Guide on publicly acknowledging support from ACOA

   

This guide provides an overview of how to publicly recognize financial support from ACOA, as well as links to graphic files for download. If you are working with an ACOA Program Officer, this information and all necessary digital files will also be provided as part of your contribution agreement package.

Public acknowledgement of ACOA’s financial assistance is a condition of receiving a grant or contribution, and we want to make it easy!

Acknowledgement requirements and example usage

• ACOA corporate identity and acknowledgement text
• When to use the Canada wordmark
• Equal acknowledgement
• Acknowledgement in both official languages
• Technical specifications for the ACOA corporate identity
• Acknowledgement activities
  • Printed materials and promotional items
  • Social media
  • Press releases
  • Websites
  • Advertisements and public service announcements
  • Special events
  • Verbal acknowledgement
  • Tickets and invitations
• Downloads

ACOA corporate identity and acknowledgement text

Proper use of the ACOA corporate identity (also known as logo) helps people recognize that your project or activity is supported by the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. You must ensure that ACOA’s corporate identity is not altered in any way. Where space and circumstances allow, a brief message stating the project was supported by ACOA must also be used. Here are a few examples:

• Supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• This project is funded [in part] by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
• This project has been made possible [in part] by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

The ACOA acronym should only be used if Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) has already been used in the product.

When to use the Canada wordmark instead

When more than one federal department or agency provides financial assistance, the ACOA corporate identity should not be used, and only the Canada wordmark should be used instead. In these cases, the accompanying text should also refer to the Government of Canada instead of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

   

The rest of this guide will only reference the ACOA corporate identity, but the requirement to use only the Canada wordmark when working with more than one federal funder applies in all situations. Be sure to consider this when using the examples below.

Equal acknowledgement

The ACOA corporate identity must receive the same prominence and proportion as the logos and identifiers of other funding parties who have made similar financial contributions.

Acknowledgement in both official languages

For bilingual publications, use the English-first version of the acknowledgement text when English appears first, and vice versa for the French.

Printed material that is produced in separate, unilingual versions, or in a bilingual recto-verso format, is also permitted.

Technical specifications for ACOA corporate identity

To ensure the integrity of the ACOA corporate identity, care must be taken to avoid any alterations. It should be displayed prominently, have sufficient space around it, and must not be part of a headline, phrase or sentence.

   

Download a ZIP file containing the ACOA corporate identity and the Canada wordmark.

We have provided the ACOA corporate identity and Canada wordmark in various colours and formats to make it easy to recognize ACOA’s support. However, you are still required to have your materials reviewed by your ACOA account manager prior to publication.

Acknowledgement activities

Printed materials and promotional items

You should use the ACOA corporate identity, and where space allows, the acknowledgement text on all printed or electronic documents, marketing materials, public reports, publications and media products related to the project.

If it involves the publication of a book or a magazine, the acknowledgement must be prominently displayed in the masthead or on an acknowledgement page at the front of the publication.

Social media

For ACOA to share or retweet information about the project, please share the address of all social media accounts (Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram) that will publish content related to the funded activities.

Recipients are also asked to follow ACOA on social media by subscribing to:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ACOACanada
• X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/ACOACanada ; @APECACanada
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/acoacanada
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/acoa-apeca/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acoacanada/

Please be sure to amplify our content about your project as well!

News releases

In some cases, and following discussions with your Program Officer, you may publish a news release about the project before, or instead of, ACOA. Financial support from ACOA must be acknowledged in all news releases that relate to funding sources for your project. ACOA will provide a quote for inclusion in news releases upon request.

Websites

The ACOA corporate identity must be displayed on all websites related to the funded activities, and link to the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency website: https://www.canada.ca/en/atlantic-canada-opportunities.html

Advertisements and public service announcements

The ACOA corporate identity and, if possible, the acknowledgement text are used when the logos of other sponsors, supporters or funding parties are displayed in advertisements and advertorials, including paid or free placements and public service announcements.

ACOA must have an opportunity to include its own message if similar messaging is to be included by any other sponsor, supporter or funding party. Space allocated for such messaging will be at least of equal size, duration and prominence of that of any other sponsor, supporter or funding party who has made a similar contribution. ACOA prepares these messages and provides the final artwork on request.

Special events

Support from ACOA must be acknowledged during public events, including conferences, trade shows, and business-to-business marketing activities that are funded through a contribution agreement.

Verbal acknowledgements

Verbal acknowledgement of ACOA's support should take place during speaking opportunities related to the project. E.g.

"I would like to acknowledge the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s support for (name of project or event). I would also like to welcome (name of representative) to our event today."

Tickets and invitations

Whenever possible, the ACOA corporate identity should be displayed on all event tickets and invitations, for example, as part of activities like opening, closing and welcoming ceremonies, receptions and other events.

For questions on information provided in this guide or the acknowledgement obligations outlined in your contribution agreement, please reach out to your Program Officer or contact us.