Alberta Innovates — R&D Associates Program ### 📋 Eligible Entities - Private for-profit companies registered and operating in Alberta - Sole proprietors with an Alberta business registration - Partnerships with Alberta operations - Not-for-profit organizations engaged in research and development activities - Applicants must demonstrate capacity to absorb and benefit from R&D talent - Must be able to provide a suitable work environment for the R&D associate ### 💰 Funding Details - Maximum Grant Amount: $105,000 per project - Coverage Ratio: Up to 75% of the R&D associate's eligible salary - Matching Requirement: Applicant must cover the remaining 25% of salary costs - Project Duration: One year (12 months) - Repayability: Non-repayable grant (forgivable funding) - Funding Type: Direct salary cost subsidy ### 🛠️ Approved Expenses - R&D Associate Salary: Primary eligible expense (professional with relevant technical expertise) - Proof of Concept Development: Wages for work on POC projects - Prototyping Activities: Labor costs for prototype development and testing - Feasibility Assessments: Salary for conducting technical and commercial feasibility studies - Technology Validation: Professional time spent on validating new technologies or processes - Applicable Benefits: Eligible payroll deductions (CPP, EI, workers' compensation) ### ⚠️ Conditions & Milestones - Project Timeline: Strict one-year implementation period from approval - R&D Associate Requirement: Must hire or assign a qualified professional; cannot be current full-time employee redirected to project - Progress Reporting: Quarterly reporting on project milestones and R&D deliverables required - Proof of Expenditure: Must provide payroll records, T4s, and documentation of work completed - Project Deliverables: Must demonstrate tangible outputs (proof of concept, prototype, assessment report, or feasibility study) - Alberta Residency: R&D associate must work in Alberta; work may