Strategic Response Fund — Collaborations and Networks projects

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada, as lead applicants.
• For-profit corporations incorporated in Canada, as lead applicants.

Eligible expenses

• Direct labour costs, direct materials and equipment costs, and other direct costs.
• Overhead costs, subcontracts and consultants costs.
• Land and building costs that are necessary and reasonable to carry out project activities and benefit all network members.
• Network operations and activity expenditures, including networking events, regional offices across Canada, collaborative research and technology, conferences and workshops, travel, salaries, office equipment, professional services, and other operational costs.

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Advertising, except reasonable advertising of an industrial or institutional character placed in trade, technical or professional journals for the dissemination of information for the industry or institution.
• Interest on invested capital, bonds, debentures, bank or other loans, together with related bond discounts and finance charges.
• Donations, entertainment expenses, fines and penalties, and dues or memberships other than regular trade and professional associations.
• Losses on investments, bad debts and expenses for collection charges, losses on other projects or contracts, premiums for life insurance on the lives of officers and/or directors, and provisions for contingencies.
• Product development or improvement expenses not associated with the project; selling and marketing expenses for the products or services developed as part of the project; taxes, including excess profit taxes or surtaxes, federal or provincial income taxes, goods and services taxes, and special expenses in connection with those taxes.

• Technical feasibility.
• Additional benefits to Canada.
• Greenhouse gas impact, if applicable.
• Managerial, technical and workforce capability.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion practices, financial and market risk, and the capacity and experience of the lead applicant and other network members.

• Review the Strategic Response Fund project requirements and check your eligibility online.
• Request a consultation by completing the eligibility questionnaire and selecting the consultation option at the end.
• Pitch your project to SRF officials during a consultation meeting.
• Submit the Statement of Interest application if SRF officials recommend it.
• Submit the full application if you receive an invitation to do so.

• After the Statement of Interest is submitted, SRF acknowledges receipt, provides the contact information of the SRF officer leading the project, assesses the information, and notifies the applicant of the result.
• The result may be a request for additional information, an invitation to submit a full application through a Letter of Intent, or a notice that the project will not be further considered for support, with a possible referral to another program.
• Once the full application is complete, SRF carries out a due diligence assessment and a benefits assessment.
• If the project passes due diligence, SRF enters negotiations for a Term Sheet and may recommend the project to the Minister for approval; once approved, SRF develops the Contribution Agreement.
• After the Contribution Agreement is signed, the project moves into implementation and monitoring, with cost claims, regular reporting, and possible audits of claimed costs, royalties, and compliance with the Lobbying Act and the Impact Assessment Act.