Program Overview
The College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform (CSSCTP) stream of the Colleges Applied Research and Development Fund (CARDF), has been developed to help colleges build capacity, help companies leverage outcomes of applied research and development (R&D), support the development of a world-class knowledge transfer system, and provide hands-on training for the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs. Funding is provided to an Ontario college, in partnership with other Ontario colleges, industry associations, industry consortia and/or groups of companies, for a portfolio of industry-college projects within a sector, cluster or technology platform area. The portfolio will address sector or cross-sector-wide research and development challenges, align with college Strategic Mandates, and build capacity in colleges to enhance the ability of companies to become more productive and innovative by enabling them to readily access college expertise, technology and equipment. The desired outcome is a portfolio of applied/industrial R&D projects that will generate broad benefits across many companies, and drive economic growth and impact in Ontario.
This program is in partnership with Colleges Ontario and is managed by OCE on behalf of the Government of Ontario.
Intake for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) to the College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform (CSSCTP) program opened on January 24, 2017.
Please note that this program is no longer accepting applications.
Learn about the College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform Program
Objectives
The objectives of the College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform (CSSCTP) program are to:
- Support capacity building within colleges and alignment with strategic mandates, to address sector or cross-sector applied R&D challenges, and positively impact multiple companies within a cluster, sector or technology area
- Drive increased industry-college collaborations while creating an efficient marketplace for industry to access innovation, productivity and commercialization resources within Ontario colleges
- Provide experiential learning opportunities for college students
- Enable the development of new products, services and processes, facilitate productivity improvements and help generate new revenues and high-value jobs in Ontario
How Funding Works
- OCE may provide between $250,000 and $1,000,000 to support eligible research and development costs , for a portfolio of industry-college collaborative applied R&D projects.
- Each funded project within the portfolio must have at least 1:1 matching on the OCE contribution from the industry partner(s). The matching per project must consist of at least 25% cash and the remainder in-kind.
- A minimum of 25% of the total required industry matching for the portfolio, and/or at least one industry partner, must be identified at the time of Full Application to demonstrate industry commitment and a pipeline of projects.
Learn more about the funding process
How to Apply
Application to the College Strategic Sector/Cluster/Technology Platform (CSSCTP) program is a two-stage process, consisting of:
Step 1: Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI)
Eligible Applicants must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) describing the specific sector/cluster/platform challenge, alignment with the college Strategic Mandate Agreement, college resources and team members, and proposed project portfolio, including a description of any preliminary projects if identified.
Applicants should engage with an OCE Business Development Manager to initiate and prepare the EOI.
EOIs must be submitted before noon on Thursday, April 13, 2017.
EOI Instructions are available.
Step 2: Invitation to a Full Application
Applicants whose EOI are selected by the EOI Review committee will be invited to submit a full application through OCE’s online system, AccessOCE.
Please note that this program is no longer accepting applications.
More details on the application process