AgriInnovate Program: Step 5. Complete the application and apply

Step 5. Complete the application and apply

A complete application includes the project summary form and the full application.

Project summary form

Your project summary form should be submitted on-line. If you would like to contact a program representative, please email aafc.agriinnovateprogram-programmeagriinnover.aac@agr.gc.ca.

Important notes

Only projects that have been demonstrated to meet the following assessment criteria will be invited to submit a full application. The innovation must:

• be new to the modern Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector and represent a significant improvement over other technologies/processes currently used elsewhere. Projects that involve cutting edge innovative technologies or processes will be given higher priority than those involving adoption of existing proven technologies or processes.
• be commercially ready with all technical aspects having been addressed with prototypes/pilot scale testing complete. For adoption projects, a significant level of adaptation or customization must be demonstrated.
• provide significant benefits to the agricultural or agri-food sector that extend beyond those that primarily benefit the applicant (for example, solving your internal operational efficiencies).

Also, you will need to demonstrate that you have the managerial/technical/financial capacity to complete the project and deliver the expected benefits.

The project summary form has 8 sections. Complete each section.

• Application information
• Primary contact information
• The Project
• The Innovation
• Benefits to the agricultural and agri-food sector
• Financial information
• Sources of funding
• Consent to share information

Application information

Legal name of organization

"Operating As" (if used)

For-profit organization that is incorporated in Canada?

Is the organization a Canadian legal entity capable of entering into a legal binding agreement, such as a contribution agreement (CA) with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)?

Is the majority (over 50%) of the organization owned or led by one or more of the following under-represented groups?

• Women
• Youth
• Indigenous Peoples
• Visible minorities
• Persons with disabilities
• 2SLGBTQI+

Primary contact information

First name
Last name
Title
Primary phone number
Email address
Language of correspondence

The Project

Brief Project Description (500 characters max)
Project Location (Province/Territory)
City
Project Start Date (YYYY-MM-DD)
Project End Date (YYYY-MM-DD)

Identify the nature of your project (select one of the following):

1. Commercialization of innovative agricultural technologies, or processes
2. Demonstration of innovative agricultural, agri-food or agri-based technologies or processes where all necessary testing and piloting has been completed and the innovation is ready for commercialization by the applicant and involves one or more of the following:
   1. Production of samples for market validation
   2. Creation of a reference or showcase site for pre-commercial demonstration
3. Adoption of commercially ready innovative technologies or processes to the applicant's agriculture or agri-food operations

The Innovation

Innovation has a specific definition in the context of the AgriInnovate program. Which of the following innovation definitions applies to your project?

1. The creation of a technology or process that is expected to produce improvements over other competing technologies or processes available to the Canadian agricultural or agri-food sector.
2. The adoption of commercially available technologies or processes to address a deficiency facing the agricultural or agri-food sector. The technology or processes:
   1. needs to be new to the modern Canadian agricultural or agri-food sector,
   2. needs to be not yet widely adopted in other countries,
   3. undergo significant adaptation or customization.

Significance of the Innovation

Describe how your project represents a significant innovation to the Canadian agricultural or agri-food sector.

Important note

To aid program staff in determining the significance and suitability of your innovation for the program, you should elaborate on how the technical aspects of the project compares to competing technologies or processes and provide details to substantiate your innovation claims. It is a mandatory requirement to demonstrate the significance of the innovation in order to be invited to submit a full application.

Technical suitability

Describe how the innovation is commercially ready and all technical risks have been mitigated. In addition, for adoption projects, describe the level of adaptation or customization required to undertake your project and its significance (maximum 2,000 characters)

Important notes

For commercialization, demonstration and, if applicable, adoption projects, you will need to demonstrate that all technical aspects have been addressed (for example, prototypes/pilot scale testing complete; generally considered Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or above).

For adoption projects, you will need to demonstrate how significant the level of adaptation or customization is to a technology or process to your operations (for example, how does any required modifications extend beyond reasonable expected standard customizations associated with a given technology or process).

If you are invited to submit a full application you will be required to provide research data, trial tests and other analysis/approvals (for example, market or customer acceptance studies, permitting/licenses/regulatory approvals) to substantiate the technical suitability of the innovation in order for an application to be deemed complete.

Benefits to the agricultural and agri-food sector

Describe how your project will provide significant benefits to the Canadian agricultural or agri-food sector that extend beyond those that primarily benefit the applicant (maximum 2,000 characters)

Important note

Significant benefits extend beyond those that accrue primarily to you (for example, job creation, revenues, operational efficiency improvements). A central aspect of the program is to strengthen the agricultural and agri-food innovation ecosystem, with a particular focus on the program's priority areas.

Financial information

Provide the total estimated project costs of your project

How much funding are you seeking from AgriInnovate?

Important note

The program normally funds up to 50% of the project costs that have been deemed eligible. For your application to be deemed complete, you will be expected to demonstrate that you have secured sufficient funds to cover any shortfalls related to the project including any other operational activities or growth activities being conducted.

Sources of funding

Provide the sources of funding for your project

Have you applied for or received support from AAFC or other government programs related to the innovation in the past?

Consent to share information

When you submit the form, you agree that AAFC may share project information to determine eligibility for this or other programs from which the Applicant might benefit. AAFC may also share information on the project with other organizations for the purpose of discussing this project or other potential funding opportunities.

Full application

After you submit your project summary form, you may be invited to complete a full application. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will email you the application package including information to access the application form.

Note: AAFC uses the information you give in the application form to determine if your project is eligible.

The application form has 10 sections. Complete each section.

• Project information
  • Project title
  • Project objective
  • Project description
  • Organizational capacity
  • Primary project location
  • Environmental considerations
  • Project data collection
  • Previously received funding
  • Official Languages
• Project team
• Organization or business
  • Legal name
  • Operating as
  • CRA business number
  • Organizational type
  • Website
  • Headquarters address
  • Mailing address
  • Organizational capacity
• Activities
• Funding sources
  • Project funding
  • Non-AAFC project funding details
• Budget summary
  • Source of funding
  • Total government funding
• Documents
• Contacts
• Declarations
  • Unpaid debts to the Government of Canada
• Review and submit
  • Privacy notice statement
  • Lobbying activities
  • Conflicts of interest

If you have any trouble when you complete or submit the application, please contact the AAFC Contact Centre.

Documents you must submit with your project application form

After you submit your project summary form, you may be invited to submit a project application form. You must include the following documents for a complete application.

• Required: Completed business plan

  Business plan must demonstrate market need/demand and/or research data, trial tests and analysis information substantiating the innovation component of the project and its readiness for demonstration, commercialization or adoption.

  Business plan outline

  The Business Plan should cover the following sections and content:

  1. Table of Contents (to include in your business plan)
  2. Applicant Profile
     1. Provide a brief description and history of the applicant including:
        • Primary lines of business and mandates
        • Summary of growth of the business
        • Total number of employees
        • Listing and location of facilities
        • Current organizational structure (including chart indicating names and titles of the management team)
        • Organizational objectives
        • Key alliances, stakeholders, suppliers, and customers
        • Major accomplishments
     2. Corporate Structure:
        • Provide a diagram of the corporate structure of the applicant including parent and subsidiary companies and their interrelationships. The diagram should be annotated to indicate respective mandates and ownership trail.
     3. Shareholders:
        • List shareholders with more than a 10% share of the applicant and include their share ownership.
     4. Board of Directors/Advisory Board:
        • Provide a list and the qualifications of the members of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board if applicable.
     5. Company Status:
        • Ensure a copy of the company's Certificate or Articles of Incorporation and copies of any partnership or other agreements pertaining to/impacting the proposed project are provided in the application.
        • If part of a consortium of companies, or an organization representing companies or an association of companies, provide a copy of the legal agreement between members.
  3. Strategic Plan
     • Provide a description of the company's overall business strategy.
     • Identify the long-term plan for the business — where you want the business to be 5 in years from now (vision).
     • Outline the steps that will be taken to get there.
     • Describe how the proposed project will fit into and improve the applicant's business, help to address challenges being faced by the applicant and the sector, and improve competitiveness and environmental sustainability.
  4. Financial Status, Project Financing Plan, and Projections
     1. Financial Status:
        • Provide a brief summary of the company's financial situation and recent trends.
        • Ensure copies of the company's annual financial statements (audited if available) for the past three years or since the date of business start-up, the latest interim (audited or unaudited) financial statements, and, if applicable, the most recent annual report or audited financial statements of the parent company or principal owner. For diversified organizations, the financial statements of the division or branch directing the project must also be included.
     2. Project Financing Plan:
        • The proposal must demonstrate that the applicant possesses, or can reasonably be expected to secure, the financial resources needed to complete the project.
        • List all anticipated sources of funds, including, but not limited to shareholder/corporate sources, external sources, internal cash flow, government sources of financial assistance received, or likely to be received, from federal, provincial and municipal governments, etc. This information should clearly distinguish between existing/negotiated sources of funding and planned or potential sources.
        • Please attach a copy of any financing agreements in place.
        • Identify special conditions attached to any of the above source(s) of funding.
     3. Financial Projections:
        • Ensure copies of annual pro forma financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement) based on the applicant's fiscal year, including assumptions used to arrive at these projections (for example, number of units to be sold, profit per unit), for the duration of the work proposed in the Project Work Plan plus the three following years of operation are included.
        • These pro forma financial statements are to cover the overall company operations including the project which is to be identified separately.
        • Provide figures of the incremental revenues and expenses resulting from the project for a period of 10 years.
        • The statements should factor in any government tax incentive or credits and forecasted repayment of the proposed AIP contribution.
     4. Need for Contribution:
        • Applicants must demonstrate that funding support for the project is necessary and justified.
        • Describe the level of market and/or financial risk affecting the project and the impact on the planned scope and timing of the project in the absence of AIP support.
        • If the project is in direct competition with other internal projects over scarce funds, applicants should clearly indicate both the nature of this competition and the budget constraints under which the applicant operates.
     5. Accounting Systems:
        • Describe the accounting system to be used by the applicant and explain how the applicant will track project costs. Sufficient detail will be required to confirm that the applicant has sufficient capacity to accurately track and record costs associated with the performance of the proposed project.
     6. Transfer Pricing Policy:
        • Identify whether the applicant will be purchasing or selling products, equipment or services as a result of the project to or from a related entity. If so, include the applicant's Transfer Pricing policy.
     7. Risk:
        • Identify key financial project risks and the mitigation strategies.
  5. Market Analysis
     1. Describe:
        • The industry within which the applicant operates.
        • The market in which the applicant participates including key competitors and competing products/services.
        • The applicant's products and services, how it plans to promote them, its key customers, and how it plans to maintain and/or increase its market share and/or penetrate new markets.
        • The market opportunity the company plans to exploit for its new products or services.
        • The market penetration strategy it will use to commercialize the new products or services.
        • The regulatory issues if any, of introducing the new products in each of the target markets.
        • If exports sales will account for a significant portion of total sales, the company's capabilities to conduct business in foreign markets.
        • The applicant's production and distribution strategy, including manufacturing timing and location, if applicable.
     2. Risk:
        • Describe the key market/commercial risks and mitigation strategies.
  6. Technology

     The Agricultural Innovation Program is designed to accelerate the pace of innovation, facilitate the commercialization and adoption of innovative products, technologies, processes and/or services to enhance economic growth, productivity and competitiveness of the Canadian agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector and help the sector capture opportunities for the sector in domestic and global markets.

     1. Describe:
        • The innovative aspects of the technology, products, processes and/or services.
        • The technology that will be adopted, including diagrams.
        • The source of the technology and whether is has been proven at the bench, pilot and demonstration scales.
        • Background and capabilities of the supplier of the technology.
        • Intellectual Property of the technology and whether the company will have the freedom to operate with the technology.
        • The technical expertise that will be required by the company for the adoption of the technology.
        • Challenges, uncertainties and risks in the adoption of the technology.
        • The mitigating measures that will be implemented during the adoption of the technology.
  7. Management, HR, Technical, and Operational Capacity

     Proposals must show that the applicant possesses, or can reasonably be expected to secure, the necessary managerial, HR, technical and operational capabilities to achieve the stated objectives and benefits to Canada of the proposed project.

     1. Management:
        • Describe the management team, their areas of responsibility and experience.
        • Provide information on professionals assisting the business.
     2. Project Team:
        • Describe the project team, including available technical resources, responsible for undertaking the project, their areas of responsibility and experience.
     3. Sales and Marketing:
        • Describe the team responsible for sales and marketing, their areas of responsibility and experience.
     4. Facilities and Operations:
        • Describe the facility and its production capacity. If the project is expected to result in an increase in production capacity/scale up, describe how this will be achieved.
     5. Risk:
        • Describe the key management, HR, technical and operational capacity risks and mitigation strategies.
• Required: Organizational chart

  Chart to indicate names and titles of the management team.

• Required: Diagram of your organization's corporate structure

  Diagram to include parent and subsidiary companies and their interrelationships and mandates.

• Required: Audited or Reviewed Engagement Financial statements.

  Statements for the past 3 years or since the date of business start-up where the business is less than 3 years old including latest interim financial statements

  Financial statements to include an income statement, a balance sheet, cash flow statement and the most recent interim financial statements

• Required: Pro Forma Financial Statements

  Annual pro forma financial statements (Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement), and assumptions used to arrive at these projections for the duration of the proposed work plan plus the 3 following years of operation.

• Required: Signed copies of all financing agreements related to the project financing plan

  Documentation that provide financial proof of funds (that is term sheets)

  • Confirmation of debt or equity closing and funds availability
  • Bank statements (to verify cash availability)
  • Attestation from corporate officers of funds availability

  Third party funding cannot be conditional on AAFC program acceptance

• Required: Market research studies and/or letters of supports

  Third party market research and/or letters of support from organizations or customers establishing a market demand (indicating a need for the proposed product, process, technology or service being commercialized)

• Required: Organization's Certificate or Articles of Incorporation

  Certificates and Articles of Incorporation are issued and filed, respectively, by or with provincial, territorial or federal government that document the applicant's status as a legal entity.

• If applicable: Alternative proof of legal status for Indigenous organizations

  A copy of a Band Council Resolution (BCR), a Tribal Council Resolution (TCR), a Director's Resolution (DR), or legal document stating they are a legal entity can be accepted as proof the applicant is a legal entity.

• Required: Quotes, estimates and/or contracts

  Documents supporting the costs of the project budget provided by supplier for all construction, renovations or equipment and technology to be purchased and installed.

• Required: Copies of all regulatory permits and/or patents required to undertake the project

  Any permit that addressed required regulatory issues and/or patents filings required related to the project.

  Federal, provincial, territorial or municipal authorizations or permits required to complete this project and any documentation that may be required pursuant to the Impact Assessment Act.

• Required: Technical information

  Documents (such as trial result summaries, schematics, process charts) sufficient to describe the innovation and how it is different from other technologies or processes currently available.

• Required: Copy of any inter-company or other agreements impacting the proposed project

  Documents used to define how sales or transfers of goods and services by businesses owned by the same company are handled.

• Required: Detailed project budget

  A spreadsheet provided in stage 2 for you to give the estimated fair value of the activity costs entered in the online application. Many of the calculations in the spreadsheet are automated and protected to help avoid errors.