Performance measurement plans
Financial reporting
Performance reporting
Performance measurement plans
Each full proposal submitted to a Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF) competition must include a performance measurement plan, which will be the basis for ongoing reporting, progress-monitoring and the evaluation of results during the midterm review. The plan must include performance targets to be achieved by the end of the award period. These targets should be ambitious, and must be relevant to the institution’s overall strategy for global excellence.
Performance targets may, as appropriate, be related to:
- global research excellence;
- the ability to attract and retain the best and brightest talent;
- the ability to mobilize knowledge for the benefit of both society and the economy, and the impacts of these activities;
- contributions to national or regional strategic priorities;
- the extent to which career and training benefits derived from the opportunities associated with the initiative have been made available to designated groups (women, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples and persons with disabilities); and/or
- other areas relevant to the institution’s strategy.
For each area, the performance measurement plan should specify the indicators and metrics that will be used to assess progress in the short, mid- and longer term. The plan should also provide midterm milestone targets, to be met at the midpoint of the award (i.e., at the end of the fourth year of the award).
Baseline data for indicators tied to the key expected outcomes and impacts must be included in the proposal, to help reviewers assess the proposed initiative’s expected impact relative to the current state. More detailed baseline data on indicators and metrics included in the performance measurement plan could be required from recipient institutions at the start of the award, to ensure the completeness of the plan.
Financial reporting
By June 30 each year, all institutions must submit to the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat (TIPS), which administers the CFREF program, the following annual financial reports using the templates provided:
- an annual statement of account for the CFREF grant that details how the grant funds were spent and lists all outstanding commitments;
- revised budget projections and up-to-date cash flow requirements for the remainder of the funding period; and
- sign-off from the institutional representative or delegate.
Failure to submit annual financial reports will result in the suspension of future payments until the reports are received.
Performance reporting
Annual progress reports
All institutions awarded a CFREF grant must complete and submit an annual progress report through an online survey tool (Voxco) by the deadline stated on the Forms page. The program will email the link and password for the report to the institutional contacts indicated in each institution’s application.
The annual report consists of three parts:
- Part A – Program Monitoring, which addresses a number of key questions and indicators used for ongoing program monitoring, and to effectively support program evaluation needs.
- Part B – Progress on the Performance Measurement Plan, which addresses how the institution is progressing towards the objectives set out in the performance measurement plan it provided as part of its grant application.
- Part C – Participant Information and Self-identification Form, which also addresses a number of key questions and indicators used for ongoing program monitoring, and to effectively support program evaluation needs.
Failure to submit an annual progress report will result in the suspension of future payments until the report is received.
To improve the program’s visibility, and to ensure accountability to researchers, industry, other partners, affiliates and the public, institutions are also required to report publicly, via their websites, on program-sponsored activities and successes, relative to the institution’s initiative-specific performance measurement plans.
Midterm progress report and review
All institutions awarded a CFREF grant must complete and submit a midterm progress report at the midpoint of the seven-year funding period (i.e., at the end of the fourth year of the award) . More information about the content of the midterm progress report will be available shortly.
Failure to submit a midterm progress report will result in the suspension of future payments until the report is received.
TIPS will conduct an assessment of progress at midterm, on the basis of the midterm progress report submitted by the institution and against the milestones identified in the performance measurement plan. This assessment may involve the participation of scientific or other experts, or various adjudication bodies, at the CFREF steering committee’s discretion.
If the results of the midterm progress assessment are unsatisfactory, the CFREF steering committee has the option to direct TIPS to terminate the funding, as described in Termination of CFREF funding.