New Program – Growing Forward 2

A new 5-year federal-provincial initiative worth $417 million, designed to encourage innovation, competitiveness and market development is now being rolled out to the Ontario agricultural industry.

Flexible and practical programming has been developed for producers, processors, organizations and collaborations to grow profits, expand markets and manage risk. Additional information will be provided as the programs are further developed in the coming months.

Capacity Building Projects include: skills development & training, assessments & audits, marketing plans, market assessments, feasibility plans, succession plans, labour productivity assessments and business analysis for traceability.

Implementation Projects – Evaluation Criteria: degree of project novelty, significance of benefits, risk associated with project, knowledge transfer and dissemination and how it drives sector competitiveness.

Check out our One Page Summary of the Growing Forward 2 Program for more details.
Growing Forward 2 – Summary

CME SMART Announces List of 200+ Approved Recipients Totalling to over $15.5 million

The CME SMART Prosperity Now funding program assists Southern Ontario manufacturing companies with financial support of up to 33% of eligible costs up to a maximum of $75,000. If you want more information about the SMART program, take a look at the one-pager attached below descibing the eligibility requirements. SMART has recently announced a list of approved recipients (as of May 15th, 2013) adding to over $15.5 million. Congratulations to the 200+ companies supported through this program. Check out the list!
SMART Approved Recipients as of May 15th
CME – SMART Prosperity Now

AIME Recipients

AIME – Recipients
Achieving Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence

Last week the list of AIME Initiative Global Recipients was posted. Onager would like to acknowledge all recipients and wish them the best of luck with their projects! It has been great to work with a few of these organizations and see them succeed.

The AIME program is in larger partnership with the Yves Landry Foundation and is intended to strengthen Ontario’s manufacturing capabilities by encouraging training initiatives. Check out one of AIME’s success stories:

AIME Global Initiative Funding Opportunities for Southern Ontario Manufacturers

Yves Landry – AIME Global Initiative: $50,000

Is your business looking to foster training that will lead to advancements in innovation within the manufacturing sector in Ontario? All projects for consideration must lead to new global export opportunities or create new global markets. Yves Landry Foundation has a program you should be looking at.

Eligible Companies: This funding is open to all Southern Ontario manufacturing companies in all segments that meet the following criteria:

• Between 15 – 1500 Employees

• Continuously in business in Southern Ontario for at least 3 years

• Must be able to demonstrate a solid financial footing

• Manufacturing facility or facilities located in Southern Ontario

• Manufacture a specific product for sale in Ontario or elsewhere

• Priority will be given to companies who have not previously been recipients of FedDev supported AIME funding.

• Preference will be given to those companies located in distressed areas of southern Ontario;

• Preference will be given to companies engaged in international markets (ie. Companies that export, are going to export or are selling in a value chain/supply chain leading to export growth).

Eligible Projects:

Objective 1 – Training that will support the adaptation of new technology, new processes or procedures or a change within the company to support innovation. This objective must clearly be linked to innovations leading to global competitiveness including expanding into new domestic or international markets.

Objective 2 – Training that will support and develop Highly Skilled Personnel in any area that leads to innovation. This can include the development of new engineering skills, training in the use of new software, hardware or other tools necessary to support innovation; retraining to embrace new technologies, new manufacturing methods, or any other business area that will make a Southern Ontario manufacturing company more competitive in the global marketplace. Ultimately it should lead to a situation where the applicant develops or enhances a culture that supports constant training and development to support ongoing innovation in all areas of the business cultivating opportunities for growth into new global markets.

Being able to clearly link your project to global competitiveness will be essential.

Project Size: The Yves Landry Foundation is making available up to $50,000 per company in the form of a grant to foster training that will lead to advancements in innovation within the manufacturing sector in Southern Ontario. Example, a company spends $100,000 on a training project and will receive 50% of the project costs from the Yves Landry Foundation in the form of a grant/non-repayable contribution of $50,000.

Qualifying Expenses:

• Direct Training Costs (trainer fees, trainee wages/salary & time in training)

• Travel/accommodations/meals

• Facilities (room rental)

• Content and curriculum costs

• Materials/consumables for the purposes of the training

CME-SMART Prosperity Now Funding Opportunities for Southern Ontario Manufacturers

CME – SMART Prosperity Now: $75,000

Is your business looking at purchasing capital equipment for enhancing productivity, integrating new and innovative technologies to products and/or processes for future prosperity and global export opportunities? Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters has a program you should be looking at.

Project Size: Projects of any size can be proposed for funding, but SMART Funding is only available up to 33.3% of project costs or $75,000, whichever is less. For example, an eligible company would spend $225,000 on an eligible project and receive 33% coverage:$75,000 non-repayable funding.

Timeframe: Projects must have started ON or AFTER January 1, 2012. Projects will have one year for completion including quantifying benefits. The SMART Prosperity Program runs until March 31, 2014.

For More Information: CME – SMART Prosperity Now