British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund
Eligibility
Eligible Project Costs
 Applicants may seek funding for any projects targeting the modernization, acquisition or development of research infrastructure. Research infrastructure is any equipment, specimens, scientific collections, computer equipment and software, or intangible properties used for conducting research.
Building renovations and installations essential for the use and servicing of research infrastructure are also eligible for funding. B.C. Knowledge Development Fund will fund the construction of new buildings only in exceptional circumstances, and only when the applicant demonstrates that a new building is the most cost-effective option.
Project proposals submitted to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development for funding may include one or more components. However, for all multi-component proposals, each component must be integral to the project as a whole. The application must clearly outline the manner in which all components relate to the overall objectives of the project.
Only capital projects are eligible for funding. Any research infrastructure funded by BCKDF-whether it is modernized, purchased or developed- must represent a new capital asset on the accounts of the applicant and must provide a new or improved research capability, research tool or research facility when completed. Under no circumstances may BCKDF funding be used for operating expenditures (See Appendix 2 - Definition of Capitalizable Assets).
The following costs are not eligible for BCKDF funding:
- The cost of conducting research.
- The costs of acquiring or purchasing real property.
- Ongoing operating costs.
- Any item that is not capitalizable (see Appendix 2).
When a particular cost item is not readily definable as either eligible or ineligible, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development will decide eligibility on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Ministry of Finance. If a particular cost item is determined to be ineligible for BCKDF funding, the applicant may be able to cover that item with CFI or other matching funds.
Changes to BCKDF Contributions
Under the BCKDF Guidelines, applicants are solely responsible for any cost overruns. In exceptional circumstances however, requests for an increase to a BCKDF award will be considered if a request is made to CFI to change the CFI award.
In October 2005, the CFI Board reviewed its policy on changes to contributions, and reaffirmed that the current policy of not revisiting its contributions to a project remains the normal and preferred approach. The Board also decided that in exceptional and unique cases, the CFI will agree to revisit its contribution to a project provided that project can meet a set of consideration and does not entail increasing the CFI contribution to more than 40% of the total cost of the project.
To be eligible for consideration by CFI, an institution would have to demonstrate that a project is:
- Unique and complex, e.g. never been done before, new technology, national or international scope
- Confronted with exceptional situation that could not reasonably have been predicted at the application stage, despite due diligence
- Confronted with a shortfall that puts in jeopardy its success, timeliness and relevance
- Confronted with unexpected cost increases representing over 20% of the total cost of project
- Within 1 year since finalization and has incurred less than 30% of total costs
- Beyond a reduction in scope following a thorough investigation of alternative approaches
- Demonstrating a collective interest in a change as shown by the partners’ willingness to assist in the increased costs
The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development will consider changes to BCKDF contributions in unusual circumstances. Institutions requesting additional BCKDF funding for a previously-approved project must submit a separate BCKDF application at the same time that a request is made to CFI. In addition to meeting CFI's criteria, the BCKDF application must demonstrate that the additional funding request meets the BCKDF criteria. Applications must clearly demonstrate that the request is the result of a change to the original scope of the project with added benefits, and not simply the result of unanticipated cost overruns.
Eligible Applicants
British Columbia-based public post-secondary institutions are eligible to apply for funding from BCKDF. Individual researchers may not apply. Teaching hospitals and affiliated non-profit research agencies must submit proposals to the public post-secondary institution with which they are affiliated. The following definitions will be used by BCKDF in determining eligibility:
A "public post-secondary institution" means a degree-granting or diploma-granting entity created under any of the following British Columbia statutes:
- University Act.
- University of Northern British Columbia Act.
- Royal Roads University Act.
- Open Learning Agency Act.
- Institute of Technology Act.
- College and Institute Act.
- Thompson Rivers University Act.
A teaching hospital is defined as any of the following:
- Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre.
- Providence Health Care (formerly the Vancouver Catholic Health Care Group).
- British Columbia Cancer Agency.
- Children’s and Women’s Health Centre of British Columbia.
A non-profit research agency affiliated to a public post-secondary institution means a research agency, funded by federal or provincial government grants or by charitable donations, that uses its funding to conduct research for the public good rather than for profit and that can legally receive fiscal agency loans from the provincial government (e.g. public universities, hospitals, research agencies where the provincial government appoints the majority of the members of the board or holds the majority of its shares, or research agencies that are statutory agents of the provincial government). Non-profit research agencies should contact their affiliated institution to determine eligibility.
Post-secondary institutions and teaching hospitals may not charge any overhead, administrative costs or any other fees normally associated with the transfer of funds to affiliated non-profit research agencies, in relation to any BCKDF project.
Those projects that receive CFI approval and can demonstrate substantial benefits to the province in terms of BCKDF objectives will be eligible for funding. Projects that do not receive CFI approval, or are not eligible for CFI funding, may also be considered for BCKDF funding where substantial provincial benefits are demonstrated. Institutions should contact the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development for a ruling on the eligibility of non-CFI proposals prior to submitting an application.
Eligible recipients must be located and based in British Columbia. In exceptional circumstances, where there is clear benefit to British Columbia, BCKDF funding may be applied to a British Columbia institution’s contribution to a shared research facility located outside the province.
Eligible Partners
The following definition will be used by BCKDF:
"Eligible partners" means:
- Funds or trust funds held by the applicant institution where the conditions of the fund or trust allow this use.
- Departments or agencies of the federal government.
- Departments or agencies of municipal governments.
- Corporations and businesses.
- Voluntary organizations and foundations.
- Licensing fees and royalties.
- Contributions from individuals.
Contributions directly for a BCKDF project from ministries of the provincial government will be considered part of the provincial share and will result in a corresponding adjustment of the amount provided through BCKDF. Where the source of funds is the provincial government, contributions from agents of the Crown (other than post-secondary institutions) or Crown corporations will be considered part of the provincial share. Funding from all provincial sources, when totalled, will under no circumstances exceed the provincial share stipulated in the funding parameters.
Eligible partners may contribute resources to a project either as cash or as in-kind donations. Where an eligible partner, contributes an in-kind donation to a project, the Canada Foundation for Innovation's rules for assessing the value and nature of these donations, and how essential they are to the project, will be used.
For those proposals that do not contain a CFI component, funding for equipment acquisitions from the Medical Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Networks of Centres of Excellence will be eligible for matching capital costs under BCKDF. Where the province contributes to, for example, the Networks of Centres of Excellence, this will be taken into account when allocating BCKDF funding shares.
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