New funding opportunities available to help boost the social inclusion of persons with disabilities

November 9, 2023         Gatineau, Quebec            Employment and Social Development Canada

Throughout the country, national disability organizations play a key role in fostering the social inclusion and active participation of Canadians with disabilities in their communities. The Government of Canada is providing new funding opportunities to help these organizations increase their capacity to better serve Canadians with disabilities and address persisting barriers to accessibility and inclusion.

Today, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, Kamal Khera, launched a new call for proposals (CFP) for funding under two streams of the Social Development Partnerships Program – Disability component (SDPP-D). This funding will strengthen national disability organizations by supporting such things as: better strategic planning, strategic leadership capacity and improved analysis of policies, programs and services.

The Organizational Capacity Development stream, totaling up to $6.8 million over two years, will allocate funds to projects focused on expanding the organizational capacity of national disability organizations by addressing capacity challenges that prevent them from better serving the disability community. Projects under this stream could receive $250,000 up to a maximum of $500,000.

The Intersectional Capacity Development stream, totaling up to $3 million over two years, will provide funds to support collaborative projects to help increase the capacity of national disability organizations to address intersectional barriers that impact the inclusion of persons with disabilities who have been excluded because of race, gender, Indigenous status, sexual orientation, immigration status, etc. National disability organizations will be asked to partner with other not-for-profit organizations on these projects, and collaborative initiatives under this stream could receive $500,000 up to a maximum of $750,000.

Eligible not-for-profit organizations have until December 21, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) to apply by submitting a proposal for SDPP-D Projects Stream 1: Organizational Capacity Development or SDPP-D Projects Stream 2: Intersectional Capacity Development.

Online information sessions in English and French will be offered to support organizations through the application process. Those wishing to attend, can send a note to NC-ODI-BCPH-SDPPD-PPDSPH-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

This funding initiative supports the development of accessible and inclusive communities, an objective of the Disability Inclusion Action Plan, which is a blueprint for the Government of Canada to build a truly inclusive country, free of physical, societal, and attitudinal barriers.