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.

Themes

Theme 1: Applied financial literacy

According to a key finding in the Research report on a new Applied Financial Literacy Index (pdf - 2 MB)This link will open in a new windowUpdated on 21 February 2023, consumers’ first experiences in purchasing any financial product are related to key moments facilitating the acquisition of competencies and the development of financial literacy. The report also reveals that the experiences with the greatest learning potential are related to the actions taken to obtain a mortgage or new investment products. In other words, financial literacy does not seem to be developed through reading alone; it is largely acquired through doing.

Applied financial literacy takes on its full meaning in an environment where consumers are increasingly self-directed in the consumption of financial products and services. It provides an opportunity to innovate and further improve the effectiveness of initiatives to educate and protect consumers, particularly given the development of Internet offerings, the evolution of transaction platforms and gamification-based incentives, and the growing influence of certain actors who are using social media to get their messages out.

In light of these findings, the AMF is soliciting proposals for projects that will ultimately support the organization in developing and disseminating tools or programs to enhance the financial literacy of Quebeckers, specifically in their actions to acquire new financial products. These tools and programs must apply to dimensions most tangible and immediately useful for consumers so that experimentation approximates learned concepts.

Theme 2: Digital transformation

The second theme of this call for projects relates to the discussions contained in the issues paper Insights into the risks and benefits of digital financial services for consumers (2022) This link will open in a new window. This document provides a detailed picture of the main issues associated with the digital transformation in financial services. Considering some of these issues, the AMF is proposing a second theme covering four topics of interest to the scientific community and organizations eligible to submit a preliminary proposal under the Program:

  • Enhance financial consumers’ financial and digital literacy using innovative tools and programs
  • Use technological tools and digital engagement practices to foster sound financial behaviours
  • Promote the development of consumer knowledge of cryptoassets and decentralized finance (DeFi)
  • Develop and implement a digital transformation data strategy for the financial sector. Data will be collected to support:
    • the development of consumer protection policies and standards and financial and digital education programs
    • behavioural and other related research
    • responsible innovation in digital financial services

Eligibility

The following are eligible to apply: educational institutions (including research chairs), foundations, professional orders, cooperatives, non-profit organizations, business corporations, partnerships and groups consisting of several such entities. Applicants must be duly constituted and have been established in Québec for at least one year.

The following are not eligible to apply: provincial and federal government departments and bodies, municipalities and municipal bodies, and anyone authorized by the AMF to practise in one or more sectors regulated by the AMF or related to anyone authorized by the AMF to practise in one or more sectors regulated by the AMF.

Applicants and individuals related to the projects must not have had a sanction imposed on them for a failure to comply with a law administered by the AMF or have been found guilty or been convicted of a criminal offence.

Submission and assessment process

All eligible preliminary projects that are submitted will be assessed on a competitive basis. Upon completion of this assessment, the applicants for the preliminary projects that are selected will be invited to submit a more detailed project, which will also undergo a competitive assessment that takes into account the stated priorities and the annual budget envelope that is available.

  1. Submission of the preliminary project form (pdf - 95 KB)This link will open in a new windowUpdated on 13 April 2022Formulaire de propositions d’avant projet (in French only) by e-mail at [email protected].
  2. Analysis of the preliminary project by the AMF taking into account the eligibility criteria.
  3. Assessment of the preliminary project by an AMF committee taking into account the assessment criteria.
  4. After all preliminary projects have been assessed on a competitive basis, the applicants that are selected will be invited to submit a detailed application within 60 days.

The complete assessment process may take between ten and twelve months. Projects can start in early 2024.

Assessment criteria

The AMF will assess the following elements, in particular, when selecting the projects that will receive support under the program:

  • The project is aligned with one of the themes referred to in the call for projects and the findings identified in the reference documents
  • It is demonstrated that the project tangibly contributes to the AMF’s work related to its mission and stated priorities.
  • It is demonstrated that the project does not duplicate or continue an existing project
  • The project is innovative and the proposed approach to achieving the set objectives and meaningful and tangible results is thorough
  • There is potential for cooperation, coordination or the sharing of expertise that could enhance the project’s benefits
  • It is demonstrated that the project coordinators have experience and competence in the field
  • The project has tangible benefits for consumers and users of financial products and services
  • The amount applied for and budget are realistic and reasonable (only direct expenses deemed essential to the project are eligible; those related to the organization’s usual activities will not be accepted)

The AMF will pay particular attention to proposals that address issues related to the above two themes that are specific to Québec’s Indigenous communities, diverse groups, and people with disabilities.

Project duration

The maximum duration for any project is 24 months.

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.