Sponsor

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)

For More Information

Please visit the CASSP website [1] for program guidelines [2] and FAQ [3].

Description

The Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP) is a $10 million per year program of non-repayable contribution funding.

CASPP’s objective is to facilitate the Canadian agricultural sector’s ability to seize opportunities, to respond to new and emerging issues, and to pathfind and pilot solutions to new and ongoing issues in order to remain competitive. In particular, CASPP will consider projects within the following priority areas:

1. Adaptation to new technology:
   • Help Industry to move technology closer to commercialization and/or enables the sector to adopt leading technology. It also seeks to better understand the impact and value of new technology and how it can best be utilized to enable future success.
2. Environmental sustainability:
   • Help Industry with the development, enhancement and/or advancement of environmentally and socially responsible practices, processes and products. It seeks to ensure that Canadian agriculture remains adaptive and proactive using the best methodologies within an environmental sustainability context.
3. Strategic planning and capacity building:
   • Develop well-organized capacity to advance sector strategies and to develop plans to confront changes facing all agricultural sectors (trade, agreements, regulations, consumer choice/preferences). The objective of this theme is to ensure all agriculture sectors in Canada are properly structured to combat present and future challenges that may limit their potential.
4. Emerging issues:
   • Provide support for the agricultural sector in responding to unforeseen circumstances that require an immediate response (e.g. urgent public concerns, international market crisis challenges). These projects typically would touch the entire sector and be deemed as part of an “urgent” industry call supported through both private and public based sector partners in response to an immediate threat to a sector's prosperity.

Eligibility

The University is not an eligible applicant under this program but can be a sub-contractor to an Eligible Applicant. Eligible Applicants must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements such as:

• Not-for-profit organizations including associations, cooperatives and marketing boards; and
• Indigenous groups.

Note: normally for-profit organizations are not eligible but may be considered for funding in situations where the benefit will be accrued through the entire sector or significant benefits can be accrued to public safety and/or the public good.

Funding Availability

Applications will be accepted at at any point during the life of the program, until available funds have been fully allocated. Once all funds have been allocated, a notice will be posted on the CASPP website [3].

Eligible project costs are to be shared 50:50 between AAFC and the Eligible Applicant. Total government funding sources to meet the Eligible Applicant matched funding for the project can not exceed 85%. In-kind contributions are not eligible for reimbursement, nor are they recognized as an eligible industry contribution.

Maximum Project Value

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will determine funding on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants may apply for non-repayable contributions that will not generally exceed $1 million for each project.

Organizations may submit more than one proposal as long as projects are independent of one another; for each applicant, funding will not be more than $5 million (over five years). 

Indirect Costs

Indirect costs cannot exceed 15% of the total Recipient eligible costs invoiced by the University.

Project Duration

Projects will not normally exceed five years in duration.

Special Notes

If you have been invited to participate in this program, you will need to submit a copy of the proposal and signed OR-5 to research.services@uoguelph.ca [4] for review two weeks prior (10 working days) to submission by the Eligible Applicant. Researchers are encouraged to contact the Office of Research ASAP for program information and assistance with completing your proposal. 

How to Apply

Please read the applicant guide [2] for detailed information on eligibility criteria, support and funding available, and the application process.
The CASPP has a two-stage intake process involving:

• Stage One: Pre-Screening
  • Complete the online CASPP Pre-Screening Form [5], and submit it by e-mail to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at aafc.caspp-pcpsa.aac@canada.ca [6].
• Stage Two: Application
  • Proposals that are deemed to meet the priorities of the program will be invited to proceed to stage two of the application process. Applicants submitting a full application will be required to complete the CASPP online application form, which will provided at the time of invitation. Applicants must provide all application and supporting documentation within 45 business days from receipt of the invitation to apply.