Funded by the Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH) and given financial support from the 13 institutes that make up the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), the SK-NEIHR is one of 9 research networks. The NEIHRs, Network Environments for Health Research, are all a part of the NEIHR National Coordinating Centre. The SK-NEIHR is located in Saskatchewan and made of two parts, one for Métis health research and the other for First Nations health research, natawihowin and mamawiikikayaahk. These names were gifted by community to the Saskatchewan NEIHR.

Funding

Throughout Saskatchewan, the SK-NEIHR offers Community Partnership and Knowledge Translation support funds of $10,000.00 on a continuing basis each year. To date the SK-NEIHR has awarded 25 community partnership funds, totaling $217,313.00. We have also awarded 16 knowledge translation funds, totaling $146,670.00. From 2020 – 2025 we have provided a total of $363,983.00 in funds to First Nations and Métis health research projects throughout Saskatchewan. If would like to learn more about SK-NEIHR funds, visit the funding tab on our website.

Each year, the SK-NEIHR also hosts the First Nations and Métis Research Engagement Day, a First Nations and Métis health research conference. This annual health research conference helps to showcase the Knowledge Translation and Community Support projects the SK-NEIHR has funded. It also helps to bring together community members and those working in First Nations and Métis health research to network, connect, and build partnerships.

The Saskatchewan NEIHR has hosted many webinars that are available for free on our website. We have provided free access to anyone interested in:

• Conducting community based research with Indigenous communities: Here is where the SK-NEIHR provided information on topics such as: CP and KT funding, Grant Budget Development, Building Research with Communities, Developing and Writing a successful research grant with Métis and First Nations communities, human ethics, building a CV, writing a well argued paper, and developing an edited collection.
• Perspectives in Métis and First Nations Research: Here is where the SK-NEIHR provides access to expert knowledge on a range of First Nations and Métis topics like: Métis Identity, Pretendians in the Academy, Racism in Healthcare, the COVID-19 Vaccine, Reconciliation and Treaty Implementation, Research Funds, Indigenous Disaster and Emergency Management, Cultural Safety, Decolonization, Trauma, and Resillience.

For access to our webinars, click here.

The SK-NEIHR also supports First Nations, Métis, and non-Indigenous graduate students through our Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy was a week-long, community-based academy created and hosted by the SK-NEIHR. We sent out a call for applications and invited successful applicants to attend. Participants met, heard from, and connected with local experts in First Nations and Métis health research. They also met, heard from, and connected with other program participants, forming lasting bonds and networking toward a brighter future.

The SK-NEIHR is comprised of 12 Principal Investigators (PIs). Each PI works within their own field of research and works in the area of First Nations and Métis health research. This powerful research network brings with it strong relationships with First Nations and Métis communities and interdisciplinary expertise on how to conduct research with First Nations and Métis communities in Saskatchewan. The SK-NEIHR sets the standard for working with First Nations and Métis communities in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan NEIHR (SK-NEIHR) is a First Nations and Métis Health Research network in Saskatchewan. Made of two parts, the First Nations health research part of the SK-NEIHR is known as natawihowin. The Métis part of the SK-NEIHR is known as mamawiikikayaahk. Each of these names were gifted to the SK-NEIHR by local First Nations and Métis communities. We Support First Nations and Métis health research in Saskatchewan by: Providing funding to researchers and communities; hosting our annual conference called First Nations and Métis Research Engagement Day; hosting and posting topics hosted by experts in First Nations and Métis health research; hosting the Innovation Academy, a week-long academy for graduate students and PhD candidtates working in First Nations and Métis health in Saskatchewan; supporting a team of Principal Investigators which is made up of over 50% First Nations and Métis expert researchers, and also expert non-Indigenous researchers working in the same field.