Enhancing Access to Professional Sign Language Interpretation - Step 2 – Solicited Proposals
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
This funding opportunity aims to fund projects which over time will:
- increase access to American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation; and
- increase access to langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) interpretation
This will be through skill development for existing interpreters and training of more interpreters.
- Application period: December 15, 2023, to February 9, 2024 at 3:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST). Closed
- Funding amount: Up to $2,000,000 for a project.
- Who can apply: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) invites organizations that were successful in Step 1 to apply
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Application period
Current Status: Closed
Solicited organizations were invited to apply from December 15, 2023 to February 9, 2024 at 3:00 p.m., EST.
Successful projects could start as early as July 2024 and must be completed by March 31, 2027
Note: Only invited organizations who were successful under Step 1 can apply.
Description
This funding initiative is through the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities Program. It aims to support projects that will enhance access to professional sign language interpretation. There is a lack of professional sign language interpreters in Canada. The Deaf community, or people whose main method of communication is sign language, don't always have access to sign language interpretation. The Accessible Canada Act has increased the demand for sign language interpretation.
The Act requires consultation with persons with disabilities, which includes the Deaf community, so more programs and services can be accessible.
Objectives
- Raising awareness about recognized sign language interpretation training programs (bringing people into the interpretation field)
- Increasing the number of trained sign language interpreters that can offer services (increasing the number of graduates)
- Improving the overall competencies of sign language interpreters by acquiring more skills (improving skills of interpreters)
Organizations
- Alberta Deaf & Hard of Hearing Society (formerly Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services Calgary Region Society)
- Asign Inc.
- Canadian Association of the Deaf - Association des Sourds du Canada
- Canadian Cultural Society of the Deaf
- Canadian Hearing Services
- Deaf Literacy Initiative
- George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology
- Greater Vancouver Association of the Deaf
- Manitoba Possible
- New Brunswick Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, Inc.
- Nova Scotia Community College
- Service d'interprétation visuelle et tactile
- Silent Voice Canada Inc.
- Still Interpreting Inc.
- Toronto Metropolitan University
- Université du Québec à Montréal
- University Health Network
- Vancouver Community College
- Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Find information on funded grants and contribution projects in proactive disclosure
Eligibility
This solicited proposals process is only open to invited organizations who were successful under Step 1. The solicited organizations' concept applications were assessed against the Step 1 eligibility and assessment criteria. The organizations with successful concepts are now invited to apply under Step 2. Your proposal must include a minimum of 1 partnership within the sign language interpretation community.
This is a competitive process and not all solicited organizations that apply under Step 2 will receive funding. ESDC expects to fund about 5 projects.
Eligible applicants
Groups eligible for this funding process include:
- not for profit organizations, for example:
- education institutions (such as, colleges and universities)
- sign language interpreter associations; and
- organizations representing sign language users
- for-profit organizations, for example:
- sign language service providers that won't generate financial profit from the project
- for profit organizations are eligible if the nature and intent of the activity:
- is non-commercial
- doesn't generate profit; and
- supports program priorities and objectives
Applicants must be located and be operating in Canada.
Note to organizations located and operating in Quebec
The Quebec National Assembly adopted the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30). The provision of this Act imposes certain conditions on Quebec government bodies and certain other entities wanting to contract with the federal government.
Applicants may review the provisions of M-30 before submitting their application to make sure they follow the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30).
Any entity subject to the Act must receive approval from M-30 before signing any agreement with us.
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