Final Evaluation of the Contributions Program for Nonprofit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations

Recommendation 1:

OCA, to enhance its role as a "gateway" for promoting and sharing consumer research, should actively facilitate the coordination of consumer organization input and consumer marketplace research among federal government departments.

Agreed. With respect to research produced under the Program, OCA will continue to facilitate, promote and assist various Industry Canada branches as well as other government departments to access consumer research and researchers for policy development purposes, consultations and other initiatives.

Action plan: The Action Plan in Recommendation #2 (see below) addresses the specific dissemination and promotion activities undertaken by OCA regarding the research produced under the Program.

Director General & Director, Consumer Services and Outreach

Ongoing

Recommendation 2:

Efforts should continue to be made to facilitate and improve the dissemination of Research Contribution Program project results.

Agreed. It is OCA's view that the relative priority organizations attach to communicating and disseminating project results and the skills they have to undertake such activities could be improved. Program recipients are currently allowed, and actively encouraged, to request expenses for communication-related activities within the duration of their respective Contribution Agreements.

Action plan:

OCA has taken a number of steps to improve the dissemination of project results. OCA disseminates the research produced under its Program via the Consumer Policy Research Database — CPRD (a collection of Canadian research references on consumer related topics) and through its new Consumer Research Post (an e-bulletin targeted at consumer and voluntary organizations, government agencies and academics interested in consumer related topics). OCA also developed a Communications Toolkit in 2008 and offered media training to help recipients better communicate the results of their projects. The Toolkit is posted on the OCA website for potential and actual recipients to consult before submitting their project proposals. It offers advice and options for the dissemination of project results and it will be updated in 2010 to include a social media component.

Director General & Director, Consumer Services and Outreach

The toolkit will be updated in the summer of 2010.

Continue to post research reports in the CPRD and to issue articles via the Consumer Research Post

Recommendation 3:

To more effectively build research capacity (staff with the right mix of research skills) and the organizational capabilities of non-profit and voluntary consumer organizations, OCA should consider funding research and organizational development projects that extend more than one year for the same program beneficiary.

Agreed. Two-year projects are currently eligible for both research and development projects but with a limit of $100,000 per project.

Action plan:

OCA will be encouraging the option of two year projects in its future communications with its potential recipients and other stakeholders. OCA will also be considering the option of a higher financial threshold per project within the framework of the Policy on Transfer Payments when the Terms and Conditions of the Program come up for review in March 2011.

Director General & Director, Consumer Services and Outreach

March 2011. Subject to the Program renewal.

Recommendation 4:

OCA should consider directing more of the current funding to the establishment of organizations similar to the CCI but constituted by different sets of consumer organizations.

Agreed. OCA welcomes the establishment of other collaborative arrangements similar to the Canadian Consumer Initiative (CCI), if they meet the eligibility requirements of the Program. It should be noted that the CCI is not a legal entity. Also, this recommendation should be considered within the current consumer movement context in Canada: there are a limited number of consumer organizations and therefore a limited number of opportunities to develop collaborative mechanisms beyond the CCI. Organizations may currently propose joint initiatives under the Consumer Movement Development Contributions component of the Program.

Action plan:

OCA will continue to promote collaboration and partnerships among consumer and voluntary organizations. OCA will also conduct an assessment of the current funding levels and criteria for supporting joint/collaborative development projects when the Terms and Conditions of the Program come up for review in March 2011.

Director General & Director, Consumer Services and Outreach

Ongoing.

March 2011. Subject to the Program renewal.