School Food Infrastructure Fund: Step 5. Complete the application and apply

Step 5. Complete the application and apply

Please complete and review your full application form before you submit your application.

Full application form

Note: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) uses the information you give in the application form to determine whether your project is eligible.

The application form has the following 10 sections to be completed.

1. Project information

AAFC will use the information provided in this section, along with the details of your project’s activities and budget, to determine the eligibility of your project.

Project title

Provide a short, descriptive project title that accurately reflects the activities and results of the project.

Project objective

What is the overall goal of your project? What does your project aim to achieve?

If the project is approved for funding, this summary may be used publicly on Government of Canada websites.

Project description

Briefly outline the issues and/or gaps that the project will respond to and how the project will address them.

Application by consultant

Are you a consultant submitting this application on behalf of an eligible applicant?

Accountability and management framework

Does your organization have the capacity to develop and implement an accountability and management framework to support funding decisions with regard to ultimate recipients? This framework helps demonstrate that your organization has management oversight mechanisms in place in core areas (finances, distribution of funding, information and technology, results and reporting, and human resources).

Previous experience

If your organization has experience leading initiatives that further distribute funds to not-for-profit local organizations that support school food programming, please provide the initiative’s objectives, results and dates; if funding agreements were signed with ultimate recipients; and experience with undertaking or overseeing reviews or audits related to the initiative(s).

Targeted programming

Does your organization have experience in working with low-income communities, Indigenous groups (First Nations, Inuit or Métis) and/or individuals from other under-represented or marginalized groups, including visible minorities, youth, women, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+, and official language minority communities? For more information regarding low-income thresholds, please visit Low income measure (LIM) thresholds by income source and household size (Statistics Canada). Does your organization have experience supporting culturally appropriate school food programming?

School food infrastructure and equipment needs

Describe how your project will improve and address the current needs and gaps regarding infrastructure and equipment supporting school food programming and how your project will increase the reach of such programming.

Describe how your project will support investments in infrastructure and equipment that will enable school food programming to improve access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for children and youth in Canada, in support of the vision of the National School Food Policy.

Project design and delivery

Describe how your project could reach schools that primarily serve low-income communities.

Describe how your organization will design, launch and manage a clear, transparent, and open decision-making process for the selection of the ultimate recipient(s) and projects/activities to be funded.

Please provide a timeline to further distribute funding to local not-for-profit organizations that support school food programming for the following time periods:

1. from Fall 2024 to March 31, 2025 (maximum 5 months)
2. fiscal year 2025-26 (full 12 months from April 1 to March 31)

Community and environmental benefits

Describe how you will ensure availability and a fair geographical distribution of funds for local not-for-profit organizations, groups, and associations involved in school food programming in low-income communities.

Will your project have broader benefits on community food security?

Will your project help strengthen connections to local food systems and promote environmental sustainability?

Project risk

Identify any financial and non-financial risks as well as associated mitigation measures.

Results reporting

Describe how you will collect data to measure and report on the distribution of funds and to track project outcomes.

Organizational description / Governance structure

What is your geographical coverage for your services (for example, provincial, territorial or national)?

Indicate the number of schools that you work with, based on your current network of partners, as well as approximate student enrolment in these schools.

Is your organization led by (more than 50%) one or more of the following groups?

Does your organization self-identify as being Black-led or Black-focused?

Black-led

an organization where the leadership positions are minimum 2/3 occupied by people who self-identify as Black, and/or where the governance structure is minimum 2/3 composed of people who self-identify as Black.

Black-focused

an organization where your mandate supports members of the Black community.

Describe your organization’s capacity, governance structure, partners, the extent of your network, and facilities that will be leveraged in order to further distribute funding within limited time frames.

Describe your organization's governance practices including, among others, internal policies related to conflict of interest, values and ethics, anti-discrimination, and anti-harassment.

Will your organization provide services and communication materials of equal quality in both official languages in order to reach potential ultimate recipients in the official language of their choice?

Organizational capacity

Describe how your organization has the capacity to deliver this project. Refer to past AAFC funded projects. If no projects have been funded by AAFC, refer to other projects of similar scale that your organization has delivered in the past. For example: describe whether your organization has adequate staffing resources, access to suitable resources, and management capacity, describe the results of the previous projects, level of complexity or expertise used for past projects including experience managing a budget or submitting claims

Primary project location

Enter the address where the project will take place.

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

Environmental considerations

In accordance with the Impact Assessment Act (Justice Canada) (IAA), we must determine if projects that take place on federal land are likely to cause significant environmental damage.

To determine if IAA applies to your project, answer the following questions:

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. AAFC will contact you as necessary.

Project data collection

The responses to the following questions will be used for program reporting purposes only and will not impact the success of the application.

North American Industry Classification System

The North American Industry Classification System (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 identified the following NAICS category options for this program. Select the NAICS identifier that best applies to the project or to the industry the project represents:

• Individual and family services
• Community food services
• Child day-care services

Groups who will directly benefit from the project’s activities

Select all that apply.

Indigenous peoples

The collective name for the original peoples of Canada and their descendants and consists of distinct, rights-bearing communities comprising First Nations peoples, Inuit, and Métis.

First Nations

A people 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.^{Footnote 1}

Inuit

A people that inhabit 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.^{Footnote 1}

Métis

A 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.^{Footnote 1}

Indigenous organizations may include:

• Aggregated Indigenous entities (as self-defined by Indigenous groups, could be linked by cultural or linguistic background, geographical area or historical treaty lines);
• Associations;
• National and regional Indigenous organizations;
• Indigenous non-governmental and voluntary associations and organizations, including non-profit organizations and corporations; 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:

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

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

Women

One of many gender identities. Includes all people who identify as women.

Youth

Individuals aged 35 and under.

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.

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.^{Footnote 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.

Previously received funding

Has your organization received any funding from AAFC within the last 6 years?
If yes, and if known, show:

• the AAFC program(s) your organization received funding from
• the name of the projects
• the amount received

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.

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

Audience

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

Community who will benefit

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

Service provision

If the approved project involves activities that may have an impact on OLMCs or promote the use of English and French, AAFC 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

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 both official languages, and in a form determined by Canada.

You’re encouraged to complete the OLMC self-identification section in the application form

2. Organization or business

AAFC uses the information you provide in this section to confirm your organization’s identity and to verify your organization’s eligibility for funding.

Refer to the Eligibility checklist to determine if your organization is eligible under this program.

Legal name

Your organization’s legal name, as it appears in legal documents such as Certificate of Incorporation, and Articles of Incorporation or letters patent.

Operating as

Enter the name under which your organization operates, if that name is different from its legal name. If you do not use an ‘operating as’ name, provide your organization’s legal name.

Acronym (if used)

Enter the acronym your organization uses, if different from legal and ‘operating as’ names.

CRA business number

Enter the first 9 digits of your 15-digit Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Business number.

Example: 123456789 RR 0001

If you don’t have a CRA Business Number, select the checkbox “The organization or business does not have a Business Number” and provide an explanation. Note: you’ll be required to obtain a CRA Business Number if your project is approved for funding.

Organization type

Select one of the following:

• Not-for-profit
  • Sector council
  • Corporation (not-for-profit)
• Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
  • Indigenous organization (not-for-profit)

Headquarters address

Enter the complete address, main email address and main phone number of your organization’s headquarters or regional headquarters.

Mailing address

Enter the mailing address if different from the headquarters’ address or click on “Copy Headquarters address”.

Organizational capacity

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

How many employees work for your organization?

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

Responses to the following 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 peoples
  • First Nations
  • Métis
  • Inuit
  • Unknown
• Persons with disabilities
• Members of visible minorities
• Women
• Youth
• 2SLGBTQI+
• Not applicable
• Decline to identify

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

See the information above for groups included in the previous question, as well as the following groups:

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 information above for groups included in the previous question.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan

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

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 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan goes beyond an employment equity plan to address under-representation and employment barriers for equity and equity seeking groups to advance diversity, equity and inclusion 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-sized enterprises and non-profit organizations, and those without Boards of Directors or senior management teams. The Challenge includes organizations that meet the Challenge and 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)

3. Project team

Review the contact information for project team members and edit if necessary. There is a maximum of five (5) project team members per project. Any project team member can create and edit project application forms, submit direct deposit information and submit payment requests and performance reports to AAFC.

4. Activities

Detailed project budget

To help determine the budget numbers to enter into the Activities section, you must first complete the Detailed project budget, which can be downloaded from the portal. Once the budget is completed, enter the data in the relevant areas of the application and attach the spreadsheet in the Documents section of the application.

Refer to the Instructions within the Detailed project budget to help you complete the budget.

Activity details

The Activities section is where you will provide a detailed description of the 2 planned activities noted in the application form, which are as follows.

• Activity 1: Initial recipients will further distribute funds to ultimate recipients.
• Activity 2: Administrative costs ([up to 10% of requested funding for activity 1]; see eligible costs, below, for more details).

You should include key milestones and descriptions of your planned performance measures as well as how you will report on results.

The activities will be assessed to determine if they have been clearly planned and described, and if they are aligned with the project’s goals, objectives, and purpose.

The project start and end dates are automatically determined by the date that work on the first activity will take place and the last day that work on the last activity will take place. The fiscal year begins April 1 and concludes March 31.

Activity description

Activity 1: Enter a detailed description, including expected results (refer to Expected results-Step 2).

Activity 2: Enter the following:

Administrative costs to deliver activity 1. These include but are not limited to:

• project management costs
• administrative office supplies and expenses
• audit fees
• bank fees
• insurance
• legal fees
• administrative information technology products and services
• other overhead type expenditures relating to the organization's office

Activity title

Activity 1: Please enter "Further distribution of funds to ultimate recipients."

Activity 2: Please enter "Administrative costs."

Activity start date

Enter the date that the individual activity will start.

Activity end date

Enter the date that the individual activity will finish.

Activity location

Enter the location(s) where the individual activity will take place.

Activity cost by fiscal year

Provide the AAFC funding amounts for the activity by fiscal year. The amounts you input here will be summarized in the Funding Sources section of the application. The available fiscal years for each activity are determined by the activity’s individual start and end date.

AAFC funding

The amounts that you’re requesting from AAFC.

Non-AAFC funding

This program does not require non-AAFC funding as a source funding. Please leave the value as 0.

Non-AAFC breakdown by funding source

This program does not require non-AAFC funding as a source funding. Please leave the value as 0.

Confirm all activities have been added for this project

After you list all of the project activities, you must click on “I confirm” before you can move to the next section of the application.

Administrative costs

Administrative costs — Eligible cost items

Administrative costs under a Further Distribution of Funds model are defined as the initial recipient organization's expenses to manage the funding envelope. This is meant to cover costs specific, but not limited to, the project selection process, financial reporting, management and oversight, and negotiation of funding agreements with the ultimate recipients.

Administrative costs means costs related to:

• project management costs: management and administrative staff wages, including those who oversee the project, negotiate funding agreements with ultimate recipients, pay the invoices, manage the project budget, undertake or oversee reviews and audits, and monitor and/or prepare the claims and any financial or progress/performance reports for the project
  • salaries, Mandatory Employment Related Costs (MERCs), and benefits and/or contract services
• administrative office supplies and expenses
  • basic telephone fees (including fax lines) and cell phones
  • hydro
  • materials and office supplies (for example, pens, pencils, paper, envelopes, cleaning supplies, subscriptions)
  • monthly internet fees
  • postage and courier fees
  • office equipment (for example, computers, printers, photocopiers)
  • office space (rent) and related utilities, maintenance and property taxes
• audit fees (if eligible)
• bank fees (if eligible)
• insurance (fire, theft, liability) (if eligible)
• legal fees (if eligible)
• administrative information technology (IT) products and services, including maintenance
• other overhead type expenditures relating to the organization’s office

Administrative costs — Limitations/Explanations

• These costs will be funded at the approved program cost-share ratio.

5. Funding sources

This program does not require non-AAFC funding as a source funding. Please leave the value as 0.

6. Budget summary

Review all information in this section. The budget summary is calculated from the addition of all activities, and you must return to the Activities section to make any changes.

7. Documents

In addition to the application form, you must submit the following documents to AAFC:

Letter(s) of financial support from each financial contributor must:

• Required: A copy of the organization’s Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Incorporation or Letters Patent
• A copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and Articles of Incorporation or Letters patent, documenting your not-for-profit corporation’s status as a legal entity and purpose for at least 2 years prior to the application submission date. If your corporation has amended its legal name or amalgamated since the initial registration, also provide the amendment document(s) to confirm the chain of re-naming.
• Required: A copy of the last 2 years’ financial statements
  • Statements for the last 2 years
  • Most recent interim financial statement
• Required: Detailed project budget
• The budget breakdown for each activity is required on the AAFC-provided Excel spreadsheet.
• Required: Project team description
• The project team is the group of people responsible for executing the tasks and producing deliverables for the project. Project team members may or may not be involved during the entire life cycle of the project and may or may not be full time to the project.

Optional documents

• If available: Accountability and Management Framework
• An accountability and management framework helps demonstrate that your organization has management oversight mechanisms in place in core areas, such as finances, distribution of funding, information and technology, results and reporting, and human resources. The framework also helps demonstrate that you have accountability mechanisms and methods in place to ensure the ultimate recipients are held accountable to you.
• If available: Endorsement letters for the project/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.

8. Contacts

Primary contact

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.

Email address

Provide the email of the primary contact. 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.

Position title

Provide the position title of the primary contact. For example, Business Owner, President, Executive Director.

Phone numbers and Fax number

Provide the telephone number(s) of the primary contact. If applicable, provide a fax number. AAFC will use this information to communicate with your organization about the application.

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.

Indicate if you’re the project contact or if you need to enter a new contact. If entering a new contact enter the following:

First name and Last name

Provide the name of the person in your organization who will be AAFC’s project contact for this application.

Email address

Provide the email of the project contact. Please note AAFC will use this information to communicate with your organization about the application.

Language of correspondence

Provide the preferred language, English or French, of the project contact for written and verbal communication.

Position title

Provide the position title of the project contact. For example, Business Owner, President, Executive Director.

Phone numbers and Fax number

Provide the telephone number(s) of the project contact. If applicable, provide a fax number. AAFC will use this information to communicate with your organization about the project.

9. Declarations

Read and complete the declarations.

10. Review and submit

Provide any additional information you would like to include in your application.

After you complete your application form and include the additional documents, please submit your application.

If you have any trouble when you complete or submit the application, please contact the program.