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Writing an Effective RED Application
The document provides guidance on applying for funding from Ontario's Rural Economic Development (RED) program, which supports projects that create strong rural communities and open doors to rural economic development. It outlines the application process, including articulating the project need, understanding program requirements, refining the concept, writing the application, and administering the project if funded. Eligible projects must be located in rural Ontario and fall under two funding streams - economic diversification or strategic economic infrastructure. The application requires describing how the project will address barriers to economic development and RED program outcomes.
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Writing an Effective RED Application
- 1. Submitting an Applicationto the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program September 2021 Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
- 2. Before we Start… •Indigenous Land Acknowledgement • Speaker Introductions • Submit questions via Chat function • We would appreciate your feedback via the one-question evaluation at the end of the session • Today’s session is also being recorded • A French version of this deck is available by request if needed after the presentation. 2
- 3. Session Objectives • Explainthe Rural Economic Development (RED) program • Provide guidance on developing a RED project • Outline helpful considerations and tips for completing the application process 3
- 4. What is theRED Program? • Ontario’s Rural Economic Development (RED) program is cost-share funding which supports activities that create strong rural communities in Ontario, and opens doors to rural economic development by: • Providing funding assistance to address barriers to economic development, to better position rural communities to attract and retain jobs, and investment, and enhance economic growth; • Providing funding to build community capacity and support for economic development in Ontario’s rural communities; and • Investing in rural communities to help diversify and grow local economies – making economic growth more inclusive so Rural Ontario continues to share in the province’s economic prosperity. 4 NOTE: Projects must be undertaken in rural Ontario or benefit rural Ontario. Rural Ontario includes census subdivisions with under 100,000 in population, or population density under 100 people/km2
- 5. Who is Eligible? Thefollowing organizations are eligible for RED Funding: • Municipalities • Not-for-Profit Entities • Indigenous communities and organizations • Local Services Board Important Definitions • The lead applicant is the primary contact with OMAFRA, signs the Contribution Agreement and receives all payments and assume joint and several liability for the Project. • Co-applicants contribute financial or in-kind resources, are directly engaged in the project and assume the same level of responsibility for the success of the project as the Lead Applicant and sign the Contribution Agreement with the Ministry. Fill-out a co-applicant form for each additional applicant. • Partners contribute financial or in-kind resources to the project without signing the Contribution Agreement with the Ministry. 5
- 6. What Types ofProjects are Eligible? • Projects receiving any other amount of provincial funding are not eligible to apply for or receive funding under the RED program • Combined federal and provincial funding cannot exceed 90 per cent of the Project’s eligible costs. 6 Stream Description Maximum Provincial Cost Share Maximum Provincial Funds Economic Diversification and Competitiveness The majority of costs for projects in this stream will be non-capital. Projects must include implementation-oriented activities beyond strategic plan development. 50% $150,000 Strategic Economic Infrastructure Applications for strategic economic infrastructure Projects should include previously completed work (e.g. plans, strategies, research, data) that identifies the Project as an economic development priority. 30% $250,000
- 7. What Types ofProjects are Eligible? Economic Diversification and Competitiveness Stream 7 Project Types Description Entrepreneurship / Business succession Projects that support business start-up or succession in the community Business retention and expansion Projects that proactively engage the local or regional business community to identify and implement actions that address barriers to growth Downtown revitalization Projects that focus on identifying and implementing actions that improve and promote traditional town centres. Technology adoption / innovation initiatives Projects that support businesses and communities to improve their digital capabilities and participate in the information economy Attraction and retention of workers / immigrants / youth Projects that implement strategies for attracting and retaining people Collaborative marketing and outreach Projects that implement marketing or promotional activities outlined in an existing marketing or communications plan that will have an impact across sectors, value chains, or multiple communities in a region Sector/Value chain development Projects that implement strategies to strengthen and coordinate collaboration across sectors or value chains
- 8. What Types ofProjects are Eligible? Strategic Economic Infrastructure Stream 8 Project Type Description Rehabilitation of cultural, heritage or tourism attractions Minor capital costs projects that rehabilitate an existing cultural, heritage, or tourism attraction, as defined through previously completed strategies and projects that establish its significance for economic development Redevelopment of vacant and/or underutilized buildings Minor capital costs projects to redevelop interior of vacant and or underutilized buildings to achieve an economic development outcome Streetscaping and landscaping Minor capital costs projects defined through previously completed strategies that improve the design quality of public areas
- 9. What Types ofProjects are Ineligible? • Strategic plan development (e.g., economic development, feasibility, marketing, research or evaluation) • Projects whose primary purpose is to identify and inventory existing assets (e.g. industrial land inventories, business directories) • Projects for debt restructuring, fundraising or financing • Projects that primarily benefit a business • Academic research • Major capital projects (e.g., new building construction, roads, bridges, water/wastewater treatment facilities, utility distribution, broadband) • Projects receiving other provincial funding • Collaborative marketing and outreach projects that do not have an impact across sectors, value chains, or multiple communities in a region • SEI Stream: ready a property or asset for immediate or imminent sale 9
- 10. RED Program Process 10 IntakeOpens Intake Closes Assessment and Selection Decisions and Notification Finalization of Contribution Agreement Three Months (Timing may vary)
- 11. RED Application WritingProcess 11 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin
- 12. Articulate Project Need REDprojects reduce barriers to economic development Consider: • Background work that has been completed to identify barriers or the need for this project (e.g. strategic plans, feasibility studies) • What actions will be done in the project to reduce barriers? • Why your organization? • What can your organization do under its current mandate? • Does the project align with that mandate? 12 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin
- 13. Understand Program Requirements REDprojects create strong rural communities in Ontario Consider: • Which of the five program outcomes does your project address? • Does your project rate well based on the criteria in the guidelines? • Are your organization, project, and potential costs eligible? • What projects have been funded in the past? • https://data.ontario.ca/dataset/a nnounced-projects-rural- economic-development-program • Do you need clarification? • OMAFRA and MENDM staff can offer insight into how to design your project, and complete the application 13 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin
- 14. Refine the Concept REDis a competitive process Consider: • Are there any potential co- applicants or partners that can help? • Is there any supporting information required that will help support your application? • Does this project address a need or priority established in previous work (e.g. strategic plan)? • Can you identify and describe the impacts that are expected by undertaking the project? • Have specific project costs for each proposed activity been well defined, and developed based on a strong rationale? 14 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin
- 15. Write and Submitthe Application Remember to: • Read the guidelines in full • Answer all of the questions in the application • Keep language simple and direct • Assume analysts do not know the context • Review (and review again) • Use one co-applicant application for each project co- applicant • Pay attention to the deadline • Submit to RED@Ontario.ca 15 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin
- 16. Section 2.4 –Project Overview 16 • Use this area to provide a concise overview of the purpose and the intended outcomes of the project. Other sections of the application should expand on the ideas here. • The project description should have clear links to activities and cost items in the work plan. • The project description may be easier to write after all other areas of the application are complete.
- 17. 17 • RED providespreference to projects with regional or cross-sectoral impacts. Use this area to describe any anticipated impacts that the project will have across: • Multiple communities in a region • Multiple sectors in a community/region • Different parts of a value chain • Describe impacts in as much detail as possible, using and referencing support where possible (e.g. studies, consultation results, etc.) • Consider the impacts of your project carefully. Many projects will have broader impacts than initially anticipated.
- 18. 18 • Use thisarea to identify and describe the barriers that the proposed project will reduce, and how actions undertaken through the project will reduce them • Make sure you provide a description of how those barriers were identified (e.g. studies, plans, consultations), and reference the work where the barriers were identified here (e.g. as identified in our economic development strategy…). • Use this area to describe how you will ensure that the outcomes of this project contribute to economic development after RED funding ends • Consider things like sustainability plans, knowledge and technology transfer, or succession plans
- 19. 19 • Provide detailsabout the specific individual(s) that will lead the project, and examples of (similar, if possible) previously completed projects the individual(s) led
- 20. Section 2.5 Outcomes •Only fill out answers for the outcomes that your project will address • Provide as much detail as possible on how your project will address these outcomes • If quantitative data is provided (e.g. jobs created), provide information to provide context or support those estimates • Reference details from supporting documents and background work where possible RED Program Outcomes Jobs created or retained Investment attracted or retained Business attracted, retained and/or expanded Enhanced strategic economic infrastructure Regional Partnerships that drive growth 20
- 21. Project Work Plan 21 •Describe project activities (phases) • Ensure that timelines are realistic • If you are unsure, contact your Regional Advisor
- 22. Project Budget 22 • Describecost items in as much detail as you can • Consult the program guidelines to determine if costs are eligible • If you are unsure, contact your Regional Advisor
- 23. 23 • Forecast eligiblecosts over the duration of the project by fiscal quarter • Ensure forecasts align with project start and end dates, and the start and end dates in the work plan
- 24. 24 • List allsources of funding for the project. • The non-provincial share of eligible costs must be secured by applicant(s). This can include funding through co-applicants.
- 25. Project Evaluation 25 Assessment criteriaStrong RED projects identify the following, through the application and supporting documents Reducing economic barriers: The project reduces economic barriers to economic development that have been identified through a previously completed community assessment (for example, BR+E, strategic plan) •Specific economic barriers that will be reduced by the project •Barriers substantiated by supporting documents •How project actions will reduce those economic barriers RED Program outcomes: The project addresses one or more of the following RED Program outcomes: •jobs created or retained •investment attracted or retained •businesses attracted, retained, and/or expanded •enhanced strategic economic infrastructure •regional partnerships that drive growth •Strong alignment with three or more RED program outcomes that will be addressed by the project •Provide detailed description of how actions undertaken through the project will address those outcomes
- 26. Project Evaluation • Projectis not well defined • Poor fit with program objectives • No clear objectives & deliverables/outcomes • Lack of financial information, supporting documentation • Costs and project activities not clearly defined • Project budget, expenditure and source of funding numbers do not match or math is incorrect • Unsecured funding • Incomplete application submitted 26 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin What makes a weak proposal?
- 27. Project Administration • Reviewand complete any conditions or requirements for funding (e.g. council resolution, confirmation of funding) • Review and complete the contribution agreement • Be aware of communications requirements and limitations • Set up reporting system 27 Articulate the need Understand program requirements Refine the concept Write and submit application Project evaluation Project admin If your project is selected
- 28. Questions? Agriculture Information ContactCentre 1-877-424-1300 ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca www.ontario.ca/redprogram