Evaluation Process – CanExport Community Investments

Evaluation of applications

All applications are evaluated and approved by the Adjudication Committees led by Global Affairs Canada, one for each region. Each committee includes a mix of private and public sector participants, including representatives from the provincial government and regional development agencies.

The Adjudication process usually takes place once per year in November, after conclusion of the application period that takes place in September-October. Should additional funding be available in the course of the year, successful recipients will be invited to submit additional projects through the online system.

Assessment process

CRITERION 1: Strategy

• Is the application consistent with the Canadian FDI attraction objectives including, sectors and markets?
• How well does the project fit into the community's strategic economic development plan?
• How well does the long-term planning principles apply to this project?
• Is there a BR&E program in place in the applicant's jurisdiction?
• How well does the applicant demonstrate the value of the project to the community?

CRITERION 2: Project components

• To what extent are the project components consistent with the program’s FDI sectors and markets?
• How well do the project components support the applicant's FDI strategy?
• Are the activities sufficiently focused?
• Is the budget consistent with the costs for these types of activities?
• Has the applicant provided relevant documentation to support the request?

CRITERION 3: Performance measures

• How would you rank the proposed project and their expected outputs/outcomes?
• How well does the application provide valid anticipated outcomes: what will be measured, how these will be measured and which performance indicators will be tracked?
• Do the identified measures suit the overall project?
• Would the community be able to demonstrate success or readjust its strategy based on the measures identified?

CRITERION 4: Capacity

• Has the community identified an internal lead on the project?
• Does the community have the matching dollars to complete the project?
• Is the applicant solely responsible for completing the project, or is there a joint model for governing the project?
• Is the applicant likely to utilize the funding requested?
• Is there sufficient human resources and a credible governance structure is place to ensure that project reports and documentation will be maintained and delivered?

CRITERION 5: Work plan

• Has the community established reasonable timelines, a list of key milestones, and identified key deliverables?
• Is the proper signing authority in place on the application with a project manager designated?

CRITERION 6: Partnerships

• Is the community working with other organizations on its FDI strategy?
• Is the community incorporating other sources of matching funds into its application?
• Does the community understand the value of partnering on marketing initiatives?
• Is the community part of a larger network of organizations or represent a regional approach to investment marketing?

Other factors to consider in final decision:

• What is the applicant's recent history of utilizing the program?