Applications / Claims closed for the 2023 -2024 period.
Next round of funding – April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025.
Application form coming soon
We are thrilled to unveil an exciting initiative that aims to propel our domestic sales efforts to new heights – the Organic Promotion Fund! In our commitment to fostering growth and innovation within the sector, we understand the importance of supporting initiatives that promote organic sales in Canada.
What is the Organic Promotion Fund?
The Organic Promotion Fund is a dedicated pool of resources designed to empower and encourage our members to engage in activities that naturally boost sales within our domestic market. We believe in the power of creativity, strategic thinking, and community engagement to drive organic growth, and this fund is a testament to our commitment to fostering such initiatives.
Key Highlights:
Nature of Activities: The fund is open to a wide array of activities, ranging from innovative marketing campaigns, sales presentations (including trade show attendance) to customer loyalty initiatives that enhance the organic growth of domestic sales. Activities must directly relate to growing organic sales and a survey to track increased domestic sales is mandatory to receive funding.
Eligibility: All members are invited to submit proposals outlining their ideas for organic promotion activities in Canada. We encourage cross-functional collaboration and welcome diverse perspectives. Examples of activities that qualify for funding:
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Instore activations to promote organic throughout the year via signage, advertising, demos and giveaways, educational trainings.
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Presentation and attendance at key food service and industry events to drive business for organic, presenting research and data that supports the business rationale to source and purchase organic and the flow through process to appeal to consumer demand for organic.
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Eligible costs may include: travel costs, room rentals, shipping, development and printing of promotional material and contracted services. Travel costs have a maximum claim of $800 a trip and 2 days travel per diems of $400 to cover food, hotel and internal transport such as taxis, etc. 50% of the travel is reimbursable (eg: $800 flight is 50% refundable, $400 is the amount eligible for reimbursement).
Selection Process: Proposals will be carefully reviewed by COTA, considering factors such as creativity, feasibility, and potential impact on sales growth. Successful proposals will receive financial support from the Organic Promotion Fund after the intake process is complete.
Financial Support: The fund has been allocated with a substantial budget to ensure that promising initiatives receive the necessary resources to flourish. We are committed to investing in activities that align with our core values and contribute to sustainable growth. A 50% reimbursement will be applied to qualifying domestic activity expenses for successful applicants.
Application Process: The application form details the guidelines for proposal submissions and is available online. We encourage everyone to think outside the box and put forward ideas that showcase the unique strengths of organic and your brand.
By launching the Organic Promotion Fund, we aim to cultivate a culture of innovation, collaboration, and entrepreneurial spirit within our members. Together, let's sow the seeds of creativity and watch as our domestic sales flourish, organically.
We will have two more rounds of intake periods April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025 and April 1, 2025 - March 31, 2026. We are currently accepting applications for April 1, 2024, - March 31, 2025.
We are excited to witness the incredible ideas that will emerge from this initiative and look forward to celebrating the success stories that will undoubtedly arise from the Organic Promotion Fund!
Happy promoting!