Ontario Exporters Fund is an initiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, with support and funding from the Ontari

1. A Global Growth Fund Program Ontario Exporters Fund is aninitiative of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, with support and funding from the Ontario government.

2. Ontario Exporters Fund Objectives: • To help SMEs better understand their export capacity and thereby improve their ability to access foreign markets • To encourage SMEs to develop export market access strategies

3. Eligible Applicants • Between 5 to 500 employees • Established and operating in Ontario • A registered company for at least two years • A company in one of the MEDT priority sectors: • Advanced Manufacturing • Aerospace • Building Products and Construction • Clean Technology (including renewable energy and environmental technologies) • Exportable Professional Services (e.g., Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning) • ICT including Digital Media • Life Sciences

4. Eligible Applicants cont’d • Able to provide a reference from the MEDT • Able to provide completed audited financial statements for the two most recent fiscal years • Able to maintain an insurance policy for no less than $2 million of commercial general liability • In full compliance with all government laws and regulations • Cannot be receiving any other public funds towards activities contained in the application except from programs funded through the MEDT

5. Hiring an Export Manager The maximum grant amount to hire an Export Manager for the required 24 month period for the purpose of developing an international business plan is $80,000. Companies must have: • Annual sales from $1 million to $20 million • Current export sales ranging from 10% to 50% of total annual sales • If funds were received from the Export Market Access (EMA) program, projects must be completed

6. Hiring an Export Manager:General Guidelines The Export Manager must: • Have a minimum of five years of professional exporting experience in a management capacity • Be hired for at least 24 concurrent months • Not be a current company employee • Not be employed by a subsidiary or parent company • Not be a family member

7. Hiring an Export Manager: General Guidelines cont’d In developing an international business plan, the Export Manager will include (as applicable to the industry): • An overview of the company’s current business • An assessment of the company’s capacity to expand internationally • An international market assessment • An international expansion plan • A plan to implement the international growth strategy

8. Hiring an Export Manager:Payment Terms Approved applicants will receive: • 25% of the approved contribution amount upon completion of the approval process • 25% of the approved contribution amount upon submission of the First Interim Report (due four months after approval unless otherwise specified in the Agreement) • 25% amount upon submission of the Second Interim Report • 25% upon the company submitting a Final Report that is satisfactory to the OCC prior to the expiration of the Agreement

9. Evaluation Criteria The review committee will assess applications using the following criteria: • Eligibility of activities and expenditures for funding and linking of proposed activities to program objectives • Financial and management capability of the applicant to complete the proposed activities in a timely basis • Expected results and outcomes • Strength of the applicant’s proposal • Completeness of the application

10. How to Apply Steps: • Go to www.ontarioexporters.ca • Check the eligibility criteria • Review the Application Guidelines for detailed program information • Completethe Application Form and submit electronically along with all required supporting documentation

11. Contact Us: • Louie DiPalma: (416) 482-5222 ext. 227 louiedipalma@occ.on.ca • Lesley Cole: (416) 482-5222 ext. 239 lesleycole@occ.on.ca