Step Forward Entrepreneurs Program (SFEP) Application

Step Forward Entrepreneurs Program (SFEP) Application
Company Information
Registered Business Name *
Legal Business Name *
Business Type*

Sole ProprietorPartnershipCorporation
Business Address*

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityProvince

Postal Code
Business Website
CRA Business Number
Company Contact *

First NameLast Name
Email*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Company Secondary Contact

First NameLast Name
Email
example@example.com
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Detailed description of your company*
Where do you see your company in 5 years? What are your future aspirations to grow and scale and how are you going to get there? *
Keeping with IION's mandate of supporting innovative companies that are creating jobs and revenue through new or significantly improved products, processes or services; highlight how your company is innovative. *
Project Information
Provide a detailed description of the SFEP project(s), objectives and the key activities involved.*
Project Impact
Explain in detail how the SEFP project(s) will help your company accomplish a growth milestone and outline the anticipated economic benefits*
If this grant is not approved, what impact would it have on your project?*

The project will not occur without SFEP fundingThe project may occur without SFEP funding but it would be negatively affected in terms of scope, quality and timingThe absence of SFEP funding would not have any impact on the ability to proceed with the project

Company Snapshot *

	Gross Sales Revenue	Number of Employees (# of individuals on the company payroll and receive a T4 statement. Do not include contractors.)
Past Fiscal Year
Current Fiscal Year Projections
Projected in 3 years

Please provide justification for the numbers you provided above *
Project Costing Details

SFEP funding is available at 1 of 3 levels: $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000. Please select the level you are applying for and verify that your project meets the minimum project spend required before tax.
Funding level chosen*

$5,000 ($10,000 minimum project spend required before taxes)$7,500 ($15,000 minimum project spend required before taxes)$10,000 ($20,000 minimum project spend required before taxes)

List your project expenditures - Please ensure the costs from your quotes correspond with this chart. *

	Project Expenditure / Name of Contractor or Vendor	Cost (before tax)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
TOTAL

Are you applying for / have you utilized other government funds related to the specific items outlined above?*

YesNo
If yes, please state which program and for what amount.
Supporting Documents

Applicants are encouraged to utilized Northern Ontario contractors where possible. Please submit two contractor quotes with all applications and identify the contractor you've selected. In cases where two quotes is not possible, please provide rational. Please ensure the costs from your quotes correspond with the project expenditures chart above.
Rational on why only one quote was provided. **If you are using an international contractor, please provide additional rationale on why you chose the international contractor- did you attempt to find domestic contractors?*
Selected contractor(s)*
Please upload all project quotes. Upload all quotes as .docx or PDFs. Screenshots/JPGs are not accepted*

Cancelof
Reporting Requirements
Please note that submission of this application is not a guarantee of approval. Applications are reviewed by an external review commitee. IION will not reimburse the company any costs incurred prior to the application submission date.

If approved, these will be the reporting requirements:
- The applicant must register as an Innovation Initiatives Ontario North client.
- The SFEP uses a reimbursement model. A claim may be submitted to IION for reimbursement only when you have all final invoices and proof of payment documents totalling the amount indicated on your application for your total project spend (prior to taxes). The project claim must be submitted no later than 6 months after approval is given.
- To remain eligible for future IION funding, the SFEP final survey and the yearly client survey must be completed.
Terms & Conditions
Applicant’s signature acknowledges the following:
- To receive grant reimbursement, the applicant must have a minimum project spend that matches or exceeds the requested grant amount (before taxes); otherwise representing, at minimum, a 50% company contribution. The applicant understands that a minimum project spend is required before taxes, in order to obtain the funds requested
- Applicants are required to respond to follow-up surveys for up to five years after receiving financial support as required by the funding partner
- Innovation Initiatives Ontario North will not be responsible for any contractor charges in excess of the approved grant amount
- The applicant understands that the SFEP will not cover any HST incurred with this project
Applicant’s failure to meet these conditions, both financial or otherwise, will void all agreements.

The applicant acknowledges that Innovation Initiatives Ontario North accepts no responsibility for the contractors’ services provided under this agreement. The responsibility of Innovation Initiatives Ontario North is to issue the reimbursement to the applicant. The applicant further acknowledges that Innovation Initiatives Ontario North has a five-year obligation to track the applicant’s commercialization efforts and results. This shall require mandatory reporting (upon request) by the applicant of annual revenues, job creation and other related information as required.

The applicant acknowledges the right of Innovation Initiatives Ontario North to audit the Eligible Activity and the right of representatives of the Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario to audit, or cause to have audited, the accounts and records of the applicant and to have a right of access to the books and the applicant’s accounts. The applicant shall be required by Innovation Initiatives Ontario North to act as its agent for the purpose of any inquiry undertaken by the Auditor General of Canada with respect to the use of funds under this agreement. The applicant shall release to Innovation Initiatives Ontario North, upon request and in a timely manner, for the purpose of releasing to the Auditor General of Canada, all records held by the applicant, or by agents or contractors of the applicant, relating to the contribution agreement and the use of funds; and; such further information and explanations as the Auditor General, or anyone acting on behalf of the Auditor General may request relating to any part of the contribution agreement or the use of funds.

The applicant agrees to comply with all federal, provincial, territorial, municipal and other applicable laws governing the applicant or the applicant’s activity, or both, including, but not limited to, statutes, regulations, by-laws, rules, ordinances and decrees. This includes legal requirements and regulations relating to environmental protection.

The applicant agrees to acknowledge the federal government’s role in the funding provided through this agreement in all of its project-related communications activities and consent to a public announcement of the eligible activities by or on behalf of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development in the form of a news release. The Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario will inform the applicant of the date of any public announcement at least three weeks prior to the date of the activity / event. The applicant consents to the participation of the Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, or the Minister’s representatives, at such an announcement event. The applicant will agree to display promotional material provided by the Minister of Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario at such an event along with the requirements found in the Communications Requirements section of the FedNor website (fednor.gc.ca), located under resources.

NOTE: Release of confidential or competitively sensitive information will not be required as this is protected under the Access to Information Act. Any information given to Innovation Initiatives Ontario North that is not publicly available will be treated as confidential. Innovation Initiatives Ontario North will make all reasonable efforts to keep the information confidential within the Review Committee approval process. Confidential information will not be used except as reasonably required to provide our services. Should it be formally requested in writing, any physical documentation provided to Innovation Initiatives Ontario North by the Client will be returned upon review and will not be copied or transcribed.

I certify that my answers are true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

If this application leads to approval, I understand that false or misleading information in my application may result in removal from the program.
I understand that checking this box constitutes a legal signature confirming that I have read, understand and agree to the above terms and conditions and that I have the authority to sign on behalf of the applicant*

Yes, I understand
Please type your name as your signature *
To save your draft application & continue working on it at a later time, please select "save". You can select "skip creating account" and input your email address. If you have a Jotform account your application will be saved in your 'drafts'. You will receive an email from Jotform with a link to access it and complete it at a later time. Please monitor your junk folder for this.

To send your draft application to IION to review- please hit "submit". The application will be sent directly to Emily at IION. Emily will review one draft before your final submission - you will receive written feedback via email. IION will then send you a link from Jotform again requesting you to edit your application.
Date*

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Date
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Step Forward Entrepreneurs Program (SFEP) Application

Company Information

Project Information

Project Impact

Project Costing Details

Supporting Documents

Reporting Requirements

Terms & Conditions