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 supporting documentation was 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: Project assessment

Applications will be scored based on the following criteria and the criteria are listed in order of importance.

Indigenous community or Indigenous non-profit organization Projects will be given additional consideration, in the assessment areas of:

  • partnerships and community support
  • financial commitment.

For Projects requesting less than $25,000 in provincial funding, the applications will not be evaluated on the assessment criteria of:

  • performance measures
  • sustainability.
Assessment Criteria Scoring
Assessment CriteriaStrong ROD Projects identify the following, through the application and supporting documents
ROD Program outcomes: The Project addresses one or more of the ROD Program outcomes.
  • Strong alignment with 3 or more ROD Program outcomes that will be addressed by the Project
  • Provide detailed description of how actions undertaken through the Project will address those outcomes
Project Description: A detailed Project description outlining objectives, activities, Rural Ontario benefits, alignment with the workplan and budget, and the organization’s capacity to successfully deliver the Project.
  • Provides a description of the Project that includes:
    • what the Project will accomplish and key activities
    • Rural Ontario benefits
    • alignment with workplan and budget
    • organizations capacity for Project success

Partnerships and Community Support: Communities or organizations beyond the Applicant that are offering financial and/or in-kind support for the Project.

Please note organizations or community groups that provide a letter of support without committing financial or in-kind support are not considered Partners.

  • Partnerships are described and confirmed including how the Partners collaborate such as a:
    • financial contribution
    • expertise
    • resources or staff

Or

  • Applicant has identified as Ontario Indigenous community or organization
Project Need: The Project addresses an economic need or opportunity that has been identified by the community (for example through a community consultation, BR+E, strategic plan, supporting evidence)
  • Identifies why Project is needed
  • Describes how an economic need or opportunity that will be addressed by the Project
  • Barriers substantiated
Performance Measures: A clear, well-supported plan for measuring Project impacts, with realistic, trackable performance measures aligned with ROD Program outcomes.
  • Provides a detailed and well-supported description of how the Project impacts will be measured
  • The measures are realistic and can be tracked throughout the Project
  • Measures align with the ROD Program outcomes

Or

  • The Project funding requested is less than $25,000
Project Work Plan and Budget: The Project provides a detailed Project plan and budget that that outlines eligible activities, their costs and realistic timelines.
  • Provides a detailed work plan and budget that supports the successful completion of the Project, including all of the following:
    • detailed description of eligible activities and their estimated cost
    • realistic timelines to complete each activity
    • costs align with work plan
    • costs are reasonable
    • Projects are completed by March 31, 2026 or March 31, 2027
    • costs are supported by quotes or proposals if over $10,000

Sustainability: The Project will contribute to longer-term Economic Development activities and outcomes after ROD Program funding ends, through activities like:

  • implementation funding identified for strategies and plans
  • support for Project outcomes after funding ends
  • activities to encourage sustainability (for example, knowledge transfer, sharing materials after an event)
  • sustainability plans
  • Demonstrates significant and specific efforts to encourage longer-term contributions to Economic Development after ROD Program funding ends

Or

  • The Project funding requested is less than $25,000
Financial commitment: Applicant has made a financial commitment to the Project that meets the Cost Share requirements of the stream.
  • The Applicant has secured a financial commitment equal to or greater than the required provincial Cost Share

Or

  • The Applicant is an Indigenous Community or Indigenous non-profit Organization

Stage 3: Approvals

All eligible applications that complete stage 2 will be reviewed by the Rural Economic Development Advisory Panel. The Advisory Panel members are appointed by the Minister and have expertise in rural Economic Development and business development. The Advisory Panel will make non-binding recommendations to the Minister of Rural Affairs on funding.

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.

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 prior to receiving any Funds and to abide by the terms and conditions of the Contribution Agreement within the timeframe identified in the Contribution Agreement.

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

To register with, or update information previously submitted to, Transfer Payment Ontario, visit 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.

Review the Project Funding and Costs of the ROD Program guidelines for information on Project funding payments.

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:

  1. who paid for the good, service or both and their relationship to the Recipient
  2. who received the payment
  3. the goods, services or both that were provided
  4. the date of the payment

For proofs of payment, all personal information (for example, Social Insurance Number, home addresses, banking information, employee number) must be redacted before submission.

Generally acceptable forms of a proof of payment include:

  1. an electronic image of a processed cheque
  2. a statement from a banking institution setting out to whom the processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and the amount, or
  3. a credit card or debit card receipt or statement clearly identifying the amount and to whom the payment was made
  4. wire transfer and online bank transfer showing transaction paid in full and cleared (transaction fees are not eligible costs)
  5. 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 Recipient's Project must be redacted. Bank statements and processed cheques also contain personal information which must be redacted.

Communications by the Applicant

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

  1. 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;
  2. The Applicant has acknowledged the support of the Province in the form and manner set out under Contribution Agreement or as otherwise directed; and
  3. 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, such as reports from municipal staff to council, are not subject to the above requirements.

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 any interest earned on them, as well as the costs Incurred by the province to recover the funds and interest.

Final report

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.