Technical FAQs – IDRC Research Awards 2021
Note: IDRC’s online application system is managed by SurveyMonkey Apply, an external supplier.
Questions
1. Where do I find the online application form?
2. Which browser should I use for the online application?
4. Who should I contact if I have a technical problem with my online application?
8. I have more technical questions that have not been answered here.
Answers
1. Where do I find the online application form?
Click this link to apply online (also available on the call page on IDRC’s funding page).
The link will take you to the SurveyMonkey Apply system, where you will create an account. Once the sign-up process is complete, you will need to complete the Privacy Statement and then the Eligibility Questionnaire. If you are eligible, the system will grant access to the application form.
2. Which browser should I use for the online application?
We recommend using Firefox or Chrome as your browser for the online application. You may encounter technical difficulties with Internet Explorer.
3. Do I have to complete the entire application form at once or can I complete some sections, save, and continue later?
The application form contains many pages and may be completed gradually. You may fill out some parts of the form, save, and continue later. Please make sure to “Mark as Complete” when the form is complete.
Applications should be submitted at least one or two days before the deadline. Experience has shown that the volume of submissions on the day of the deadline often causes delays or technical difficulties.
4. Who should I contact if I have a technical problem with my online application?
Contact awards@idrc.ca to alert us to the problem. We want to be aware of any technical issues and we will try to address them. Support is available during typical Eastern Daylight Time office hours from Monday to Friday, but not on weekends or Canadian statutory holidays. Please note that we cannot guarantee a response to technical issues that arise during the last two days before the deadline.
5. I was working on the application form close to the deadline when it suddenly shut down. What can I do?
The system shuts down at the exact deadline time indicated in the call page on the IDRC funding page. There is no grace period and the system will not allow you to save what you wrote past the deadline. If this occurs, we invite you to apply for the next call — check the IDRC Funding page regularly for dates.
6. I’m a shortlisted candidate. What should I do if my recommenders have not received my invitation to submit the recommendation form?
For shortlisted candidates, the invitation will be sent from no-reply@idrc.ca. Note that the notification message subject line may or may not include the candidate’s name. Occasionally, the invitation notification will be filtered to the person’s junk or spam mail folder — please advise your recommenders of this possibility.
Your recommenders should ask an IT technician at their organization for assistance if they have problems retrieving the invitation. You should also inform your recommenders that the link granting access to the recommendation form may indicate that this is an “insecure site and you should not continue”. The site is secure, and this message may be generated by the organization’s anti-virus/anti-spam filtering system. The organizations should have their IT departments add “smapply.io” to their “trusted” domains in their anti-spam filters.
For details on recommendations, see the checklist page.
7. I’m a shortlisted candidate. I was not able to upload my final documents in a timely manner. May I submit them by email?
No, we are unable to accept your final documents by email. It is the candidate’s responsibility to begin and complete the process in a timely manner.
8. I have more technical questions that have not been answered here.
More online technical answers are available on the SurveyMonkey Application FAQ site for applicants (available in English only because it is from the software provider).