This program is currently between intakes. Periodic AO rounds with rotating themes. Recent AOs: Biodiversity Action (January 2025, registration closed February 2026), Accelerating EO Innovations Stage 2 (2024), Research Opportunities (2023-2024).
Updated March 2026 · Verified against Canadian Space Agency (CSA) guidelines
✓ First-Timer Friendly Reimbursement Est. 2020
Grant Federal Between Intakes

CSA smartEarth Program

Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
Maximum Funding
Up to $250,000
Periodic AO rounds — check CSA website
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Reimbursement
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Friendly ✓
Co-Funding
100%
CSA smartEarth Program provides Up to $250,000 per project. Non-repayable contributions for Canadian organizations to develop innovative Earth observation satellite data applications. Periodic AO rounds — check CSA website. (As of March 2026, verified against Canadian Space Agency (CSA) program guidelines)

Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

Free

Program Description

Non-repayable contributions for Canadian organizations to develop innovative Earth observation satellite data applications. Three tracks: Accelerator (commercial EO solutions), Integrator (government service improvements), Enabler (capacity building). Recent AOs funded 20 organizations.

Eligibility Requirements

  • For-profit organizations in Canada
  • Not-for-profit organizations in Canada
  • Canadian post-secondary institutions
  • Project must use satellite Earth observation data
  • Must align with Accelerator, Integrator, or Enabler track
Provinces
All Provinces
Industries
Technology Agriculture Clean Technology Aerospace
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
Est. Hours
80h
First-Timer
Friendly

Funding Details

Amount
Up to $250,000 per project
Type
Grant
Level
Federal
Co-Funding
Up to 100% of eligible costs
Deadline
Periodic AO rounds — check CSA website

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Hybrid
Competition
Moderate
Effort
~80 hours
Approval
Moderate
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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Approval likelihood, realistic amounts, competition level, and what winners look like
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win CSA smartEarth Program — $19

Not a marketing summary. The actual checklist, intel, and stack strategy reviewers look for.

Consultants charge $2,000–$5,000 per program. This Playbook is $19. Yours forever.
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Applying for CSA smartEarth Program? Our Grant Proposal Template ($19) mirrors the section structure Canadian reviewers actually score on. Or get all 4 templates in the Founder Pack ($59 · saves $27) →

How to Win

Insider tips, common pitfalls, and what successful applicants look like

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Insider Tip

Accelerator track best for private companies building commercial EO products. Highlight environmental monitoring or food security applications — aligned with CSA priorities.

Premium See what trips up most applicants for this program — and how to avoid it.

Success Profile

Canadian geospatial/agri-tech firm with demonstrated satellite data use and a solution for a defined environmental or operational challenge.

Premium See what successful applicants for this program actually look like.

Evaluation Criteria

Assessed on: (1) Innovation and novelty of the satellite data application; (2) Application Readiness Level (ARL) — a 9-level framework tracking development maturity from approach definition to solution deployment; (3) Alignment with track objectives (Accelerator: commercial viability, Integrator: government service improvement, Enabler: capacity building); (4) Environmental or societal impact of the proposed application; (5) Team capability and relevant EO/geospatial expertise; (6) Feasibility of proposed timeline and budget; (7) Benefit to Canadian EO ecosystem.

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Don’t waste 80 hours on a preventable rejection
Common rejection pitfalls, what winners look like, and exactly what reviewers score on
Paid grant writers quote $2,000–$5,000 per program. Start with the $19 Playbook first.
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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

Premium 6 steps 4 docs

Application Steps

1 Monitor CSA Announcements of Opportunity Check the CSA smartEarth page and funding opportunities page regularly. smartEarth operates through periodic AOs — no continuous intake. Each AO targets a specific theme or track.
2 Select Appropriate Track Determine which track fits your project: Accelerator (commercial EO solutions at various readiness levels), Integrator (government service improvements via industry-led consortia), or Enabler (capacity building for satellite data use).
3 Register and Prepare Application Register via the CSA submission portal when an AO opens. Prepare a technical proposal describing the satellite data application, team qualifications, impact statement, and budget. Two-phase AOs (like Accelerator) require only Stage 1 application initially.
4 Submit Application Upload complete application package via CSA's secure electronic portal before the AO deadline. Include satellite data application design, team qualifications, and impact assessment.
5 Evaluation and Selection CSA evaluates against track-specific criteria. Decision within 3-5 months of AO close. For two-phase AOs, only promising Stage 1 projects advance to Stage 2.
6 Contribution Agreement Selected projects negotiate and sign contribution agreement. Projects typically span 1-3 years depending on track and AO.

Required Documents 4

✓ Technical proposal
✓ Satellite data application design
✓ Team qualifications
✓ Impact statement

Eligible Expenses 8

  • Salaries and employee benefits for project personnel
  • Equipment acquisition, rental, and software for satellite data processing
  • Consultant and professional services for EO application development
  • Data acquisition costs including satellite imagery licensing
  • Materials and supplies for prototype/demonstration development
  • Overhead and administrative costs (max 15% of project costs)
  • Travel expenses directly related to project activities
  • Cloud computing and infrastructure costs for data processing

Ineligible Expenses 6

  • Space hardware development (covered by STDP, not smartEarth)
  • Satellite construction or launch costs
  • Costs incurred before contribution agreement signing
  • General marketing and sales activities unrelated to the application
  • Routine operational costs not specific to the funded project
  • Projects not using satellite Earth observation data

Intake Periods

Periodic AO rounds with rotating themes. Recent AOs: Biodiversity Action (January 2025, registration closed February 2026), Accelerating EO Innovations Stage 2 (2024), Research Opportunities (2023-2024). Expect 1-2 new AOs per fiscal year. Monitor asc-csa.gc.ca/smartearth for announcements.

Deadline Notes

smartEarth may no longer operate as a standalone program — not appearing in CSA active funding listings as of April 2026. Program may have been consolidated. Monitor asc-csa.gc.ca/smartearth for updates or contact CSA directly.

Open Application Portal →

Ineligible Organizations

  • Organizations not established and operating in Canada
  • Individuals and sole proprietorships
  • Foreign entities without Canadian operations
  • Organizations proposing projects that do not use satellite Earth observation data
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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

Premium 3 partners

Compatible Programs

CSA Space Technology Development Program (STDP) NRC IRAP Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
Combined Funding Potential See your total funding potential

Clawback Risk

Low Risk
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See your total funding potential across 3 programs
Stacking amounts, clawback details, government stacking limits, and tax implications
One avoided clawback typically outweighs the $19 Playbook cost by 50–100×.
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How CSA smartEarth Program Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

Free
Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
CSA smartEarth Program Up to $250,000 per project Moderate Reimbursement Periodic AO rounds —...
Space Technology Development Program ... Up to $1,000,000 Hard Reimbursement Active — AO 10.1, 10.2,...
NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program $100,000–$500,000 Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing
Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... Up to $50 million Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing — continuous...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Next deadline: May 29,...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions founders most often ask about CSA smartEarth Program

Free
Can sole proprietors apply?
No — only incorporated for-profits, non-profits, or Canadian post-secondary institutions. Sole proprietors must incorporate to qualify for smartEarth.
What's the typical award amount?
Most projects receive $100,000–$250,000. The maximum $780,000 is rare; recent AOs funded 20 projects averaging $150k.
Is smartEarth still active?
Program may be consolidated — not listed as active on CSA website as of April 2026. Check asc-csa.gc.ca/smartearth for updates or contact CSA directly.
Do I need matching funds?
No matching required. Payments are reimbursement-based — you pay expenses first, then get reimbursed after approval.
Why do applications fail?
Most fail due to weak track alignment (e.g., claiming Accelerator for a non-commercial project) or not using satellite EO data as the core solution.

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