|
site map |
| home |
| nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn |
NRE Partners
The NRE project began
in earnest in 1998 and has since benefited from the support of the following government
agencies , NGOs and Research Centres.
Research partners are invited to ally their research interests with those of the NRE over its new 4-year mandate. Communities, researchers, financial partners, and NGOs are encouraged to bring their own focus to the NRE in the form of projects. NRE data, intellectual property, and financial resources are to be shared. Three types of partnership are anticipated: financial, issue-related, and research. Financial partnerships are being built in two steps. The first seeks partnerships with national government agencies, based on their need to formulate and answer research questions to inform policy. Coincident with this step is action by CRRF to raise the profile of the Foundation among NGOs holding rural interests. The second stage is the CRRF Endowment Campaign seeking Cornerstone investments by the private sector to support the NRE Research Program. The process of consultation on the NRE indicates that many prospective partners considering involvement with the NRE Research Program are motivated by specific concerns or issues. Issue-related research, whether regional, sectoral, or eclectic is enabled by the NRE approach. The approach is also flexible enough to accommodate issues arising as the Research Program unfolds. New issues are the principal outcome of nurturing the learning culture in rural communities. Research Partnerships Three types of research are foreseen for the operations of the NRE, according to the nature of the research partnership. 1. Core CRRF research 2. Focused initiatives by partners 3. Allied partner research Core research activities develop the conceptual, theoretical and methodological strength of CRRF relative to its values and vision of serving all rural Canadians, in an inclusive manner, building the rural economy of the 2000s. Focused initiatives by prospective partners are assessed for inclusion in the NRE according to four criteria. 1. The initiators of the research are willing to adhere to the standard principles of a contract with CRRF. 2. The research design uses field sites defined from the CRRF sampling frame or otherwise provides for comparability with field sites in the sample. 3. The research design uses the lagging/leading framework for comparisons, whatever other comparative analyses are proposed. 4. Research partners working with regional field sites collect data for core research and for other partners at marginal cost. A focused partner initiative fulfilling all four criteria is considered to form an integral part of the NRE Research Program and eligible for administrative and financial support by the NRE. If only one or two criteria are satisfied, the initiative is considered to be allied partner research with free access to NRE data. Should the proposed initiative not satisfy any of the criteria, it shall be considered to be independent of the NRE Program, with terms of access to NRE data and resources to be negotiated. Investment Partnerships The NRE Program anticipates five sets of investor partners. They are, CRRF, the Government of Canada, provincial, territorial, and regional governments, the private sector including cooperatives, and community and other non-governmental organizations with a rural constituency or mandate. The NRE investment partnership plan is marketed as two options. First, investors may place financial resources at the disposal of the research management for application to the most needed use. Second, investors are invited to underwrite parts of the NRE Program according to issues or internal mandates. The NRE Program does not undertake contract research on a fee-for-service basis. Rather, it is understood that the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts. Each investor receives the output attributable to the whole, well beyond the output attributable to their individual investment taken separately. Prospective investors are invited to support specific components of the NRE Research Program. A number of themes and research designs require support. Management costs such as the office of the Research Manager, or the operating costs of the meetings of the Research Steering Committee could be supported. The data management system could be a single investment. Student scholarships are needed. Many generic research expenses unique to a national research program, such as air travel, English/French translations of dissemination products, and educational meetings need to be financed. Investments may be made in-kind, services, or financing. NGOs and community organizations are invited to discuss services. Businesses, industries, and cooperatives are encouraged to consider financial support when possible. A five-year commitment, either in the form of a lump sum or annually prorated amounts, is preferred. All investment partners, no matter the size or form of investment are invited to attend the CRRF conferences. Partners receive copies of all dissemination products. All investors are acknowledged at every opportunity, on NRE documents, at meetings, at the NRE website, and in dissemination products. |
