AgriScience Program – Projects: Step 5. Complete the application and apply

Step 5. Complete the application and apply

Annex A: How to complete the application form

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 the application form.

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

Use the step-by-step instructions below to help you complete your application form. The application form has 9 tabs. Complete each tab.

Also, review the list of additional documents (attachments) to make sure you have all the documentation to complete and submit your application package.

If you have any trouble when you complete or submit the application, please contact us at 1-877-246-4682 or at: aafc.agriscienceprogram-programmeagri-science.aac@agr.gc.ca.

1. Organization information

AAFC uses the information you give in this section to confirm your organization's identity and to verify your organization's eligibility for funding based on a valid Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number.

Organization type

Your answer to this question must be only one (1) of the following:

  • For-Profit
  • Not-for-Profit
  • Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit)
    • Indigenous community
    • Indigenous association
    • Indigenous organization
    • Indigenous not-for-profit organization
    • Indigenous for-profit organization
Identification
Legal name of your organization
Your organization's legal name, as it appears in legal documents such as articles of incorporation, certificate of incorporation, etc.
Operating as (if used)
Enter the name under which your organization operates, if that name is different from its legal name.
CRA business number

Enter the first 9 digits of your organization's 15-digit CRA business number.

Example: 123456789

For more information, visit Business number (CRA).

If your organization does not have a CRA business number, enter 9 zeros (that is, 000000000), but your organization will need to provide one if approved for funding.

Primary contact — for this application

Enter the contact information of the person in your organization who is responsible for responding to inquiries about this application.

First name and Last name
Provide the name of the person in your organization who will be AAFC's primary contact about this application.
Position title
Please give the position title of the primary contact. For example, Business Owner, President, Executive Director.
Email address, Phone numbers and Fax number
Provide the email and telephone number(s) of the primary contact. If applicable, provide a fax number. Please note AAFC will use this information to communicate with your organization about the application.
Language of correspondence
Provide the preferred language of the primary contact for written and verbal communication.
Project contact

If your project is approved for funding, this is the person who will discuss the project with AAFC. This person can be the same as the Primary contact.

First name and Last name
Provide the name of the person in your organization who will be AAFC's project contact for the proposed project.
Position title
Please give the position title of the project contact. For example, Business Owner, President, Executive Director.
Email address, Phone numbers and Fax number
Provide the email and telephone number(s) of the primary contact. If applicable, provide a fax number. Please note AAFC will use this information to communicate with your organization about the project.
Language of correspondence
Provide the preferred language, English or French, of the project contact for written and verbal communication.
Mailing address
Enter the complete address of your organization's headquarters or regional headquarters.
Primary project location
Enter the address where the project will take place if it is different than the Mailing Address, or indicate that the address is the same as the Mailing Address.

If there are multiple project locations, for the primary location, enter the address for the project location where activities associated to the largest portion of the budget will take place.

Organizational capacity

AAFC will use the information you provide in this section to understand more about your organization and to assess your organization's ability to carry out this project.

How many employees work for your organization?

Include the number of all full-time and part-time employees on your organization's payroll. Do not include contractors.

Describe your organization (for example, when it was established, the mandate/mission, and who it serves)

Include your organization's mandate/mission, priorities, and who it serves. Provide a brief history of your organization including when it was established and any significant changes in the past 2 years (for example, a significant increase/decrease of staff, changes to executive leadership, including the Board of Directors, a change in mandate).

Has your organization received any funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada within the last 6 years?

Indicate if your organization has received funding from AAFC within the last 6 years. If yes, and if known, list the program(s) your organization received funding from, the name of the projects and the amount received.

Describe how your organization has the capacity to deliver this project.

This long-form response should answer the following questions:

  • Has your organization managed other projects on a similar scale to this proposed application? If so, briefly describe the past work.
  • What resources do you have to ensure this proposed project will be successful (for example, human resources, financial management practices)? Expand on the following:
    • Who will provide overall project management for this project? Include the name and some background about the project Lead.
    • Who will be providing overall research coordination?
    • Who will conduct financial management, including the AAFC financial reporting requirements process under the contribution agreement (CA)?
    • Who will monitor and report on performance?
    • Who will lead communication, Knowledge and Technology Transfer (KTT)?
    • What other technological and operational staff will be involved?

Responses to the remaining organizational capacity questions will be used for reporting and program planning purposes, and will not impact the success of the application.

Does the mandate/mission of your organization target any of the following groups? (Select all that apply)

Indigenous

Individuals who are:

  • Registered on a band list.
  • Registered status under the Indian Act living both on or off reserves.
  • Part of a First Nation: In Canada, an Indigenous grouping composed of many different nations having their own origin, history and culture, and whose members have called North America home for thousands of years. First Nations include status and non-status Indians.Endnote 1
  • Métis: In Canada, an Indigenous People whose members are of mixed First Nations and European ancestry, are united by a common origin, history and culture, and are generally accepted by the Métis Nation. Métis are legally recognized Indigenous Peoples in Canada and are rights holders under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. The term "Métis," in its modern meaning as a Nation, is not a catch-all for any mixed Canadians.Endnote 1
  • Inuit: In Canada, an Indigenous People that inhabits or that traditionally inhabited the northern regions and Arctic coasts of Canada known as Inuit Nunangat, and whose members are united by a common origin, history and culture.Endnote 1

or, Indigenous communities and governments such as:

  • Band and Tribal councils;
  • Aggregated Indigenous nations entities (as self-defined by Indigenous groups, could be linked by cultural or linguistic background, geographical area or historical treaty lines);
  • Nation member communities or member organizations;
  • National and regional Indigenous organizations; and
  • Self-governing Indigenous governments.
Persons with disabilities

The Employment Equity Act defines "persons with disabilities" as persons who have a long-term or recurring physical, mental, sensory, psychiatric or learning impairment and who

  1. consider themselves to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment, or
  2. believe that an employer or potential employer is likely to consider them to be disadvantaged in employment by reason of that impairment,

and includes persons whose functional limitations owing to their impairment have been accommodated in their current job or workplace.

Members of Visible Minorities
The Employment Equity Act defines "members of visible minorities" as persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.
Women
One of many gender identities. Includes all people who identify as women.
Youth
Individuals aged 30 and under.
2SLGBTQI+
Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and other people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities who use additional terminologies.Endnote 2
Not Applicable
Use this selection if the question is not relevant to your organization.
Decline to identify
Use this selection if you do not want to disclose this information at the time of your application.

Is your organization majority owned (50% or more) by one or more of the following groups? (Select all that apply)

See the information above for groups included in the target of your organization's mission/mandate, as well as the following group:

Gender parity
A minimum of 50% women and/or non-binary individuals.
Non-binary
A person whose gender identity does not align with a binary understanding of gender such as man or woman. It is a gender identity which may include man and woman, androgynous, fluid, multiple, no gender, or a different gender outside of the "woman—man" spectrum.

Does your organization's Board of Directors have a diverse composition with significant representation (30% or more) from one or more of the following groups? (Select all that apply)

See the information above for groups included in the target of your organization's mission/mandate and the majority ownership of your organization.

Does your organization have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan or a Human Resources Plan that supports diversity, equity and inclusion?

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Plan
An employment equity plan addresses under-representation of marginalized groups such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+ people, and official language minority people and employment barriers they may face. A DEI plan goes beyond an employment equity plan to address under-representation and employment barriers for employment equity and equity-seeking groups to advance DEI commitments in the workplace.
Human resources plan that supports DEI
A plan that links human resources management to the organizations overall strategic and operational plans and includes objectives to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.

Does your organization commit to the 50 — 30 Challenge: Your Diversity Advantage?

The 50 — 30 Challenge is an initiative co-created by the Government of Canada, civil society and the private sector that aims to attain gender parity and significant representation (at least 30%) of other under-represented groups on boards and senior management positions in order to build a more diverse, inclusive, and vibrant economic future for Canadians.

The challenge will allow a variety of organizations to participate across 3 program streams including small and medium enterprises and non-profit organizations, and those without Boards of Directors or senior management teams. The Challenge includes:

  1. Organizations that meet the Challenge
  2. Organizations that are working toward the Challenge.

For more information, please visit: The 50 — 30 Challenge: Your Diversity Advantage (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada).

2. Project information

Note: for the purpose of this section, the term "project" refers to the overall project application.

AAFC will use the information in this section, in association with your project work plan and budget to determine the eligibility of the project.

Project title
Provide a short, descriptive project title that accurately reflects the activities and results of the project.
Project objective
This short-form answer should be a concise summary of the project (in other words, how would you briefly describe the project at a high-level to a non-technical friend or colleague, or on social media). Please note that if the project is chosen for funding, this summary may be published on Government of Canada websites.
Environmental considerations
The purposes of the Impact Assessment Act (IAA) include ensuring that projects to be carried out on federal lands or outside Canada are considered in a careful and precautionary manner in order to avoid adverse environmental effects. Before AAFC provides financial assistance for the purpose of enabling a project on federal lands to proceed, it must determine whether the carrying out of the project, in whole or in part, is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help you answer the questions in the Project Application Form, examples and more information is as follows:

A. Is the proposal a "project" as defined by the IAA?

Examples of projects include:

  • construction of a greenhouse
  • installation of a permanent irrigation system
  • building construction or demolition
  • any other activity related to a permanent human-made work

Activities that are not considered projects include:

  • administrative or marketing activities
  • workshops
  • training or hiring staff
  • installation of temporary or portable systems
  • any other activity not related to a physical work

B. Where does the project take place?

AAFC has certain obligations under the IAA, if providing financial assistance to projects on federal land. Under the IAA, "federal lands" means:

  1. lands that belong to His Majesty in right of Canada, or that His Majesty in right of Canada has the power to dispose of, and all waters on and airspace above those lands, other than lands under the administration and control of the Commissioner of Yukon, the Northwest Territories or Nunavut;
  2. the following lands and area:
    1. the internal waters of Canada, in any area of the sea not within a province,
    2. the territorial sea of Canada, in any area of the sea not within a province,
    3. the exclusive economic zone of Canada, and
    4. the continental shelf of Canada; and
  3. reserves, surrendered lands and any other lands that are set apart for the use and benefit of a band and that are subject to the Indian Act, and all waters on and airspace above those reserves or lands.

If you answer "Yes" or "Unsure" to Question A and "Federal lands or lands outside Canada" or "Reserves, surrendered land or other land set apart for the use and benefit of a band and that are subject to the Indian Act "to Question B, further assessment may be required by AAFC. AAFC will contact you as necessary.

Project data collection

Your answers to questions in the project data collection section will be used for reporting and program planning purposes, and will not impact the success of the application.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

NAICS is an industry classification system developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States.

For more information, visit: North American Industry Classification System (Statistics Canada).

AAFC has selected the NAICS identifiers that best suit this program for assessment and reporting purposes. To simplify the selection process, we have sorted the codes into the following 4 categories:

  • Agricultural Production
  • Food and Beverage Manufacturing
  • Other Manufacturing
  • Other

We recognize that not all projects will fit perfectly into one identifier; if this is the case for the project, select the identifier that best defines the overall intent of the project, or the identifier that best applies to the activity with the highest dollar value.

Select any of the following groups who will directly benefit from the intent of the project activities.

See the information above for groups included in "Does the mandate/mission of your organization target any of the following groups?".

Official languages

AAFC is committed to enhancing the vitality of official language minority communities (OLMCs), supporting and assisting their development, and promoting the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society.

Do the project activities have the potential to reach an audience of both English speakers and French speakers?

OLMCs consist of Francophones outside Quebec and Anglophones in Quebec. These communities are often represented by provincial and regional organizations.

Would the project activities specifically target an official language minority community (French speakers outside Quebec or English speakers in Quebec)?

When we find that projects under this program involve activities related to the development and transfer of knowledge and may have an impact on OLMCs or promote the use of English and French, we will include appropriate commitments in agreements with your organization and additional expenses incurred as a result of these commitments will be considered eligible for contribution funding.

Activities can include, but are not limited to:

  • Communications
    • Project web pages and/or project social media account(s) produced and maintained in both official languages
    • Project materials offered in both official languages (brochures, kits, handouts, newsletters, reports, etc.)
    • 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 (for example, master of ceremony for a project event, workshop facilitator or simultaneous translator)
    • Distribution of invitations in both official languages
    • Knowledge transfer activities as listed in the applicant guide
  • Outreach
    • One or more OLMCs are included in the project target groups (for example, as in-kind or cash partners in project budget or to be invited to project 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 project budget)

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

Attachments

Attach the following documents as part of a complete application package.

Required: A copy of the organization's Certificate of Incorporation 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 organization's status as a legal entity.

Additional options for Indigenous applicants: 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 organization is a legal entity.

Required: Executive summary

A brief summary that links proposed activities to the project objectives and priorities.

Required: Strategic plan of the applicant
You should consider including a copy of the current strategic plan for the organization. If no plan is available, please briefly describe the short and long-term objectives of the organization and why you are doing the proposed research. For this requirement, applicants should identify who is guiding the science activities and where is the market pull. You should also specify how the organization is engaging with participants along the value chain to position the science for adoption.
Required: Financial statements
Statements for the last 2 years (Audited or Review Engagement)
Required: Letters of financial Support

Letters outlining confirmed financial support (cash or in-kind) from all financial contributors to the project, other than the applicant must be provided. This includes other industry groups or government organizations.

We recommend that you combine all the letters of financial support into one single file (PDF or Word version), and under the total maximum file size of 5 MB, to respect the maximum number of attachments (60) you can submit with your application.

Required: Capital asset pre-approval
For Capital Costs to be purchased for the project that are over $10,000. For Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) activities, no capital equipment over $10,000 should be included for funding in the application.
Required: Performance measures table (PMT)

A completed PMT must be submitted for the project.

May be required: Letters of acknowledgement from all research organizations identified in the application, work plan or budget (including AAFC and organizations external to AAFC, not required if your activity proposals are already signed by authorized representatives such as AAFC Directors or senior organization executives)

For AAFC: Letters from AAFC Directors responsible for work to be conducted by AAFC personnel are required. These will solely confirm that the scientific and technical capacity is available to conduct the work, should the project be approved, and would not infer an acceptance/approval of the proposal.

External to AAFC: The letters must make specific reference to the proposed activities in the Work Plan, and confirm their availability to do the work. Letters must come from a senior executive authorized to sign the letter on behalf of the organization.

We recommend that you combine all the letters of acknowledgement into one single file (PDF or Word version), and under the total maximum file size of 5 MB, to respect the maximum number of attachments (60) you can submit with your application.

If available: Project endorsement letters/ letters of support

Letters of support from organizations indicating they believe there is a need for the proposed project and expressing hope that the proposed project will be accepted.

We recommend that you combine all the letters of support into one single file (PDF or Word version), and under the total maximum file size of 5 MB, to respect the maximum number of attachments (60) you can submit with your application.

3. Work plan

You must complete and submit a summarized work plan for each activity. Please follow the instructions below to complete the work plan section of your application:

Support activities

Depending on the nature of the research conducted, the size of a project and the total number of research activities, certain applicants may include a science coordination activity and a knowledge technology and transfer (KITT) activity, when applicable. If one of these activities is included in the work plan, it must be identified as a "Support activity" in the application form.

Science Coordination

Science Coordination involves the coordination of science and research activities such as coordinating and liaising with the Principal Investigators who lead Project research activities, aligning research with Project research strategies and reviewing research results, etc. Science Coordination can include salaries/benefits, travel, contracted services and other direct project costs (not capital). Where an employee/contractor conducts project management or administration duties as well as science coordination, their time must be split between administrative time and science coordination time. No additional administrative time/costs (such as those listed under administrative cost items, including project management or preparing performance reports) may be charged under science coordination.

Your application must include a detailed description of what is to be included in this activity along with a justification for the costs. Note that projects with a low number of activities or low complexity may not require a science coordination activity, therefore a separate activity or separate costs may not be required for your Project. Should your project be approved, costs approved under the science coordination activity will be treated as the maximum amount payable for that activity under the agreement.

Knowledge and technology transfer

To ensure that knowledge and technology resulting from investments in science better reach the end user and are readily available, applicants should consider addressing KTT in their application.

KTT related to scientific dissemination (for example, academic publications, conference papers, or scientific lectures) directly related to an activity may be addressed within each respective activity to efficiently transfer the knowledge, technology and results to the sector, as appropriate for the project, beyond the scientific community, leading to adoption by producers and/or processors. Note that costs related to KTT for individual activities can be included in the individual activities' respective budgets.

You are expected to consider the following components in your KTT strategy:

  • Audience:
    • Identify specific audiences who can benefit from the results of current or recent research funded under the AgriScience Program.
    • Involve partners in the research or planning and execution of KTT strategies and explain the value to audiences.
  • Approach:
    • Describe the suitability and feasibility of KTT activities for the audience(s) and the type of media that will be used. You are encouraged to consider different audiences and products.
    • If the intended end-users are researchers and the scientific community, traditional KTT such as academic publications, conference papers and scientific lectures is acceptable. If the intended end-users also include producers and other participants in the value chain, the KTT plan must be comprehensive and include a plan that outlines a strategy for engagement and adoption of the research results.
  • Implementation:
    • Describe the KTT team's capacity and expertise and how you will leverage partner communication channels and networks.
    • Describe how you will measure uptake of the results.

Examples of eligible KTT activities include:

  • Dissemination of results to producers, processors and communities (such as field days, workshops, demonstrations, case studies, videos and other formats) to help the sector leverage the results of funded initiatives
  • Technology transfer collaborations that seek to further research, development, and commercialization for levels 4 to 7 on the Technology readiness level scale
  • Publications, media outputs and other initiatives meant to reach a broad audience and improve the potential for adoption
Activity numbering

When an activity is being done in partnership by both AAFC and industry, separate the work to be performed by AAFC under its own separate activity number (for example, activity 4A for Vote 1 and 4B for Vote 10)

Step-by-step work plan guidance

Work plan component: Activity name and dates

  • Description: Fill out the activity name, number, start date (April 1, 2023 or later) and end date (March 31, 2028 or earlier)

Work plan component: Activity to be undertaken by

  • Description: Select whether the work will be undertaken by AAFC or industry/other
  • Possible selection:
    • AAFC (CRDA)
    • Industry/other (CA)

Work plan component: Priority area

  • Description: Select the primary priority area that applies to the activity, based on the intended impacts and associated performance measures.

    If you select the climate change and environment priority area, indicate whether the primary focus of this activity is related to carbon sequestration or greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. If the primary focus of the activity is carbon sequestration or GHG emissions reduction, the maximum cost-share ratio allowed is 70:30 for not-for-profit applicants only. The maximum cost-share ratio allowed for all other activities is 50:50.

  • Possible selection:
    • Climate change and environment
      • sub-selection: carbon sequestration/GHG reduction (Yes/No)
    • Economic growth and development
    • Sector resilience and societal Challenge

Work plan component: Description

  • Description: Provide an overview of the following components:
    1. Activity objective: Provide a high-level summary of the activity in plain language and explain what it aims to achieve
    2. Description of activity: Provide an overview of work to be undertaken in order to meet the objective and the expected results. This should include a description of the science methodology. Where proposed activities are a continuation of work supported under previous science projects, you must demonstrate how the current proposal advances the science relative to the previous work.
    3. Risks: Include any relevant activity risks and appropriate mitigation measures

Work plan component: Outcomes and impacts for the sector

  • Description: Indicate the intended impacts of the activity in the applicable priority areas and how you intend to achieve them (linking back to the intended impacts for the project)

Work plan component: Milestones

  • Description: Provide a breakdown of the activity milestones and, if available, indicate by fiscal year (April 1-March 31)

Work plan component: NAICS code

  • Description: Select the identifier that best defines the overall intent of the activity

4. Expected results

You are required to provide a detailed description of performance information for the project as a whole and for individual research activities.

Overarching narrative for project applicants

Explain how your project will advance one or more of the 3 priority areas (Climate Change and Environment, Economic Growth and Development, and Sector Resilience and Societal Challenges) and outline the issue(s) and/or gap(s) that your project will respond to and address. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative information, estimate your overall expected benefits, results, and sector impacts for each of the priority areas. Note that you will be required to report on progress through the time of your project.

Quantitative measures should attempt to include sector level impact measurements such as measurements of GHG emissions, water usage, yields, cost savings, exports, input usages, antimicrobial usage, disease resistance, drought resistance and/or mortality and injury rates. This is not an exhaustive list, and you can utilize measures that would best describe your project's sector impacts and results. They should not include output measures such as number of technologies, publications, or presentations.

Intellectual property

Describe, in high-level terms, any possible intellectual property (IP) components that will arise from research activities.

Intended beneficiaries

Describe who are the intended beneficiaries of your research, how you will transfer the results of your research to the intended beneficiaries, and how you will measure uptake of the results (that is, surveys, data collection). You are encouraged to think about different strategies for KTT to their sector and evidence of uptake by beneficiaries in order to demonstrate the relevance of the research and to report to funders and stakeholders.

Performance measures table

You are required to complete a PMT for the project. The PMT will be evaluated as part of AAFC's assessment of your proposal. If an activity is approved, you will have the opportunity to make minor adjustments to the PMT before it is included in the CA. Please refer to Schedule C: Performance measures.

5. Project costs

Enter the project costs and the AAFC funding you are requesting in each activity.

6. Sources of funding

Enter all sources of funding for your contribution.

7. Budget summary

You are required to complete a detailed budget template in the application form in the Project Costs tab and identify each expenditure for Vote 10 and Vote 1 activities. At the application stage and for the purpose of the assessment of the budget, applicants must provide details for all contracted services on an individual cost item basis. In cases where this is not possible, all quotes from service providers must include a detailed breakdown of costs consistent with cost categories and be submitted as part of the application package. At the CA stage, the budget will reflect the total of contracted services for each activity based on the application package. Individual cost items from contracted services will not be reflected in the CA.

Until a CA and/or CRDA are signed, the budget submitted by applicants at the application stage is not considered final and certain modifications may be made by AAFC during the assessment process.

Cost-sharing under a CA (Vote 10)

Your portion of the cost-share can be comprised of both cash contributions and in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions can only account for a maximum of 10% of total costs under the CA.

Cost-sharing under a CRDA (Vote 1)

Your portion of the cost-share is made as a direct payment to AAFC. On a case-by-case basis, AAFC may consider your resources as part of your cash contribution up to 10% of the total industry contribution in the CRDA. The in-kind contributions limit (also 10% of the total industry contribution) applies separately, and will be managed on an activity-by-activity basis.

Science Service Charge under a CRDA

AAFC has streamlined the rates it charges for CRDA projects to a single 10% science service charge. This charge will be applied consistently to all Vote 1 allocations and collaborator contributions that support the CRDA activity. The science service charge will not be added on any collaborator contribution that is expended on salaried personnel (for example, AAFC salaried employees) hired for the CRDA activity. The science service charge does not apply to in-kind contributions. These charges will be collected by the Science and Technology Branch at the Research and Development Centre where the science activity is taking place, and will be included in the budget as a separate cost category in Vote 1 activities. The science service charge should not be considered as an overhead charge.

If the Budget summary tab does not show in its entirety because there is a large number of activities in the application, you must click on the "Hide All Details" function at the top right of the tab. This function will compress the details related to individual activities in the tab and will allow you to see the summary tables in their entirety.

8. Declarations

Read and complete the declarations.

9. Submit

If you need help to prepare the application form, we encourage you to share a draft of the application form with the program officer assigned to your project before you submit a final version.

Before you submit your application form, please use the "Check for Errors" function at the top right of the application form to ensure that the form is complete and respects all program parameters.

Once the application form is complete and you have checked for errors, use the "Submit" button in the Submit tab to send your form and required documents to the program.

Annex B: Eligible cost categories

The following cost categories provide details on eligible costs and requirements that will be necessary at the application stage and the financial reporting stage, should your application be approved and a CA signed.

If your application is approved, AAFC may consider costs incurred during the review period to be eligible as long as they were incurred on or after April 1, 2023 and after an application package has been deemed complete by AAFC. Until a CA is signed, no commitment or obligation exists on the part of AAFC to make a financial contribution to a project, including any costs incurred or paid prior to the signing of a CA.

1.0 Administrative costs

Administrative costs will be calculated automatically at a flat rate of 10% based on the total Vote 10 (CA) activity costs in the budget, excluding all capital expenditures. This flat rate will cover costs of project management and administrative staff salaries (managing and reporting), use of office accommodations, use of office equipment and use of office materials.

These administrative costs will be subject to the cost-sharing ratio of the project. Should your project be approved, the 10% flat rate will be applied to your actual eligible costs, excluding all capital expenditures, when you submit your financial reporting against your CA expenses.

The following list identifies costs that would be covered in the flat rate. These costs cannot be charged under salaries and benefits or other direct project costs.

Administrative cost items

The costs include, but are not limited to the following:

Project management and administration salaries and benefits:

  • Salaries, including contracted services, for project management and administration staff who perform tasks such as pay the project-related invoices, negotiate service contracts, manage the budget, and/or prepare any financial and/or performance/progress reports for the project
  • Benefits for project management and administration staff such as Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs), Employment Insurance (EI), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Quebec Pension Plan (QPP), vacation pay

Administrative costs related to:

  • bank fees
  • insurance (fire, theft, liability)
  • legal fees

Administrative office supplies and expenses:

  • basic telephone fees (including fax lines) and cell phones
  • hydro
  • materials and office supplies (such as pens, pencils, paper, envelopes, cleaning supplies, subscriptions)
  • monthly internet fees
  • postage and courier fees
  • office equipment (such as computers, printers, photocopiers)
  • office administrative space (specifically, rent for administrative space) and related utilities, maintenance and property taxes
  • administrative information technology (IT) products and services, including maintenance
  • other overhead type expenditures relating to the organization's office

2.0 Cost categories excluding administrative costs

Other costs beyond administrative costs must fall under one of these categories:

  • salaries and benefits
  • contracted services
  • travel
  • capital expenditures
  • other direct project costs
  • Science service charge

Note: Researchers from AAFC are the only eligible recipients of Vote 1 funding. Vote 1 research activities may include sub-activities with researchers from other federal departments only in the case where the activity's principal investigator is an AAFC researcher. Please ensure that work conducted by other Government of Canada departments is clearly identified in the proposal and properly captured as Vote 1 in the budget.

Salaries and benefits

Salaries and benefits - Eligible cost items under a contribution agreement

Salaries and benefits of employees directly related to completing the activities of the work plan (other than those covered under administrative costs), including science co- ordination

Timesheets:

  • Will not be required for an employee whose time is 100% devoted to the project
  • Will not be required for people under contract including research agreements
  • Are required for an employee of the recipient organization who shares their time between project-specific work and organizational work
Salaries and benefits — Eligible cost items under a CRDA

Salaries and benefits are divided into 2 separate cost categories:

  1. Salaries and benefits  — university students: Includes students enrolled in a bachelor, masters. or PhD program. Student salaries are considered non-pay operations and are cost-shared between AAFC and industry.
  2. Salaries and benefits  — Postdoc and other: Includes postdoctoral researchers AAFC employees. Postdoctoral researchers and hired staff's salaries are covered entirely by the industry contribution, as Vote 1 operating funding from AAFC cannot be used to pay salaries.

Note: salaries of non-incremental AAFC researchers and employees who already have their salaries covered cannot be included in an activity's budget.

Salaries and benefits — Limitations/explanations
  • Benefits will be considered up to 25% only and would include the employer's portion of CPP, QPP; EI; group insurance, vacation pay, and pension benefits
  • Losses to investments or pensions due to stock fluctuations or other unforeseen events will not be eligible
  • Performance pay (such as a bonus), severance pay and retiree settlements are not eligible
  • Discretionary employee benefits (for example, parking at employer's location, gym membership fees, etc.) are not eligible
  • Relocation costs for employees hired for the project are not eligible
  • Only incremental salaries/benefits for salaries for Provincial, Territorial and Municipal government employees hired for the project are eligible (that is, full- time employee salaries/benefits are not eligible); other restrictions may apply
  • Scholarships and grants for university students
  • Training for employees and staff
Salaries and benefits — Instructions for preparing the budget

For all salaries and benefits expenditures listed in the budget, you must provide the following information in the description of each cost item:

  • Number of employees
  • Hourly rate and breakdown of benefits per employee
  • Number of hours per week and number of weeks per year
  • Description of each employee's role

Contracted services

Contracted services — Eligible cost items

Professional or specialized services for which a contract is entered into, such as:

  • Research agreements
  • Consultant/expert services
  • Science coordination services
Contracted services — Limitations/explanations
  • All services, including research work should be established under a contract or a research agreement
  • Recipients must use a fair and competitive or otherwise justifiable and generally accepted sound business process that results in competent and qualified contractors working on the activities
  • All such contracts or research agreements should include payment terms, including detailed budgets
  • Overhead costs for contracted services cannot exceed 15% of total eligible costs invoiced
  • Contracts for project management and administration services for overall project management may be used, however these costs will be considered administrative costs (in other words, they are included in the 10% flat rate and are not eligible for additional reimbursement)
  • Service providers located within Canada should be used whenever possible.

Travel

Travel — Eligible cost items

Travel costs directly related to the project, such as:

  • Meals, incidentals and accommodations on a per diem basis
  • Transportation (air, rail or ground)

Who can claim travel costs:

  • Project staff travelling for related activities
  • Visitors to Canada for the purpose of project-related activities
  • Workers travelling to sites or meetings (ground and air transportation)
  • AAFC staff and researchers participating in Vote 1 research activities
Travel — Limitations/explanations
  • Only economy airfare for travel is eligible; bookings should be made as far in advance as possible; seat selection and baggage costs are eligible (upgrades are not eligible)
  • If a higher class is purchased, proof of the flight's economy rate must be obtained for reimbursement purposes
  • For ground transportation by car, a rate of up to $0.575 per kilometer (km) will be accepted
  • Hospitality is not eligible
  • Travel insurance (such as medical, accident, cancellation) is not eligible
  • Non-essential options for rental vehicles (such as GPS and roadside assistance) are not eligible
  • Travel and accommodation expenditures for federal government employees that are not directly involved in a Vote 1 research activity are not eligible

Refer to the Travel section below for more information. Please note that travel rates are subject to change.

Capital assets

Capital assets — Eligible cost items

Capital assets are tangible assets that are purchased, constructed, developed or otherwise acquired and:

  • Are required for the execution of the Project's activities
  • Have a useful life extending beyond one year and a per item or cumulative cost greater than $10,000 and are intended to be used on a continuous basis
  • Are not intended for resale during the life of the Project
  • The cost of which is considered to include the purchase price plus other acquisition costs, such as installation costs, freight charges, transportation insurance costs, duties, and the non- refundable portion of provincial sales taxes, GST/HST or other value-added taxes
  • Require AAFC pre-approval for costs over $10,000

Examples specific to this program:

  • Research equipment
  • Computers and specialized software
  • Prototypes
Capital assets — Limitations/explanations
  • The purchase of land or buildings are not eligible
  • The purchase or lease of private/personal vehicles are not eligible
  • Assets and capital items not specifically required for the execution of the Project are not eligible
  • Each capital cost estimated over $10,000 to be included in the Project budget must be accompanied by a pre-approval form at the time of application
  • Pre-approval by AAFC applies regardless of how it is cost-shared between AAFC, and other sources
  • Capital assets expenditures are not allowed in a CRDA's budget. Any new capital assets required to execute the CRDA Activity will be managed internally to AAFC and in parallel to the final decision-making process.

Refer to the Capital assets section below for more information

Capital assets — Instructions for preparing the budget

For all capital assets expenditures listed in the budget, you must provide the following information in the description of each cost item:

  • Description of the capital asset and its intended use for the research activity
  • A pre-approval form must be completed
  • All quotes must be made available upon request by the program

When determining the eligible amount of a capital asset, the program will consider the estimated depreciation rate and amount of the asset at the outset of the project and only reimburse the cost of use of the asset for each fiscal year of the project. Therefore, you must deduct the estimated residual value of the capital asset at the end of the project from the capital asset value when you are entering its cost in the budget.

In certain cases, the residual value of prototypes to be developed during the project does not have to be deducted from the capital asset value in the budget if the prototype does not retain a market value at the end of the project.

Other direct project costs

Other direct project costs — Eligible cost items
  • Material and supplies
  • Shipping
  • Translation
  • Conference or registration fees
  • Knowledge transfer associated costs
Other direct project costs — Limitations/explanations
  • Any government related fees such as visas, patents, etc. are not eligible
  • Training for employees and staff are not eligible

Annual general meetings are considered normal business practice and are not eligible costs

Other direct project costs — Instructions for preparing the budget

For all material and supplies expenditures listed in the budget, you must provide the following information in the description of each cost item:

  • Type of material or supplies
  • Quantity
  • Price per unit

If shipping fees are listed in the budget, you must provide the following information in the description of each cost item:

  • Distance
  • Kilometric rate or a description of the basis on which the shipping rates are calculated

Science service charges

Science service charges — Eligible cost items

A 10% science service charge will be applied automatically to all AAFC and industry Vote 1 contributions (excluding in-kind) supporting the non-pay operating expenses for CRDA activities. These charges are collected by the Science and Technology Branch to support the project work and do not represent overhead costs.

Science service charges — Limitations/explanations

The science service charge is not applied to salaries and benefits for postdoctoral researchers and any other incremental AAFC personnel.

Other ineligible project costs include, but are not limited to:

  • normal costs of establishing a commercial operation
  • costs for activities that are deemed to be part of normal business practice for any recipient
  • costs for activities intended to directly influence/lobby governments
  • costs related to marketing activities and business promotion
  • hospitality costs
  • costs to prepare the CA or related schedules
  • refundable portion of the GST/HST, value-added taxes, or other items for which a refund or rebate is receivable
  • depreciation charges for capital assets
  • other costs not specifically required for the project

Note: When universities and colleges provide services (such as employee/researcher time) and/or goods (such as material and supplies required in a research activity) for a project under a service contract/research agreement, for which the institution is not reimbursed by the recipient organization or another project participant/contributor, these services and/or goods may only be included in the expenditures as an in-kind contribution.

3.0 Contracted services

3.1 Requirements

Overhead costs under contract:

  • cannot exceed 15% of the total eligible costs invoiced by the university or service provider
  • is calculated as an additional 15% cost on goods/services (for example: $10,000 cost of services × 0.15 = $1,500; for a total invoice, including overhead, of $11,500)
  • are indirect expenditures incurred by a university or service provider, which are required for the research activities, but are not specifically identified as activity costs. These costs relate to the use of the organization's resources, which may include, but are not limited to:
    • IT support
    • Internet and telephone, excluding long-distance charges
    • Use of photocopiers, fax machines, and other office equipment
    • Use of existing workstations, including furnishings and equipment (for example, computers or scanners)
    • Normal office software (not including software specifically required to conduct Project activities)
    • Memberships and subscriptions
    • Staff recruitment and training
    • Routine laboratory and field equipment maintenance (such as oil changes)
    • Building occupancy and operating costs (that is, the use of the workspace)
    • Facilities maintenance
    • Administrative support (such as accounting, payroll administration, meetings)

Contracts, including research funding agreements, and verification of expenditures:

  • should be rigorous enough to ensure that payments will be subject to costing details and timing of incurred costs
  • recipients may be required to share with AAFC, a copy of service contracts for work conducted under the project
  • down payments or advance payments for project costs due to contractual obligations may be claimed by the recipient. Where used, payment schedules should be aligned with incurred costs and the timing of milestones or deliverables.

4.0 Travel costs

Guidelines:

  1. Per diems are allowed when an individual is travelling to a destination located at least 50 km away from their assigned workplace using the most direct and practical route. Per diems will contribute to covering the costs for daily accommodation, meals, local or in-city transportation (buses, taxis, vehicle rentals, use of a private vehicle, etc.), ground transportation (including parking, to and from the public carrier terminal), entry documents (including passports and visas), all types of insurance, vaccinations and incidentals (personal phone calls, laundry, gratuities, currency exchange fees, etc.) for individual travel.
  2. Recipients may:
    • Claim the established per diem; or
    • Claim an amount less than the established per diem (based on actual costs).

    Whether using option (a) or option (b), individual invoices and proof of payment for these incurred travel costs will not be required for claims, however, proof of travel is required (for example, boarding pass, hotel invoice, trip report) and recipients are obliged to keep all invoices and proof of payment, as per the terms of their CA.

    If using option (a) per diems are payable for every day on travel status as follows:

    1. Day trip within Canada with no overnight stay: $100 CAD/day
    2. Day trip outside Canada with no overnight stay: $125 CAD/day
    3. Travel within Canada with an overnight stay: $400 CAD/day
    4. Travel to United States with an overnight stay: $475 CAD/day
    5. Any international trip, not including the United States with an overnight stay: $575 CAD/day
  3. The recipient may claim cost for air, rail and ground transportation to an out-of-city destination for individual travel as follows:
    1. Air: economy rate (not business or first class) fare
    2. Private vehicle: kilometric rates (at a rate of up to $0.575 per km) as well as costs for parking at the destination. The kilometric rates can only be applied for the distance from an individual departure's location to the destination's location and for the returning trip. In-city transportation using a private vehicle is included in the per diem rates and cannot be claimed separately.
    3. Rental vehicle: the cost for a mid-size vehicle (or the cost of a larger vehicle, based upon factors such as, but not limited to, safety, the needs of the traveler, and the bulk or weight of goods transported), gas, and parking at the destination

Recipients are obliged to keep all invoices and proofs of payment, as per the terms of their CA.

5.0 Capital assets in contribution agreements

5.1 Requirements

All capital assets required for a project must be eligible under program criteria.

5.2 Acquisition of capital assets over $10,000

  • All capital asset purchases over $10,000 must be pre-approved by the program using an AAFC form intended for that purpose. The pre-approval forms must be submitted in the project application package.
  • The pre-approval process for acquisitions over $10,000 will consider:
    • alignment with program and Project objectives
    • the necessity and the cost of the asset as well as timing of the purchase (that is, beginning versus the end of the CA
    • the residual value of the asset at the end of the CA
    • the possibility of resale (that is, presence of a market for specified equipment)
    • the future need of the asset for the sector or recipient
    • the benefits of transferring the asset to another organization
    • the retention/disposition mechanism for the asset
  • Capital asset pre-approvals must include a rationale for the purchase and proposed retention or disposal.
  • The applicant will be required to provide at the time of the project application an estimate of the residual value for the proposed assets using a method agreeable to both the recipient and AAFC. The CRA provides an acceptable depreciation model to determine the decrease in the value of an asset through age, use, and deterioration over time. Information on classes of depreciable property and rates are available on CRA on Canada.ca (Canada Revenue Agency).
  • When determining the eligible amount of a capital asset, the program will consider the estimated depreciation rate and amount of the asset at the outset of the project and only reimburse the cost of use of the asset for each fiscal year of the project.
  • In certain cases, the residual value of prototypes to be developed during the project does not have to be deducted from the capital asset value if the prototype does not retain a market value at the end of the project.
  • This pre-approval requirement applies to any capital asset in a Project's budget, including cases where the asset acquisition is paid by the recipient or a partner/service provider (like a university) working on the Project(recipient contributions).
  • Pre-approval is required for any capital asset acquisition made by an applicant or recipient intended to enhance capacity in another agriculture, agri-food and agri-based sector (for example, by modifying or retrofitting a piece of equipment that would benefit another industry). Pre-approval for such acquisitions will consider the purchase cost, the residual value, retrofitting costs and the usefulness of the asset at the end of the agreement.
  • Where several similar or related assets are acquired within a Project, the cumulative cost of these assets should be considered as one and require pre-approval if over $10,000.
  • Purchased materials with the intention of building a capital asset (such as a prototype) must be pre-approved if the total value of materials exceeds $10,000.
  • A lease or rental fee for the use of a capital asset acquired by a recipient outside its current CA can be considered in cases where the asset is needed by the recipient to achieve Project outcomes and the asset was not previously paid with federal government funding. Any proposed usage fee must be pre-approved by the program.
  • AAFC reserves the right to address capital asset requests on a case-by-case basis when required.

5.3 Acquisition of capital assets over $100,000

  • Capital asset acquisitions over $100,000 will normally be considered when the applicant includes the proposed acquisitions in the application budget. Applicants are required to submit in their application a rationale for the proposed acquisitions and outline future plans for retention or disposal. These acquisitions, including proposed retention or disposal, will be reviewed by the program during assessment and will require AAFC approval.
  • Capital asset acquisitions over $100,000 and required to achieve Project outcomes will normally be leased where possible and appropriate. Proposed leasing costs to be claimed from contribution funds must be pre-approved by the program before they can be deemed eligible toward project costs.
  • Capital asset acquisitions over $100,000 and not approved at the time of Project approval may be considered at a later date in exceptional cases, and will require approval by AAFC.

5.4 Retention or disposal of capital assets

  • Capital asset acquisitions with a residual value of under $25,000 at the end of the CA will normally be retained by the recipient or partner/service provider but will still require pre-approval by AAFC.
  • Where disposal of the asset is required, any additional residual value of the asset not initially deducted from the CA budget will be returned to AAFC or will be offset on the final claim or holdback, taking into account the cost-sharing ratio for the Project and the asset being disposed of.
  • AAFC reserves the right to require disposal of an asset if the Project or Project activity is ended prematurely, or is terminated by default, regardless of the disposal or retention plan approved at the time of pre-approval.

Annex C: Performance measures

Complete Table A (PMT A) and Table B (PMT B). Performance measures and indicators demonstrate the desired impacts of projects and their proposed activities.

How to complete the Performance Measures tables

Complete PMT A and PMT B for each activity regardless if it is Vote 1 only, Vote 10 only or combined Vote 1 and Vote 10.

Priority Area Performance Measures — Table A

  • Insert the name of the activity
  • Insert priority area(s)
  • Insert an indicator (choose from the list in Schedule A)
  • Insert a baseline
  • Insert a target

There are no minimum or maximum number of indicators required; utilize the ones that best capture the intended results of the activity. You will not be required to report against Table A annually, only as part of the final performance report to make sure estimates are still valid.

Performance Measures — Table B

  • Insert the name of the activity
  • Insert performance measure(s)

For each performance measure:

  • Insert target(s)
  • Insert a brief description of each target
  • Insert priority tagging (refer to Schedule B for definitions)
  • Insert Technology Readiness Level (refer to Schedule C for definitions)

Schedule A: Guide to complete Priority Area Performance Measures - Table A

In PMT A, select the indicator listed below which will best measure the impact of your research activity in the applicable priority areas. If an appropriate indicator is not in the list, you may create your own project-specific indicator. Insert a baseline, which is the starting point for comparison (such as a sector average) and an estimated target.

Note: All estimates should be based on the use of 1 technology for 1 representative year or BMP for 1 representative year (per hectare, livestock unit or technology unit)

A representative year reflects the fact that some technologies/practices do not realize full benefits immediately.

Indicators

Climate Change and Environment indicators
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in Mt CO2eq (per hectare, livestock unit or per technology)
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in Mt methane
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in synthetic fertilizers (per hectare)
  • Estimation of the potential annual sequestration of Mt CO2eq (per hectare)
  • Estimation of the potential annual percent increase in food or agricultural waste being utilized
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in energy use (based on use of 1 technology)
  • Estimation of the potential decreased risk in soil health (percentage decrease in risk of soil loss, contamination by trace elements, the buildup of salt and the reduction of organic matter in the soil)
  • Estimation of the potential decreased risk in water quality (Percentage decrease in runoff of nutrients, pesticides, herbicides, sediment, and bacteria)
  • Estimation of the potential reduction in water usage
  • Number of technologies developed to support measurement, reporting, and validation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and carbon sequestration
  • Other project-specific indicators submitted by the applicant
Economic Growth and Development indicators
  • Estimation of the percent increase in productivity (for example, estimation of the percent increase in harvested crop yields per hectare, livestock feed conversion rates)
  • Estimation of the percent reduction in labour costs/requirements per 1 year use of the technology
  • Estimation of the annual economic savings resulting from the decrease in use of energy or inputs (fertilizer, fuel, herbicide, animal feed, etc.)
  • Estimation of the economic value of the technology (projected value of IP of 1 technology)
  • Number of jobs created as a result of the project
  • Number of value-added agricultural products developed
  • Other project-specific indicators submitted by the applicant
Sector Resilience and Societal Challenges indicators
  • Number of partnerships developed with under-represented groups
  • Estimation of the percent increase in resistance to diseases
  • Estimation of the percent increase in resistance to drought
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in pesticide use per unit or hectare
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in herbicide use per unit or hectare
  • Estimation of the potential annual reduction in use of antimicrobials per 100 animals
  • Estimation of the potential annual decrease in animal mortality rates
  • Estimation of the potential annual decrease in animal injuries
  • Other project-specific indicators submitted by the applicant
Example of a completed Priority Area PMT A
Priority Area Performance Measures – Table A

Activity 1: Development of a precision planter that will apply fertilizer at the correct rate based on soil types and nutrient analysis.

Priority Area Indicator Baseline Target
Climate change and environment — GHG reduction and carbon sequestration Estimation of the potential annual reduction in synthetic fertilizers (per hectare) 180 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare 120 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per hectare
Climate change and environment — GHG reduction and carbon sequestration Estimation of the potential annual reduction in atmospheric Mt CO2eq (per hectare, livestock unit or per technology) 1.229 tonnes of CO2e based on 450 litres of diesel per hectare. 0.82 tonnes of CO2e based on 300 litres of diesel per hectare.
Economic growth and development Estimation of the annual economic savings resulting from the decrease in use of energy or inputs (fertilizer, water, herbicide, animal feed, etc.) $441 for 180 pounds of fertilizer $294 for 120 pounds of fertilizer

Schedule B: Guide to complete Priority Area Performance Measures — Table B

Use the following guidance to develop the Priority Area Measures Table B.

  • Identify numbers of targets for the performance measures that are applicable to the activity
    • The targets identified are for the duration of the activity
  • Provide a brief description for each target
  • Tag the appropriate priority area and provide the targeted Technology Readiness levels for all technologies, BMPs and IP
Priority tagging
Climate Change and Environment priority tagging
  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduction
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Biodiversity
  • Water quality
  • Soil health
  • Air quality
  • Adaptation
  • Plastic reduction
  • Renewable energy
  • Material bio products
  • Circular economy (waste reduction)
  • Variety development (climate change and environment)
Economic Growth and Development priority tagging
  • Value-added
  • Labour solutions
  • Automation
  • Market development
  • Exports
  • Production efficiency
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Big data
  • Supply chain efficiency
  • Product development/improvement
  • Alternative production systems
  • Variety development (economic growth)
Sector Resilience and Societal Challenges priority tagging
  • Antimicrobial resistance
  • Animal health and welfare
  • Food safety
  • Food security
  • Biological alternatives
  • Mental health
  • Surveillance systems
  • Variety development (sector resilience)
Example of a completed PMT B
Performance Measures – Table B
Performance Measures and definitions Targets Brief description of each target
(What is the target?)
Priority Tagging Technology Readiness Level
Number of highly qualified personal (HQP) working on funded activities

Definition:

This includes only individuals who are registered in master's or, PhD or a postdoctoral fellow programs who are working on activities that receive funding through the program. They are only counted in their first year working on projects.

For Gender Based Analysis (GBA+) considerations, targets are not required in the work plan, however, email addresses will be collected as part of annual performance reports and an anonymous survey will be sent out to all HQPs reported that year.

6 2 masters students who are registered in masters programs
3 PhD students who are registered in PhD programs.
1 postdoctoral fellow
N/A N/A
Number of knowledge transfer events organized for the scientific community and/or number of presentations made at a conference to share results with the scientific community.

Definition:

Number of knowledge transfer events organized for the scientific community and/or number of presentations made at a conference to share results with the scientific community.

This includes events completed in the reporting year that were organized under the project to share results of the activities with audiences who may use the knowledge in the future. Examples could include training events, scientific meetings, workshops, or webinars.

This includes oral presentations at events that are not organized by the recipient, for example, conferences, symposiums or training events.

Posters at conferences are not eligible for this category

2 1 presentation at international Conference on Agriculture
1 workshop is organized on crop production systems.
N/A N/A
Number of knowledge transfer events organized to share results with potential adopters or to further commercialize the technology

This includes events completed in the reporting year that were organized under the project to share results of the activities with audiences who may adopt the technology or further commercialize the technology in the future. Examples could include, workshops, industry meetings, field days, demonstrations, tours or webinars.

Number of participant targets are not required; however, recipients will be required to report on the number of participants during annual and final performance reporting.

2 1 field day is held with producers
1 demonstration is held with producers
N/A N/A
Number of new knowledge transfer products developed

Definition:

New knowledge could include, but is not limited to:

  1. Newly acquired knowledge that differs significantly from previously acquired knowledge;
  2. Existing knowledge that is enhanced to meet different requirements;
  3. Existing knowledge that is applied in different situations.

These are knowledge transfer materials created under the project that have been disseminated to transfer information to audiences who may use that knowledge in the future. Examples could include podcasts, brochures, factsheets, flyers, guides, articles in trade magazines, technical bulletins and social media items.

Social media knowledge transfer materials are also included. However, each unique account/platform (such as Facebook, Twitter or a blogging website) is counted as one knowledge transfer product. Each individual post is not counted. In subsequent year(s) of the project, each account/platform can again be counted as one knowledge transfer product if there are updates/new posts.

Only the number of products developed should be reported, not the number of copies that were printed and disseminated.

2 1 brochure is developed on the benefits of no-till practice
1 blogging website is created to share results of the activity with producers
N/A N/A
Number of papers published in peer reviewed journals

Definition:

This includes scientific papers that are published in peer reviewed journals.

Papers that are not yet published (for example, manuscripts in preparation, under review or accepted) should not be reported.

Abstracts and conference proceedings are not eligible for this category.

2 1 is published in the Journal of Soil and Tillage Research
1 is published in the Journal of Plant Sciences.
N/A N/A
Number of new technologies that are developed

Definition:

For each technology, provide a brief description and set a target that is expected to be achieved by the end of the project utilizing the Technology Readiness Level Scale.

See Schedule C for Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) and descriptions and checklists

A new technology could include, but is not limited to:

  1. A newly created technology that differs significantly from existing technologies;
  2. An existing technology that is modified to meet different requirements;
  3. An existing technology that is tested in different situations.

Technologies include products, practices, processes or systems.

New products are goods and services that differ significantly in their characteristics or intended uses from products previously produced and used. Examples could include equipment, software, novel foods or consumer goods.

New processes are the set of operations performed by equipment in which variables are monitored or controlled to produce an output in labs or processing facilities.

New systems are the set of detailed methods, procedures and routines created to carry out a specific activity, perform a duty, or solve a problem.

New practices are new methods of production that can be applied directly by producers. BMPs should not be reported in this category as they have their own indicator.

This category does not include new varieties. New varieties are only reported under 'Number of new technologies that attain IP protection' and/or Number of new technologies and BMPs that are utilized/adopted.

Gene sequences, breeding lines and populations are not eligible under this category.

3 1 new practice developed: a new practice in seed spacing which increases yield Economic Growth and Development: Productivity TRL 4
1 new product developed: a bio-herbicide that demonstrates efficacy in killing Canada thistle Sector Resilience and Societal Challenges: Biological Alternatives TRL 6
1 new precision planter that reduces the use of nitrogen fertilizer Climate Change and Environment: Climate Change Mitigation TRL 3
Number of new BMPs that are developed

Definition:

A BMP is any management practice that is developed that reduces or minimizes the farms negative impacts on the natural environment. These BMPs include new BMPs identified and exiting BMPs that are improved through knowledge or socio-economic-environmental activities.

These BMPs are new agronomic techniques or methods that can be applied directly by producers

2 A new BMP developed to stop nitrogen leakage into nearby water sources Climate Change and Environment: Water Quality TRL 5
Number of IP protection attained

Definition:

Examples for IP protection could include, but are not limited to: plant breeder rights, patents filed, registered trademarks and copyrights, and registered germplasms and released varieties (excluding breeding lines and gene sequences).

Gene sequences, breeding lines and populations are not eligible under this category.

1 1 new practice demonstrated on-farm: A new practice that reduces production cost. Economic Growth and Development: Production Efficiencies N/A
Number of new technologies and BMPs, that are utilized/adopted

(Any technology reaching commercially available stage.)

1 1 energy efficient grain dryer has been developed and is commercially available in the market. Climate Change and Environment: Climate Change Mitigation N/A

Schedule C: Technology Readiness Levels descriptions and checklist

The Technology Readiness Level Assessment Tool is available on the Clean Growth Hub. The tool provides a description of each TRL along with a checklist to determine if the technology is at that specific TRL. Contact your program officer for more information about the tool.