Agricultural Clean Technology Program Research and Innovation Stream – Accelerator: Step 3. Before you apply

Step 3. Before you apply

Review and consider the following information before you apply.

Sources of funding

You must clearly show all sources of funding for the project, including your contributions as well as those from other sources:

• other federal government departments
• provincial/territorial governments
• municipal administrations
• industry and/or partners such as:
  • industry associations and networks
  • businesses
  • academia

How we assess your application

Your application will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Your experience with and knowledge of the agriculture and agri-food sector, demonstrated through:
  • previous programs focused in the sector
  • participation in sector-specific industry collaborations
  • support provided to a relevant organization
• Your proposal supports the Agricultural Clean Technology Program – Research and Innovation Stream objectives and advances one or more of the program priorities
• You have the capacity to further distribute the funds and have sufficient resources, finances, knowledge of the ag-tech sector, experience in project administration, and the ability to provide support services
• You have an implementation plan to design, recruit, select and monitor clean technology projects that represent a variety of innovative clean technologies by the Ultimate Recipients
• You have strong networks and potential to facilitate collaboration in the ag-tech ecosystem
• You can provide reports on your project; including individual clean technology projects, results, and indicators
• You have, or have access to, expertise to assess and provide results and indicators on direct GHG reductions and other environmental benefits
• Your proposed activities and expenditures are eligible, reasonable and required to meet the program objectives
• You have the potential to provide support to Ultimate Recipients across a region or multiple provinces and territories

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 (AAFC) 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 the guide will ultimately receive funding.

Considerations

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 at dpci@mapaq.gouv.qc.ca.

All Quebec-based organizations will have to address this matter and demonstrate their compliance with the Act during the proposal assessment process, and prior to entering into a contribution agreement under the Research and Innovation Stream.

Intellectual property

If your project is approved for funding, the contribution agreement will contain an intellectual property clause confirming that the title to all intellectual property in any materials created or developed by or for the Initial Recipient under the agreement will be owned by the Initial Recipient or a third party. However, the Initial Recipient must grant to AAFC the right to utilize any material or information produced, for AAFC and other Government of Canada purposes.

Official language minority communities

When it is determined that projects under this program involve activities related to the development and transfer of knowledge and may have an impact on official language minority communities (OLMCs), or promote the use of English and French, AAFC will include appropriate linguistic commitments in agreements with you and ensure that additional expenses incurred as a result of these commitments are considered eligible for contribution funding.

Activities may include, but aren't limited to:

• Communications to official language minority communities
  • project web pages, social media account(s), and materials (brochures, kits, handouts, newsletters, reports, etc.) produced and maintained in both official languages
  • directional and educational signs produced in both official languages
  • project-related advertisement in OLMC media (newspapers, radio, social media)
  • bilingual coordinator or other contractor hired to help deliver project-related activities in both official languages (such as master of ceremony for an event, workshop facilitator or simultaneous translator)
  • distribution of invitations in both official languages
• Outreach to official language minority communities
  • one or more OLMCs are included in the project target groups (such as cash partners in project budget or to be invited to events)
  • other groups representing OLMCs are consulted to see if there is any potential for involvement on their end
  • travel to or from OLMCs (costs associated with these project activities included in budget)

If funded, Initial Recipients may be required to publicly acknowledge AAFC's support for the project. In these cases, AAFC will request that such acknowledgments include text in both official languages.

Public announcements

Applicants consent to public announcements regarding the project. These announcements would include Initial Recipients' names, general descriptions of the work undertaken, and approximations of the reduction in GHG emissions and other environmental benefits.