The main goal of the Strategic Financial Education, Outreach and Research Partnerships Program (the “Program”) is to develop partnerships or provide support for innovative projects or initiatives (the “projects”) that address current or emerging issues and specific needs related to the AMF’s mission.
The projects must help advance the AMF’s mission or goals in the area of financial awareness and education. The AMF ensures that projects are carried out by partners with the expertise and networks needed to maximize impact.
The Program is also focused on establishing or developing, whether at the AMF’s initiative or not, high-impact or structuring projects. These projects must further knowledge about current or emerging issues of particular interest to the AMF in light of its mission, role or strategic objectives. For example, a project that has lasting, measurable benefits for Quebeckers, target groups or established networks will be favoured over an initiative with more limited benefits.
The Program also enables the AMF to fund its own awareness campaigns. Lastly, the Program is not a sponsorship program.
2023 call for projects
The 2023 call for projects is aimed at providing financial support for projects addressing issues that are grouped under two themes: financial literacy and digital transformation.
The deadline for submitting a preliminary project form was June 2, 2023. Results will be communicated to applicants by fall.
PROJECTS FUNDED
Since its establishment in the spring of 2019, the Strategic Financial Education, Outreach and Research Partnerships Program has entered into agreements for major projects with the following organizations:
Financial services law laboratory
Under this agreement, the AMF will provide financial support to the Université Laval Foundation for the establishment of a financial services law laboratory (the Laboratoire en droit des services financiers). The laboratory will carry out teaching and research activities on an integrated basis as part of a financial consumer protection clinic and the Financial Services Law Research Group.The AMF expects to contribute $250,000 over the five-year term of the agreement.
AMF-Finance Montréal Fintech Research Chair
Under this agreement, the AMF is providing financial support to UQAM’s École des Sciences de la gestion for the creation of the AMF-Finance Montréal Fintech Research Chair, a multidisciplinary and interuniversity research unit that will develop cutting-edge foundational and practical knowledge about the issues and impacts of fintech. The Chair is structured to ensure the participation of top fintech specialists drawn from all of Québec’s universities. The AMF and Finance Montréal are each contributing $1 million in support over five years.
Major financial support to consumer associations and ACEFs
Under these agreements, the AMF will provide up to $2 million in financial support over five years to consumer associations and ACEFs so they can carry out additional financial education activities. The financial support ties in with a core AMF objective that has economic and social implications: to encourage Quebeckers to exercise greater vigilance in managing their personal finances and convince them of the benefits of doing so. It also supports a central focus of the strategic partnerships program: the development of high-impact initiatives that will have measurable benefits for Québec’s population.
FinÉcoLab educational program
Under this agreement, the AMF will provide financial support to CIRANO (Centre for Interuniversity Research and Analysis on Organizations) for FinÉcoLab, a program designed primarily for high school and CEGEP students as an introduction to economic and financial concepts. The financial support from the AMF, consisting of close to $247,000 paid over five years, will be used to update the program, make it available in French and English, and promote it among Québec educators.