The CIF Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) is now open, with a total of $2.09 million to invest in new initiatives. This year’s REOI represents a shift in focus for project funding based on the feedback received from Blue Box stakeholders through the CIF Strategic Plan consultation process.
For a complete discussion of this year’s funding priorities please review:
Projects that provide Broad Reaching Collective Benefits are a Priority
The majority of funding available through the 2019 REOI focuses on collective activities intended to benefit municipalities as a whole across the Province.
Collective action projects may include a range of potential research and pilot projects, data acquisition and analysis activities, and initiatives that support municipalities in preparing for transition to Full Producer Responsibility. Applications submitted to the CIF through the REOI must provide a clear rationale as to how the deliverables of the project will broadly benefit Ontario’s blue box stakeholders in addition to addressing the collective action funding priorities; see the full list of priorities.
Each application will be evaluated on its own merits and CIF reserves the right to accept, reject or modify the scope of any application to better serve the collective needs of municipalities.
Cost Savings Projects Remain Eligible for Funding
The 2019 REOI includes a budget of up to $600,000 to fund cost savings initiatives that demonstrate a clear cost savings, a broad benefit to municipalities across the Province and avoid development of stranded, obsolete or inefficient assets. In the event the Centralized Cost Savings priority area is oversubscribed, a distinction has been made to prioritize Centralized Initiatives ahead of Individual Municipal Initiatives.
Priority will also be given to projects with a payback on the investment of less than three years. Notwithstanding this priority, cost savings projects must still achieve a payback period of less than five years in order to be considered.
To support the development of your application, the CIF has published a sample Centralized Cost Savings application as a resource. As a companion document to this example, a sample budget and payback calculation spreadsheet is available in excel.
Note that additional restrictions may be placed on such applications by CIF Committee to address the current political environment. Such restrictions may include, but not be limited to, shortened payback periods to ensure the projects can achieve their objectives prior to program transition.
CIF Continues to Support Individual Programs through the Centre of Excellence
Although the focus on funding has shifted towards grants for collective action initiatives, individual programs and their operators will still be able to receive support services and guidance from the CIF to assist in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their programs in accordance with the CIF’s mandate. These services include:
- Procurement and contract management support services;
- Working groups;
- Training; and
- Outreach services
To access this support, there is no need to submit an application through the REOI, please contact CIF staff for more information.
CIF Staff Members Are Here to Help
Staff welcome your enquiries up to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 with a final submission deadline for all applications of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday May 8, 2019. We encourage you to contact any staff member early in your planning process to consider how your project priorities can contribute to continuous improvement in the Blue Box system.
To ensure you stay up to date with all of the resources and information available from the CIF, make sure to sign up to the CIF mailing list.
Notice to Applicants
Decisions on grant opportunities may be postponed, amended, or terminated, at the sole discretion of CIF Committee, in the event that a material change to the Blue Box Program Plan or associated legislation occurs prior to any decision by the CIF on project funding.