Applicant guide: Funding for the National Operating Funding stream - Social Development Partnerships Program – Disability

Section A – Notice to applicants

Please read this section before completing the rest of your application for funding.

Section B – Application form

Part 1. Organization

Organization identification

Question 1: Legal name (Organization’s full name, as it appears on legal documents)

What is your organization’s legal name? The legal name is usually:

• the name on your registration with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or provincial/territorial equivalent
• the name used on funding cheques or bank accounts

Question 2: Operating name (if different from legal name)

What is the operating (or common) name of your organization (if it differs from the legal name)?

Question 3: Year established (Year the organization was created)

When was your organization established?

Question 4: Organization type

• In order to be eligible for funding, you must be a not-for-profit organization
• Your answer to this question must be “not-for-profit”

Question 5: Organization category

Tell us which category applies to you based on your answer to question 4:

• in order to be eligible for funding, you must be a national non-government organization
• your answer to this question must be “national non-governmental organization.”

Question 6: Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number

What is your 15-digit Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number? (For example, 123456789 RR 0001).

For registered charities and not-for-profit organizations, what is your registration number?

You can find your CRA business number on tax-related documents or written communications from the CRA.

Find more information about the Canada Revenue Agency.

If you do not have a CRA business number or a charity or not-for-profit registration number, provide one of the following documents:

1. if incorporated:
   • a copy of letters of patents
   • articles of incorporation
   • certificate of incorporation
   • memorandum of association
   • your rules, by-laws, or constitution
2. if not incorporated, provide:
   • a copy of your rules
   • bylaws
   • council resolutions, or
   • constitution

Question 7: Organization primary address

What is the address of your organization? Give a complete address in a format recognized by Canada Post.

Consult the Canada Post website for information.

Question 8: Mailing address

What is the mailing address of your organization (if it differs from your organization’s address)?

If you select “no”, another section will appear for you to fill out your organizations mailing address.

Question 9: Organization’s primary activities

While the application form (EM5671) gives a limit for the number of words that can be used in responding to this question, please disregard this limit and use a Word document to provide as much detail as possible.

To meet mandatory eligibility requirements for this call for proposals, you must provide the following information:

1. describe how your organization’s primary mandate is to promote the social inclusion of persons with disabilities, including your mission, objectives and main activities
2. explain how your organization has a national reach through activities in 3 or more regions:
   • please include the number of active members, offices and/or affiliates that your organization has across Canada and examples of how you work together to advance social inclusion at the national level
   • if your organization has adopted an intersectional approach to address barriers to social inclusion, please explain
   • examples of activities and programming include (not limited to):
     • delivery of programming and/or projects
     • community engagement
     • awareness and education
     • research and knowledge development/mobilization
     • policy development
     • network and partnership development
     • delivery of services and supports; and
     • advocacy and systemic change (for example, activities aiming to influence public policy)
   • Note: Under the SDPP Terms and Conditions, Canadian regions are defined as:
     1. Pacific (British Columbia and Yukon)
     2. Prairie (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba)
     3. Central (Ontario and Quebec)
     4. Atlantic (New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia); and
     5. North (Northwest Territories and Nunavut)

3. the percentage of people on your organization’s Board of Directors who self-identify as having a disability or as having disability-related lived experience. Note that for the purposes of this funding, organizations require a majority representation of at least 51% or more of persons with disabilities and/or disability-related lived experience

   Note: If your organizations board of directors does not meet the majority target at the time of funding application due to a recent departure^{Footnote 1} by a board member, your organization may still be considered eligible to receive funding. If this applies to your organization please include a plan to achieve a majority target within 6 months of the start of this funding (for example, by Oct. 1, 2023).

   Note: For the purposes of this CFP, recent departure is defined as a board member departure in the past 12 months at time of application.

4. secure leveraging of cash and/or in-kind contributions equal to or greater than 30% of total funding requested through sources other than the Government of Canada (which can include the applicant's own organization).

In completing the application, the organization will be expected to outline their total anticipated operating budget per year and source of funding (including potential funding from the Government of Canada).

Letters from all contributing sources must confirm that the cash and/or in-kind contributions are readily available once funding is approved.

Submit proof of partnership through letters of support from a minimum of 2 partnering organizations, explaining how long the partnership has existed, and the expertise the partner provides in helping the organization improve its organizational capacity

In addition to the above mandatory eligibility requirements for this call for proposals, you must also provide the following information as part of question 9:

1. has your organization undergone any important transformations in the past 2 years? If ”yes”, please provide a description of the changes. For example:
   • change in leadership in the board of directors
   • change in leadership at the executive level
   • an important reduction, increase or turnover in staffing
   • merger or split, or
   • change in mandate or main activities

2. how many employees does your organization currently have?

   Indicate the total number of paid employees in your organization

   • Please specify full time employees (more than 30 hours/week) and part time employees (less than 30 hours/week)
     • This can include contract staff/consultants supporting ongoing organizational work, as applicable
   • Please indicate if staff are supported via other project funding and the percentage of their salary (For example, if a project coordinator has been hired to support a specific project, with dedicated project funding, please indicate the percentage of their salary that is covered by the project versus operating funding)
3. what are your organization’s average annual operating costs over the past 3 years (including permanent (not project related) salary dollars, administrative costs, rent, technology, etc.)
4. describe how your organization has the experience and expertise to carry out the proposed activities:
   • please provide a brief description of the project(s), the monetary value and its results. In addition, list a contact name and website link to the program or organization that provided the funding
   • include any information regarding your organization’s experience managing grant and/or contribution agreement(s) or other large/complex projects over the last 5 years

If applicable, please include any experience with ESDC and the results of the funding received.

Organization contacts

Primary contact - This should be your primary contact person with respect to this application for funding.

Question 10: Given name/surname

Who is the main contact person for the proposal?

Question 11: Position title

What is the title of the contact person named in question 10?

For example:

• president
• executive director

Question 12: Preferred language of communication

Please select the primary contact’s preferred written language and their preferred spoken language between English and French.

Question 13: Primary contact – Address

Please select whether the primary contact’s address is:

• same as organization primary address
• same as organization primary mailing address
• different (include below)

If you select different (include below), a new set of boxes to complete an address will appear for you to populate.

Secondary contact - This should be your secondary contact person with respect to this application for funding in case we cannot reach the primary contact.

Question 14: Given name/surname

Who is the secondary contact person for the proposal?

Question 15: Position title

What is the title of the secondary contact person named in question 14?

For example:

• president
• executive director
• project manager

Question 16: Preferred language of communication

Please select the secondary contact’s preferred written language and their preferred spoken language between English and French.

Question 17: Secondary contact – Address

Please select whether the secondary contact’s address is:

• same as organization primary address
• same as organization primary mailing address
• different (include below)

If you select “different (include below)”, a new set of boxes to complete an address will appear for you to populate.

Questions 18 and 19: Does your organization owe any amounts to the Government of Canada?

Select “yes” or “no”.

If “no” proceed to question 20.

If “yes”, complete the fields for each amount owing. If you answer is “yes”, your application will not be rejected for this reason. However, you must provide details as to the type of debt owed and department or agency to which the amount is owed.

Question 19: If an amount is owing, is a payment plan in place

Select “yes” or “no” for each amount owed.

Here is an example:

Part 2. Project proposal

Project proposal identification

Question 20: Project title

The title will be: [the name of your organization] - National Operating Funding 2023-2026.

Questions 21 and 22: Planned Project Start and End Dates (YYYY-MM-DD)

Agreements are expected to be in place effective April 1, 2023 and end by March 31, 2026.

You can only start your activities after a signed agreement is in place. Expenses incurred outside of the agreement timeframe will not be covered.

Question 23: Amount requested from Employment and Social Development Canada

For this question, please provide the amount of funding you are requesting from ESDC.

Organizations currently funded under the SDPP-D national operating stream can apply for up to their current funding allocation or up to the maximum eligible amount of $200K annually ($600K over 3 years) - higher of the 2.

Organizations not currently funded under the SDPP-D national operating stream can apply for up to $200K annually ($600K over 3 years).

Project proposal description

Please note that this call for proposals is to provide operating/capacity funding to successful applicants. Organizations may apply for funding to help build organizational capacity by focusing on 4 areas: governance and accountability; effective leadership and operations; developing and maintaining partnerships; and measurable impact.

Question 24: Project summary

While the application form (EMP5671) gives a limit for the number of words that can be used in responding to this question, please disregard this limit and use a Word document to provide as much detail as possible.

In this question, you must provide a clear description of key activities and partnerships.

Activities

For each activity, please describe the following:

• how the activity will support output(s) and outcome(s)
• how the activity will increase the capacity of your organizations in each key capacity areas:
  • governance and accountability
  • effective leadership and operations
  • developing and maintaining partnerships; and
  • measurable impact
• timelines and duration of the activity
• if any partners are involved, specify which activities will be carried out by the partner(s) and which will be carried out by your organization
• if any of the activities involve participants, include a brief description of how participants will be involved and for what specific purpose
• if any of the activities involve research, include a brief outline of the methods, processes or strategies that will be used, created or established (for example, marketing strategy, research or survey)

Activities should be specific, measurable and realistic and should be broken down by key capacity areas.

For example Governance and Accountability; Effective Leadership and Operations; Developing and Maintaining Partnerships; Measurable Impact. For more examples, consult the eligible activities on the program’s funding page.

Linkages between the listed activities in this question and their associated costs outlined in the budget (questions 30 to 31) are mandatory.

Partnerships

Proof of the partnerships must be submitted through letters of support from each partnering organization. Submit proof of partnership through letters of support from a minimum of 2 partnering organizations, explaining how long the partnership has existed. This is required when submitting your application.

Eligible partners include: organizations in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, including grassroots community-based groups

In addition to the letters of support, the following information on partnerships must be provided in the application.

A. Information about the partner(s)

• Name of organization, network, or partner (if known)
• Type of organization, such as:
  • not-for-profit
  • private sector
  • public sector (for example, universities, healthcare, municipalities)

B. Nature of the partnership(s)

• Describe the roles and responsibilities of each partner
• Describe how the partner or partners will participate during the course of the agreement (time, resources, strategy for engagement)
• Describe how the partner will contribute to strategic outcomes associated with this funding (consult definition of strategic partnership)
• Describe the expertise that the partner provides in helping the organization improve its capacity
• Describe how the partner or partners will benefit from the funding results

C. Objectives of partnership

Note that priority will be given to partnerships that increase an organization’s ability to address existing and evolving social issues faced by persons with disabilities.

Please explain how your partnership(s) contribute to one or more of the following strategic partnership objective(s):

• strengthening organizational capacity to achieve mandate (for example, sharing knowledge on evaluation and measurement; sharing best practices towards strategic objectives)
• strengthening connections across the disability sector and promoting sector sustainability via collaborative initiatives (for example, pooling resources to develop, exchange and apply knowledge, tools and resources)
• engaging with diverse stakeholders (for example, private sector, different levels of government, other not-for-profit organizations working towards inclusion) to advance social inclusion for persons with disabilities; and
• expanding an organizations capacity to address barriers to social inclusion by seeking out partnerships that bring in a variety of perspectives and voices (for example, adopting an intersectional approach through partnerships with diverse organizations led by and working with diverse populations)

Question 25: Program objective and priorities

While the application form (EMP5671) gives a limit for the number of words that can be used in responding to this question, please disregard this limit and use a Word document to provide as much detail as possible.

Describe how the organization proposes to meet the objective(s) and/or priority (ies) of the funding program.

You can find the objective (s) and the priority (ies) of the program for this CFP in the objective section on the funding page.

You must explain how this funding will help your organization increase its capacity in support of this objective.

You can find the description for the 4 key capacity areas that the program supports in the description of the funding section on the funding page.

Please include an overview of your organization’s current capacity and the potential for increased impact (for example, broader scope/reach of programming, engagement, partnership, research, policy and knowledge development, intersectional work, etc.) as a result of this funding. Please also clearly identify who will benefit from this funding.

Note that you are required to report on performance indicators in all 4 key capacity areas (consult the funding page for the performance indicators).

Please describe the expected results of your activities. They must be specific, concrete and measurable (qualitative or quantitative), and be defined as outputs and outcomes.

The proposal must include the following expected results.

Outputs

• Strategic plan (organizations must develop a strategic plan as part of their first year funding agreement or demonstrate that they already have one)
• Funding is leveraged from non-federal sources
• Partnerships are developed and/or maintained
• Capacity building resources (if the organization is proposing to develop new and/or improve existing resources)
• GBA+ analysis (incorporated into Strategic Plan)
• Sustainability plan

Outcomes

Immediate outcomes

• Organizations partner and build capacity in key capacity areas (governance and accountability; leadership and operations; developing and maintaining partnerships; and measurable impact) in efforts to advance the social inclusion of persons with disabilities
• Organizations have increased capacity to monitor and report on performance, based on a strategic plan
• Organizations have the capacity to measure the reach of their activities

Intermediate outcomes

• Organizational capacity is enhanced and sustained
• Partnerships and collaborations are mobilized to increase an organization’s ability to address existing and evolving social issues faced by persons with disabilities
• GBA+ considerations support an intersectional approach in addressing systemic barriers to social inclusion faced by persons with disabilities

Question 26: Project activities and timelines - (provide the activities that will be taking place as part of this project)

This section of the application outlines the main activities of the proposal and its milestones. Activities must be listed in the chart in the form, and organized in chronological order.

For example:

Question 27: Will any of the proposed project activities be delivered at your organization’s primary address?

Select “yes” or “no”.

Will any of the proposed activities be delivered in a different location from your organization’s primary address?

Select “yes” or “no”.

Question 28: Will the project or any of its activities involve or benefit people in English or French linguistic minority communities in Canada, in some way?

Select “yes” or “no”.

We commit to enhance the vitality of the English and French linguistic minorities in Canada. We support and assist their development and foster the full recognition and use of both English and French in Canadian society. Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) are generally defined by their geographic location (Francophones outside Quebec and Anglophones in Quebec) and by their shared collective identity. This collective identity is linked to the use of an official language in a minority setting.

If your proposal involves OLMCs, you should answer “yes” to this question. While the application form (EMP5671) gives a limit for the number of words that can be used in responding to this question, please disregard this limit and use a Word document to provide as much detail as possible. The following would need to be included in your response:

• clearly identify the linguistic profile of the beneficiaries targeted
• document any specific needs of the OLMCs and specify how the proposal will meet these needs
• demonstrate that the applicant has the necessary human and financial resources to meet the specific needs of OLMCs

Answering “no” to this question will not invalidate your application.

Find more information about Official Language Minority Communities.

Question 29: Is your project targeting vulnerable and underrepresented groups?

Select “yes” or “no”.

If “yes”, select the specific target group(s) that applies to your proposal.

Part 3. Budget

Question 30: Project cost - (expenses) for the eligible activities or services of the proposed project

List each activity or service and its associated cost.

Costs must be reasonable and support funding objectives.

Examples of eligible expenditures:

• wages and mandatory employment costs
• overhead costs include expenditures related to the recipient’s central administrative functions used to support activities, for example:
  • rent
  • postage
  • telephones
  • information technology (IT)
• fees for professional services including:
  • consultants
  • research
  • translation
• materials and supplies
• staff training and professional development
• printing and communications
• computer and library services
• research, evaluation, data collection and analysis
• travel in accordance with the National Joint Council’s Travel Directive
• other costs necessary to support the purpose of funding as approved by ESDC

Examples of ineligible costs:

• the purchase of real property
• consultant fees for individuals who are also receiving a salary from your organization or its partner
• costs incurred to prepare the proposal
• entertainment costs
• costs incurred before an agreement is approved and signed by ESDC and after the end day of the agreement
• fines or penalties
• purchase of alcohol

Question 31: Funding sources (revenues) for the proposed project costs noted above

The amount of funding requested from ESDC in question 23 will automatically be populated in this question.

For the purpose of this funding process, leveraging funding from other sources is mandatory. Cash or in-kind contributions equal to or greater than 30% of the total eligible costs from sources other than the Government of Canada must be provided (which can be provided by the applicant's own organization).

These amounts must be reflected in this section and applicants must provide letters confirming financial support from contributors with their application. The letters must indicate the amount of the contributions, and confirming that it will be directly applied to activity costs before SDPP-D National Operating Funding can be provided.

ESDC programs are subject to a "stacking limit". This is in reference to a maximum permitted amount of combined funding from federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. If your proposal is retained, leveraged contributions cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs.

Please include the names of all the organizations that will contribute cash and/or in-kind contributions towards eligible costs. ESDC is listed as the first source name. In this field, please provide the amount of funding your organization is requesting.

Cash and in-kind contributions must be committed to in writing by the contributing party through the provision of a letter containing the information identified as follows:

• name and contact information of contributing partner organization; and
• confirmation of committed contribution to the activities, including expected percentage of total costs

Each letter must be signed by an authorized authority of the contributing partner (for example, Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer) attesting that the contributions are readily available once the Application for funding is approved.

Funding from federal departments and/or agencies will not be considered as a part of the 30% of total leveraging.

Question 32: Use this field to provide any further budget details that you may find necessary in describing your project

While the application form (EMP5671) gives a limit for the number of words that can be used in responding to this question, please disregard this limit and use a Word document to provide as much detail as possible.

Please provide a breakdown of total costs per fiscal year. Fiscal years start April 1 and end March 31. For example, a 3-year proposal with eligible costs of $90,000:

• fiscal year 2023 to 2024: $40,000
• fiscal year 2024 to 2025: $30,000
• fiscal year 2025 to 2026: $20,000

Part 4. Attestation

In order for your application to be eligible, an official representative who has the capacity and the authority to submit proposals and enter into contracts and agreements on behalf of the organization must complete this section of the form. By doing so, they are attesting to the following 3 points:

• I have the capacity and the authority to submit this Application for Funding on behalf of the applicant organization
• I certify and warrant on behalf of the organization and in my personal capacity that the information provided in this Application for Funding and any supporting documentation is true, accurate, and complete
• I have read the Applicant Guide and understand the program’s requirements

To be considered eligible, an official representative who has the capacity and the authority to submit proposals on behalf of your organization must confirm that:

• they have the authority to submit the proposal
• certify that the information provided is true
• they have read and understood the program’s requirements

To do this, the official representative must:

• agree with the attestation by providing their name, title and the date

As this is an attestation, no signature is required.

Glossary

Capacity building

The process by which organizations obtain, improve, and retain the skills, knowledge, tools, equipment, and other resources needed to perform at a greater capacity (for example, developing partnerships; enhancing performance measurement skills; reaching a larger audience).

Disability

The Accessible Canada Act defines disability as:

“any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory impairment — or a functional limitation — whether permanent, temporary or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society”.

This definition is based on the social model of disability.

Diverse populations of persons with disabilities

Persons with disabilities with diverse identities and experiences based on factors like gender, disability, race, ethnicity, indigenous identity, sexuality, age, income, education, and mental health.

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” in GBA+ acknowledges that GBA+ goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider many other identity factors, such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

Please visit the Gender-based Analysis Plus page to learn more about it.

In-kind contribution

Any contribution other than cash, like service and/or resources that are offered freely to an organization that would otherwise have a real market value and be considered an eligible cost under the SDPP-D program. These contributions could include (not limited to):

• sharing of knowledge and expertise
• use of office space
• use of equipment (for example, computers, software, etc.)
• sharing of staff (for example, certain hours of staff time offered to the organization by a partner, but for which the organization is not charged)

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is defined as the understanding that people’s identities and social positions are uniquely shaped by several factors at the same time, creating unique experiences and perspectives (for example, race, age, gender, sexuality, income, education; citizenship status; living in a rural/remote vs. urban community).

An intersectional approach is important to understanding how diverse populations of persons with disabilities experience barriers to social inclusion (for example, the relationship between social exclusion and racism). Building partnerships and coalitions is important to advancing social inclusion from an intersectional perspective (for example, with organizations working with racialized communities; anti-poverty organizations; LGBTQ2+ persons/groups; youth with disabilities, etc.).

Leveraging

A process through which funded organizations use one source of funds to obtain cash/or and in-kind contributions from partners to assist in the development and implementation of their projects.

Lived experience, disability-related

People who self-identify with a disability and/or people with a family member with a disability and/or people who are providing caregiving to a person with a disability.

• Caregiving refers to support required to facilitate full participation and inclusion for persons living with disabilities, beyond the care provided by professionals
• Family members may include any family relative, whether or not related by marriage, common-law partnership, or any legal parent child relationship

Outcome

Outcomes are the changes that are expected to occur as a result of activities and outputs, and answer the question: “How do the activities/outputs lead to improvements for the beneficiaries?” Outcomes are often not within the control of a single organization, but are within the area of an organization’s influence.

Outcome – Immediate

An outcome that is directly attributable to a policy, program or initiative’s outputs. In terms of timeframe and level, these are short-term outcomes and are often at the level of an increase in awareness of a target population.

Outcome – Intermediate

An outcome that is expected to logically occur once one or more immediate outcomes have been achieved. These are medium-term outcomes and are often at the change of behaviour level among a target population.

Outputs

Outputs are direct products, services or partnerships that have been created to generate the desired outcomes. Several activities can contribute to one output. Outputs answer the question: “what will the funding produce?”.

Partnerships

Represent any collaboration or network that organizations engage in with individuals or other groups during the course of a funding agreement. Partners need to be active supporters, outside of the applicant organization that have an interest in the success of the organization’s activities. Partners can contribute resources, either in-cash and/or in-kind (for example, time, resources, expertise).

Strategic partnerships

Partnerships that are critical for an organization’s ability to carry out its mandate and deliver results. In the context of the National Operating Funding Social Development Partnership Program – Disability, key strategic partnerships are those that:

• strengthen organizational capacity to achieve mandate (for example, sharing knowledge on evaluation and measurement; sharing best practices towards strategic objectives)
• strengthen connections across the disability sector and promoting sector sustainability via collaborative initiatives (for example, pooling resources to develop, exchange and apply knowledge, tools and resources)
• engage with diverse stakeholders (for example, private sector, different levels of government, other not-for-profit organizations working towards inclusion) to advance social inclusion for persons with disabilities; and
• expand an organizations capacity to address barriers to social inclusion by seeking out partnerships that bring in a variety of perspectives and voices (for example, adopting an intersectional approach through partnerships with diverse organizations led by and working with diverse populations)

Social inclusion

Circumstances in which individuals have the opportunity to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from economic, social, political and cultural life. Promoting, or advancing social inclusion requires tackling social exclusion by removing barriers to people’s participation in society, as well as by taking active inclusionary measures to facilitate such participation.

Strategic plan

A document that clearly establishes the direction of an organization over the long term. It aligns the vision, mission, and core values that reflect the goals and objectives set by the organization. It provides actions needed to achieve these goals and objectives and ensures their assessment against the expected results.

Sustainability plan

A plan describing how an organization will sustain the capacity supports developed and implemented during the funding period beyond the funding term.