Solicited Call-Training and Capacity Building Initiative for Early Childhood Educators in Francophone Official Language Minority Communities (outside Quebec)
From: Employment and Social Development Canada
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Application period
Application period: Closed on July 17, 2024, by 3 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)
This was a solicited intake through which one organization was invited to submit an application for funding.
Description
The Training and Capacity Building Initiative for Early Childhood Educators in Francophone Official Language Minority Communities intends to support the development and improvement of Early Childhood Educators' capacity building and training programs in Francophone Minority Communities. This initiative aims to help meet the needs of the labour market in the early childhood sector in Francophone Minority Communities across Canada (excluding Quebec).
Funding for this initiative was announced as part of the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration. The Action Plan reaffirms the Government's commitment to the protection and promotion of Canada's two official languages, the preservation of French, and the vitality of our official language minority communities. This initiative contributes to Pillar 2 of the Action Plan: Promoting Lifelong Learning Opportunities of the Action Plan.
Note: Find more information about the Action Plan: Action Plan for Official Languages 2023-2028: Protection-Promotion-Collaboration - Canada.ca
The total funding available under this initiative is $12,550,000 over 4 fiscal years.
The successful project is expected to begin by October 2024 and end by March 31, 2028.
Objective
This funding aims to continue the development, improvement and/or expansion of Early Childhood Educator training programs with the ultimate objective of increasing the number of adequately trained Francophone Early Childhood Educators and improving their recruitment and retention to help address labour shortages in the Early Learning and Child Care sector in Francophone Minority Communities.
Through this intake, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will select and fund one Francophone Minority Communities -focused national organization. This organization will:
- act as an initial recipient of the fund
- redistribute funding to eligible Francophone Minority Community organizations outside Quebec to support professional training, development, and capacity building of Early Childhood Educators for the Early Learning and Child Care sector
- develop and/or expand and implement initiatives and innovative solutions related to professional training programs and capacity building of Early Childhood Educators, carried out "by and for" Francophone Minority Communities
- work collaboratively with other national, regional, and local partners serving Francophone Minority Communities to assess needs and prioritize investments in the professional training and capacity building of Francophone Early Childhood Educators as well as their recruitment, retention, and recognition with the aim of addressing labour shortages
- report to ESDC on progress, results, and impact of the implemented francophone Early Childhood Educator training initiatives and projects on the Early Childhood Educators
- disseminate knowledge and results, and share best practices among stakeholders (for example, researchers, academics, practitioners, Early Childhood Educators, Early Childhood Assistants, service providers and partners, and community organizations)
Organizations invited to apply should propose project(s) that:
- are approximately 4 years in duration (the successful project is expected to begin by October 2024 and end by March 31, 2028)
- maximize the use of the budget amount available ($12,550,000) over four fiscal years
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for this funding initiative, an organization must:
- be located in Canada
- be a not-for-profit organization
- have an Early Learning and Child Care mandate, focused on serving Francophone minority communities outside Quebec
- be actively pursuing Early Learning and Child Care activities related to training of Francophone early childhood educators in line with the objectives of the solicited intake process
- be in good financial standing with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Note: To be considered in good financial standing, an organization should either have no outstanding amounts owed to the Government of Canada in relation to ESDC programs or a satisfactory repayment arrangement has been made for the organization to repay any amount owed.
Organizational Capacity
In addition, eligible organizations must have recent* and significant** experience in the following areas:
- Experience in Early Learning and Child Care in Francophone Minority Communities:
- managing multi-year funding agreements with the federal government that included activities supporting the Early Learning and Child Care sector in Francophone Minority Communities (for example, delivering funding to sub-projects that aim to support Early Learning and Child Care sector in Francophone Minority Communities)
- delivering funding to a broad range of Early Learning and Child Care Francophone Minority Communities organizations across Canada, using application or other processes that are accessible, fair, and transparent. The organization is responsible for putting in place a process for the selection of sub-projects through an open and impartial manner. This process should involve consultation with a Community Advisory Board that is representative of the key Official Language Minority Communities' stakeholders
Note: A Community Advisory Board is a committee/group that involves representatives from the targeted community stakeholders that would help ensure that the application process and the selection of the funded sub-projects are fair and transparent. The organization will need to show in the funding proposal that there is a process in place to consult representatives from Francophone Minority Communities and/or the organizations serving those communities.
- Experience Managing Grant and Contribution Programs, including:
- managing sub-agreements with sub-funding recipients
- using financial controls to account for funds spent
- reporting on results achieved
- Experience in Building and Maintaining Community Relationships:
- have current relationships and communication with diverse Early Learning and Child Care Official Language Minority Community organizations in Canada as well as access to key networks to:
- assess community-level needs
- advertise the funding
- inform the community of the funding decisions
- have current relationships and communication with diverse Early Learning and Child Care Official Language Minority Community organizations in Canada as well as access to key networks to:
- Experience in Collaborating with Other Organizations in the Early Learning and Child Care Network
- mobilizing partners from a variety of Early Learning and Child Care-related fields, including social infrastructure, Early Learning and Child Care entrepreneurships, francophone immigration, educational institutions, and Early Childhood Educators employers, among others
Note:
- *Recent: Anytime within the past 5 years
- **Significant: For at least 2 years.
- mobilizing partners from a variety of Early Learning and Child Care-related fields, including social infrastructure, Early Learning and Child Care entrepreneurships, francophone immigration, educational institutions, and Early Childhood Educators employers, among others
Ineligible Applicants
The ineligible applicants include:
- provincial/territorial and municipal governments
- individuals
Eligible Projects
To be considered eligible, the proposed project(s) must clearly demonstrate how they intend to:
- support the initiative objectives including:
- addressing training and professional development needs to build the capacity of early childhood educators in Francophone Minority Communities
- increasing the number of adequately trained Francophone Early Childhood Educators and improving their recruitment and retention to help address labour shortages in the Early Learning and Child Care sector in Francophone Minority Communities
- foster partnerships and collaboration in the Early Learning and Child Care sector, including engagement and working with provinces and territories (excluding Quebec)
- engage with diverse Francophone Minority Communities-based organizations in under-served communities, such as those located in urban, rural, remote and northern areas
Organization Solicited for Funding
The following organization is considered to meet all applicant eligibility and organizational capacity requirements as outlined in the Eligibility section and will be invited to apply:
- L'Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne (ACUFC)
If you believe that your organization also meets the eligibility criteria listed under the Eligible Applicants and Organizational Capacity sections above, please send us an expression of interest that includes specific information on how your organization meets each of the applicant eligibility and organizational capacity criteria at NC-DGOP-POB-ELCC-AGJE-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca by June 26, 2024, at 3:00 PM (EDT).
Note: Expressions of interest submitted after the June 26, 2024, at 3:00PM (EDT) deadline will not be taken into consideration.
Following the submission of your expression of interest, we will assess your organization's eligibility and inform you of the result within 48 hours (excluding weekends and statutory holidays).
Organizations, assessed as eligible, will receive an invitation to apply, and will be provided with the necessary application materials. Please note that only organizations that have been deemed as meeting all applicants' eligibility and organizational Capacity criteria, as per the Eligibility section above, will be invited to apply.
Organizations invited to apply are required to submit a complete application package by July 17, 2024, at 3:00 PM (EDT) to be considered for this funding opportunity.
Contact Us
If you have questions or need help with this application process, contact NC-DGOP-POB-ELCC-AGJE-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
We will answer questions sent before July 16, 2024, at 5:00 PM (EDT).
Key Definitions
Expression of Interest:
For this funding opportunity, expression of interest is the email that unsolicited organizations can send to ESDC to express their interest in applying for this funding opportunity. This email must also demonstrate how the organization meets all the applicants' eligibility and organization experience criteria.
Initial Recipient of Funding:
An organization which acts as an initial recipient of funding is responsible for the following activities:
- conducting intake processes for selecting Official Language Minority Community organizations for funding that are accessible, fair and transparent
- managing and monitoring sub-agreements with sub-funded organizations for agreed upon activities/projects
- demonstrating sound management of public funds by verifying financial claims from sub-funded organizations and paying for eligible costs
- establishing results measurement approaches and reporting on the results of the sub-agreements
Official Language Minority Community:
In the context of this intake process, Official Language Minority Community refers to Francophone Communities in Provinces and Territories other than Quebec.
Organizational Capacity:
For this funding opportunity, organizational capacity is an organization's proven experience and expertise to meet its goals and carry out its mission, including its ability to collaborate and raise funding from different sources.
Partnership:
Refers to a relationship (formal or informal) between the applicant and another party (other than sub-funded organizations), often established through Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). Partners could be:
- Official Language Minority Community - Early Learning and Child Care network members
- other community organizations
- not-for-profit organizations
- private sector organizations
- municipalities
- grassroots groups
- foundations
- governments
Partners collaborate and assist in carrying out the project and contribute valuable resources, time, and expertise to increase project success.
Project:
For this funding opportunity, project refers to the totality of activities included in the submitted proposal to be carried out by the applicant.