Our reviewers are seasoned researchers and many sit on panels for a number of funding organizations. At the end of each review meeting, we invite them to share feedback on the program, the resources provided to applicants and the review process itself. This ensures we continue to refine our programs and processes to ensure they are of high quality and that we continue to meet the highest scientific standards.