Important Information About the Selection Process

There are limited funds available for SMART Funding, so not all eligible projects can be selected.
Only the best projects will be selected, and not all eligible projects can be selected.

Our Selection Criteria

We’re looking for projects that will be completed on time and under budget, that will reach their stated performance goals, and that will make more of a difference to your company than just incremental performance improvements. Here are some important factors we’ll assess when considering your proposal:

  • The feasibility, clarity and specificity of the project plan, and evidence your company has assembled the right resources to complete the project successfully.
  • The competence and capabilities of your project management team, its commitment to the project and to the larger objectives of continuous improvement, and any examples of successful improvement projects previously undertaken at your company.
  • The impact of the proposed project on your company as a whole, and the scale and reasonableness of the benefits expected from the project
  • The project’s economic and environmental benefits to Ontario, including interactions with other segments of the Ontario economy (for example, by strengthening economic clusters across the province).

A Fair and Impartial Process Using Industry Experts

CME will use a fair and impartial process, using independent reviews by outside experts, to ensure that the best projects are selected for funding.

Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

All CME staff and contractors involved in the application review and selection process are covered by a strict confidentiality and conflict of interest agreement, as are all the industry experts involved in the review of your proposal. In addition, based on information you provide in your application, we will screen our experts for any conflicts of interest so that your proposal receives an impartial and unbiased review. (Click here to download the CME SMART Program Code of Conduct(pdf). Final decisions about funding will be made by a panel of those experts, rather than by CME staff, further reducing any chance for bias.

Ranking and Recommendation

Our panel of experts will meet frequently to discuss and rank applications from best to worst, and the panel then allocates funding to the top-ranked projects. Below the funding cutoff, a few projects may be deferred for consideration by the next review panel, to ensure consistent treatment from meeting to meeting.

 

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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.