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). Confirm on the official site ↗
Updated June 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. Approval odds: ~30–50% (GrantCompass analysis)
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Eligibility & Details

What this program funds and who can apply

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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
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

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Moderate
Approval Rate
~30–50%
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
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What's in this Playbook

Everything you need to win CSA smartEarth Program

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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.

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Success Profile

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Evaluation Criteria

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Application Playbook

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

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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.

Required Documents 4

✓ Technical proposal
✓ Satellite data application design

Eligible Expenses 8

Ineligible Expenses 6

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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Funding Stack Strategy

Compatible programs, clawback risk, and combined funding potential

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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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How CSA smartEarth Program Compares

Side-by-side with similar programs

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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 Between intakes — AO...
NRC IRAP Clean Technology Program $100,000–$500,000 Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing
Strategic Response Fund (formerly Str... Minimum $10 million contribution Hard Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Ongoing — continuous...
CanExport SMEs Up to $50,000 Moderate Mixed (Advance + Reimb.) Applications accepted...

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Frequently Asked Questions

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

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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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