Archive for category: Uncategorized

Scope & Objectives

The Regional Innovation Ecosystem stream aims to create, grow and develop strong and inclusive regional ecosystems that support business growth and innovation, as well as the entrepreneurial environment necessary to foster more innovative regional economies and increase the competitiveness of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

We can help with your strategy & submission: info@thesectorinc.ca

Through this Stream, FedDev Ontario seeks to:

• Grow and sustain strategic clusters and consortia to leverage regional strengths and support businesses to scale up and commercialize innovative products, technologies and services.
• Enhance the development and reach of business accelerators and incubators, and other organizations, which support entrepreneurs, start-ups and innovative companies with high-growth potential.
• Support projects led by innovation-oriented organizations to increase and promote business productivity and global competiveness, and investment and talent attraction.

FedDev Ontario will make targeted investments in not-for-profit organizations that provide support to businesses at each stage of development in areas where Canada and southern Ontario has the potential to have a leadership position and opportunities for growth. Investments made through FedDev Ontario’s Regional Innovation Ecosystem Stream will further enhance the capacity of ecosystems to support underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples and young entrepreneurs, promoting their entrepreneurial talent.

Expected Results

FedDev Ontario is results oriented. Projects supported through this Stream, and FedDev Ontario’s other programming streams, work towards achieving one or more of the following departmental results:

• Businesses in southern Ontario invest in the development and commercialization of innovative technologies.
• Businesses in southern Ontario are innovative and growing.
• Communities are economically diversified in southern Ontario.

Eligibility

I. Eligible Applicants are not-for-profit organizations that may include:

• A group or an alliance such as an industry association or consortium
• Post-secondary institutions
• Innovation centres
• Business accelerators and incubators
• Angel networks
• Indigenous organizations
• Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs)
• Co-operatives
• Municipalities and other municipal-type organizations
• Other not-for-profit organizations, as determined on a case-by-case basis

To be considered eligible, all applicants must be located in southern Ontario.

All eligible applicants must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements.

To be considered eligible for funding, applicants must demonstrate:

• Evidence of project funding.
• Managerial, technical, operational and financial capacity to achieve the project’s stated objectives in a timely manner.
• Market/industry demand (e.g., how the project addresses a significant gap in the market; global opportunity to be seized within Canada; and evidence that southern Ontario is uniquely positioned to capture market share).
• A viable project plan with achievable outcomes, supported by verifiable cost estimates.

Projects that address significant gaps at a sub-regional or community-level may be considered under FedDev Ontario’s Stream 3: Community Economic Development and Diversification.

Applicants may also be required to demonstrate how their project will be self-sustaining upon the completion of the project. For project proposals that will result in the creation of a new ongoing program/service, applicants may be required to demonstrate the financial sustainability of the new program/service beyond the project completion date (i.e., sustainable business model and/or a plan for generating revenue in order to grow or maintain service levels).

II. Eligible Activities

FedDev Ontario is targeting investments structured around the following activities:

Growing Clusters and Consortia

Cluster and consortia projects bring together multiple stakeholders, such as businesses, industry associations, Indigenous economic development corporations, post-secondary and research institutions, and all levels of government. These projects will normally have strong industry participation, support the translation of leading-edge innovation into high-growth entrepreneurship, and focus on areas where southern Ontario has an innovation advantage and/or there are global opportunities.

Examples of eligible project activities could include:

• Development of commercially-relevant technology platforms, innovation assets, tools and testbeds.
• Applied research and product development, and support for adoption or integration into markets.
• Technology transfer including validation of the need, training and implementation of a new technology.
• Technological adoption for new industrial applications and/or entry into new markets.
• Encouraging first buyers for new products developed within the cluster or consortia.

Ecosystem Capacity Building

Ecosystem capacity building projects will normally be led by a business accelerator, incubator, angel network, industry association, economic development organization or similar capacity builder, to support firm growth and entrepreneurial activity, strengthen global competitiveness, and/or attract investment and talent to southern Ontario. These projects will normally develop or expand regional capacity to address gaps and target priority growth sectors in areas of comparative advantages at the global, national or regional levels.

Examples of eligible project activities could include:

• Business and market development and/or expansion programs and services.
• Commercialization services, networking and mentoring opportunities.
• Financing programs and support.
• Business innovation support services for women, Indigenous peoples and young entrepreneurs.
• Improving the availability of risk capital to address a need in the region.
• Innovative models to support the first sale of new products and services.
• Training needed to support the adoption or adaptation of innovative technologies, processes and practices.
• Enhancing investment attraction, export readiness and market diversification.
• Facilitating supply chain development.

III. Eligible Costs

Eligible costs for project activities may include:

• Labour
• Expertise
• Non-Capital
• Capital

All costs must be reasonable and directly related to the eligible project activities.

IV. Ineligible and/or Unsupported Costs include:

Any costs deemed not reasonable and/or not directly related to the eligible project activities.

Activities in support of regular maintenance and/or ongoing operation costs.

Costs typically supported by federal/provincial transfer payments.

Cost incurred prior to the eligibility date as defined in the contribution agreement.

Costs incurred after the Project completion date listed in the contribution agreement.

Any cost that is ineligible under the contribution agreement.

Acquisition of land and buildings.

Costs that result in direct benefits to a single or small number of private firms, unless specifically associated with an approved activity related to the delivery of service or program under the proposed project.

V. Ineligible Projects

Projects that have been approved for funding under Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund will normally not be supported under this Stream.

Priorities

Preference will be given to projects which respond to issues and opportunities identified by FedDev Ontario. These may include priority sectors and strategic clusters, or projects that reinforce Ontario’s economic and innovation strengths in areas of comparative advantages at the regional, national or global level.

Projects that support the government’s commitment to inclusive growth (i.e., women, Indigenous peoples and LGBTQ2+ communities) and Official Language Minority Communities may be given priority.

Consideration may also be given to projects based on geographic priorities and need.

Funding

The Regional Innovation Ecosystem stream will normally target investments that range from $500,000 to $10 million. On an exceptional basis, FedDev Ontario may approve funding amounts outside of this range.

Applicants are normally eligible to receive up to 50 percent of eligible and supported costs. On an exceptional basis, FedDev Ontario may consider projects eligible for up to 100 percent of eligible and supported project costs.

For projects involving redistribution of funding to SMEs, the ultimate recipients (SMEs) must provide minimum 50 percent cash contribution. The maximum disbursement of a contribution that provides funding to SMEs as their ultimate recipient is capped at a maximum of $100,000 per SME under a FedDev Ontario project with a not-for-profit organization.

Government stacking up to 100% is allowed for the Regional Innovation Ecosystem Stream.

FedDev Ontario support is not intended to replace or duplicate funding available from other funding sources, including private-sector and/or government programs.

Financial assistance from government programs may have tax implications for an organization. It is recommended that applicants obtain advice from a qualified tax professional.

We can help with your strategy & submission: info@thesectorinc.ca

#funding #federal #canada #innovation #business #socialenterprise #impactinvesting #socialinnovation #mba #consulting #wbs #sdgs #nonprofit #fundraising #thesectorinc

Your not-for-profit organization could get funding to improve access to safe, healthy and culturally-diverse food and to promote environmentally sustainable food systems while supporting local communities.

Money

• Minimum: $5,000
• Maximum: $250,000

Status

• Accepting project proposals
• Closing on December 31, 2023

We can help with your strategy & submission: info@thesectorinc.ca

What this program offers

The Local Food Infrastructure Fund (LFIF) is a five-year, $50 million initiative ending March 31, 2024. The program is part of the Government of Canada’s Food Policy which is Canada’s roadmap for a healthier and more sustainable food system in Canada. The LFIF objective is to strengthen food systems and to facilitate access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations.

The LFIF’s objectives are to:

improve access to safe, healthy and culturally-diverse food while promoting community development

support local economies

• improve health outcomes for Canadians most at-risk
• promote environmentally sustainable food systems

The fund supports community-based, not-for-profit organizations to improve their food systems through investments in infrastructure that are directly related to addressing food insecurities and increasing the accessibility of healthy, nutritious, and ideally, local foods within their community.

Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations that have been in operation for at least two years as a legal entity capable of entering into a legally-binding agreement. Furthermore, applicants must be able to demonstrate the ability to maintain the proposed operations beyond the funding period.

Eligible applicants consist of:

• community or charitable organizations
• Indigenous groups
• not-for-profit co-operatives

Eligible projects

Projects should be mostly infrastructure specific, community-driven and dedicated to improving access to safe and healthy foods for Canadians at risk of food insecurity. The risk factors and prevalence of food insecurity vary from community to community and can impact Canadians in both rural and urban environments through a lack of access to affordable and nutritious food choices.

For the purpose of this fund, Canadians at risk of food insecurities are part of one of the following groups:

• Indigenous
• Persons who are homeless or street-involved
• Low income households
• Isolated and rural communities
• Persons with disabilities
• Other groups with social or employment barriers including literacy and numeracy
• Newcomers to Canada (including refugees)
• Visible minorities
• Women
• Youth
• Seniors
• LGBTQ2 community
• Official language minority communities
• Other (please specify)

Eligible projects can range from simpler infrastructure requests such as purchasing a refrigerator for a food bank to more complex requests that strengthen local food systems, such as projects that integrate multiple areas of the value chain through the creation of partnerships. The applicant must demonstrate how their project will be integrated into and strengthen the local food system and how it will impact the well-being of community members.

We can help with your strategy & submission: info@thesectorinc.ca

#funding #impactinvesting #foodsecurity #sdgs #ESG #socialenterprise #socialinnovation #impactinvesting #charity #nonprofit #thesectorinc #consulting #mba #wbs #bradfordturner