Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) — Studies projects

Eligibility for the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) grant requires applicants to meet specific criteria related to their legal status and scope of work in the forest sector.

• The applicant must be a legal entity validly incorporated or registered in Canada.
• Eligible applicants include for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, such as companies, industry associations, and research associations.
• Indigenous organizations and groups are eligible to apply.
• Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies are also eligible where applicable.

Who is eligible?

IFIT funding is open to the following applicants:- Legal entities validly incorporated or registered in Canada, including both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations such as companies, industry associations, and research associations.- Indigenous organizations and groups.- Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and their departments and agencies where applicable.

Who is not eligible

This grant program primarily outlines eligibility criteria without detailing specific non-eligible industries or company types. The focus is on the forest sector, but exact exclusions are not stated.

Eligible expenses

The IFIT program includes a range of eligible expenses directly related to the implementation and conduct of a project.

• Cost of salaries and benefits for personnel directly involved in the project.
• Overhead expenditures directly related and essential to the conduct of the project, up to 1.5% of eligible expenditures.
• Professional and technical services, including costs of research, consulting, engineering, trades, and laboratory services.
• Travel expenses for transportation, accommodation, and meals based on National Joint Council rates.
• Training linked to the project.
• Publication, printing, and other media services related to the project.
• Data collection services, including processing, analysis, and management.
• Licence fees and permits required for the project.
• Capital expenses for equipment acquired or constructed exclusively for the project, including informatics hardware and software.
• Retrofitting and upgrading of existing capital.
• Material and supplies consumed during the project, including those for product trials.
• Meeting hospitality and space rental necessary for the project.
• Costs associated with environmental assessments.
• Technical audits associated with project activities.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant is available to companies located across Canada. Any legal entities registered in Canada, including for-profit or not-for-profit organizations, can apply for the grant.

• Companies registered anywhere within Canada.
• Organizations located in any provinces or territories across Canada.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria to ensure they align with the program’s targeted innovation priorities and demonstrate potential for impactful outcomes in the Canadian forest sector.

• Study Relevance: Applicants should demonstrate clear alignment of the proposed study with an industry need and specify outcomes that define success, including performance metrics.
• Implementation Plan: Evaluation considers the clarity of work description, project timing, team expertise, and any risks with mitigation measures.
• Knowledge Sharing Plan: Preference is given to studies intending to share findings widely and effectively with the Canadian forest sector within one year of project completion.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Demonstrating a strong approach to improving diversity within corporate structures and supply chains is favored.

Here are additional relevant details for this grant:

• Funding recipients must keep proper accounts and records for at least 5 years after the project completion date and are subject to audit by the Government of Canada.
• Intellectual property rights resulting from the projects must vest with the applicant, and they must have adequate rights to exploit them.
• A diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plan is required, and ongoing submission of a DEI questionnaire will be mandatory for funded projects.
• Funding applications may be affected by the Government of Canada's fiscal year reporting, impacting payment schedules.
• Notifications for results of Expression of Interest (EOI) phases are provided to all applicants, and only selected projects advance to the Full Study Proposal (FSP) phase.