DEC — Regional Innovation Ecosystems — CERI – Non-Profit Organizations ### 📋 Eligible Entities - Non-profit organizations (primary applicants) - Organizations supporting business development across all stages - Regional innovation ecosystem coordinators and facilitators - Business support organizations with non-profit status - Economic development organizations (non-profit structure required) - Industry associations and clusters (non-profit) - Research and technology transfer organizations (non-profit) - Consortiums of non-profits working in regional innovation ### 💰 Funding Details - Grant Type: Non-repayable contribution (grant, not a loan) - Funding Structure: Cost-sharing model (matching funds typically required) - Amount: Variable based on project scope and regional allocation - Repayability: Non-repayable; funds do not need to be returned - Budget Coverage: Typically covers eligible project costs up to a specified percentage - Regional Distribution: Funds distributed across regional development organizations (DEC regions) ### 🛠️ Approved Expenses - Strengthening regional innovation capacity and ecosystems - Business development support services and programming - Competitiveness enhancement initiatives for enterprises - Innovation infrastructure development - Mentoring, coaching, and advisory services for businesses - Technology adoption and digital transformation support - Cluster development and industry collaboration projects - Training and skills development for entrepreneurs - Market research and commercialization support - Networking events, workshops, and knowledge-sharing platforms - Professional services related to ecosystem building ### ⚠️ Conditions & Milestones - Eligibility Requirement: Organization must maintain non-profit status throughout project duration - Project Scope: Activities must target business competitiveness and global market readiness - Regional Focus: Projects must align with regional economic development priorities - Accountability: Reporting on outcomes and business impacts supported - Matching Requirements: Organization may need to contribute matching funds or in-kind resources - Timeline: Projects must have defined milestones and completion dates - Performance Metrics: Demonstration of business support delivery and measurable results - Governance: Compliance with organizational policies and funding agreement terms - Documentation: