What this program stream offers
The Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care (IELCC) Quality Improvement Projects (QIP) stream supports projects that improve the quality, accessibility, and cultural relevance of early learning and child care services for Indigenous children by using Indigenous knowledge, improving training for educators, and creating tools that reflect Indigenous cultures and languages.
Eligible organizations can apply for up to $2 million for projects that can last up to 36 months.
On this page
Program objectives
We will fund projects that aim to achieve at least 1 of the following objectives:
- defining what high-quality Indigenous ELCC means to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. This could include:
- designing governance models that support Indigenous-led ELCC decision-making
- testing different ways of developing partnerships, and
- designing ways to measure results and success
- finding ways to support ongoing education and training for IELCC leaders, management, and staff
- building and strengthening local IELCC licensing rules and procedures
- making tools and training that support IELCC staff who work with children with special needs
Funding priorities
We may give additional consideration to projects that have partnerships and specifically those with 1 or more of the following:
- academic institutions
- Indigenous organizations involved in labour market service delivery
We may prioritize project proposals based on geographical and sectoral representation.
Glossary
Here is a list of key terms used within this application guide.
- Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC)
- Activities designed to support the learning and development of children less than 6-years old.
- Indigenous Organizations
- Organizations that both:
- have mandates that support First Nations, Inuit, or Métis, and
- are governed by people who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis
- Indigenous Peoples
- A collective name for the first peoples of North America and their descendants. Canadian law recognizes 3 distinct peoples: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.
- Organizational Capacity
- 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.
- Partnerships
- Groups or people that you collaborate with and that contribute to the project.
- Special Needs
- Includes any physical, social, emotional, behavioral, or learning needs that need unique accommodation.