Once an application has been submitted and the intake period closes, each application will be assessed based on the following criteria:

Stage 1: Eligibility screening

An application must meet the following basic eligibility criteria to move on to stage 2:

  • a complete ROD Program application and all mandatory documents received by the date and time indicated for the intake
  • meeting all the Applicant eligibility criteria
  • meeting all the Project eligibility criteria
  • the Project takes place in and benefits Rural Ontario

Stage 2: Approvals

All eligible applications that complete Stage 1 will be reviewed by the Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel. Panel members have expertise in rural Economic Development and business development. Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel will make non-binding recommendations to the Minister of Rural Affairs on funding.

The Minister of Rural Affairs has exclusive discretion to:

  • select or reject any application, even if all requirements are met
  • set the maximum amount of funding that will be provided for those that are approved

Reserved rights and non-entitlement

The Minister of Rural Affairs retains the exclusive right to approve or reject any Project at their sole discretion; and to reduce Cost-Share and to reduce maximum funding amounts or both for those Projects that have been approved.

Applicants shall not be eligible for funding under the ROD Program or have any claim or demand or action against His Majesty the King in right of Ontario, his ministers, directors, officers, employees, servants, appointees or agents, solely by reason of having made an application.

Stage 3: After Project approval

Notifying Applicants of decision

The Applicant will be notified as funding decisions are reached, which is usually within 3 months from the posted intake closure date. However, timing may vary.

Next steps after approval

If the Applicant is successful, the Applicant will receive a letter of approval. The Applicant is required to sign a Contribution Agreement. Applicants are required to abide by the terms and conditions of the Contribution Agreement.

The Applicant's information must be up to date with Transfer Payment Ontario.

Register with or update information previously submitted to Transfer Payment Ontario.

If you are the Applicant or are authorized to represent the Applicant, you can register and update the information referred to above.

Applications will be assigned a Project analyst that will monitor and support the Project.

Submitting claims

Claims for approved Projects are submitted through an online portal. Instructions will be provided on how to receive access once the Project is approved. In order for the claim to be processed, all submitted costs must be:

  • eligible
  • Incurred
  • paid in full

A proof of payment must set out in detail:

  • who paid for the goods, services or both and their relationship to the Applicant
  • who received the payment
  • the goods, services or both that were provided
  • the date of the payment

Generally acceptable forms of a proof of payment include:

  • an electronic image of a processed cheque
  • a statement from a banking institution setting out the goods or service provider to whom the processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and the amount
  • a credit card or debit card receipt or statement clearly identifying the amount and to whom the payment was made
  • wire transfer and online bank transfer showing transaction paid in full and cleared (transaction fees are not eligible costs)
  • confirmation from vendor that bank draft funds have been received

Note: If using a credit card or debit card receipt, cheque or statement as a proof of payment, the number of the credit or debit card as well as all other information, including the unrelated costs to the Applicant’s Project should be blacked out. Bank statements and processed cheques also contain personal information which should be blacked out.

Project completion date

The Project must be completed within the timeframe identified in the Contribution Agreement. If the Applicant does not complete the Project by the Project completion date, the Applicant may be required to repay any and all Funds provided to the Applicant, including interest on them, as well as the costs Incurred by the Province to recover the Funds and interest.

Projects for the first intake are required to be completed by March 31, 2026.

Final report

In order to close the Project, the Applicant is required to submit a final report by the deadline stated in the Contribution Agreement. There is a 10% holdback of Project reimbursement until the final report is received and accepted by the Province, and all other requirements have been met.

Communications by the Applicant

An Applicant will not communicate about their Project unless the following conditions have been met:

  • the Applicant has submitted all Project-related external or public facing publications, whether intended for written, oral or visual communications and including social media publications, to the project analyst assigned to the Project at least ten (10) business days prior to their intended publication date, and has received approval for these Project-related publications from the project analyst
  • the Applicant has acknowledged the support of the Province in the form and manner set out under Contribution Agreement or as otherwise directed, and
  • any communications about the Project includes a statement that the views set out in those communications are the recipient’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ontario.

The Applicant’s internal Project-related communications are not subject to the above requirements.