Increasing equity, diversity and inclusion in the Canadian space sector

Class Grant and Contribution Program to Support Research, Awareness and Learning in Space Science and Technology

Space Learning Component of the Canadian Space Agency's Class Grant and Contributions Program

3.1 Eligible Recipients

Eligible recipients are:

• Canadian universities and post-secondary educational institutions, such as a college or a technical institute;
• Not-for-profit organizations established and active in Canada.

The CSA recognizes that representation is both important and valuable. Priority may be given to organizations that reflect the demographic(s) they seek to represent (for example, at the time of selection, priority may be given to a proposal from an Indigenous not-for-profit organization for an activity specifically for Indigenous students, providing it is eligible and meets the objective of the AO).

3.2 Eligible Projects

To be eligible, proposed projects must enable post-secondary students targeted by this AO to advance their knowledge of space:

• Women;
• Indigenous Peoples;
• Persons with disabilities; and
• Visible minorities, particularly those from Black community

Proposed projects must fall under one of these categories:

• Category A: Learning, training, networking activities and developmental projects for post-secondary students targeted by this AO:
  • Up to a maximum of $20,000 for a project with a maximum duration of two years, with the exception of projects submitted in cycle 5, which will fund one-year projects only. Projects can include, but are not limited to:
    • Organizing hands-on learning activities allowing target clientele(s) to develop their knowledge of space (e.g., workshops on art, health or nutrition in space, designing small payloads, etc.);
    • Creating internship opportunities, or offering support to the target clientele(s) of this AO in seeking and obtaining space-related internships;
    • Offering mentoring activities for the target clientele(s) of this AO in order to build awareness of careers and employment opportunities in the space sector and, through mentoring, acquire hands-on knowledge and experience related to these jobs;
    • Establishing networks among students or student groups from one or more target clienteles of this AO to facilitate the hiring and retention of individuals from under-represented groups in the space sector.

• Category B: Support for major space-related activities, events and initiatives for post-secondary students targeted by this AO:
  • Up to a maximum of $50,000 for a project with a maximum duration of two years, with the exception of projects submitted in cycle 5, which will fund one-year projects only. Projects can include, but are not limited to:
    • competitions, or student participation in such competitions, to provide one or more of the target clienteles of this AO with the opportunity to increase their practical and applied knowledge of space science and technology;
    • National events or initiatives for one or more target clienteles of this AO, such as national or international conferences, or training in space-related topics that would complement the offerings of educational institutions;
    • Space-related challenges, hackathons or other similar brainstorming activities designed for one or more target clienteles of this AO;
    • hands-on activities for one or more target clienteles of this AO on the topics of Earth Observation or lunar exploration (Artemis II mission, Lunar Gateway

Please note that the activities mentioned above are examples only, and that a learning project identified under category A could also be eligible under category B if it is a major project.

All development phases necessary for a project are eligible. Any logical breakdown or combination of these phases can constitute a funded project under this AO. However, breaking down a project into numerous phases submitted as distinct proposals to obtain more than the maximum grant or contribution under this AO is not allowed. Furthermore, the completion of a funded phase does not automatically guarantee future funding of the remaining phases.

3.3 Links to CSA Priorities

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must create opportunities learning experiences for the target clientele of this AO so that they benefit equitably from the jobs, skills development and economic growth of Canada's space sector.

3.4 Links to Class G&C Program Objectives

To be eligible, projects supported under this AO must contribute to achieving at least one of the following objectives:

• Foster the continuing development of a critical mass of researchers and highly qualified people in Canada in areas relevant to the priorities of the Canadian Space Agency;
• Provide learning opportunities to post-secondary Canadian students in various space-related activities and disciplines;

4.1 Required Documentation

To be complete, the application must contain the following:

• A completed application form (see details in Section 4.2) signed by the authorized representative. Electronic or scanned signatures will be accepted, but applicants must keep a hard copy of the original signed application form as the CSA may require documents with the original signature at a later date.

The following documents may be required upon request:

• Proof of incorporation or registration and a copy of any document confirming the applicant's legal name;
• Any other document judged necessary for approval of the application.

4.2 Submitting an Application Electronically

Follow these steps to submit your application electronically:

1. Submit an account creation request using the Electronic Proposal Portal, at least three weeks before the application deadline as indicated in the IMPORTANT DATES section. Note that the supported browsers are Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. Then follow these steps to create your account:
   1. In the "Proposal Title" field of the Electronic Proposal Portal, please use the following formatting standard: 2024 or 2025 or 2026_Cycle #_Funding Category (A or B) _Name of applicant (organization)_Project Title.
   2. Allow up to 48 hours for the CSA to send you an email confirming your account creation along with instructions (user guide) and appropriate links, including the link to the online application form.
2. Using the password assigned to you by the CSA, access and complete the online application form. Note that you can save the information you entered and return to the form later, if necessary, but your application must be submitted by the application deadline date.
3. After completing the application form, print it as a PDF document before you click "submit."
4. Sign the copy of your application form (electronic signature accepted) and attach it as a PDF format (searchable PDF, preferably in PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-2a formats, with all security features disabled).
5. Submit your complete application electronically by connecting to the secure portal to upload protected documents, using the password assigned to you by the CSA. Refer to the user guide to learn how to securely upload your documents.

IMPORTANT NOTES

Applicants are encouraged to create their account as soon as possible, since technical issues could arise. If these technical issues cannot be resolved, applicants can mail their application (see Section 4.3 to learn more). Applicants are strongly encouraged to upload their complete file well before the application deadline (deadlines for each cycle are indicated in the IMPORTANT DATES section). Please also review the general instructions on the application process in Section 4.

4.3 Submitting an Application by Mail or Recognized Courier Service

Applicants are encouraged to submit their application electronically following instructions provided in Section 4.2 of the AO. However, if an applicant is unable to submit their application electronically, they should contact stedia-dstemu@asc-csa.gc.ca no later than 30 days before the cycle closing date in order to obtain instructions on how to submit an application by mail or a recognized courier service.
The onus is on the applicant to ensure that their application is complete and that all documents are received at the CSA before the prescribed deadline. The CSA is not responsible for delivery delays and will refuse applications received after the stipulated deadline.

4.4 Service Standards

Applicants will be notified in writing of decisions regarding their application. Selected applications will be announced on the CSA website. The CSA has set the following service standards for processing times, acknowledgement of receipt, funding decisions and payment procedures.

Acknowledgement of receipt: The CSA's goal is to acknowledge receipt within two (2) weeks of receiving the complete application.

Decision: The CSA's goal is to inform applicants of the results of the assessment within fifteen (15) weeks after the cycle closing date and to send a grant agreement for signature within four (4) weeks after formal approval of the proposal.

Payments: The CSA's goal is to issue payment within two (2) weeks of the successful fulfillment of the requirements outlined in the grant agreement.

Compliance with these service standards is a shared responsibility. Applicants must submit all required documentation in a timely fashion. Service standards may vary by Announcement of Opportunity.

5.1 Eligibility Criteria

• The recipient is eligible under Section 3.1;
• The project is eligible under Sections 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4;
• The application meets the program funding provisions stated in Section 6.1.

The CSA will first assess the eligibility of applications by verifying that they meet the eligibility criteria of the AO. Only applications deemed eligible will be considered.

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Benefits to Canada;
• Project Feasibility;
• Resources; and
• Results.

Table 1 below shows the criteria, sub-criteria, and associated thresholds, while Table 2 gives a brief description of the evaluated criteria. A detailed breakdown of all evaluation criteria is given in Appendix A. To be eligible for funding, a project must obtain a total score of 70/100 or more for these evaluated criteria.

5.3 Evaluation Process

Only applications that have passed the eligibility assessment listed in Section 5.1 be given further consideration.

Once the eligibility criteria are confirmed, evaluators will assess the screened applications according to the criteria listed in Section 5.2. Evaluators shall be experts in the fields relevant to the applications and may include representatives of Canada and other countries, and representatives of other government and non-government agencies and organizations. If applicable, a multidisciplinary evaluation committee will be formed when applications from several different disciplines are competing in order to provide a uniform final score and ranking of proposals.

Before a final decision is made, the CSA's Program Manager responsible for this AO may seek input and advice from other organizations, including (but not limited to) federal, provincial, territorial and municipal government agencies and organizations.

The results obtained in this AO could take into account certain factors in the final decision to grant funding, such as, but not limited to, the representativeness of the four designated groups (woman, Indigenous Peoples, disabled persons or members of a visible minority and, in particular, the Black community), regional distribution, as well as distribution between universities and post-secondary educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations.

6.1 Available Funding

Transfer payments will be made through grant agreements. The maximum funding available under this AO is currently estimated at approximately $600,000 over three fiscal years. The two possible funding categories are as follows:

• Category A: Learning, training, networking activities and developmental projects: up to a maximum of $20,000 for a project with a maximum duration of two years except for projects submitted in cycle 5, which will fund one-year projects.
• Category B: Support for major space-related activities, events and initiatives: up to a maximum of $50,000 for a project with a maximum duration of two years except for projects submitted in cycle 5, which will fund one-year projects.

In both categories (A and B), the applicant may submit a project with a total amount less than the maximum eligible amounts identified above. The total number of projects funded will depend on funding availability.

The CSA reserves the right to reject any proposals or to reduce the amount of the grants at its entire discretion.

Approved proposals will be eligible for total government assistance (federal, provincial, territorial and municipal) of up to 100% of total project costs.

To determine the amount of funding that to be allocated, consideration will be given to the availability of CSA funds, the total cost of the project, and other confirmed sources of funds provided by other stakeholders and the applicant.

Applicants must identify all sources of funding in their applications and confirm this information in a funding agreement if the project is selected for funding. Upon completion of a project, the recipient must also disclose all sources of funding.

6.2 Eligible Costs

Eligible costs are direct expenses that are associated with the delivery of the approved project and that are required to achieve the expected results of the project. Expenses will be covered, subject to the applicant signing a funding agreement, in the form of a grant with the CSA.

Eligible costs for a grant under this AO are the following:

• Access fees;
• Accommodation and meal allowances;
• Acquisition, development and printing of materials;
• Acquisition or rental of equipment;
• Aircraft and watercraft charter services;
• Consultant services;
• Costs for carrying out environmental screening and/or impact studies;
• Costs related to obtaining security clearance;
• Data acquisition;
• Data management;
• Laboratory analysis services;
• License and permit fees;
• Marketing and printing services;
• Materials and supplies;
• Overhead (administrative) costs (not to exceed 10% of eligible costs);
• Participation fees at conferences, committee and events;
• PST, HST and GST net of any rebate to which the recipient is entitled, and the reimbursement of any taxes for goods and services acquired in a foreign country net of any rebate or reimbursement received in the foreign country;
• Publication and communication services;
• Registration fees;
• Salaries and benefits;
• Training;
• Translation services; and
• Travel expenses.

Funds may not be redistributed under this AO.

7.1 Payments

The CSA and each successful applicant (the recipient) will sign a funding agreement. This is a condition for any payment made by the CSA with respect to the approved project.
For grant agreements, payments will be made in a lump sum or instalments as described in the signed agreement. Grant funding agreements will include a clause stipulating the recipient's obligation to confirm once a year in the case of multi-year agreements their eligibility for the G&C Program – Learning Component and inform the CSA in writing of any changes to the conditions used in determining their eligibility for this component.

7.2 Audit

The recipient of a funding agreement shall keep proper records of all documentation related to the funded project, for the duration of the project and for six (6) years after the completion date of the project, in the event of an audit. This documentation shall be available upon request.

7.3 Conflict of Interest

In the funding agreement, the recipient will certify that any current or former public office holder or public servant it employs complies with the provisions of the relevant Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders and the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector respectively.

7.4 Intellectual Property

All intellectual property developed by the recipient in the course of the project shall vest in the recipient.

7.5 Organizations in Quebec

An organization in Quebec whose operations are partially or fully funded by the province of Quebec may be subject to the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif, CQLR c M-30.

Under Sections 3.11 and 3.12 of this Act, certain entities/organizations, as defined in the meaning of the Act, such as municipal bodies, school bodies, or public agencies, must obtain authorization from the Secrétariat du Québec aux relations canadiennes (SQRC), as indicated by the Act, before signing any funding agreement with the Government of Canada, its departments or agencies, or a federal public agency.

Consequently, an entity that is subject to the Act is responsible for obtaining such authorization before signing any funding agreement with the Government of Canada.

Quebec applicants must complete, sign and include the M-30 Supporting Documentation form with their application.

7.6 Performance Measurement

The CSA will ask recipients to report on certain aspects of their projects such as:

• Knowledge creation:
  • Number and type of activities;
  • Advancement of practical and applied knowledge.
• Collaboration and networking:
  • Number of partnerships reached to mobilize the target clientele;
  • Number of links established with principal actors in the space sector;
  • Number of networking activities conducted;
  • Number of internships offered to participants;
  • Number of mentors who participated in the project.
• Equity, diversity and inclusion:
  • Number of women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities, particularly from the Black community, reached by the project;
  • Satisfaction rate of project participants.

1. Benefits to Canada: having greater equity, diversity and inclusion in the space sector

• Maximum : 35
• Minimum : 25

2. Project Feasibility

• Maximum : 30
• Minimum : 17

3. Resources

• Maximum : 25
• Minimum : 17

4. Results

• Maximum : 10
• Minimum : 7

References

2021 & 2022 State of the Canadian Space Sector Report: Facts and Figures 2020 & 2021. Canadian Space Agency.