Required Supporting Information
The "Required Supporting Information" listed below should form the title/heading for each page or section of your submission. There is no set length for each section; however make sure you are providing enough information to enable the Selection Committee to fully understand and appreciate what you have accomplished.
Since the Selection Committee is multi-disciplinary, the nomination material should be written for non-specialists. However, the Selection Committee reserves the right to have nominations evaluated by specialists from a nominee's discipline and information should be provided to permit such an evaluation.
A "bound copy" of the submission must be provided in such a way that when it is sent for outside evaluation it can be dispatched as a single unit and returned in the same manner, i.e., stapled, cerloxed, coiled, binder, etc. One unbound, single-sided copy, including a copy of the signed nomination form, must also be included for reproduction purposes and subsequent distribution to the Selection Committee.
The following information must be furnished with each nomination in a bound copy (stapled, binding strip), plus one unbound, single-sided copy for reproduction purposes:
If there is more than one nominee, please indicate which is to be the contact nominee, if other than the first nominee listed.
The same two nominators may act for each nominee. A nominator must not be related by immediate family to the nominee. Nominator(s) cannot be the spouse, parents, siblings, children or in-laws of the nominee.
The purpose of a nominator is for verification the nominee is a Canadian citizen, resident in Canada. The nominator himself should also be a Canadian citizen, resident in Canada. The nominator may, if desired, provide a letter of support for the nominee (to be included under "Endorsements").
The biographical sketch, CV, must indicate the highest level of education achieved and should be restricted to three pages. Please do not include a list of publications, invited lectures, abstracts. etc.
The one-page summary of the innovation should be written in layman's terms and provide a general explanation of the innovation.
The complete description of your innovation should include technical information that will be peer reviewed. Be sure to describe the intellectual achievement (the thought process, ingenious thinking and/or experiments to conceive the innovation) and what is unique and original about the innovation.
If there is more than one patent, provide a complete copy of the main patent and the front page showing the "summary description" of each subsequent patent.
This should be a chronological listing of events leading up to the completion of the innovation. For example, you can state in point form how your innovation grew from an idea, to discussions, to initial drawings, development of a prototype, challenges/modifications, leading to a product or process that meets your expectations.
The commercial success should be described in annual revenue received from the product or process and a list of customers. For a product, list the number of units sold, where it is manufactured, how and where it is distributed, i.e., locally, regionally, nationally or internationally.
Similarly for a process, but note the number of facilities/plants using the process. The success of a social innovation may not be measurable in dollars, but more likely in terms of broad acceptance and recognition which must be documented.
Please do not provide projected/forecasted sales or a copy of the business plan.
Please indicate how you funded the development of your innovation; if you obtained government grants (list dollar amounts), bank loans, public share offerings, family, friends, etc. Also, indicate if research facilities (list by name) or any technical experts were made available to you.
This section provides the opportunity for you to acknowledge the work and assistance of other individuals or companies who assisted you in your journey. This could be a spouse, family, friends, business partners, banking personnel, research teams, etc.
Statements from customers, suppliers, colleagues and other individuals that know the nominee and the innovation should be provided. As a suggestion, their letter can address or endorse the innovation based on the five criteria listed for scoring: Intellectual Achievement, Uniqueness and Originality, Development, Commercialization and Benefits.
State how your innovation has had an impact, socially and/or economically on Canadian citizens, i.e., provided job opportunities, improving the health of Canadians or other social benefits, etc..
Any samples or visual material you are able to provide will assist the Selection Committee to more fully understand and appreciate your innovation.