Clean Technology Demonstration Program: Cleantech Grants Ontario

Environmental and business sustainability may seem like two very different and disconnected topics. Until recently, it’s been possible for businesses to ignore environmental sustainability in favour of traditional production methods that were more cost-effective. But with so many new technologies emerging that are environmentally sustainable and deliver superior results, companies must shift their mindsets and invest more into clean production.

Fortunately, an Ontario government funding program is available to support the integration of novel technologies. The Clean Technology Demonstration Program helps technology developers work collaboratively with an applicable broader sector host to test and demonstrate the effectiveness of clean technologies (cleantech).

Through the Clean Technology Demonstration Program, project partnerships are eligible to receive up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum $150,000.

To qualify for funding consideration, co-applicants must both operate in Ontario and have an arranged technology demonstration agreement. This cleantech funding program provides occasional calls for applications; the next deadline to submit project proposals is May 31, 2018. No further intake dates have been announced.

Clean Technology Demonstration Program: Grants for Cleantech

The Clean Technology Demonstration Program is an Ontario government grant that funds clean technology projects so that they can move through the commercialization phase more quickly. Through the program and collaborative partnership, co-applicants will collect qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate the effectiveness of innovations. This data can be used by cleantech developers to modify their innovation (if necessary) or prepare sales materials so that the innovation can be sold.

Eligible applicants may receive up to $150,000 in Ontario government grants through the project to offset technology testing and reporting costs.

Administered through the Bloom Centre for Sustainability (BLOOM), the program seeks to:

1. Illustrate the commercial viability and availability of clean technologies to sector stakeholders;
2. Reduce the perceived economic/business risks of adopting cleantech solutions; and
3. Overcome the “adoption gap” and increase market demand for cleantech solutions.

Program Success Story: Clean Technology Demonstration Program Grants Support 7 Ontario Businesses

Businesses Eligible for CleanTech Demonstration Project Funding

To apply for this cleantech funding program, technology developers and end-users must be:

• Based in Ontario;
• Incorporated;
• Able to contribute at least 50% of project expenses; and
• Able to commercialize project findings.

Cleantech partnerships eligible for funding through the Clean Technology Demonstration Program require at least one (but allow up to three) project partners.

Project partners, defined by the program as a sector hosts, are required at the time of application.

Projects Eligible for the Clean Technology Demonstration Program

Technologies being demonstrated through the program need to be pre-commercial (i.e. have a Technology Readiness Level of 7-9) and be focused on reducing GHG emissions created from Ontario’s most demanding sectors. These include:

• Food and beverage processing;
• Industrial manufacturing;
• Energy management;
• Water management; and
• Property re-development.

Projects successfully awarded Clean Technology Demonstration Program grants must be finished by March 15, 2019.

Apply for the Clean Technology Demonstration Program

To get started with the Clean Technology Demonstration Program, eligible partnerships must coordinate the development and submission of a funding application. Application packages are generally 25-30 pages in length and summarize the applicants, partnership, and proposed project.

Applications for the Clean Technology Demonstration Program must be submitted by May 31, 2018. No future intake dates have been released at the time of this blog’s posting.

Co-applicants who are selected to receive funding will be notified by June 30, 2018. Upon receiving this notification, applicants may begin incurring program-eligible expenses.

To explore your project’s eligibility and learn how to optimize the application process, please contact Mentor Works.

Posted: February 22, 2017 by Jeff Shepherd. Updated: April 18, 2018 by Jeff Shepherd