Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI)

The Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) is a program designed to enhance the quality of life in Canada through supporting the development of co-operatives in areas of federal priority.

CDI funding will help to pay for the costs of implementing a project. The expected funding range for individual projects is between 5 000$ and 75 000$ per year. Multi-year projects of up to five years may receive funding, but must be completed by the time the program ends on  March 31^st , 2008. Applicants or their partners in the community are expected to contribute at least 25% of the total project costs.

Eligibility Criteria

The Innovation and Research component is open to individuals, groups, and communities who wish to demonstrate and study innovative uses of the co-operative model. Eligible applicants include:

• individual co-operatives;
• co-operative associations and federations;
• community economic development groups;
• Aboriginal communities;
• social development groups; and
• research and learning institutes engaged in co-operative research.

The Advisory Services component provides expert assistance to groups who want to start new co-operatives, or who require assistance managing existing ones. Advisory Services are available to:

• new and existing co-operatives; and
• groups wishing to start a co-operative.

Eligible Activities

Developing and growing a co-operative.

Deadline

2007-03-02

Summary

The Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI) is divided into two program components: Advisory Services and Innovation and Research.

Advisory Services is enhanced service to developing and growing co-operatives and will be delivered in regional centres through the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération. The objective of the Advisory Services is to enhance the development capacity of the co-operative sector.

Innovation and Research has the following objective: To research and test innovative applications of the co-operative model in federal priority areas. It is designed to show how co-operatives can contribute to economic and social development , community capacity building, and service delivery for disadvantaged or hard-to-reach Canadians, particularly within the following priority areas:

• adding value to agriculture;
• access to health care and home care;
• economic development in rural, remote or northern communities;
• development of Aboriginal communities;
• integration of immigrants into Canadian communities;
• community solutions to environmental challenges.

Applications must be submitted electronically in Word or WordPerfect format by March 2, 2007. Projects that receive funding must be completed by March 31st, 2008.

Quebec Contact(s):
See National Contact.

---

National Contact(s):
Alain Roy
Co-operatives Secretariat
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Telephone: (613) 759-7197
Fax: (613) 759-7489
Toll-free (information): 1-888-781-2222
E-mail: royalai@agr.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml