Prepare to apply

Before you start your application, gather your supporting documents, and get familiar with the information you will be asked to provide in the application.

On this page

Prepare your documents

You must include the following with your application for it to be considered complete:

What happens if a supporting document is missing from your application

If your application is incomplete, we will send you an email. You will have 5 business days to submit the missing information. If your application is not complete by that time, we may reject it.

How to answer the application questions

The purpose of this section is to help you fill in the application. It describes the specific information you need for each question on the form.

In this section

Notice to Applicants

Important information appears in the Notice to Applicants section of the application and is for your information and understanding. It includes:

Read this information carefully.

The following information is posted on the Open Government website :

Part 1 – Organization

A - Organization Information (Questions 1 to 21 in the PDF version of the application form)

* denotes mandatory field

Note: For organizations submitting their applications with the Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) application, the section A – Organization Information appears in your organization’s account. To modify any information, consult the GCOS User Guide (Account registration and account management).

Legal name* (Question 1)

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 or territorial equivalent, or
  • the name used on funding cheques, bank accounts, etc.
Operating (common) name* (mandatory if different from legal name) (Question 2)

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

Business or registration number* (Question 3)

What is your 15-digit 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.

For more information, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency website.

If you do not have a:

  • CRA business number, or
  • not-for-profit registration number

You must provide one of the following documents:

If incorporated:

  • a copy of letters of patent
  • articles of incorporation
  • certificate of incorporation
  • memorandum of association
  • your rules, by-laws, or constitution

If not incorporated:

  • a copy of your rules, by-laws, council resolutions, or constitution
Organization type* (Question 4)

Choose 1 of the following:

not-for-profit organization

Not-for-profit organizations are established for purposes other than financial gain for their members. They primarily receive provincial or federal funding (supplemented by fundraising and fees), often rely on volunteers to deliver programs, and are often governed by a Board of Directors or a Committee.

public sector organization

All companies and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada are classified as public-sector organizations. For certain statutes, various agencies, such as school boards and hospitals, are considered part of the public sector. They are often referred to as parapublic organizations. Public sector organizations can be large or small, though often have numerous employees and are governed by Public Policy mandates.

When a public sector employer uses a CRA registered charity business number, it does not change the organization’s designation to a not-for-profit.

private sector organization

Private sector organizations are established to generate a profit or to provide an economic advantage to their proprietors, members, or shareholders. They primarily operate through company profits but can be supplemented by Provincial or Federal government funding. These organizations are privately owned and are independently managed. Note that volunteers may deliver some programs and a Board of Directors may govern the business.

Organization category* (Question 5)

Select the most appropriate category from the following based on what you chose in Question 4.

Not-for-profit sector
  • Local community, charitable, or voluntary organizations
  • Provincial non-governmental organizations
  • National non-governmental organizations
  • Not-for-profit band councils
  • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) with a focus on encouraging employment
  • Unions
  • Associations of workers or of employers, or both
  • Indigenous Educational Institutions
  • Indigenous not-for-profit groups
  • Sector councils
Private sector
  • Businesses, bodies incorporated or not incorporated
  • Banks
  • Private universities or colleges
  • Indian band corporations (for profit)
  • Private band councils

Note: Private sector organizations are only eligible for funding if the nature and intent of project activities is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives.

Public sector
  • Public degree school boards or school districts
  • Municipal public health
  • Municipal governments and agencies
  • Provincial governments and agencies
  • Territorial governments
  • Public community colleges and vocational schools
  • Public degree-granting universities
  • Public degree-granting colleges

We may give priority to projects that are led by a union representing workers in the Red Seal trades or an organization managing training funds on their behalf.

Note: We may ask you to provide supporting documents to confirm your organization’s category:

  • unions may be asked to provide a copy of a relevant collective agreement
  • organizations managing training trust funds for a union representing workers in a Red Seal trade may be asked to provide a copy of an active collective agreement with a union representing Red Seal workers, as well as documentation that would demonstrate the union’s eligibility
  • non-union organizations must provide a letter confirming their partnership with a union representing workers in the Red Seal trade. They may be asked to provide other supporting documents to confirm the eligibility of their union partners, such as a copy of an active collective agreement with a union representing Red Seal workers
Year established* (Question 6)

What year was your organization established?

Organization address* (Questions 7 to 11)

What is your organization's address? Give a complete address in a format recognized by Canada Post. For more information, please visit the Canada Post website.

Note to organizations located and operating in Quebec

Organizations in the Province of Quebec cannot apply for this program. The Government of Canada has a separate funding agreement with the Government of Quebec (in French only) to deliver Union Training and Innovation Program activities. The funding supports the Province in implementing a program that accounts for the unique features of Quebec’s apprenticeship system. The activities funded in Quebec will align with those delivered elsewhere in Canada.

Organization Telephone*, website and email* (Questions 12 to 14)

What is your organization's telephone number, website (if it has one) and email address?

Mailing address* (mandatory if different from organization address) (Questions 15 to 19)

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

Telephone* (mandatory field if different from Organization number) (Question 20)

What is your organization's telephone number?

Organization’s mandate* (Question 21)

What are your organization’s main activities, including your mandate, mission, and objectives?

Select the target group(s) that best aligns with your organization’s mandate. More than 1 group may be selected.

Note: This sub-question is optional. Your answer to this question will not impact the assessment of your proposed project.

  • seniors
  • newcomers
  • visible minorities (including racialized individuals)
  • youth
  • women
  • 2SLGBTQI+
  • people with disabilities
  • low income
  • remote or rural
  • individuals experiencing homelessness
  • official language minority communities
  • Indigenous (specify)
    • First nations
    • Inuit
    • Metis
    • Urban or non-affiliated
  • other (specify)
  • not applicable

B - Organization contact (Questions 22 to 43 in the PDF version of the application form)

Primary contact information* (Questions 22 to 32)

Who is the main contact person for the proposed project? Provide the contact information for the person who will be ESDC’s primary contact person with respect to your application for funding. Include the following details:

  • Question 22: Given (first) name and surname (last name)
  • Question 23: What is the title of the contact person named in question 22? For example:
    • Business Owner
    • President
    • Executive Director
  • Question 24: What official language would your contact person prefer to use in written and spoken communications? Choose either English or French.
  • Question 25: Indicate if your address is the same as the organization address, same as the organization mailing address, or different. If it is different, provide the following for the primary contact person (questions 26 to 32):
  • Question 26: Street address (Questions 26 to 30 are mandatory if different from Organization address or number)
  • Question 27: City or Town
  • Question 28: Province or Territory
  • Question 29: Country
  • Question 30: Postal Code
  • Question 31: Telephone number, including extension
  • Question 32: E-mail Address
Secondary contact* (Questions 33 to 43)

If we cannot reach the main contact, who else can we contact? Provide the person’s full name, telephone number where we can reach them during business hours and their email address.

  • Question 33: Given (first) name and surname (last name)
  • Question 34: What is the title of the contact person named in question 33? For example:
    • Business Owner
    • President
    • Executive Director
  • Question 35: What official language would your contact person prefer to use in written and spoken communications? Choose either English or French
  • Question 36: Indicate if your address is the same as the Organization Address, same as the Organization Mailing Address, or different. If it is different, provide the following for the secondary contact person (Questions 37 to 43):
  • Question 37: Street address
  • Question 38: City or Town
  • Question 39: Province or Territory
  • Question 40: Country
  • Question 41: Postal Code
  • Question 42: Telephone number, including extension
  • Question 43: Email address

C. Organizational capacity (Questions 44 to 52 in the PDF version of the application form)

The Department uses the information provided in this section to help assess the organization’s capacity to manage a project.

Does your organization have a governing board that meets on a regular basis? * (Question 44)

Answer Yes or No. If you answer no to this question, please describe how your organization is managed.

A governing board is a group of individuals who are responsible for making decisions, overseeing the activities and direction of an organization. If there is no board, please describe how your organization functions. For example, are there regular meetings held between employees to discuss day to day operations, is there a decision-making process in place, are there discussions on the organization’s objectives that provide oversight and guidance.

Are the following written policies in place for delivering projects and services?* (Question 45)

Please answer Yes or No to the following items:

  • Human Resources
  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Other. Please, specify

If no, please describe how your organization addresses the areas of Human Resources issues (such as hiring, compensation and benefits, and employee relationships), and Occupational Health and Safety? Please describe any other policies your organization may follow to create a supportive and productive work environment.

Does your organization have financial management components in place?* (Question 46)

Please answer Yes or No to the following items:

  • Financial Management System (e.g., tracking expenses, general ledger, etc.)
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Staff Managing Finances

If no, please describe how finances are managed within your organization. Financial management includes measures that are in place to effectively manage the organization’s finances. Please describe your organization’s ability to effectively manage financial activities. Examples may include financial planning, budgeting, reporting and cashflow management.

For this project, will your organization further distribute funding to any other organizations to support program objectives?* (Question 47)

Please answer Yes or No.

If yes, does your organization have controls in place to verify that the funded amount can be accounted for? Describe how your organization will manage funding distributed to other parties.

How many employees does your organization currently have?* (Question 48)

Indicate the total number of people employed in your organization or business. The number of employees must be a whole number.

Has your organization undergone any important transformations in the past 2 years?* (Question 49)

Important transformations refer to events such as:

  • a change in leadership in the board of directors or at the executive level
  • a significant reduction, increase or turnover in staff
  • a merger with or split from another organization
  • a change in mandate or main activities

If you answer yes, please provide a description of the changes.

Describe how your organization has the experience and expertise to carry out the proposed project activities.* (Question 50)
  1. Provide a description of your organization’s experience and expertise in:
  2. Provide the number of years of experience you spent on each experience you list. Your answer should include the total number of years of experience on each of the above statements. For example:
    • 6 years of experience implementing a new training program for journeypersons and apprentices in the construction sector
    • 3 years developing new tools to support training in the Industrial Mechanic (Millwright) trade

We may give priority to projects submitted by organizations that have 5 years or more of experience in the delivery of projects that support training of journeypersons and apprentices in the Red Seal trades.

Does your organization owe any amounts to the Government of Canada?* (Questions 51 to 52)

If you answer yes, please complete the fields for each amount owing. We will not reject your application for this reason. However, you must provide detail as to the type of debt and the arrangements you have for repayment.

Example of details to provide for the type of debt and the arrangements you have for repayment
Amount owing Nature of amount owing Department or agency to which money is owed Payment plan in place
$10,000 Overpayment Employment and Social Development Canada Yes or No
$5,000 Taxes Canada Revenue Agency Yes or No

Part 2 – Project

A - Project identification (Questions 53 to 55 in the PDF version of the application form)

Project title* (Question 53)

Give a short title that describes your project.

Planned project start and end dates* (Questions 54 and 55)

State the planned start and end dates of your project.

Projects must end by March 31, 2030.

We will notify you by email of the outcome of the review of your application. You cannot begin any of the proposed activities or incur any expenses until a Funding Agreement has been signed by both you and the Department. Do not assume any commitment until the signing of the Funding Agreement. If you purchase anything for the project after the approval but before the signing of the Agreement, you do so at your own risk.

B - Project description (Questions 56 to 65 in the PDF version of the application form)

The Department uses the information you provide in this section as part of the assessment in determining whether your proposed project is eligible for funding.

Project objectives (must clearly link to the objectives of the program to which you are applying)* (Question 56)

Describe the objective(s) of your project by:

  1. identifying which of the 20 eligible Red Seal trades you are targeting (you can only target one)
  2. explaining why the green training is needed for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade by:
    • identifying a gap or need for green training
    • explaining why the green training will address the specific gaps or needs identified
    • how the green training relates to standards, practices, or technologies in the Red Seal trade
  3. explaining how you will develop the green training by:
    • detailing the learning objectives being targeted
    • providing an overview of the content of the green training that will be developed
    • if possible, giving a description on how the green training fits within the Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS) of the Red Seal trade targeted
  4. explaining how you will deliver the green training by:
    • describing your plan to reach:
      1. unionized journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trades
      2. non-unionized journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trades
    • providing details on how you will make the green training available in 2 or more provinces or territories

Your objective(s) must be clearly linked to the objectives of the program to which you are applying.

We may give priority to projects that:

  • give access to no-cost or low-cost green training opportunities
  • provide training opportunities in 3 or more provinces or territories
  • aim to improve participation or access, or both, in green training to equity-deserving groups such as:
    • women
    • persons with disabilities
    • Indigenous people
    • members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities
    • members of racialized communities
    • newcomers
Project activities (must be broken down into clear steps)* (Question 57)

Describe, in full detail, the proposed project activities by:

  1. breaking down activities into clear steps and explaining why those activities are essential to your project by including:
    • important project milestones
    • tasks needed to achieve the milestones
    • resources (human, financial and technical) necessary to accomplish the work
  2. presenting them in a logical sequence to demonstrate progress
  3. linking activities with your project objectives
  4. indicating clear and feasible timelines for each step
  5. identifying roles and responsibilities of each partner in your project activities

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

  • activities that support the development and delivery of green training in the Red Seal trade, including but not limited to:
    • development of new training material(s) to provide the competencies and experience related to standards, practices, and technologies
    • development of a mentorship program for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trades
  • activities that deliver existing green training to workers in the Red Seal trade that is the focus of the project
  • activities that expand the delivery of green training to non-unionized journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade, such as making available learning products and materials online
  • activities that support the upskilling of journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade that is the focus of the project
  • activities that provide support to journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade that is the focus of the project to attend green training

Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to:

  • activities that provide essential skills training
  • activities that promote and market the benefits of hiring apprentices in the Red Seal trades
  • activities that support employers to hire apprentices in the Red Seal trades

Consider the following example to present your project activities and timelines:

Phase 1: Engagement and Planning Phase - Months 1 to 6

  • Establishing project steering committee: this committee will be composed of partner representatives and be responsible for overseeing the development of activities. This will ensure that partners are engaged throughout the project
  • Hiring project management staff: create a project management unit and hire 6 resources responsible for leading the project, managing the project’s schedule, financial resources, tracking results and reporting on progress to the steering committee and ESDC
  • Recruiting subject matter experts that will act as advisors during the development of specialized activities. This will be done through a competitive process to implement contracts with specialists during specific development phases
  • Finalizing of project’s workplans with partners by breaking down activities, milestones, and performance indicators
  • Developing communication strategy and plan: develop a marketing strategy, create marketing assets, determine marketing tools, and launch marketing campaign to promote activities, increase awareness and help recruit new participants

Phase 2: Development of material and tools - Months 7 to 12:

  • Develop training strategy and curriculum: conduct research on learning objectives, conduct needs assessment in collaboration with learning specialists, colleges, and unions partners. Partners will play a key role in providing expert advice and guidance in the development of the curriculum
  • Develop training material and tools: gather content by collecting relevant information and resources for training, develop training structure and storyboard and create training material. Assess training material with focus group. Partners will also be involved in the assessment of the material by testing the courses’ material with their apprentices
  • Monitor the project’s progress to report to ESDC, collect data and review project plan. Provide an annual report on Results Measurement Indicators to ESDC
  • Etc.
Expected results of the project (must be clearly linked to the project objectives and be specific, concrete, and measurable)* (Question 58)

Clearly give details on:

  1. the approximate number of:
    • journeypersons:
      • unionized journeypersons
      • non-unionized journeypersons
    • apprentices:
      • unionized apprentices
      • non-unionized apprentices
    • other workers:
      • unionized other workers
      • non-unionized other workers
  1. the expected results of your project by:
    • linking them to your project objectives
    • defining them as outputs and outcomes
      • Outputs are tangible products, including goods and services that will be produced to generate the desired outcomes; several activities could contribute to one output. They answer the question, “what will the project produce"? For example:
        • a new green training curriculum for the Industrial Electricians
        • 2 training roadmaps for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade
        • online training modules: train-the-trainer guide, tools, reference guides
        • wrap-around services for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade
        • delivery of 6 training sessions
        • communication and marketing products to promote courses
        • 3 partnership agreements with at least 3 other partners for each agreement
        • a web platform to support the delivery of training in 5 provinces
        • a mentorship program for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade
      • Outcomes are the short-term and intermediate changes that are expected to occur as the result of the project (more than one outcome could be directly related to an objective). They answer the questions “How do we know the project is successful?” and “How do the activities lead to improvements for the beneficiaries?” For example:
        • an increase in union and employer participation in apprenticeship
        • an increase in teaching capacity and mentoring
        • an increase in skills for journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trade
        • access is improved to green training for non-unionized Red Seal workers
        • access is improved to green training for unionized Red Seal workers
        • higher retention in Red Seal apprenticeships
Does the project include Results Measurement indicators?* (Question 59)

Projects must include Results Measurement indicators. Answer Yes to this question.

Describe how you will meet and track the expected results of the project. Provide a description of how you plan to gather, measure, monitor and report on results achieved by your project.

Recipients will be required to collect data and report annually on the following key performance indicators:

  • number of individuals in a funded project that participate in skills training activities
  • number of individuals in a funded project who report an increase in skills after program intervention
  • number of individuals participating in a funded project who report they are employed in a skilled trade
  • number and type of project partners throughout the project duration:
    • unions
    • Indigenous organizations
    • educational institutions
    • non-profit organizations
    • for-profit organizations
    • provincial or territorial governments
    • municipal governments

For all data results collected on individuals in the funded project (listed above), you will be required to indicate the number of participants by equity-deserving groups listed below, based on voluntary self-identification by participants themselves:

  • youth
  • women
  • persons with disabilities
  • Indigenous people
  • members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • racialized individuals
  • newcomers

A performance indicator provides evidence for results that have or have not been achieved. They ensure a proper assessment of the progress achieved towards the intended outputs, outcomes, goals, and objectives of the project. Applicants must provide performance indicators, which will clearly demonstrate how they will measure each anticipated result and ensure their project is progressing as planned.

Measuring results is a way to ensure that you know how your project is progressing towards meeting the expected results. ESDC uses the information you provide in this section to assess your capacity to demonstrate results.

Does this proposed project fit with your organization's other activities?* (Question 60)

Answer Yes or No.

If Yes, describe how the project relates to the ongoing work of your organization.

  • Highlight how achievements and current activities and other projects are related to your proposed project
  • Include any previous work done by your organization, your partners, and your potential partners
  • Include details as to how your project builds on, and does not duplicate, this previous work
  • Include details on your project management processes

This information helps the Department to determine the extent to which your organization can undertake the proposed project and achieve the expected results.

Will any of the project activities be delivered in a different location than where your organization is located?* (Question 61)

Your project must make green training available in at least 2 provinces (except Quebec) or territories. Please give the main address first and then add other addresses.

If you have more than 5 locations, please continue your answer in Appendix A.

We may give priority to projects that provide training opportunities in 3 or more provinces (except Quebec) or territories.

Will your project benefit or involve people in English or French language minority communities? *(Question 62)

If your proposed project involves official language minority communities, you should answer Yes to this question. Please provide the following information:

  • identify the linguistic profile of the journeypersons, apprentices, and other workers in the Red Seal trades targeted by your project
  • identify their specific needs and how your project will meet these needs
  • demonstrate that you have sufficient resources (human and financial) to meet the specific needs

Answering No to this question will not invalidate your application.

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 are English-speaking communities established within the province of Quebec and French-speaking communities established outside the province of Quebec.

Find more information about official language minority communities

Is your project targeting equity-deserving groups?* (Question 63)

Indicate the vulnerable groups your project is targeting, if applicable.

We may give priority to projects that aim to improve participation or access, or both, in green training to equity-deserving groups:

  • women
  • persons with disabilities
  • Indigenous people
  • members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities
  • racialized communities
  • newcomers
Will any other organizations, networks be involved in carrying out the project?* (Question 64)

Your project must include a minimum of 2 partnerships throughout the duration of your project.

  1. Describe your partnerships by providing information about the involved partners:
    • names of your partners’ organization
    • the type of organization of your partners
    • how the partners will participate in the project
      • roles and responsibilities in the delivery of project
      • time allocated by partners in the project
      • resources (human resources, financial or technical) that the partners are contributing to the project
    • how those partnerships will support the objectives of the project
    • how the partners will help achieve the project results
    • how long have you been collaborating with those partners
  2. Explain how those partnerships will contribute to support the trades and the apprenticeship training ecosystem:
    • how the partnerships will support improving consistency of training delivery between multiple stakeholders
    • how the partnerships will strengthen existing or create new linkages between training stakeholders involved in the training, for example between union-based training and non-union-based training providers

You must provide 2 proofs of partnerships, such as a letter of partnership, written by each partner that clearly outlines all the following elements:

  • roles and responsibilities of the partner in the project
  • activities that will be carried out by the partner
  • the duration of the partnership
  • signed by the partner
  • signed by the applicant organization

Note : If your organization is not a union representing workers in the Red Seal trades, you must have a union as a partner throughout the duration of your project. We may ask you to provide a document that proves the union status of at least one of your partners.

Does the project address the program’s national, regional, or local priorities? (Question 65)

Not applicable for this funding process.

Answer No to this question.

Part 3 – Funding

A - Anticipated sources of funding (Questions 66 to 70 in the PDF version of the application form)

Each program has a “stacking limit”, that is, a maximum permitted amount of combined funding from federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments for any project or initiative. The Department uses the information provided in this section to verify that your funding request conforms to any stacking limit or requirement for funding from other sources.

Contributions to the project cannot exceed 100% of eligible expenditures.

Source name* (Question 66)

You must provide the names of all the organizations that will contribute cash or in-kind contributions, or both to this project.

Source type* (Question 67)

Tell us what type of organization is providing the cash contribution from the following options:

  • not-for-profit organizations
  • municipal governments
  • provincial and territorial governments, institutions, and Crown Corporations
  • Indigenous organizations including:
    • band councils
    • tribal councils
    • self-government entities
  • international organizations
  • coalitions, networks, or committees
  • research organizations or institutes
  • educational institutions
  • for-profit organizations
Cash contribution* (Question 68)

You must have a cash contribution equal to or more than 10% of the total project costs from sources other than the Government of Canada. You can determine the amount to be provided as a cash contribution by using the calculator. Tell us how much cash contributions you will receive.

Cash contributions are defined as an amount of money provided by either your organization or by external contributors such as partners or other government entities (provincial, territorial, or municipal governments). The amount of money must be secured by your organization to pay for eligible project costs for goods or services, or both, during the life of the project. Your organization is responsible for keeping a trail of the cash contributions and expenditures made with it. For example:

  • A project partner provides $10,000 in cash to the project. The recipient will use this contribution to purchase training equipment that is essential for the delivery of training as demonstrated in their project
  • The Recipient provides $18,000 of their own money that will be used to cover participant costs

If we select your project, we’ll ask you to submit a letter confirming the cash contribution from a source other than the Government of Canada. That letter will need to confirm that the cash contribution will be available when you’ll begin the project.

Note: The total government funding, including federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, must be equal to or less than 100% of eligible costs.

In-kind contributions* (Question 69)

We will accept up to 10% in in-kind contributions in lieu of cash contributions if you can demonstrate that at least 50% of the organization’s project activities face challenges involving:

If any of the above apply, you must demonstrate how your project activities face one or more of these challenges in Appendix A of the application form.

In-kind contributions are defined as a non-monetary contribution of goods or services donated by your organization or by external contributors such as partners or other government entities (provincial, territorial, or municipal governments). These donations must be eligible and essential to complete project activities. In-kind contributions must be included in the proposal (application form and Budget Detail Template) at fair market value. For example:

  • A project partner donates welding training equipment to the project
  • A project partner donates the service of a consultant to support the project in the development of training material. While the consultant’s salary is paid by the partner, it is not considered to be a cash contribution since it’s the service that will be donated by the consultant
  • The recipient donates computers and office furniture for project staff

To be considered valid, in-kind contributions should contribute to the success of the project, and their monetary equivalency estimated at fair market value.

The combined contributions from federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments must be equal to or less than 100% of eligible costs.

Confirmed cash and in-kind *(Questions 70 to 71)

Tell us if the cash contributions are confirmed.

B - Budget (Questions 72 to 75 in the PDF version of the application form)

Applicants must provide an estimate of the project’s costs. ESDC uses the information provided in this section to assess the overall cost of the proposed project, as well as the general nature of the expenditures to be covered by all anticipated sources of funding.

List each activity and its associated cost in your Application for Funding (PDF format) and Budget Detail Template (PDF format). The amounts must be the same in both documents. Your costs must be reasonable and support your project activities.

Cost category* (Question 72)

The maximum amount of funding you can request from ESDC is $10,000,000.

Note : We can only pay you back for eligible costs which directly relate to your project activities.

List each cost category for which your project will have a planned expenditure.

Eligible costs include, but not limited to:

  • administrative costs of up to 15% of the total ESDC’s financial support of some of your direct costs**. They include costs related to central administrative functions of the recipient organization that are drawn upon to support agreement activities such as:
    • shared postage
    • telephones
    • information technology maintenance
    • head office support

    **New for Administrative Costs: You can request an amount of up to 15% in administrative costs based on the total amount of these 4 direct costs categories in your Budget Detail Template:

    • staff salaries (section 3A)
    • project costs (section 3C)
    • partnership development costs (section 3D)
    • sub-project costs (section 3F)

    You are not required to detail your administrative costs, simply list them in the budget.

    Important: You are still required to keep all documentation of these costs. In the event of an audit, you will need to supply the supporting documents at that time.

  • costs of materials and supplies
  • wages and mandatory employment-related costs for project staff
  • staff training and professional development costs
  • honoraria costs, including Elder fees, limited to industry standards
  • travel costs (within Canada only), in accordance with the National Joint Council’s Travel Directive
  • printing and communication costs
  • professional fees, such as research, evaluation, technical expertise, and facilitation
  • participants costs, including but not limited to:
    • accommodation
    • childcare
    • transportation costs
  • costs of the purchase of tools, equipment, computers, or furniture to support training
  • hospitality costs, in accordance with the Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Events Expenditure as a guideline

Here are some examples of ineligible costs (but not limited to):

  • wage subsidies for work experience and employment-related costs
  • purchase or lease of real property, such as buildings or land
  • facilities costs, such as purchasing land, and construction or renovation
  • costs related to ineligible project activities
  • costs associated with core or on-going activities of your organization
  • costs paid to employers such as compensation to allow employees to participate in the project
  • consultation fees for individuals who are also receiving a salary from your organization or its partner
  • costs incurred to prepare proposal
  • entertainment costs
  • expenditures outside the start and end dates of agreement
  • fines or penalties
  • costs for international travel

If you intend to contract or subcontract for a value of $25,000 or more, a fair and accountable process that includes the solicitation of a minimum of three bids or proposals is required when contracting for the purchase of project-related goods or services. This includes anyone who is hired to deliver the project who is not an actual employee of the contribution recipient. Failure to comply with ESDC requirements may result in these expenditures being ineligible for reimbursement. In the situation where a contract for goods and services is below the $25,000 threshold, it must still demonstrate the principles of accountability, fairness, and best value for money.

Planned spending (dollar)* (Questions 73 to 75)

Give the total planned spending from all sources, including us, for each cost category. The amounts should align with those that you put in section A of Part 3 - Anticipated sources of funding of your Application for Funding.

"Other" means a cash or in-kind contribution from sources other than the Government of Canada.

C - Budget details (Questions 76 to 78 in the PDF version of the application form)

Associated businesses or individuals (Question 76)

Check all statements that apply to your planned spending of the funding from us.

In carrying out the project, you may need contractors or third parties (outside providers) to carry out part of the project activities, such as reporting.

"Associated businesses or individuals" means:

  • an officer, director or employee of your organization, or a member of their immediate family
  • a business in which an officer, director or employee of your organization, or a member of their immediate family, has a financial interest
  • a business connected to your organization

Third Party: a person or organization that has signed an agreement with your organization under the terms and conditions of a master agreement between your organization and the federal government.

Capital assets: Will capital assets be among your planned expenditures with ESDC funding? * (Question 77)

Indicate Yes or No.

If yes, explain how your project will benefit from the purchase of capital assets. A disposal plan for the capital assets should also be included.

A capital asset is any single or composite asset with a purchase value of more than $1,000 (before taxes) that is not physically incorporated into another product and that remains functional at the end of the project.

A composite asset is a collection of unique assets that form one identifiable functional unit, where all components are required for the asset to be functional. The collection of assets is treated as a single capital asset if the total cost of all individual items together is greater than $1,000 (before taxes).

For example, a personal computer, composed of a hard drive, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and cabling, is a composite capital asset. Four $300 chairs are not capital assets because each chair is functional on its own as single units and fall below the established threshold of $1,000 (before taxes).

Further budget details* (Question 78)

Give us a breakdown of your total costs per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).

As an example, this could be the breakdown for a 5-year project with $280,000 in eligible costs:

  • April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026: $50,000
  • April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027: $40,000
  • April 1, 2027, to March 31, 2028: $80,000
  • April 1, 2028, to March 31, 2029: $80,000
  • April 1, 2029, to March 31, 2030: $30,000

If the project will involve subcontracting, a rationale and description of the process to select the subcontractors must be included. If you intend to contract or subcontract for a value of $25,000 or more, a fair and accountable process that includes the solicitation of a minimum of three bids or proposals is required when contracting for the purchase of project-related goods or services. This includes anyone who is hired to deliver the project who is not an actual employee of the contribution recipient. Failure to comply with ESDC requirements may result in these expenditures being ineligible for reimbursement. In the situation where a contract for goods and services is below the $25,000 threshold, it must still demonstrate the principles of accountability, fairness, and best value for money.

Part 4 – Attestation

(This section is mandatory)

To be considered eligible, an official representative must attest that they:

To do this, the official representative must provide their name, title, and the date.

As this is an attestation, no signature is required.

Appendix A

If you did not have enough space for your answer, use this section to complete questions from previous sections of the Application for Funding. Specify the section and question meant to be continued. For example, write the following:

Part 1, Section A, Question 21 continued: insert the rest of your answer

Part 2, Section B, Question 56 continued: insert the rest of your answer

As per Question 69, tell us if you require an exception to the cash contribution requirement of at least 10% from sources other than the Government of Canada. We could accept in-kind contributions if you demonstrate that your project faces any of these challenges:

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