Community Services Recovery Fund application process opens to support pandemic recovery

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

News release

National Funders will distribute funding to community service organizations

January 6, 2023              Ottawa, Ontario              Employment and Social Development Canada

Today, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould, together with the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada, announced that the application process for the Community Services Recovery Fund is now open. The application process is managed by these National Funders in order to reach a broad and diverse range of community service organizations, such as charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies.

The Community Services Recovery Fund is a historic one-time investment of $400 million that will help community service organizations to adapt, to modernize and to be better equipped to improve the efficacy, accessibility and sustainability of the community services that they provide, so they can continue to support communities across Canada through the pandemic recovery and beyond.

Community service organizations are at the forefront of addressing communities’ needs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the early phases of the pandemic, they have struggled with increased demand for their services, reduced revenues, declines in charitable giving due to the rising cost of living, and a greater need to make use of digital tools. Many of them are struggling to recover and adapt their services to the changing needs of communities across Canada.

Applications for funding can be submitted to the National Funders from now until February 21, 2023. Organizations are encouraged to complete the interactive quiz to determine where and how to apply. Additional information and resources, including an applicant guide, can be found on the Community Services Recovery Fund website. The National Funders are also holding a webinar on January 12, 2023, to help organizations understand the application process.

For more information, visit the National Funders’ Community Services Recovery Fund website. Eligible organizations can also register for the webinar through the website.

Quotes

“The Government is supporting the long-term COVID-19 pandemic recovery in communities across Canada through this historic fund. This transformational investment with the National Funders supports a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities at the community level. The Community Services Recovery Fund will strengthen the ability of community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, to deliver services and resources where they will have the most impact.”

– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould

“The Government of Canada continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting Canadians as we recover from the prolonged impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Red Cross is pleased to be a National Funder of the Community Services Recovery Fund that will provide funding to help non-profits, registered charities and Indigenous governing bodies adapt to ensure they are able to continue to provide vital services and programs in their communities.”

– Conrad Sauvé, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross 

“The Community Services Recovery Fund will change the reality for thousands of charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies from coast to coast to coast. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these organizations have stood up for and supported their communities. We will be forever grateful for their efforts. Now, through this Fund, community foundations will support projects at charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies that invest in their internal systems and processes, making them more resilient for the future.”

– Andrea Dicks, President, Community Foundations of Canada

“The Government of Canada has entrusted United Way Centraide Canada and our partner National Funders to deliver the Community Services Recovery Fund. Our national network of local community experts is working hard to support charities and non-profits serving our diverse communities to ensure they can access this important funding they so greatly deserve.”

– Dan Clement, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way Centraide Canada

Quick facts

  • The Community Services Recovery Fund is open for applications from January 6 to February 21, 2023, through the National Funders. Funded projects will begin May 1, 2023, and will continue into 2024.

  • The Community Services Recovery Fund has two funding streams: one for local or regional community service organizations serving a portion of a province or territory, and one for community service organizations serving the entire country, an entire province or territory, or multiple provinces or territories.

  • Funding from the Community Services Recovery Fund will enable community service organizations to invest in their own organizational capacity under one of the three project focus areas:

    • Investing in People: projects that focus on how organizations recruit, retain, engage and support their personnel.
    • Investing in Systems and Processes: projects that invest in the systems and processes involved in creating the internal workings of an organization’s overall structure.
    • Investing in Program and Service Innovation and Redesign: projects primarily focused on program and service innovation and redesign using information gained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • The Community Services Recovery Fund builds on the successful delivery of the $350‑million Emergency Community Support Fund, where the Government funded over 11,570 projects serving vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Associated links

Contacts

For media enquiries, please contact:

Mohammad Hussain
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould
mohammad.a.hussain@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Employment and Social Development Canada
819-994-5559
media@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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