Frequently Asked Questions

Cliquez ici pour PCAA en Alberta Foire aux questions.

1. How do I apply?

2. What happens after I submit my LOI?

3. What kind of turn around time should I expect?

4. How much funding will CAAP put into a project?

5. What is a contribution agreement?

6. What is a repayable contribution?

7. What do you mean by industry cash?

8. How much industry cash do I need?

9. Does CAAP fund ongoing activities?

10. Can CAAP funds be used for capital expenditures?

11. Does CAAP fund Speaker and/or Event-type activities?

12. My project was not recommended for funding. What are my options?

13. What is the appeal process?

14. I have been approved, now what?

15. How do I acknowledge CAAP funding for my project?

16. What should I include in my reporting?

1. How do I apply?

Submit a completed Letter of Intent (LOI) to caap-pcaa@agfoodcouncil.com
Letters of Intent may be submitted at any time and are not subject to deadlines.

2. What happens after I submit my LOI?

3. What kind of turn around time should I expect?

After you submit your Letter of Intent, you will hear back from us within 10 business days regarding a full application request. Typically, once we receive your full application, a final decision will be communicated to you within 60 business days. Upon approval from Council and within 10 business days, a letter of offer will be provided which will require your formal acceptance in writing. Once any outstanding funding conditions are met, a contribution agreement would be sent to you within 15 business days. As for project claims submitted to us for payment, a cheque would be sent to you within 20 business days of receipt and approval of your claim.

4. How much funding will CAAP put into a project?

CAAP can invest up to 85% of a project’s total cost. Combined government (federal, provincial, municipal) contribution, including CAAP, to a project may not exceed 85% of a project’s total cost.

5. What is a contribution agreement?

Contribution - a conditional transfer payment to an individual or organization for a specified purpose pursuant to a contribution agreement that is subject to being accounted for and audited.

Contribution agreement - are undertakings between a donor department and prospective recipient of a contribution which describe the obligations of each.

Grant - a transfer payment made to an individual or organization which is not
subject to being accounted for or audited but for which eligibility and entitlement
may be verified or for which the recipient may need to meet pre-conditions.

6. What is a repayable contribution?

Applicants are required to repay their contribution directly to the Federal Government when it is determined by Council that private benefits are greater than the broader public benefit of the project’s outcome(s). These “repayable contributions” are not loans as no interest accrues during the life of the project.

In general, support for not-for-profits will be approved as non-repayable contributions. For-profit entities will receive support as repayable contributions, unless public good that outweighs private benefit is clearly demonstrated.

Here are some of the factors we consider when looking at non-repayable contributions to for-profit applicants:
• Is the project at the early stage(s) of testing an idea (very early stages such as piloting or path finding, well before commercialization)?
• Is the project proposal limited to testing stages and for a limited period of time; do project activities stop well before full implementation?
• Will the project activities generate revenue to the applicant(s) during term of project?
• Are the benefits to the broader sector short-term, intermediate or long-term?
• Is the applicant partnered with a sector association, producer group or research group for the project?
• Will the applicant have intellectual property rights and if so, will those rights be shared broadly or is the applicant the only beneficiary through profit taking?
• Does the project have a communication plan to share project results to the public, industry associations, the broader sector and/or research communities?

7. What do you mean by industry cash?

All cash contributions provided by non-government sources in support of a CAAP project. Please note that universities and other government-funded research bodies are typically considered government sources. Industry cash also does not include in-kind contributions.

8. How much industry cash do I need?

• Not-for-profit organizations and associations require a minimum 10% industry cash (based on a project’s total cash costs).
• For-profit entities require a minimum 25% industry cash (based on a project’s total cash costs).
• Remember that in-kind contributions from the applicant are considered separately from cash and must be recorded for project reporting purposes.

9. Does CAAP fund ongoing activities?

What if I have already started? CAAP does not fund ongoing activities. CAAP can not pay for expenses incurred or services that have been contracted prior to Council approval of a project.

10. Can CAAP funds be used for capital expenditures?

• Yes, but only capital expenditures that are specifically required for the execution of the project and that do not exceed 25% of the total CAAP project contribution. These costs will need to be approved by AAFC.

• “Capital” is defined as any asset which has been acquired, constructed or developed with the intention of being used on a continuous basis and is not intended for sale in the ordinary course of business. Capital assets also include betterments that are expenditures relating to the alteration and/or modernization of an asset that appreciably prolong the item’s period of usefulness or improve its
functionality. Capital assets have a useful life in excess of one year and a peritem cost of $10,000 or greater.

11. Does CAAP fund Speaker and/or Event-type activities?

Unlike our former ACAAF program, CAAP cannot invest in standalone speaker and event projects such as seminars, workshops, AGMs, etc. However, CAAP can invest in speaker and event-type activities if they are part of a larger project and are critical in disseminating that project’s results to the targeted audience. The eligibility of these activities would be assessed on a case by case basis.

12. My project was not recommended for funding. What are my options?

This is a competitive process and there will be applications that meet all of the CAAP eligibility requirements but do not receive funding. If there is a concern with the process by which the application was reviewed, there is the option to appeal Council’s decision.

13. What is the appeal process?

a) Written request from applicant to the Executive Director, received no later than ten (10) business days after date of formal letter notifying client of Council’s decision.
b) Within ten (10) business days after the receipt of the applicant’s formal request, the applicant shall be afforded an opportunity to make representations to the Executive Director and the Board Chair as to why the decision should be reviewed. This opportunity shall be offered by way of conference call or, if feasible, a face-to-face meeting.
c) Within ten (10) business days after the applicant’s formal representation to the Executive Director and the Board Chair, Council will render a written decision to the applicant regarding next steps.

These next steps could include:
i) Maintenance of Council’s decision to reject investment in or impose conditions on the project.
ii) Agreement that the applicant may re-submit the project and new information for the consideration of Council at its next regular project review meeting.

d) Council’s subsequent decision from the re-evaluation of the project including rejection reduced funding and/or imposition of condition(s), would be final with no secondary appeal process available.

14. I have been approved, now what?

15. How do I acknowledge CAAP funding for my project?

• Logos and communications requirements are described in our CAAP reporting guidelines. This document will be sent along with the signed contract.

• If you are issuing a press or news release, we kindly request you to submit a copy to the Agri-Industry Development Officer for their information and advice.
• CAAP has a number of communication vehicles in which you may want your project to be profiled. Contact the Officer to discuss articles in “The Catalyst”
newsletter or an Agriculture and Food Council news release.

16. What should I include in my reporting?

A copy of our CAAP reporting guidelines will be sent with your signed CAAP contract and are posted on the CAAP section of the Council website. Additional documents necessary for approval of subsequent payments are:
• Statement of revenue and expenditures
• Project activities update
• Communications (completed manuscripts, newsletters, posters)

For more information about CAAP, please visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s website here.