Community Investment Support Program (CISP)

The objective of the Community Investment Support Program (CISP) is to help Canadian communities to develop the tools to attract, retain and expand foreign direct investment in their regions by providing up to 50 percent of eligible costs.

Eligibility Criteria

Not-for-profit organizations working at the municipal level (such as Economic development offices) are eligible to apply for CISP support if they fall into or represent, one of three categories:

• communities with limited economic development resources primarily interested in developing tools to service foreign investors;
• communities with some professional staff and existing economic development programs primarily interested in specific marketing assistance; and
• communities and regions with proactive foreign investment programs primarily interested in developing and implementing multi-year strategies to encourage foreign investment.

Eligible Activities

Examples of work for Category One include:

• investment training for economic development staff;
• researching assets;
• identifying investment strengths; and
• developing a community profile to be used when encouraging investors.

Activities for Category Two include:

• identifying foreign targets and developing corporate profiles and contact database;
• developing and implementing a targeted strategy for encouraging investment;
• developing a strategy for approaching corporations;
• developing or substantially upgrading Web sites; and
• implementing strategies to retain or expand the investment of foreign affiliates already located in Canada.

Deadline

CISP funds are distributed within the federal fiscal year, which starts April 1. Applications for funding usually go to adjudication twice a year. A first adjudication occurs in January and February so that funds can be distributed as early in the fiscal year as possible. Communities or alliances must submit completed applications to the International Trade Centre officers responsible for CISP program delivery in their own provinces or territories not later than November. The second round, scheduled for September occurs only if funds remain in the CISP budget.

Summary

Program Structure

CISP provides two categories of programs:

• Category One is for communities that need to prepare for investment related promotions. Typically, they are not yet ready to identify targets and develop a strategy to attract investors. These projects are supported to a maximum of $50,000 in matching funds (with a minimum of $1,000).
• Category Two is for communities that have completed basic research and are prepared to identify targets, develop a strategy and/or produce promotional tools. These projects are supported to a maximum of $300,000 in matching funds (with a minumum of $20,000). All Category Two projects should include a contribution from private sector partners.

Adjudication Criteria

Funding decisions are made by provincial/territorial adjudication committees chaired by Senior Trade Commissioners. Applications are evaluated on a point-based system using standard criteria including:

• approach and work plan (20 points);
• objectives and intended results (20 points);
• capacity to complete the project (20 points);
• proposed budget (20 points); and
• partnership commitments (20 points.

Note: This program was formerly known as the Program for Export Market Development-Investment (PEMD-1).

New Brunswick Contact(s):
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
Unit 103
1045 Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1C 1H1
Telephone: 506-851-6452
Fax: 506-851-6429
Toll-free (information): 1-800-267-8376 (in Canada)
TTY (hearing impaired): 613-944-9136
E-mail: mnctn@international.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.international.gc.ca/menu-en.asp

---

National Contact(s):
Investment, Science & Technology Branch (IIT)
Government of Canada
3rd Floor
111 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0S5
Fax: 613-941-1827
Toll-free (publications): 1-800-635-7943
TTY Toll-free (hearing impaired): 1-800-465-7735
E-mail: http://www.investincanada.gc.ca/en/998/Contact_Us.html
Web site: http://investincanada.gc.ca/