Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation
is now accepting applications for the Government of Canada
Eastern Ontario Development Program

Overview

The Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) promotes economic development in rural eastern Ontario leading to a diversified and competitive rural eastern Ontario economy; economic stability, growth, and job creation; and contributing to the successful development of businesses and prosperous communities.

To date, EODP has led to the investment of more than $65 million through more than 5,500 business and community development projects. It has also resulted in the additional support of more than $300 million from partners such as local businesses, municipalities, and the Government of Ontario, demonstrating its positive impact.

EODP has served as a catalyst in many communities – encouraging new project development, funding of strategic/planning studies for communities, mobilizing broader community stakeholders/players, and helping to form partnerships. The Program’s funding acts as a lever for additional investment in eastern Ontario communities.

Renewal of funding to March, 2014 has been announced by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

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Guidelines

Who is eligible?

The program, managed by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario-FedDev Ontario, provides resources to the 15 Community Futures Development Corporations in Eastern Ontario, including the Northumberland CFDC, who in turn solicit applications from eligible applicants.

These eligible applicants include:

• Commercial Enterprises including individuals, corporations, partnerships, cooperatives or trusts
• Non-profit organizations including municipalities and municipal organizations, corporations and community economic development organizations
• Aboriginal organizations

What types of projects may be considered for support?

Projects selected for support will be in the priority areas of Business Development and Community Innovation locally in Northumberland County or across a wider region through Collaborative Projects with others. Preference will be given to projects that enhance job creation/sustainment, innovation, research and development, commercialization and business practices that work to position the area for global markets and competitiveness. Concurrently the Northumberland CFDC will be sensitive to key economic drivers of individual communities such as the creative/cultural sectors.

Business Development (BD) Objective – Click here to find out more
Business Development supports projects that will lead to the growth of new and existing businesses within rural eastern Ontario communities. This includes initiatives in key areas, such as skills development, youth attraction, innovation and information and communication technologies (ICT) adoption.

Community Innovation (CI) Objective – Click here to find out more
Community Innovation enables community‐led economic development that enhances and diversifies local economies. Working in partnership with community stakeholders, CI builds the economic and innovative capacity of rural eastern Ontario communities, and develops opportunities for sustainable economic growth and employment.

Collaborative Projects (CP) – Click here to find out more
The objective of Collaborative Projects is to support initiatives which will stimulate business development and community innovation opportunities, across multiple communities, leading to a competitive and diversified regional economy within eastern Ontario.  These projects will involve investment from two or more Eastern Ontario CFDCs.

When are applications due?

The Northumberland CFDC has established six in-take dates which are subject to change due to availability of funds. Applications will be due by 4:00 p.m. EST on the dates outlined and may be received in-person at our offices or via fax*.

• Intake 1 Application Deadline: January 20th, 2012
• Intake 2 Application Deadline: May 11th, 2012
• Intake 3 Application Deadline: September 14th, 2012
• Intake 4 Application Deadline: January 11th, 2013
• Intake 5 Application Deadline: May 10th, 2013
• Intake 6 Application Deadline: September 13th, 2013

Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation
600 William Street, Suite 600
Cobourg, Ontario K9A 3A5
FAX: 905-372-2238

When will a decision be made?

Upon receipt, your application will be assessed for completion and evaluated against the priorities and eligibilities of the program as outlined in the guidelines. You should expect to be contacted by the Northumberland CFDC by the end of the month following the application in-take date as part of our due diligence and assessment processes. Depending on the amount of your application, you may be scheduled to present your proposed project to a review committee. Generally, we will strive to have projects selected for support within 6 weeks of the in-take period.

If a project is selected for support, the Northumberland CFDC will prepare a Letter of Offer with terms, conditions and a funding disbursement schedule. Financial contributions will be subject to a 10% hold-back until the applicant has completed the project, met all project requirements as outlined in the Letter of Offer. No project will extend beyond February 29, 2014.

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Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation – “Creating prosperity… one step at a time.”