AgriCommunication Program: Applicant guide

Applicant guide

Purpose of this guide

This guide will:

1. help you determine if you may be eligible for funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) under the AgriCommunication Program
2. provide you with directions and explanations to assist you in completing the project application form

The guide includes additional details on:

• funding and cost-sharing
• program priorities and eligible activities
• expected results
• assessment criteria
• reporting on your project
• other requirements

Your completed application form should provide AAFC with the information needed to make decisions about eligibility and funding. It is highly recommended that you read this guide and Annex A: How to complete the application form in its entirety before you complete the form.

Table of contents

• 1.0 About the AgriCommunication Initiative
  • 1.1. About the AgriCommunication Program
  • 1.2 Eligible applicants
  • 1.3 Cost-sharing
  • 1.4 Eligible activities
  • 1.5 Ineligible activities
  • 1.6 Application deadlines
• 2.0 Expected results
• 3.0 Assessment criteria
• 4.0 Reporting on your project
• 5.0 Considerations
  • 5.1 M-30 Act (Quebec only)
• 6.0 After you apply
• 7.0 Contact information
• Annex A: How to complete the application form

1.0 About the AgriCommunication Initiative

The AgriCommunication Initiative aims to better connect Canadians with Canada's food system. As part of this Initiative, AAFC will provide funding under the AgriCommunication Program, of up to $8 million over 3 years, to help strengthen public trust through projects that promote consumer awareness of Canadian agriculture.

1.1 About the AgriCommunication Program

The AgriCommunication Program assists industry-led efforts to promote:

• consumer awareness of Canadian agriculture
• sector awareness of consumer perceptions
• industry's efforts to endorse environmentally sustainable best practices

In strengthening public trust in the agricultural food system, the program supports increased consumer knowledge of, and engagement with, Canadian agricultural products, while promoting agricultural best practices.

The AgriCommunication Program will be prioritizing new and innovative activities that promote agricultural recognition and appreciation of Canadian agriculture.

Program objective

The AgriCommunication Program will focus specifically on supporting activities, which increase appreciation and pride in the contributions of farmers and the food industry as well as enhance public trust. The agriculture awareness activities will help strengthen public trust about the origin of the food Canadians eat and how it is produced.

1.2 Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants under the AgriCommunication Program are not-for-profit organizations that operate nationally in Canada. They may include:

• associations
• Indigenous groups

The program will also support activities undertaken by national domestic agricultural fairs and exhibitions which have broad agriculture awareness activities, which will help strengthen public trust about the origin of the food they eat and how it is produced. Eligible applicants must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

Consideration may be given to regional not-for-profit associations if there is no representation at the national level, and the applicant can demonstrate the ability to deliver a project that is national, and/or agriculture and agri-food sector wide in scope.

Demonstrating the ability to deliver a project that is national and/or agriculture and agri-food sector wide in scope includes but is not limited to:

• participation of relevant industry stakeholders in the project development and/or implementation
• illustration of the ability to implement the project nationally
• indication of the support and buy-in from relevant industry stakeholders in the proposed project through support letters

Indicating that organizations are willing to share results from the proposed project with other industry stakeholders is not sufficient to demonstrate the ability to deliver a project that is national, and/or agriculture and agri-food sector wide in scope.

Who is not eligible

The following groups are not eligible to receive funding under this program:

• academic institutions
• commodity organizations
• for-profit organizations
• individuals

1.3 Cost-sharing

Eligible project costs will normally be shared between AAFC and you as follows:

• a maximum of 70% AAFC and a minimum of 30% Applicant
• A more favourable cost-share may be applied for underrepresented groups within the agricultural sector, with AAFC covering 85% and the recipients covering 15%.

You must clearly indicate all sources of funding for the project, including your contribution and other industry and/or partner sources of funding including:

• other federal government departments, agencies and crown corporations^{Endnote 1}
• provincial/territorial governments^{Endnote 1}
• municipal government^{Endnote 1}
• Industry and partners such as:
  • industry associations and networks
  • businesses
  • academia

What is a cash contribution?

A cash contribution is an expense requiring a cash outlay, by either your organization or by a participant/contributor (such as a partner or other government), during the term of the Contribution Agreement (CA). Specifically, a cash contribution is an expenditure for an eligible project cost incurred and paid for by your organization, or another project participant.

What is an in-kind contribution?

In-kind means the fair market value attributed for eligible goods and services that are contributed to this project which require no outlay of cash during the term of the CA by you or a contributor. These contributions must be eligible costs. They won't be reimbursed by AAFC. More information on in-kind contributions is provided in the Annex A: How to complete the application form.

Eligible costs

All costs claimed or contributed under the program must fall within the program cost categories and respect all limitations, including effective dates of the CA. For more information and details on cost categories, eligible/ineligible costs and other limitations, refer to the Details on eligible cost items section of Annex A.

Ineligible costs

While an expense may fall within a cost category, there are limitations to the types of expenses which may be claimed.

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• alcohol, entertainment, prizes, gifts (such as gifts for speakers or facilitators)
• minor assets and capital items not directly related to training and not specifically required for the execution of a project
• refundable portion of the GST, value-added taxes, or other items for which a refund or rebate is receivable
• cost for activities intended to directly influence/lobby governments
• other costs not specifically required for the project

For more information and details on cost categories, eligible/ineligible costs and other limitations, refer to the Project Costs section of Annex A.

1.4 Eligible activities

The program will prioritize projects that focus on consumer awareness and sector awareness, and environmental sustainability, to build public trust. Program priorities and examples of eligible activities are:

• Consumer awareness – increase Canadian consumers' appreciation of industry's efforts in farming practices
  • seminars designed to inform Canadian consumers of specific attributes of Canadian agriculture and agri-food
  • information dissemination through communication strategies (for example, social media, digital platforms, influencers, web sites, videos)
  • develop consumer knowledge of agricultural practices through events, conferences, workshops, web sites, and community outreach to disseminate farm industry best practices and agricultural awareness
• Sector awareness – within the agricultural industry
  • develop educational material, technical training, tools and resources to strengthen information dissemination and adopt best practices to increase awareness of consumer concerns, preferences and wishes
  • facilitate awareness and knowledge transfer of new and ongoing initiatives within the farming community through newsletters, digital tools, publications, brochures
  • promote success stories and recognize leaders in industry
• Environmental sustainability – increase awareness of agricultural best practices, sustainability initiatives, technological advancements
  • increase consumer understanding of, and awareness of sustainability practices
  • increase sector knowledge of best practices related to environmental sustainability
  • development of digital communication tools to leverage industry strategies and data to increase public understanding, lead consumer knowledge and behaviour, and highlight agricultural-based solutions to fight climate change

1.5 Ineligible activities

Examples of ineligible activities include:

• core business activities of the organization, including, but not limited to:
  • Annual General Meetings, board meetings
  • fundamental operational costs not directly related to the project
  • normal costs of establishing a commercial operation
• the purchase of land or buildings
• activities that are sector-specific in scope and are not a benefit agriculture and agri-food sector wide
• activities that are regional in scope and are not a benefit nationally

1.6 Application deadlines

The application intake period is now closed.

The program ends March 31, 2024.

2.0 Expected results

The expected results of the program are:

• Canadians are better informed and aware of agricultural issues, practices and best practices
• An agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector which has an increased knowledge and awareness of consumer issues and greater capacity to communicate about these issues
• Increased promotion of sustainable agriculture in Canada

Examples of performance indicators, to measure the relevance and effectiveness of these projects include:

• results of consumer awareness activities (for example, number of awareness raising activities and number of people that participated in the outreach)
• results of sector awareness activities (for example, number of tools and information products deployed, as well as the number of people that participated in the activity)
• results of environmental sustainability activities (for example, number of initiatives highlighted)
• number and demographic breakdown of participants such as: number of women and youth engaged, Indigenous, visible minorities, or members of the LGBTQ2 community

3.0 Assessment criteria

Project proposals must be related to delivering new and innovative national services and/or products in one or more of the following areas:

• consumer awareness
• sector awareness
• environmental sustainability
• public trust

Your application will initially be reviewed against the following criteria:

• the application is complete and the proposed project is eligible
• the proposed activities, including expected results and outcomes, support program objectives and priorities
• all sources of funding for the project funded under this stream are identified

If these criteria are met, a more thorough assessment of your application will be done. This will include:

• your organization's capacity to deliver the project, taking into consideration your resources and timelines
• the degree to which the proposed project can demonstrate new and innovative activities and products that promote agricultural recognition and appreciation of Canadian agriculture
• the proposed activities and expenditures are eligible, reasonable and required to meet the project objectives
• project linkages to building agriculture awareness and environmental sustainability in the sector
• evaluation of the project's impact to stakeholders and how it benefits the sector

The assessment process will determine the funding amount for approved projects. This will be based on:

• scope and duration of project
• reasonableness and fair market value of proposed eligible expenses
• importance of proposed eligible activities for greater impact to the sector
• reasonableness of the overall projected cost of eligible expenditures given the projected outcome(s)
• other sources of funding
• demonstrated due diligence in obtaining and reporting on performance results

AAFC will provide a written decision letter outlining the level of assistance awarded and any other conditions, if applicable.

4.0 Reporting on your project

If your project is approved, AAFC will communicate the level of reporting necessary in writing in advance of the signing of a CA. The reporting includes progress, performance and financial reports.

Progress reports

You will be required to provide progress reports describing the activities completed and progress made towards deliverables, as described in the Project Work Plan. Progress report frequency is either quarterly, semi-annually or annually, depending on risk level.

Performance reports

You will also be required to provide performance reports annually and at the end of the project. The reports will track progress against mutually agreed to performance measures outlined in the CA.

Financial reports

Financial reporting is required with each request for reimbursement of expenditures, in addition to year-end accounting and other financial reports. When submitting a claim for reimbursement supporting invoices representing 10%, 20% or 40% may be required.

Other reports may be required at AAFC's discretion.

5.0 Considerations

5.1 M-30 Act (Quebec organizations only)

The Province of Quebec's M-30 legislation may apply to Quebec based applicants only. It is the Act Respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (R.S.Q., c. M-30).

More information on the Act is available online or by contacting the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation (MAPAQ) at dpci@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca.

M-30 applies to various types of Quebec organizations, for example, organizations located in Quebec and receiving more than half of their financing from the Government of Quebec may be subject to the Act.

All Quebec based organizations will have to address this matter and demonstrate their compliance with the Act during the project assessment process, and prior to entering into a CA.

6.0 After you apply

Once an application has been submitted, an acknowledgment notice will be forwarded to the applicant.

Note: You should not consider an application as submitted to the program until you receive the acknowledgement notice.

AAFC's goal is to:

• acknowledge receipt of your application within 1 business day
• respond to general inquiries made by phone or email before the end of the next business day
• assess your application and send you an approval or a rejection notification letter typically within 100 business days of the close of the application intake window, or within 100 business days of the application being deemed complete, if received after the intake period

Applications will be accepted from December 9, 2021. Applicants who want to complete activities before March 31, 2022 should contact the program to discuss their application. Every effort will be made to accelerate the review of the applications.

After your application is received, AAFC verifies that all required forms and declarations have been completed accurately and there is sufficient detail in the application for a full assessment.

Next, a full review and assessment of your application against the principles and criteria of the program will be carried out by assessors including program administrators and other technical reviewers within AAFC.

AAFC may contact you for more information at any point after you apply.

If your application is approved, a program officer will communicate with you to go over the details of the approval including activities, funding levels as well as start and end dates. The program officer will then follow up with you to negotiate the details and enter into a CA.

Note: AAFC does not have the authority to reimburse recipients for costs incurred until a CA is signed, even if an approval is granted.

Please note that even if a project meets all eligibility criteria, the submission of an application creates no obligation on the part of the Minister or of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada officials to provide funding for the proposed project. The Minister retains discretion to determine, based on other public policy and public interest considerations, whether an application that meets the criteria identified in this guide will ultimately receive funding.

7.0 Contact information

For more information on the AgriCommunication Program, please contact the program by:

Telephone: 1-877-246-4682
TDD/TTY: 613-773-2600
Email: aafc.agricompetitivenessagri-competitivite.aac@agr.gc.ca