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Technical frequently asked questions: Justice for women and Indigenous peoples through climate-resilient forests and food systems – John G. Bene Fellowship 2023

Note: IDRC’s online application system is managed by an external supplier, SurveyMonkey Apply. 

1. Where do I find the online application form?  

To apply, click the online link (which is also available on the Bene call page on the IDRC 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 full application. 

2. Do I have to complete the entire Bene application at once or can I complete some sections, upload some documents, save them, and continue later? 

The application form contains many pages and may be completed gradually. You may upload one document at a time, save, and continue later. Please make sure to “Mark as Complete” for each task, and also to submit your application by hitting the “Submit” button. 

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. 

3. Whom should I contact if I have a technical problem with my online application? 

Contact benefellowship@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. 

4. What should I do if my professor has not received my invitation to submit the recommendation form? 

The invitation will be sent from noreply@mail.smapply.io. Note that the notification message subject line may or may not include the candidate’s name. Occasionally, the invitation notification will be sent to the professor’s junk or spam mail folder — please advise your professors of this possibility. 

Your professors should ask an IT technician at their university for assistance if they have problems retrieving the invitation. You should also inform your professors 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 university’s anti-virus/anti-spam filtering system. Universities should have their IT departments add “smapply.io” to their “trusted” domains in their anti-spam filters. 

5. One of my professors has not completed the recommendation form on time. Consequently, I have not been able to hit the “Submit” button by the deadline. Can the recommendation form still be uploaded to my application and submitted after the deadline? 

Each candidate is responsible for starting their online application several weeks before the deadline to ensure adequate time to fulfill all requirements. This includes allowing professors sufficient time to reply to the invitation and to solve (with the help of IDRC) any technical problems that may arise. 

Professors will not be able to submit recommendation forms after the deadline. If a professor waits until the last day to submit the form, there is a risk that it may be delayed because of the high volume of applications. If the recommendation forms have not been completed, candidates will not be able to submit their application. 

6. I was not able to submit my final document(s) to apply for the Bene fellowship, may I submit them by email? Will you accept my late application? 

No, we are unable to accept your final document by email or to accept your late application. It is the candidate’s responsibility to begin and complete the process in a timely manner and to submit before the deadline. 

7. I was working on the system close to the deadline when it suddenly shut down. What can I do? 

The system shuts down at the exact deadline time indicated on the Bene call page located in the IDRC funding page. There is no grace period. 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. 

8. I have more technical questions that have not been answered here.  

To see more online technical questions, you may consult the SurveyMonkey Application FAQ site for applicants (available in English only because it is from the software provider).