Program Overview

The Ontario government recognizes the need to provide youth with opportunities to advance their interests and abilities in science and technology so that they can make informed post-secondary academic and career choices.

The government also acknowledges the important role that Ontario's post-secondary education and research institutions have in mentoring youth to become the next generation of researchers, technologists and innovators.

The Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program funds projects that connect youth with science and technology mentors through face-to-face interactions in settings beyond the classroom and curriculum. The Program's primary target audience is high school age youth living in rural and remote communities, and youth at-risk.

Ministry funds are to be used to develop new or expanded mentorship activities that meet the program's objectives and eligibility criteria.

The Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program is a discretionary, non-entitlement program. Applications are evaluated through a competitive process.

Please monitor this website for program updates.

Program Objectives

1. Connect Youth with Science and Technology Mentors

Science and technology mentors have an important role in helping young people develop a greater knowledge of science and technology and explore post-secondary academic choices leading to careers.

• Projects must involve publicly funded researchers and technologists to ensure all youth and public activities reflect leading-edge research and development in Ontario.
• Projects with a greater degree of collaboration by multiple partners, or involving several academic disciplines will be ranked higher.
• Projects must provide youth with face-to-face interactions with science and technology mentors.

2. Provide Youth with Hands-on Science and Technology Experiences

Through hands-on experiences youth are to gain an understanding of the process of research and innovation, and the development and application of technology.

• The opportunity for youth to experience science and technology in a research or technology setting is an important criterion. This could include mentorship activities in provincial and federal government laboratories, as well as private sector facilities.
• Projects are to include an extended mentorship activity for one or more youth.

3. Engage Youth Across Ontario

Projects are to serve youth across Ontario with an emphasis on youth living in rural or remote communities, and youth at-risk.

• Projects serving youth in rural and remote communities that have higher travel and operating costs may receive maximum funding based on eligible expenditures.
• Smaller projects with a focused geographic reach that do not require maximum funding will be accepted.

4. Connect the General Public with Researchers and Technologists

Projects are to include an annual event or an on-going activity that provides the general public of all ages with an opportunity to meet Ontario's researchers and technologists.

• The activity must take place at a time convenient for the general public, such as in the evening.
• The activity may be scheduled at any time during each year of the project, or may coincide with an annual theme week, such as National Engineering Week.
• Activities should engage a wide range of audiences and promote youth-focused activities in the community.

Definitions

Science and technology mentors are researchers and technologists working in the institutions listed below, as well as graduate or senior level students under their supervision.

• Universities, colleges, hospitals
• Municipal, provincial or federal government laboratories in Ontario
• Non-profit research institutions
• Organizations receiving research funding from Ontario

The term science and technology is meant in its broadest context and includes disciplines such as mathematics, anthropology, geography, engineering technologies, medicine, etc.

Youth at-risk are young people who do not have equal exposure to science and technology awareness experiences.

The general public includes people other than those directly involved in youth outreach activities, such as younger people, adults and parents.

An extended mentorship activity provides youth with an in-depth, project focused research or technology experience under the supervision of a project mentor.

Project partners are organizations that contribute to the development or delivery of a project's youth and general public activities by providing funding, goods or services.

Rural and remote communities are considered to be further than 100 km
from post-secondary and research institutions or larger urban centres.

An in-kind contribution is a good or service, provided for free, that would otherwise have to be purchased.

Eligible Outreach Activities

Mentors can engage youth and the general public in a variety of ways, as follows. Projects employing a number of these, or other techniques, are encouraged.

• Workshops and Demonstrations: Mentors can guide youth through short-term activities in a lab, industrial, or field research site.
• Student Competitions: Researchers and technologists can mentor youth involved in student competitions, or serve as judges.
• Expert in Residence: Mentors can make themselves available to students in the classroom, or at extra-curricular science and technology programs.
• Field Excursions: Under the guidance of mentors, youth can experience science and technology at field research stations or industrial sites.
• Extended Mentorship Activity: Under the mentorship of researchers or technologists, youth may spend several weeks over the course of a school year, or summer, working alongside mentors in post-secondary institutions. Youth may undertake a student-directed project of their own design, or contribute to an institution-directed project.
• Speaking Opportunities: Mentors can address youth and the public at events such as university and college open houses. As well as speaking about their work, mentors can highlight career opportunities for youth in their disciplines.

Ineligible Activities

• The program will not fund the development of magazines, books, curriculum documents, courses or multi-media, including new websites.
• Funds will not be used to purchase commercially available equipment, such as off-the-shelf kits, computers or software, or to stage conferences.
• All project activities are to be free to youth and the general public. Therefore, no registration or admission fees can be charged and project activities cannot be incorporated into an existing program for which an admission or registration fee is applied.

Eligible Applicants

The Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program is open on a competitive basis to the following Ontario-based, non-profit organizations. The lead organization must be a registered Ontario or Canadian non-profit organization without share capital.  The organization's legal name and registration number must be provided.

• Post-secondary institutions
• Non-profit research institutions
• Science awareness organizations
• Industry or professional associations
• Boards of education
• Non-profit community organizations supporting youth at-risk

Proposals will be accepted from province-wide organizations, or chapters of province-wide organizations that meet all eligibility criteria.

Ineligible Applicants

Applications will not be accepted from:

• For-profit organizations
• Advocacy organizations
• Foundations, or organizations that transfer Ontario funds to post-secondary and research institutions
• Individuals, students or schools
• Organizations that cannot provide proof of their non-profit status

Funding

The program will provide successful applicants with up to $150,000 over three years to cover eligible project cash expenditures incurred in developing new, or expanded outreach activities.

Applicants are not required to provide "matching" funds, either as cash, or in-kind contributions to secure ministry funding.

Eligible Expenditures

Projects may designate up to 40 per cent of ministry funding towards project management costs for new or expanded outreach activities. Examples include:

• Salaries of project management staff employed by the applicant
• Costs associated with semi-annual project activity and financial reporting
• Travel costs to attend business meetings related to project management or to attend meetings the ministry convenes

Projects must use the remainder of ministry funding for project development and delivery costs.

Examples of project development costs include:

• Materials for working models, experiments and demonstrations
• Costs to revise websites to promote project resources and activities
• Production and distribution of promotional materials for use by project partners

Examples of project delivery costs include:

• Travel costs of mentors and project managers to rural and remote communities
• Travel costs to bring youth to laboratories, universities and colleges from rural and remote communities across Ontario.  This includes youth involved in extended mentorship activities 
• Consumable supplies used by youth
• Costs to accommodate youth at research and technology sites in Ontario
• Travel costs for Ontario youth who have qualified for out-of-province science and engineering competitions
• Costs of workshops that assist project partners effectively implement their project

Ineligible Expenditures

Ministry funds cannot be used for the following costs.

• Salaries (except for project management)
• Stipends or honoraria to university/college faculty, staff, post-secondary or secondary students, or project partners and volunteers
• Teacher release time
• Fees for services provided by project partners
• Speaker's fees
• Cash awards
• Out-of-province travel costs for project staff, mentors, chaperones, or travel costs of non-Ontario youth
• Expenses or fees payable to organizations outside Ontario
• Admission or registration fees
• Facility rental fees, capital expenses, leases, warranties, utilities
• Costs related to ineligible activities
• Annual membership fees to associations
• Costs associated with preparing or submitting the application

Cash Contributions

To help ministry staff assess the project's viability, applicants are encouraged to list cash contributions from all sources that will be applied to the project, including the Ontario Government and its agencies.

In-Kind Contributions

To help ministry staff assess the project's viability, applicants are encouraged to list in-kind contributions from all sources that will be applied to the project. The ministry regards the following as examples of in-kind contributions to be listed as part of a project's overall budget. Applicants must be able, if asked, to verify the value of donated goods and services.

• Donations of consumable supplies used in youth and public activities
• Salary dollars from all sources applied to the project's eligible project management costs
• Donations of scientific or technical equipment
• Donations of travel services, e.g. vehicles, fuel, shipping services
• Time spent on project management, development and delivery by mentors, science awareness staff, educators, and graduate or senior level university/college students

Conditions of Application

When developing a proposal, please keep in mind that:

• The Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program is a discretionary, non-entitlement program. Applications are evaluated through a competitive process, based upon their achievement of the program's objectives, and compliance with program criteria.
• Project management is the responsibility of the applicant, and cannot be transferred to a third party, including a project partner, or service provider.
• Additional materials such as videos or brochures will not be considered to be part of the application.
• Only organizations that have confirmed in writing their contribution to the project over its duration are to be listed in the proposal.
• The project must provide good value for money, and costs should be reasonable and consistent with project activities.
• All cash and in-kind contributions must be relevant to the project and be designated to specific project management, development and delivery costs. The project budget must indicate the calculations used to determine the dollar value of in-kind contributions.
• The ministry reserves the right to give preference to projects that address government priorities.

Agreement with the Ministry

Successful applicants will enter into an agreement with the ministry, which will include conditions such as:

• Ministry funds can only be applied to the project's eligible expenditures incurred after both parties have signed an agreement.
• Project activities and deliverables cannot be changed without the written approval of the ministry.
• Projects may be subject to an audit.
• Any good or service to be purchased, with a value of more than $25,000, must go through an open procurement process before the applicant receives the good or service.
• Progress reports will be submitted every six months including progress on project deliverables, results, budget, and partner contributions. Reporting templates will be provided as part of the Agreement.
• The applicant, and project partners will administer a participants' survey during each year of the project.
• Ten per cent of the total funding will be held back subject to all reports having been received.
• Actual project resources and expenditures will be reviewed on a regular basis and may result in an adjustment in the payment level in subsequent years.
• Project leaders will be required to provide timely information that supports the ministry's activities.
• Projects will be required to acknowledge ministry support following Government of Ontario guidelines.
• The term of the project can be up to three years.
• Ontario is bound by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and information provided to Ontario may be subject to disclosure under that Act.

Youth Science and Technology Outreach Program
Outreach, Promotion and Business Development Branch
Ministry of Research and Innovation
11th Floor, 56 Wellesley St. W.,
Toronto, ON, M7A 2E7
Tel: (416) 314-0630
Fax: (416) 314-8224
Email: Vic.Tyrer@ontario.ca