Business case: Organic Waste-to-Energy

• Pre-application form
• Application form
• Project workbook
• Required supporting documents listed in the application guide

Who is eligible?

• Canadian municipal governments (e.g., towns, cities, regions, districts, and local boards)
• Private sector entities (as municipal partners)
• Municipally-owned corporations (as municipal partners)
• Non-governmental organizations (as municipal partners)
• Not-for-profit organizations (as municipal partners)

Eligible expenses

• Costs to write the GMF full application (up to $5,000) incurred up to 90 days before the full application is received by FCM.
• Project-related administrative costs required for the initiative, such as project communications, permits/certifications required for the project, printing/photocopying by outside suppliers, document acquisition used exclusively for the project, and document translation.
• Advertising and public communications costs required for the project (e.g., public surveys, advertising development fees, media distribution fees, website development).
• Fees for professional or technical consultants and contractors.
• Staff remuneration (salaries and eligible benefits) for employees’ time actually worked on implementing the project (including participation in FCM-led capacity building activities related to the initiative).
• Supplies and materials specifically needed to undertake the project.
• Transportation, shipping and courier charges for delivery of materials and services essential for the project.
• Travel and accommodation necessary to complete the project (and to attend FCM-led capacity building activities related to the initiative), provided costs comply with Treasury Board of Canada guidelines.
• Costs for meetings and public gatherings to communicate the project and collect feedback (e.g., facility rental, audiovisual equipment rental, accessibility supports such as interpretation/shuttle/babysitting services where they support equity and inclusion objectives; honoraria for cultural leaders/Elders/Indigenous knowledge keepers and local cultural protocols such as gifts/ceremonies).
• Taxes to the extent your organization is not eligible for a rebate.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Any costs incurred before FCM receives the application (except up to $5,000 for writing the GMF application within 90 days before receipt).
• Stakeholder engagement or research done before the application is received (even if used to help write the full application or fill the project workbook).
• Office space, office supplies, and general overhead incurred in the ordinary course of business.
• Hospitality expenses (e.g., food and drinks unless part of a specific cultural protocol; alcohol; door prizes; entertainment).
• Travel and related expenses for a project partner, and travel for conferences/missions/trade shows.

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada (Canadian municipal governments, and eligible municipal partners working with a Canadian municipal government).
• North (as defined by GMF/Statistics Canada): the three Canadian territories and the northern extent of seven provinces—Newfoundland and Labrador, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.

• GHG reduction impact (45% weighting for studies and for capital projects).
• Multi-solving – Environmental benefits (24% total weighting for studies and for capital projects), including: sustainable materials management (12%) and biodiversity & ecological benefits (12%).
• Multi-solving – Other benefits (31% total weighting for studies; includes socio-economic benefits (16%) and engagement strategy (15%)).
• For capital projects only: Other benefits (35% total weighting), including socio-economic benefits (10%), engagement strategy (10%), and financial analysis (15%).
• Implementation criteria (pass/fail) for studies and capital projects: teams and partners, workplan, budget; plus risk management (pass/fail) for capital projects only.

• Step 1: Verify project eligibility
  • Review the eligibility requirements, required outcomes and targets for the Organic Waste-to-Energy funding offer on the GMF webpage.
  • If unsure whether your project aligns with the funding offer or how to apply, contact GMF at gmfinfo@fcm.ca or 1-877-417-0550.
• Step 2: Submit a pre-application
  • Complete and submit the pre-application form.
  • Provide participating organization details (legal names and roles) and project contact details (including one designated “application contact”).
  • Provide project information: project title, select “Organic Waste-to-Energy” as the offer type, select the project type (Business case), and describe the project.
  • Provide objectives and rationale, including the “business as usual” scenario.
  • Provide a high-level budget (project start/end dates, funding request, anticipated total project costs).
  • Attach required supporting documents where applicable (for non-municipal lead applicants, attach a municipal council resolution stating municipal partnership).
  • Submit the declaration and signature information for the person with signing authority from the lead applicant organization (note: consultants cannot sign or submit).
  • For Quebec municipalities or Quebec municipal corporations: ensure the pre-application is submitted and approved by the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation (MAMH).
• Step 3: Eligibility determination (GMF review)
  • GMF staff review the pre-application to determine whether the organization and initiative are eligible to proceed.
  • Expect a response within 15 business days from the date GMF receives the pre-application.
• Step 4: Submit a full application
  • Once GMF confirms you can proceed, complete and submit the full application form when it becomes available.
  • Review and update any pre-populated information from the pre-application (as needed) within the full application.
  • Complete and include the project workbook provided by your GMF outreach officer/advisor.
  • Organize and attach all required supporting documents (as per Appendix D in the application guide), including evidence of municipal support, letters from confirmed sources of funding (where available), and project team organizational chart and resumes.
  • If you need help completing the application or uploading files, contact GMF at gmfinfo@fcm.ca or 1-877-417-0550.
• Step 5: GMF project officer review (accuracy and completeness)
  • After submitting the full application, a GMF project officer reviews the application for accuracy and completeness.
  • Work with the assigned project officer to resolve any remaining questions and revise elements if requested.
• Step 6: Evaluation and internal review
  • For business case applications, GMF staff evaluate the application.
  • An internal analysis is completed to prepare a funding recommendation to the GMF Council and to FCM’s Board of Directors.
• Step 7: Funding decision
  • FCM’s Board of Directors oversees funding recommendations made by the GMF Council.
  • For business cases, the average time for a funding decision is three to five months after submission of the full application.
• Step 8: Submit application to the fund provider (how to send)
  • Before submitting, check Appendix D (Required supporting documents) and ensure the application form, project workbook, and all required attachments are complete.
  • Submit the pre-application and full application following the “How to submit your application” instructions in the application guide (submission is completed by the designated application contact).
  • Keep GMF contact information available for submission issues: gmfinfo@fcm.ca or 1-877-417-0550.

• After you submit a pre-application, GMF staff review it to determine whether your organization and initiative are eligible to proceed (GMF aims to respond within 15 business days).
• If eligible, GMF makes the full application form available and assigns a GMF outreach officer/advisor to support you; submitting a full application does not guarantee funding approval.
• Once the full application is submitted, a GMF project officer reviews the file for accuracy and completeness and may request revisions to strengthen the application before it moves forward.
• GMF then completes expert and internal assessments: staff evaluate business case applications, and an internal analysis provides a funding recommendation to GMF Council and FCM’s Board of Directors.
• FCM’s Board of Directors makes the final funding decision; for business cases, GMF indicates an average decision timeline of 3–5 months after full application submission.

• Applications are accepted year-round, but the offer may close when all available funding has been allocated.
• If annual funds are fully allocated, new applications are deferred for approval to the next fiscal year starting April 1.
• For business case and feasibility study applications, the average time for a funding decision is three to five months after submission of the full application.
• Business cases for Organic Waste-to-Energy projects must include a lifecycle assessment (LCA) or lifecycle inventory of the proposed feedstocks, comparing the proposed approach to current feedstock management and confirming reliable feedstock supply over the facility’s planned lifecycle.