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BUDGET GUIDELINES — ONCAT CAPACITY GRANTS AND ONCAT COLLABORATION GRANTS

Budget Guidelines — ONCAT Capacity Grants and ONCAT Collaboration Grants

This page lists the budget guidelines for ONCAT Capacity Grants and ONCAT Collaboration Grants.

Click here to review the budget guidelines for Indigenous Institutes Transfer Grants. 

Purpose and scope

  • ONCAT grants are intended to support projects with defined timelines and activities.
  • ONCAT grants are not intended to cover operating budgets for administrative departments and/or ongoing costs for permanent programs.  
  • ONCAT grants cannot be used to support projects that have received (or have applied for) any funding from the Credit Transfer Innovation Grant (CTIG), eCampusOntario and/or the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO). 

Personnel costs

The following expenses are eligible:

  • salaries and benefits for administrative and support staff, for time that is directly allocated to the project’s activities  
  • teaching release for academic staff, if faculty members are substantially involved in the project’s activities (excluding the instructional delivery of any for-credit courses)
  • honoraria for external advisors (e.g., Indigenous Elder, cultural consultant)
  • fees for external contractors (e.g., UX designer, program evaluator) 

The following expenses are ineligible: 

  • salaries and benefits for senior administrative staff (e.g., senior manager, director, registrar, vice-president)  
  • salaries and benefits for senior academic staff (e.g., chair, dean, director, vice-president)
  • salaries, benefits, honoraria or fees for the instructional delivery of any for-credit courses (unless specifically approved by ONCAT)
  • retirement, termination and severance costs 

Project costs

The following expenses are eligible: 

  • physical and digital materials that support the academic and/or non-academic success of prospective or current transfer* students (“transfer* students” includes students transferring from one institution to another, as well as learners who have previously earned at least one course credit from two or more postsecondary institutions or via other sources, such as Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), Ontario Micro-Credential (OMC), etc.  
  • events, activities or services that support the academic and/or non-academic success of prospective or current transfer* students  
  • physical and digital materials that promote events, activities or services for prospective or current transfer* students  
  • physical and digital materials that promote academic and/or employment pathways and opportunities for prospective or current transfer* students  
  • physical and digital materials that communicate effective practices of transfer* credit assessment within your institution
  • educational resources, curriculum development and course materials, for content that is directly related to the project’s activities
  • professional meetings with representatives from multiple postsecondary institutions  
  • professional meetings with representatives from employers, community associations and other external stakeholders  
  • facility rentals  
  • computer hardware, audio-video equipment or tools with costs under $300 per item
  • rental fees for equipment
  • audio-video documentation of the project (e.g., photographer, videographer) 

The following expenses are ineligible: 

  • capital expenditures (e.g., purchase of furniture, renovation of facilities)
  • computer hardware, audio-video equipment or tools with costs over $300 per item
  • onboarding, membership or licencing fees paid to an external service provider
  • student awards, bursaries or scholarships 

Travel costs

ONCAT recognizes that in-person meetings or consultations may be necessary to conduct project activities. To reduce travel costs and environmental impact, ONCAT encourages videoconferencing whenever possible.  

The following expenses are eligible: 

  • air/rail tickets, ground transportation, car rental or kilometric allowance, accommodation and/or meals  

All travel expenses should adhere to either (1) your institution’s travel policy, or the Government of Ontario’s Travel, Meal, and Hospitality Expenses Directive. 

Overhead and administration

Budgets may include a line item to cover the following overhead and administration costs:  

  • copying and printing, telephones and internet, office supplies and stationary, and general support provided by the postsecondary institution

Overhead and administration costs cannot exceed 10% of the total funding requested for the project. 

Contact ONCAT

If you have questions or comments, contact Inna Yeranosyan, Grants and Projects Specialist. 


ONCAT is funded by the Government of Ontario. All programs and details are subject to change without notice.