2016 Gryphon’s LAAIR Working Sheet to help Prepare your Written Application
THIS IS A WORKING DOCUMENT – IT IS NOT YOUR APPLICATION.
This document may be useful for you to organize, prepare and write a rough draft of your
proposal prior to transferring to the official on-line RMS application. This is not a
comprehensive list of fields. Additional inputs (drop down lists – budget numbers) are required
on the official application.
Please read and understand the scoring criteria used to evaluate your written proposal (See:
Gryphon’s LAAIR Detailed Description). Scoring focuses on Intellectual Property (4 points),
Potential Benefits (16), Market Pull (16), Project Plan (16), Objectives (16), Barrier Removal
(20), ROI-Budget (12), and Overall Quality (16) for a total of 116 points.
KEY QUESTIONS REQUIRING YOUR INPUT
Submission:
1. Proposal title (Max 22 words)
2. Lead Applicant (Primary Contact)
2a. Contact Information
Input into RMS (already in RMS if lead applicant has a previous application or is previously
registered in RMS)
2b. CV
Lead Applicant experience and expertise. Please describe the research experience and
expertise of the Lead Applicant and/or Team Member(s) as it relates specifically to this project.
(Max 200 words) (You will be asked to attach your CV to your RMS application.)
3. Project Team Members
Input into RMS
4. Proposal Details
4a. Research Theme(s) addressed
Please indicate the OMAFRA Research Theme(s) being addressed (details can be found at
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http://www.uoguelph.ca/omafra_partnership/research/en/themespriorities/ResearchThemes.asp)
and indicate the percent allocation if applying to multiple Themes.
Note: The minimum percent allocation for a given theme is 25%.
4b. Stage of Development
List the stage of development of the product or technology that you are trying to advance
commercially. For example: i) Unproven new idea/hypothesis; ii) Proof of concept demonstrated
but unpublished; iii) Proof of concept demonstrated and published and citation is included;
iv)Prototype tested in the lab; v) Prototype tested in the field; vi) Prototype fully developed but
not adopted/used by commercially. Describe your progress in the underlying research and the
main achievements that you have completed, to date. Achievements may include safety testing,
efficacy, quality level, pilot production, in vitro or in vivo results, manufacturing scale up, field
trial, prototype performance in lab or in the field. List a few citations that demonstrate progress.
(Max 100 words)
4c. Value Proposition
Choose where your product or technology improves the value chain of the agri-food and rural
sectors. Clearly and briefly, describe what customer pains (problem, obstacles) your technology
will reduce or what customer gains (financial, time or physical) you expect your product to
deliver. This should clarify the potential benefits and why industry should care about your
technology. (Max100 words)
4d. Previous OMAFRA Support
Has this technology received any support at any time through its development to date from the
OMAFRA- UofG Partnership such as the Research Program, KTT Program, POP Fund,
Research Station Fees? If yes, explain. (Max 100 words)
4e. Report of Invention
Have you submitted a confidential Report of Invention describing this product or technology to
the Catalyst Centre in accordance with University policies and the terms of the University of
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Guelph Faculty Association collective agreement? If yes, list the date submitted. If not, briefly
explain why and your plans to do so. (Max 50 Words)
5. Technology
5a. Technical Description
Briefly and clearly, describe the critical technical features that make your product or technology
novel or innovative (i.e. new molecule, product design, new method of manufacturing or
analysis) compared to known competitors. Do you expect to create new protectable intellectual
property, if so describe. You may need to search publications and competitors to know what
already exists commercially or academically (ie. prior art). What is the simplest design of the
technology that theoretically could be commercialized (eg. minimum viable product). (Max 200
words).
5b. Impact on Ontario
Describe how Ontario's agri-food and rural sectors will benefit if your product or technology is
successfully adopted by industry or customers (i.e. how does it make the Ontario more
competitive?). Please provide current or predicted performance data of your product or
technology and if possible data to compare it to competitive products. (Max 200 words)
5c. Post Project Path to Market
Assuming you have completed your project as planned, now briefly describe the probability your
technology will be adopted by industry. What is your anticipated timeline for industry to adopt
your technology and briefly list (point form preferred) the next steps that must occur after your
project is completed to ensure adoption by industry. (Max 100 words )
6. Project Objectives
6a. Project Plan
Describe (point form preferred) the project plan to achieve your project goals. Focus on the
goals that you can and must accomplish (this is not a scientific materials and method). Who will
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do what and very briefly how will it get done. Be clear, brief, realistic, and cover all deliverables
(Max 200 words).
6b. Previous Funding
Please list all third parties or funding agencies that have previously provided financial support
(cash) to the Lead Applicant or Research Team members of this project, in order to develop this
technology to its current state. Include funding amounts for each third party from the last five
years.
7. Deliverables
List (point form preferred) and very briefly describe all tangible and measurable outputs of this
proposal. For example; completion of a prototype; determination of efficacy in the field;
assessment of the market; results from a survey of industry players; proof of concept of a
product; demonstrating production at industry scale; customer trial of a prototype; production
and delivery of marketing materials to potential customers; proof of cost savings compared to
current solutions; reports to industry partners etc. (Max 200 words).
8. Milestones
List (1,2,3..) and describe the most important deliverables (subset of above) which are critical to
ensure the successful completion of your project. These Milestones should be defined and
measurable and should act as Go-No Go decision points for the project and are required to
receive the next tranche of funding in larger projects. If not completed successfully or with
sufficient quality - they prevent the successful completion of the whole project.
Click "Save Draft" in RMS to update this list if you have made changes.
Milestone
#
1
2
3
Description of Activities
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Target Completion Date
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9. Development, Adoption or Commercialization Gap Description
9a. Existing Barrier to be Removed
What specific barrier or knowledge gap are you attempting to remove to accelerate the
commercialization of your technology? This should be the focus of your proposal and your most
important goal. Clearly explain what it is and why it is currently the main impediment to
commercialization. Alternatively, describe what knowledge must be obtained, to determine the
size of any commercial opportunity for your technology? (Max 100 words).
9b. Future Barriers
What other barriers (point form preferred), aside from those listed above, may need to be
addressed in the future to fully commercialize your technology? For example, what events or
processes could prevent commercialization such as; regulatory approval, scale-up to industrial
manufacturing, field trials in various geographic regions, industry investment, patent approval or
filing of a patent application, confirmation of freedom to operate, accurate cost of goods
calculation etc. (Max 100 words).
9c. Rationale for Funding and Market Assessment
Why is funding this project a good use of public funds and a good return of benefits back to
Ontario? Provide evidence of market demand (or societal need) for your technology and support
with data. If a lack of data exists, describe the market problem that lacks a solution or explain
why existing solutions are doing a poor job of addressing the needs of the market. It is
advantageous to provide data to support the market size/opportunity and the market captured
by competitive players. (Max 200 words).
Project Funding
Partner Co-Funding
Add directly into RMS. Add contributing Partners to the Co-Funders section in RMS then add
their financial contribution in the Budget section for each Partner listed (see “Budget” section
below). For Product Development Grants (early stage technology - Stream A): Contribution or
funding from an industry partner is not required, but may be informative. However, for
Commercialization Grants (late stage technology - Stream B): any form of contribution, letter of
support, cash or in-kind funding is not required but much desired and will be considered by the
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Review Committee. Letters of support or non-financial commitments from any Partner should be
added to the Supporting Documentation section in RMS.
Budget
Add directly into RMS. Click on the “Open Budget” button and complete the budget page. The
contributing Partners you added (above) should auto-populate the budget temple – now add
their financial contributions (cash at the top, or in-kind as applicable at the bottom of the budget
template). Add details regarding the requested funding from the GL program, itemized by
expenditure, type, and year. All Budget totals are calculated for you by the system. Budget
items must be fully justified and should represent good value for money. Use the Budget Notes
section at the bottom of the budget template to provide more details such as the number of
graduate students and technicians you intend to hire for the project and their compensation.
Reviewers use this information when evaluating your proposal. The funding requested from the
Gryphons LAAIR Funding Program has a maximum of $ 25,000 for Product Development
Grants and $125,000 for Commercialization Grants. You do not need to include or add
overhead into your budget. It is already taken into consideration outside of your proposal. The
entire grant is useable for research.
Rough Budget Notes
Supporting Documentation
Click on the button to attach any PDF documents:
1. Gryphon’s LAAIR Signature Page (mandatory)
2. OR-5 Form signed by your Chair and Dean (mandatory)
3. Letters of Support (if available / applicable)
4. Other documents you deem important such as, research commitments, leveraged funding
commitments, award letters to be leveraged with this proposal or relevant articles
demonstrating industry needs. All documents must be in PDF format.
WARNING
This is a working document
Don’t forget to transfer all your answers in to your application in RMS!
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