With NSERC providing project funding, CFI launched the College-Industry Innovation Fund to enhance the capacity of colleges to support business innovation in Canada by providing them with state-of-the-art, industry-relevant research infrastructure to foster partnerships with the private sector in a specific area of strategic priority to the institution.

Budget 2010 provided $15 million in additional funding to support partnerships between colleges and businesses through the CCI program. This allowed for the launch of the project-specific Applied Research and Development (ARD) grants; the Applied Research Tools and Instruments (ARTI) grants; and the pilot of the Technology Access Center grants.

NSERC launched the pilot of the Technology Access Centre funding program to enhance the R&D activities of established college applied research centres, better supporting the growth of regional firms and industry sectors across the country. The goal was to make companies more productive and innovative by providing access to specialized expertise, technology and equipment at nationally-recognized Canadian colleges and cégeps.