Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program

• Detailed Project Budget
• Organization's Certificate or Articles of Incorporation
• Financial Statements for the past 2 years or since business start-up if less than 2 years old, plus the latest interim financial statements and, if applicable, the parent company or principal owner's most recent annual report or audited financial statements
• Project Endorsement Letters/ Letters of Support
• If applicable: Letters of Financial Support, Capital Asset Pre-approval, and Travel Pre-approval

Who is eligible?

• Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector-based organizations that represent, or have established partnerships with, the full sector relevant to the project's objective and collectively reflect the interest and needs of the sector across Canada
• Not-for-profit organizations such as national or regional associations, cooperatives, and marketing boards
• For-profit organizations in Canada with a project that offers benefits to the whole sector or the public and not for private gain/profit
• Indigenous Groups (First Nation, Inuit, and Métis)
• Provincial or territorial government

Eligible expenses

• Administrative costs, including project management and administrative overhead, funded through a 10% flat rate
• Salaries and benefits paid to or on behalf of staff to execute activities in the project work plan
• Contracted services such as consultant or expert services, translation services, and project management to undertake activities
• Travel costs directly related to the project, including per diems, economy airfare, rail and ground transportation, seat selection, and baggage costs excluding upgrades
• Capital expenditures required for the project, and other direct project costs such as shipping, translation, and knowledge transfer associated costs

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Activities that influence or lobby governments, or promote or advertise a specific product or commodity, including attending trade shows or trade missions
• Regular business activities such as product launches, company expansion, entering new markets, starting or growing a business, ongoing operating costs, or regular cash flow support
• Basic or commercial research such as regulatory applications or clinical trials, and general awareness campaigns not tied to a project goal or to sharing results with agriculture stakeholders
• Stand-alone or recurring events not part of a larger project with clear results, including conference hosting costs, and training, mentoring, workshops, or conference participation not directly tied to project goals or sharing results
• In-kind contributions, direct income support, building or land purchases, minor assets or capital items not essential for project execution, routine costs associated with establishing a commercial operation, hospitality costs, depreciation charges, and refundable portions of GST/HST, value-added taxes, or other recoverable amounts

• How well the project meets the program's objectives.
• How well the project responds to the identified CASPP program priority(ies); applications that do not respond to one or more CASPP program priority areas may be assessed for lower AAFC contributions, may require higher industry contributions, or both, and may not be considered for funding.
• How well projects provide benefits to Canada, including increased revenues or decreased operating costs in the agriculture and agri-food sector, and increased demand for primary agriculture and/or agri-based inputs or increased employment in the sector.
• The degree to which each project involves or is supported by groups or individuals in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector that represent the targeted sector within a Canadian or sector-wide scope, and the ultimate benefits to the stakeholders of the targeted sector.
• The likelihood that the planned results will be achieved within the timeline and project budget, considering the project risks, and the applicant's proven technical, financial and managerial capacity/capability to complete the proposed project.

• Access your program information, click the Grants and contributions button, choose a secure sign-in method, and sign in or sign up.
• Start a new application, choose Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program, complete the pre-screening application details, and submit the pre-screening application.
• If invited to stage 2, access the full application online through the program portal.
• Complete the online application and download the Required: Detailed Project Budget form.
• Complete and save the Detailed Project Budget form, then upload it with the required supporting documents.
• Complete all remaining application details and submit your completed application.

• After you submit your application, an acknowledgement notice will be sent to you, and you should not consider your application submitted until you receive it.
• AAFC may contact you for details on your application or additional information where deemed necessary for assessment.
• Once the assessment process is complete, you will be sent an approval or a rejection notification letter.
• If your project is approved for funding, the letter will specify the level of funding awarded and any other conditions that may apply, and a program representative will work with you to enter into a contribution agreement.
• Approved recipients must provide progress reports, annual and end-of-project performance reports, financial reports for reimbursement requests and other financial reporting, annual reporting on repayable contributions where applicable, and other reports that AAFC asks for.

• The program is a national program and there are no pre-determined regional allocations.
• Quebec-based applicants may be subject to the M-30 Act and must demonstrate compliance during the application assessment process and before entering into a contribution agreement.
• If approved, the contribution agreement will include specific intellectual property requirements and confirmations.
• Materials developed for activities carried out in a domestic establishment in Canada must be available in French and English.