Information on the claim submission process for each cost-share program, including important dates, how to access the required claim documents, a list of documentation that must be included with your claim submission package, and instructions on how to submit your claim can be found in the application approval (or partial approval) notification letter that was sent by email. Before completing or submitting your claim it is important you review the information in your approval notification. If you cannot locate your approval notification, please send an email to the cost-share program email address under which you were approved.
General guidelines on the claim process are provided below. Information can also be found in the online Program Guide for each cost-share funding program.
General Guidelines to claiming Cost-Share
1
If an application is approved for a cost-share allocation, written confirmation will be provided from OSCIA by email (or by post, if no email address is provided).
Please review the information in the application approval (or partial approval) letter that is sent to you. If you cannot locate your approval letter, please send an email to the cost-share program under which you were approved to request the letter be resent.
Your approval letter contains important information specific to your application, including:
Your Application ID
The program and project category under which your application was approved
Eligible proposed costs
The approved cost-share allocation amount for the project
Conditions of the approval
A description of ineligible activities or costs that were proposed (if applicable)
The eligible project start date
Eligible dates in which project costs can be incurred, invoiced and/or paid
The project completion date and claim submission deadline
Project Inspections
How to contact OSCIA with questions related to your approval or the claim submission process
Information on how to submit your claim using the OSCIA Portal
3
Invoices and Proof of Payment
As part of an eligible project, every claimed cost must be supported by an invoice in the legal name of the applicant farm business. All goods and services must be purchased from an entity that is at armâs length from the farm business. Please refer to the Limits of Cost-share Funding section of the online Program Guide for more information on armâs length requirements.
All costs being claimed must be paid for by the applicant farm business. Proof of payment must verify who paid, who received payment, the amount of payment, and the date of payment.
Proof of payment may be any one of the following:
Copy of front and back of a cancelled cheque
Electronic image of a processed cheque
E-Transfer confirmation, which includes the word âDepositedâ or âAutodepositedâ
Bill Payment confirmation from a banking institution
Statement from banking institution indicating to whom a processed cheque was written, or electronic payment made, and for what amount
Credit card or debit card receipt clearly identifying the amount and to whom the payment was made. Credit card or debit card numbers and other information, including costs that are unrelated to the project, should be redacted.
Cash payments for project costs are strongly discouraged, as they may not meet requirements for proof of payment. If proof of payment is not provided, OSCIA cannot support the cost.
4
Some projects require that additional information or documentation be included with the claim submission. If required, this will also be detailed in your application approval letter. Examples may include:
A Conservation Agreement, Tree Service Agreement or Land Use Agreement
A copy of a completed audit, assessment, or planning report
Participation in a Knowledge Sharing Event (KSE), for projects approved under the OFCAF program. The Knowledge Sharing Event calendar can be found here.
5
Payment of cost-share funding
Cost-share payments are made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) in the name of the legal farm business. All cost-share funding is considered taxable income to the farm business.
OSCIA will issue a tax form (AGR-1) and report the amount paid to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Helpful Resources
Eligible project start dates, project completion dates, claim submission deadlines, and limits of cost-share funding for all OSCIA delivered cost-share funding programs can be found in the online Program Guide.
Thank you for choosing to join OSCIA!Merci d'avoir choisi de rejoindre l'AASRO!
To become an OSCIA member with your local association, you'll be redirected to the OSCIA Portal at osciaportal.org.
The first step is to create an account, which will give you access to your personalized dashboard. From there, you can register for workshops, apply for cost-share programs, and complete your membership registration.
To finalize your membership, simply click the Membership button on your dashboard. You'll then be guided to select your region and the local association where you'd like to become a member.
