Loading...
Logo

OSCIA-Delivered Program Guides

English
Français
Search
English
Français
EXPLORE MORE PROGRAMS
PRINT PDF
APPLY NOW

OFCAF Knowledge Sharing Event

On-Farm Climate Action Fund

Knowledge Sharing Event Partnership

Upcoming
The Ontario On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) provides cost-share funding and supports educational opportunities for farmers to support the implementation of best management practices (BMPs) to tackle climate change through reducing emissions of GHGs and supporting increased carbon sequestration. Cost-share support to farmers has been made available under the project categories of nitrogen management, cover cropping, and rotational grazing. As a part of the program, the objective of knowledge translation and transfer activities is to drive first time adoption and promote ongoing adoption, by sharing with and demonstrating to farmers the implementation considerations and positive impacts of OFCAF BMPs.

As part of a new opportunity offered under the OFCAF Expansion Phase, the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is pleased to offer funding to support third party delivery to develop, administer and deliver or provide resources of Knowledge Sharing Events (KSEs) to educate farmers in the successful implementation and long-term adoption of all three eligible BMP areas.

A KSE is a networking opportunity where farmers benefit from the latest research, first-hand experience from their peers and industry experts, and access to information networks or resources supporting long-term implementation of BMPs specific to address climate change challenges. Participation in a KSE is a requirement for approved OFCAF applicants to claim their cost-share funding.
IntakeIntake DatesEligible Project Start Date (Invoice Date)Eligible Project Completion DateClaim DeadlinePrevious Intake Guide
1Intake opens: February 2, 2026, 9:00 AM ET

Intake closes: The intake will close when the funding has been fully allocated		February 2, 2026March 31, 2027March 31, 2027

Intake

Intake Dates

Eligible Project Start Date (Invoice Date)

Eligible Project Completion Date

Claim Deadline

1

2

3

OFCAF cost-share funding is available to support up to 100% for third-party delivery costs to develop, administer and deliver or provide resources of Knowledge Sharing Events (KSEs). The OFCAF program offers up to a maximum cost-share of $10,000 in cost-share funding for each KSE. A business/ organization has an operation cap of up to $50,000.00 cost share funding for the program year to develop and deliver OFCAF KSEs. Each event or KSE product must be applied separately. For example, if an organization plans to host a webinar series consisting of five webinars, a separate application will need to be submitted for each webinar.

100% cost-share funding up to a maximum of $10,000 per project application

PROJECT CATEGORY DETAILS

Expand All
    For an event to qualify as a KSE, the event requires a minimum of 30 minutes to be spent on a minimum of one of the OFCAF eligible Best Management Practices under the three BMP categories: Nitrogen Management, Cover Cropping or Rotational Grazing. For more information on eligible practices for cost-share funding, please review the OFCAF Program Guide for all three BMP categories. The event must allow the participants to ask questions about the BMPs. An event can qualify for more than one KSE credit if the event consists of more than one project category. This would be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the topic content and the length of time spent on the topic.
    An eligible KSE can be organized as a:
  • Virtual Webinar
  • Workshop – both in person or virtual
  • Seminar
  • On-Farm Demonstration
    Participants must be open to OSCIA staff attending the event to verify OFCAF applicants’ participation. Additionally, participants must share attendance records with OSCIA to confirm OFCAF applicants’ completion of their KSE. The records must include the first and last name of each participant.
    All eligible costs must be used for the development and delivery of an OFCAF KSE under the project categories of Nitrogen Management, Cover Cropping and Rotational Grazing.
    For costs specific to the event logistics (i.e. venue rental, equipment rental) to be eligible for cost-share funding, at least 70% of the event day must qualify as an OFCAF KSE.
  • Salaries and wages associated with event planning and execution –
    • Please note information on the hourly rate and number of hours will need to be provided
  • Speaker and facilitator fees
  • Event moderator or emcee fees
  • Travel and accommodation for organizers or speakers excluding flight costs
    • Mileage rate is $0.62/km
  • Administrative costs (registration management, communications,)
  • Venue rental (meeting room, hall, conference centre, or outdoor facility)
  • Audio-visual equipment rental (projectors, microphones, screens)
  • Rental of OSCIA Mobile Soil Technology Suite
  • Internet/Wi-Fi access fees
  • Tables, chairs, podium, and staging setup
  • Signage and directional materials
  • Event promotion (email campaigns, print materials, social media ads)
  • Graphic design for event materials (posters, programs, name tags)
  • Printing and signage (agendas, handouts, certificates)
  • Photography and/or videography
  • Printing or production of learning materials, handouts or workbooks
  • Development of presentations, fact sheets, or extension resources
  • Translation or interpretation services (French/English or other languages)
  • Online event platform fees (ZOOM, Teams, Eventbrite, etc.)
  • Virtual production costs (editing, captioning, hosting recordings)
  • Invoices and/or proof of payment not issued in the applicant’s name
  • Extended warranties, taxes, legal fees, financing charges, loan interest payments, bank fees
  • Materials or services purchased outside the eligible invoice dates
  • Any cost not set out as an Eligible Cost and not specifically required for the execution of a project
  • Normal operating costs associated with conducting or expanding a business’s current operations
  • Hospitality costs including food and beverage
  • Speaker gifts including gift cards, gift baskets, alcohol
  • Costs incurred prior to the Effective Date or February 1, 2026 or after the Fiscal End Date or invoiced after March 31, 2027;
  • Any costs that will be funded or reimbursed through any other agreement with other ministries, agencies and organizations of the Province of Ontario or Canada
  • The value of any goods, services or both that the business/ organization received through donations or in-kind
  • Any costs that were, in OSCIA’s opinion, unreasonably incurred or are not necessary for the successful completion of the Project
  • Event insurance
  • Permits and approvals
  • Lease payments of event space already owned by the applicant
  • Any fess associated with the development of the post-event report
  • Multi-use items (e.g., items that can reach beyond the scope of the event such as computers, printers hand or power tools and attachments, etc.)
    Applications are only accepted through the OSCIA portal, at osciaportal.org. Participants must create an account and enroll your business/organization to access the application form. Be sure to review the program guide in its entirety before completing the application.
    Businesses and organizations must submit an application through the OSCIA portal, even if they are not requesting cost-share funding but wish to have their event designated as an OFCAF KSE-approved event. During the application process, a cost-share amount of $1 must be entered for the application to be processed.
    Please attach relevant documents to the application related to the KSE, such as an agenda and/or a summary outlining the event’s value to OFCAF as a Knowledge Sharing Event.
    Applications that require cost-share funding need to be submitted at least 10 business days before the event date. If an application is approved for a cost-share allocation, written confirmation will be provided from OSCIA.
    Applications will be reviewed based on their alignment with the program objectives and the event’s suitability within the OFCAF program year. OSCIA reserves the right to decline any application that does not meet these criteria.
    Once an application for cost-share funding is approved for OFCAF KSE delivery, a service agreement must be signed between OSCIA and the contracted organization.
    A claim submission is required only for events that have been approved for cost-share funding to deliver an OFCAF KSE.
    To receive cost-share funding for eligible costs, approved applicants must submit a claim by 2027-03-31 for 2026-27 program year.
    Only one claim will be processed for each approved event, each program year, i.e. if a project includes multiple costs, please wait until all costs are incurred and the project is completed before submitting a claim.
    An event summary is required at the time of claim submission. This summary is to highlight the delivery of the approved knowledge-sharing event and include details such as the total number of participants, as well as the event’s knowledge value and outcomes. Examples include:
  • Summarizing the description of the knowledge shared and how it aligns with the event’s objectives
  • Feedback or insights from attendees (if available)
  • How the knowledge gained will be applied or disseminated post-event.
  • How the knowledge contributes to the adoption of BMP practices.
    Additionally, as part of an eligible project, every claimed cost must be supported by an invoice in the name of the business/ organization. All costs being claimed must be paid for by the business/ organization named in the application. Proof of payment is required for each invoice to verify who paid, who received payment, the amount of payment, and the date of payment. Proof of payment may be any one of the following:
  • Copy of front and back of a cancelled cheque
  • Electronic image of a processed cheque
  • E-Transfer confirmation, which includes the word ‘Deposited’ or ‘Autodeposited’
  • Bill Payment confirmation from a banking institution
  • Statement from banking institution indicating to whom the processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and for what amount
  • Credit card or debit card receipt clearly identifying the amount and to whom the payment was made. Credit card or debit card numbers and other information, including costs that are unrelated to the project, should be blacked out.
    Cash payments for project costs are strongly discouraged, as they may not meet requirements for proof of payment. If proof of payment is not provided, OSCIA cannot support the cost. OSCIA may request any additional information from the applicant that OSCIA deems necessary (e.g., copies of any audit reports, plans or permits obtained by the applicant in conducting the project) to support their claim.
    Cost-share payments are made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) in the name of the legal farm business. All cost-share funding is considered taxable income to the farm business. OSCIA will issue a tax form (AGR-1) and report the amount paid to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA); this is why an applicant’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) is collected if the applicant does not have a CRA Business Number.
    If you have any questions about program requirements, project timelines or claim submission, please email kse@ontariosoilcrop.org.
    For an event to qualify as a KSE, the event requires a minimum of 30 minutes to be spent on a minimum of one of the OFCAF eligible Best Management Practices under the three BMP categories: Nitrogen Management, Cover Cropping or Rotational Grazing. For more information on eligible practices for cost-share funding, please review the OFCAF Program Guide for all three BMP categories. The event must allow the participants to ask questions about the BMPs. An event can qualify for more than one KSE credit if the event consists of more than one project category. This would be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the topic content and the length of time spent on the topic.
    An eligible KSE can be organized as a:
  • Virtual Webinar
  • Workshop – both in person or virtual
  • Seminar
  • On-Farm Demonstration
    Participants must be open to OSCIA staff attending the event to verify OFCAF applicants’ participation. Additionally, participants must share attendance records with OSCIA to confirm OFCAF applicants’ completion of their KSE. The records must include the first and last name of each participant.
    All eligible costs must be used for the development and delivery of an OFCAF KSE under the project categories of Nitrogen Management, Cover Cropping and Rotational Grazing.
    For costs specific to the event logistics (i.e. venue rental, equipment rental) to be eligible for cost-share funding, at least 70% of the event day must qualify as an OFCAF KSE.
  • Salaries and wages associated with event planning and execution –
    • Please note information on the hourly rate and number of hours will need to be provided
  • Speaker and facilitator fees
  • Event moderator or emcee fees
  • Travel and accommodation for organizers or speakers excluding flight costs
    • Mileage rate is $0.62/km
  • Administrative costs (registration management, communications,)
  • Venue rental (meeting room, hall, conference centre, or outdoor facility)
  • Audio-visual equipment rental (projectors, microphones, screens)
  • Rental of OSCIA Mobile Soil Technology Suite
  • Internet/Wi-Fi access fees
  • Tables, chairs, podium, and staging setup
  • Signage and directional materials
  • Event promotion (email campaigns, print materials, social media ads)
  • Graphic design for event materials (posters, programs, name tags)
  • Printing and signage (agendas, handouts, certificates)
  • Photography and/or videography
  • Printing or production of learning materials, handouts or workbooks
  • Development of presentations, fact sheets, or extension resources
  • Translation or interpretation services (French/English or other languages)
  • Online event platform fees (ZOOM, Teams, Eventbrite, etc.)
  • Virtual production costs (editing, captioning, hosting recordings)
  • Invoices and/or proof of payment not issued in the applicant’s name
  • Extended warranties, taxes, legal fees, financing charges, loan interest payments, bank fees
  • Materials or services purchased outside the eligible invoice dates
  • Any cost not set out as an Eligible Cost and not specifically required for the execution of a project
  • Normal operating costs associated with conducting or expanding a business’s current operations
  • Hospitality costs including food and beverage
  • Speaker gifts including gift cards, gift baskets, alcohol
  • Costs incurred prior to the Effective Date or February 1, 2026 or after the Fiscal End Date or invoiced after March 31, 2027;
  • Any costs that will be funded or reimbursed through any other agreement with other ministries, agencies and organizations of the Province of Ontario or Canada
  • The value of any goods, services or both that the business/ organization received through donations or in-kind
  • Any costs that were, in OSCIA’s opinion, unreasonably incurred or are not necessary for the successful completion of the Project
  • Event insurance
  • Permits and approvals
  • Lease payments of event space already owned by the applicant
  • Any fess associated with the development of the post-event report
  • Multi-use items (e.g., items that can reach beyond the scope of the event such as computers, printers hand or power tools and attachments, etc.)
    Applications are only accepted through the OSCIA portal, at osciaportal.org. Participants must create an account and enroll your business/organization to access the application form. Be sure to review the program guide in its entirety before completing the application.
    Businesses and organizations must submit an application through the OSCIA portal, even if they are not requesting cost-share funding but wish to have their event designated as an OFCAF KSE-approved event. During the application process, a cost-share amount of $1 must be entered for the application to be processed.
    Please attach relevant documents to the application related to the KSE, such as an agenda and/or a summary outlining the event’s value to OFCAF as a Knowledge Sharing Event.
    Applications that require cost-share funding need to be submitted at least 10 business days before the event date. If an application is approved for a cost-share allocation, written confirmation will be provided from OSCIA.
    Applications will be reviewed based on their alignment with the program objectives and the event’s suitability within the OFCAF program year. OSCIA reserves the right to decline any application that does not meet these criteria.
    Once an application for cost-share funding is approved for OFCAF KSE delivery, a service agreement must be signed between OSCIA and the contracted organization.
    A claim submission is required only for events that have been approved for cost-share funding to deliver an OFCAF KSE.
    To receive cost-share funding for eligible costs, approved applicants must submit a claim by 2027-03-31 for 2026-27 program year.
    Only one claim will be processed for each approved event, each program year, i.e. if a project includes multiple costs, please wait until all costs are incurred and the project is completed before submitting a claim.
    An event summary is required at the time of claim submission. This summary is to highlight the delivery of the approved knowledge-sharing event and include details such as the total number of participants, as well as the event’s knowledge value and outcomes. Examples include:
  • Summarizing the description of the knowledge shared and how it aligns with the event’s objectives
  • Feedback or insights from attendees (if available)
  • How the knowledge gained will be applied or disseminated post-event.
  • How the knowledge contributes to the adoption of BMP practices.
    Additionally, as part of an eligible project, every claimed cost must be supported by an invoice in the name of the business/ organization. All costs being claimed must be paid for by the business/ organization named in the application. Proof of payment is required for each invoice to verify who paid, who received payment, the amount of payment, and the date of payment. Proof of payment may be any one of the following:
  • Copy of front and back of a cancelled cheque
  • Electronic image of a processed cheque
  • E-Transfer confirmation, which includes the word ‘Deposited’ or ‘Autodeposited’
  • Bill Payment confirmation from a banking institution
  • Statement from banking institution indicating to whom the processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and for what amount
  • Credit card or debit card receipt clearly identifying the amount and to whom the payment was made. Credit card or debit card numbers and other information, including costs that are unrelated to the project, should be blacked out.
    Cash payments for project costs are strongly discouraged, as they may not meet requirements for proof of payment. If proof of payment is not provided, OSCIA cannot support the cost. OSCIA may request any additional information from the applicant that OSCIA deems necessary (e.g., copies of any audit reports, plans or permits obtained by the applicant in conducting the project) to support their claim.
    Cost-share payments are made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) in the name of the legal farm business. All cost-share funding is considered taxable income to the farm business. OSCIA will issue a tax form (AGR-1) and report the amount paid to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA); this is why an applicant’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) is collected if the applicant does not have a CRA Business Number.
    If you have any questions about program requirements, project timelines or claim submission, please email kse@ontariosoilcrop.org.

Do You Have All Your Required
Documentation Ready?

YES, SIGN IN AND APPLY
REVIEW PROJECT CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS