Application Guidelines – Sport For Social Development In Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) 2024-2026 (Stream One)

Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC)

On this page

• List of Acronyms
• Who We Are
• Definition of Sport
• SSDIC Stream One
• 2024-2026 Stream One Call For Applications
• Eligibility
• How Application Are Evaluated
• Evaluation Criteria
• Limits Of Government Assistance
• How Applications Are Processed
• Applying For More Than 12 Months
• Funding Decisions
• How Funding Is Provided
• Funding Conditions
• Anti-racism and anti-hate
• Contact Us
• Additional Information
• Glossary
• Appendix A
• Appendix B
• Appendix C
• Appendix D
• Appendix E

List of Acronyms

2SLGBTQI+

Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Plus

MMIWG

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

PCH

The Department of Canadian Heritage

SSDIC

Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities

SSP

Sport Support Program

TRC

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada

CTA

Calls to Action

CFJ

Calls for Justice (from the National Inquiry into MMIWG)

EST

Eastern Standard Time

ISU

Indigenous Sport Unit at Sport Canada, Canadian Heritage

Who We Are

We are the Indigenous Sport Unit (ISU) at Sport Canada. In addition to supporting the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), we manage and deliver the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities (SSDIC) component of the Sport Support Program (SSP).

Our SSDIC program exists to support various social development goals of diverse Indigenous communities across Canada through sport.

These Guidelines speak specifically to SSDIC Stream One:

• For more information on the creation and goals of the SSP and the SSDIC Program Review please see Appendix A.
• For more information on SSDIC Stream Two please see our website.
• For more information on SSDIC Stream Three please see our website.

Definition of Sport

Recognizing and respecting that there are many important cultural approaches to health and wellness in Indigenous communities, the definition of sport is broader for the SSDIC program than that which Sport Canada uses for high performance sport. The focus of the SSDIC program is on supporting the self-determined social development goals of communities and program participants.

Definition of Sport

The SSDIC social development goals can be facilitated by any sport or physical activities and can include cultural components, such as traditional and cultural sports (e.g., snowshoeing, Inuit games, snow snake game, traditional dance) and non-traditional sports (e.g., skateboarding, bowling, dance) or by physical activities (e.g. pow wow dancing, berry picking, etc.), that have a recreational or wellness component. Ultimately, it is up to the Indigenous organizations and communities receiving project funding to determine what is appropriate for their needs.

SSDIC Stream One

Stream One of the SSDIC component of the SSP funds eligible organizations to deliver sport for social development programming in Indigenous communities in Canada, as well as the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) to provide leadership and support to the Provincial/Territorial Aboriginal Sport Bodies (PTASBs) for their delivery of the initiative.

$5.3 million is available annually to the 13 PTASBs and the ASC to support their capacity and to provide opportunities for Indigenous people to participate in meaningful sport, recreational, and physical activities that support one or more of the Stream One social development goals. Drawn from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Calls to Action, the Stream One social development goals focus on:

• improved health;
• improved education;
• improved employability;
• the reduction of at-risk behaviour.

SSDIC Stream One Outcomes

The SSDIC Stream One program has two specific outcomes that our clients and our team report on, which help to ensure that Indigenous people benefit from this funding.

Outcome #1. Increase the opportunities for Indigenous people to participate in sport, recreational, physical, and cultural activities.

This is captured by identifying:

• Number of communities reached.
• Number of participants included.

Outcome #2. Support communities’ self-determined social development goals.

This is captured during the programming’s reporting phase by asking:

• Do participants report feeling they have improved on the programming’s identified social development goals?
• Do participants report feeling more positive about their own health and wellness?

2024-2026 Stream One Call for Applications

The Stream One fund has $5.3 million available annually to fund programming across Canada that serves the above social development goals and outcomes. This year, the intake period for applications for funding opens in the Winter of 2024 for programming that will take place within the 2024-2026 fiscal years (for activities occurring between April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026).

These Guidelines help you with your 2024-2026 Stream one application. Also, please see the Assessment Guide. It tells you how to fill out the Application form and explains how your application will be assessed.

How To Apply

Begin by continuing to read through these Application Guidelines to make sure you understand the important information. Here is what you need to know:

Complete Application

To be considered for funding you must meet all eligibility requirements and submit a completed Application Form, with supporting documents (if applicable) as follow:

• A completed Application form (See Note 1)
• Not-for-profit organizations must provide a copy of their proof of incorporation.
• Not-for-profit organizations requesting $100,000 or more must provide a copy of their most recent Audited Financial Statement.

Note 1

All required fields in the PDF Application form are complete.

• The PDF Application form is signed by the authorized representative.
  • If you are unable to sign the fillable PDF Application form, we will accept a scanned copy of the signature page accompanying the fillable PDF.
• The version submitted is the fillable PDF Application form.

Email submissions

We encourage you to submit your application package electronically to the following email address: sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca

Application Deadline

All completed Application Forms and supporting documents (if required) are due no later than February 26th, 2024.

• To be considered, your email must be sent no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the date of the application deadline.
• If you are unable to submit your application by email or using the fillable PDF format, please contact us for assistance.

Application Form

If you have not already received an Application Form, please email the Indigenous Sport Unit at sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca. We will send you the Application Form, which is in a fillable PDF format.

• You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader 9.0 or higher which is available on-line free of charge.
• This application form is an interactive PDF fillable form that is intended to be completed directly on a computer.
• Only applications forms submitted in PDF fillable format will be accepted. We cannot accept scanned PDFs. If you require support or accommodations, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions document.
• It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure the application form and supporting documents are completed, reviewed, and signed by an authorized official.

In the next sections of these Guidelines, we describe the SSDIC Stream One Eligibility and Assessment Criteria.

Eligibility

The ISU are responsible for determining the eligibility of each applicant, its programming and programming related expenses.

Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee funding.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible for SSDIC Stream One funding, your organization must:

• Be a recognized PTASB, i.e., a provincial and territorial organization, association or corporation that carries the mandate, as recognized by the Aboriginal Sport Circle, to represent the sport and recreational interests of the largest percentage of Indigenous peoples in that province or territory.
• The Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC) is also eligible for Stream One funding to provide leadership and support to the PTASBs for their delivery of the Initiative.

Failure to comply with any conditions of a previously provided funding agreement will be considered in the evaluation of the applicant’s new application and could result in a rejection of the new application.

Eligible Programming

To be eligible for SSDIC Stream One funding, your programming must:

• Propose activities that create opportunities for Indigenous people, including Indigenous people with a disability, to participate in culturally relevant sport or physical activity and which address one or more of the following social development goals drawn from the TRC Calls to Action:
  • Improved health;
  • Improved education;
  • Improved employability;
  • Reduction of at-risk behaviour.
• Address the needs identified by participants and communities being served.
• Be available to all Indigenous distinctions/populations in your jurisdiction.
• Be designed in a way that allows for demonstrated improvement of the health and well-being of participants.
• Propose activities occurring between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2026.
• Request funding up to the Stream One formula amount for your jurisdiction. See Appendix E for formula funding table.

Eligible Expenses

See Appendix B

Ineligible Expenses

See Appendix B

Note: The expenses for which this funding is intended must be incurred between the period of April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2026. Expenses incurred prior to April 1, 2024, are not eligible for Stream One funding. It is possible that approvals of recommended programming may occur after April 1st and recipients could receive their funding after the start of the fiscal year. If you incur expenses for your programming before receiving written confirmation of your funding approval, you will be doing so at your own risk.

How Application Are Evaluated

Immediately following the application deadline, all applications will be reviewed for eligibility and then scored according to the Assessment Criteria listed below.

Assessment criteria have a weighting that reflects their relative level of importance in the assessment process. For detailed information about these assessment criteria and the 4-point scoring matrix, please refer to the Assessment Guide. The Assessment Guide outlines the assessment criteria for programming proposals and provides contextual information to guide you as you develop your application.

Evaluation Criteria

The Application Form that you must complete and submit by the deadline has a series of questions that need to be answered for your programming proposal. Here, we summarize the more detailed information contained in the Assessment Guide.

The assessment criteria serves as a foundational assessment of all project proposals. The following are some of the additional considerations that go into funding decisions:

• Application demonstrates organizational capacity to deliver proposed project in a trauma-informed way and has familiarity with intended participant demographics (i.e., Indigenous youth, at-risk youth, Indigenous people with a disability, etc.).
• If any partnerships are needed to adequately deliver the proposed projects, they are clearly identified.

Programming Need & Impact

Your application should clearly describe the needs of your community and how your programming will address these needs:

• The needs in the community(ies) to be served are clearly identified.
• Any barriers to accessing sport or physical activity are clearly described.
• The Programming Need and Impact clearly identifies and addresses the selected SSDIC Stream One social development goals.
• Programming Need and Impact clearly support the improvement of Indigenous people’s overall health and well-being.

Programming Description & Activities

Your application should provide a clear overview of what you will do with your funding and then specifically list the activities or steps you will take to accomplish your goals.

• The programming description and activities are clearly outlined.
• Activities are well planned and clearly align with the Programming Needs described.
• Activities are very likely to have a positive impact on the health and well-being of participants.

Programming Success & Outcomes

Success can be defined in many ways and communities have diverse ways of measuring the results of their programs. Your application should describe what you hope to achieve with your proposed programming and describe how you will determine if you were successful.

• Programming Successes are clearly identified and fulfill the Programming Needs.
• Programming Successes logically flow from Programming Activities.
• There is a clear plan to measure Programming Success and Outcomes.

Programming Budget

The Programming Budget is a detailed breakdown of all expenses and revenues related to your proposed programming. Your application should ensure that the following categories are completed as needed: General administration; Salaries, fees, and benefits; Operations and programming.

• All Programming Activities that require an expense are clearly reflected in the Programming Budget table.
• All Programming expenses which are requesting SSDIC Stream One funding are eligible.
• Expenses are reasonable and cost-effective.
• Programming Budget clearly aligns with the Programming Activities and Needs.

Note: For more information on eligible and ineligible expenses, see Appendix B.

Limits of Government Assistance

To ensure the success of your programming, Sport Canada encourages you to obtain other funding sources. This may include contributions (including in-kind) from your organization, the private sector, or other levels of government.

If you have other sources of funding, either in-kind or other cash revenues, they should be reflected in the programming budget to demonstrate the true cost of the programming. These may include ineligible expenses that are going to be funded by other revenues (not SSDIC Stream One funding).

Note: In-kind contributions are considered real contributions to the cost of the proposed programming but are not reimbursable. In-kind contributions must be balanced by an equal expense in your budget (i.e., total in-kind expenses equal total in-kind revenues).

The total financial assistance received from the Sport Support Program and other levels of government (federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal) cannot exceed 100% of total programming-related costs.

Sport Canada can fund up to 100% of eligible expenses per fiscal year.

How Applications Are Processed

Within two weeks of the date the application is received, all applicants will receive an acknowledgement email from the ISU indicating receipt of applications. Please note that this acknowledgement does not mean that a complete file was submitted. As we review all applications, we may reach out to you if further information or clarification is required.

The review and assessment process for all applications is rigorous and does take time, but we will be sure to contact you as soon as funding decisions are made. The entire process can take a minimum of three months.

Please refer to the Service standards for Canadian Heritage funding programs.

Applying For More Than 12 Months

You may request funding for programming spanning more than 12 months. You must then show that there is a need for a multi-year commitment and that you have the capacity to deliver the programming. This is demonstrated with a realistic programming timeline and budget projections as well as sound governance.

Funding Decisions

Please note that decisions regarding eligibility and funding amounts are final.

How Funding Is Provided

Sport Canada provides funding in the form of a contribution.

A contribution is a conditional payment issued for a specific purpose, as outlined in a funding agreement. The funding agreement is signed by your organization and by the minister and specifies the terms and conditions to receive payment. At the end of the contribution agreement term, you must submit a final report.

Funding Conditions

You may be required to submit interim reports during your programming. If you receive $250,000 or more as a contribution, you are required to submit an audited financial report.

Additional conditions will be included in your contribution agreement.

Contact Us

For further information, please contact us:

Department of Canadian Heritage
Sport Support Program - Sport Canada
15 Eddy Street
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 4B3

Email

sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca

Telephone

To speak to a representative of the Sport for Social Development in Indigenous Communities program, please send an email to sportcanada.ssdsca-ssdic.sportcanada@pch.gc.ca and indicate a phone number that you can be reached. A representative will contact you within 2 weeks.

If you are unable to send emails, you can call at 1-866-811-0055 (toll-free number) and leave a contact number with the Call Centre Agent. A representative of the ISU will contact you within 2 weeks.

TTY – for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired

1-888-997-3123 (toll-free)

Agents are available to answer your questions Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (EST).

Additional Information

See Appendix C

• Workplace well-being
• Public health guidance
• Official languages requirements
• Acknowledgement of financial assistance
• Access to information requests
• Disclosure of information
• Audits of recipients and evaluation of the Program

Glossary

See Appendix D

Appendix A

Sport Support Program (SSP)

The Sport Support Program (SSP) supports the development of Canadian athletes and coaches and Canadians’ participation in sport. Funding is provided to eligible organizations for programming and projects that support the goals of the Canadian Sport Policy.

The objectives of the SSP are to:

• increase opportunities to participate in quality sport activities for all Canadians, including under-represented groups
• increase the capacity of the Canadian sport system to systematically achieve world-class results at the highest international competitions
• contribute to the provision of technical sport leadership within the Canadian sport system; and
• advance Canadian interests, values and ethics in sport at home and abroad.

SSDIC Program Review

The Indigenous Sport Unit, through a contract with an experienced research firm and Indigenous researchers, engaged and consulted with Indigenous stakeholders, including Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ representative organizations, on how to improve the design and delivery of the three funding streams, to ensure SSDIC serves their self-identified social development outcomes and goals.

Overall objectives were to:

• Determine levels of awareness of the SSDIC program;
• Measure levels of satisfaction with the application and reporting processes;
• Gather feedback on current eligibility criteria and funding models; and
• To help inform the design and delivery of the Indigenous Reconciliation and Strength of Indigenous Women and Girls through Sport for Social Development (Stream Three), which is aimed at ensuring Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ peoples have access to meaningful sports activities that support the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) Calls for Justice.

The three aspects of the SSDIC program review of focus were:

• Eligibility criteria for Streams Two and Three
• Funding distribution formulas for all three streams
• Design and delivery for Stream Three

The recommendations from the consultation are implemented in the SSDIC program design and delivery for the 2024-2026 intake.

Appendix B

Eligible Expenses

The table below presents information on the categories of costs as well as corresponding examples of activities that are eligible for funding through the SSDIC program.

Ineligible Expenses

In-Kind Contributions

SSDIC partner organizations may leverage in-kind resources to deliver the activities of a project.

In-kind contributions are considered real contributions to the cost of the proposed programming but are not reimbursable. In-kind contributions must be balanced by an equal in-kind expense in your budget (i.e., total in-kind expenses equals total in-kind revenues).

Donated goods and services may be considered in-kind contributions if they:

• are essential to your project’s success;
• are eligible and would otherwise have to be purchased or paid for by you;
• can be measured at fair market value (i.e. in relation to similar goods and services); and
• are balanced by an equal revenue in your budget (i.e. total in-kind expenses equal total in-kind revenues).

Appendix C

Workplace Well-Being

The Government of Canada is strongly committed to promoting healthy workplaces where harassment, abuse and discrimination are not tolerated. Organizations that receive funding from Canadian Heritage must take measures to create a workplace free from harassment, abuse, and discrimination.

Public Health Guidance

Sport Canada expects that you will act in compliance with applicable statutes, laws, bylaws, regulations, orders, codes, standards, directives, and guidelines governing the activities for which funding is being sought, including those related to public health and safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Official Languages Requirements

Sport Canada is committed to taking positive measures to enhance the vitality of official-language minority communities and to promote the use of English and French in Canadian society. If you receive funding, you agree to comply with the official languages requirements set out in your application or in your funding agreement.

Acknowledgement Of Financial Assistance

If you receive funding, you must publicly acknowledge – in English and in French – the financial support received from the Government of Canada in all communications materials and promotional activities. Additional requirements may be included in your funding agreement.

For additional information, please refer to our Guide on the public acknowledgement of financial support.

Access To Information Requests

Sport Canada is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The information you submit in your application may be disclosed in accordance with these Acts.

Disclosure Of Information

By submitting your funding application, you authorize Canadian Heritage to disclose any information submitted with this application within the Government of Canada or to outside entities for the following purposes:

• to reach a decision;
• to evaluate the results of the programming;
• to support transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.

Audits Of Recipients And Evaluation Of The Program

Sport Canada reserves the right to audit your accounts and records to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of your funding agreement. Sport Canada also conducts periodic Program evaluations, during which you may be required to present documentation.

You must keep any records, documents, or other information that may be required to perform the audit or the evaluation for five years. Demonstrated failure to maintain such records may result in the repayment of amounts previously received.

Appendix D

Glossary

Audited Financial Report

The Audited Financial Report shall clearly include all of the revenues realized and expenditures incurred by the Recipient for the given period with regard to the Programming funded. Accounts shall be audited by professional accountants who are independent of the organization and are active members in good standing with a professional accounting association, as per provincial legislation.

Audited Financial Statements

A complete set of financial statements including a statement of financial position; a statement of operations; and a statement of changes in financial position. Audited financial statements are completed by a certified accountant who is not part of your organization. The certified accountant performs auditing activities in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Final Report

A final report is submitted at the end of your contribution agreement term based on the requirements in the funding agreement. Your final report needs to provide the results of the activities you have undertaken for the duration of your programming.

Interim Reports

Interim reports are submitted during your programming based on the requirements in the funding agreement. These reports indicate the results of the activities you have undertaken for a specific period. In addition, they include a status report on the work to be accomplished and updated revenue and expense reports.

Missing And Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls (MMIWG) Calls For Justice

On June 3, 2019, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) issued its Final Report. The Inquiry examined the systemic causes of all forms of violence against Indigenous women and girls including the underlying social, economic, cultural, institutional and historic causes. The inquiry found that there was no single answer to ending violence and that communities had their own distinct social and cultural systems, which required nuanced approaches. Through its 231 Calls for Justice, it also asserted that addressing the issues faced by Indigenous women and girls required the active involvement of all governments working with Indigenous communities and with Indigenous women and girls.

The Inquiry’s findings are similar to those of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in that both emphasize the importance of an Indigenous-led, government-supported approach forward.

Using the mechanism of the SSDIC, the Stream Three fund seeks to support the following MMIWG Calls for Justice:

• 3.1. We call upon all governments to ensure that the rights to health and wellness of Indigenous Peoples, and specifically of Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, are recognized and protected on an equitable basis.
• 7.3. We call upon all governments and health service providers to support Indigenous-led prevention initiatives in the areas of health and community awareness, including, but not limited to programming: for Indigenous men and boys; related to suicide prevention strategies for youth and adults; related to sexual trafficking awareness and no-barrier exiting, and specific to safe and healthy relationships, and to mental health awareness; and related to 2SLGBTQI+ issues and sex positivity.

Truth And Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Of Canada

The TRC issued 94 Calls to Action and 10 Principles of Reconciliation, some of which were used in the development of the SSDIC and are listed below:

• TRC Calls to Action
  • 7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
  • 19. We call upon the federal government, in consultation with Aboriginal peoples, to establish measurable goals to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes, between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, and to publish annual progress reports and assess long-term trends. Such efforts would focus on indicators such as: infant mortality, maternal health, suicide, mental health, addictions, life expectancy, birth rates, infant and child health issues, chronic diseases, illness and injury incidence, and the availability of appropriate health services.
  • 38. We call upon the federal, provincial, territorial, and Aboriginal governments to commit to eliminating the overrepresentation of Aboriginal youth in custody over the next decade.
• TRC Principles of Reconciliation
  • 4. Reconciliation requires constructive action on addressing the ongoing legacies of colonialism that have had destructive impacts on Aboriginal peoples’ education, cultures and languages, health, child welfare, the administration of justice, and economic opportunities and prosperity.
  • 5. Reconciliation must create a more equitable and inclusive society by closing the gaps in social, health, and economic outcomes that exist between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.
  • 9. Reconciliation requires political will, joint leadership, trust building, accountability, and transparency, as well as a substantial investment of resources.

Under-Represented Groups

Certain groups such as women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, people with a disability, Indigenous peoples, and visible minorities continue to be under-represented in the Canadian sport system as athletes/participants and as leaders. In addition, and despite past efforts, language-based barriers still exist in the sport system for francophones, especially at the national team level.

Appendix E