Projects Eligible for SMART Funding

Project Types

A wide variety of productivity improvement projects are eligible, including:

  • Lean manufacturing
  • Lean design
  • Quality improvement
  • Energy efficiency
  • IT best practices
  • Environmental impact reduction
  • Health and Safety

At minimum the primary focus of your project must be on improving your operational efficiency. Ideally the project will not just improve your efficiency incrementally, but transform the way you do business and make your company substantially more competitive.

Project Start and Finish

Projects must start within 2 months from your notification of selection and should be completed no later than January 31, 2011.  There are no exceptions to this date. CME intends to notify applicants whether their projects have been selected by August 16, 2010.

Applications will only be accepted for projects that have started after May 1, 2010 as long as less than 50% of the total project expenses have been incurred.

Incurred costs are based upon contractual agreements. Project costs are 100% incurred at the time a purchase order or sales contract has been issued to a vendor or an invoice has been issued whether or not a payment has been made. 

Project Size

Projects of any size can be proposed for funding, but SMART Funding is only available up to 50% of project costs or $50,000, whichever is less. Good projects shouldn't be too big or too complicated - we are looking for projects that will be completed successfully and on time, and we want the benefits that are reported to clearly relate to the project. At the same time, projects should not be so small that achieving the stated goals or performance objectives depends on other things - like the completion of other projects at the facility.

 

RELATED LINKS

LATEST NEWS

Application Intake Now Closed
Jul 01, 2010
The application intake closed on June 30, 2010. All applications are currently being reviewed and applicants should expect to receive a status update by August 16, 2010.

SMART II Program Extended to March 31, 2011
Jun 14, 2010
SMART accepting NEW applications until 4PM EST - June 30, 2010.