Apply for funding to support skills development and training-to-employment for Indigenous people - Skills and Partnership Fund

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

On this page

• Application period Closed
• Description of the funding
• Objectives
• How we assess your application
• Steps to apply
• After you’ve applied
• Contact us
• Glossary

Application period

You can apply starting February 28th, 2022. You must apply by May 9th, 2022, at 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (May 9th, 2022, at 12:00 pm Pacific).

Description of the funding

As a complement to the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training program, the Skills and Partnership Fund (SPF) is a project-based fund that supports partnerships between Indigenous organizations and industry employers to provide skills training for Indigenous peoples linked to economic opportunities at the local, regional, and national level. By increasing access to training that is demand-driven, the SPF plays a key role in directly linking training efforts and Indigenous peoples to specific jobs to improve their employment outcomes.

If your organization is interested in receiving funding, you may now apply.

• You can apply for up to $10 million per year
• The total request cannot exceed $50 million per project
• Projects can last up to 60 months, and can not extend past March 31, 2028

Objectives

We will fund projects that:

• prepare and train Indigenous people for specific jobs that are demand driven
• demonstrate partnerships that will develop training to employment activities aimed at improving employment outcomes of Indigenous people
• leverage, private sector, not for profit and/or public sector funding to maximize SPF investments
• include measures to ensure that potential employers provide a respectful and inclusive workplace for Indigenous employees. If not, it provides a concrete plan to create one
• consider the future of the project by:
  • outlining a sustainability plan to continue the project after ESDC funding ends, or
  • including a clear plan to end the project

Priorities

We will give more points to projects that target these sectors:

• Green Economy
• Information and Communications Technology
• Infrastructure
• Blue Economy
• Indigenous Public Sector

Considerations

Projects that target more than 25 employed clients will receive more points during assessment.

How we assess your application

Read and follow the applicant guide to help you complete your application form. This guide gives you details on how to fill out the form.

We will review your proposal in 2 steps:

1. Project Screening

2. Project Assessment

Project Screening

We will assess your project if you pass project screening. During project screening, we will review the following elements.

Application for funding

• we received your application before:
  • May 9th, 2022, at 3:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time (May 9th , 2022, at 12:00 pm Pacific)
• the application is complete, including:
  • a complete application for funding form
  • a complete budget detail template (BDT)
  • a partnership commitment letter from every partner except the applicant.
  • one of the following:
    • proof of a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number
    • proof of a CRA registration number; or
    • if unavailable, other proof of incorporation or registration (provincial or federal)

Eligible applicants

• You are located in Canada
• You are 1 of the following types of Indigenous-led organization:
  • incorporated for-profit Indigenous controlled organizations
  • incorporated not-for-profit Indigenous controlled organizations
  • Indigenous-controlled unincorporated organizations
  • Indian Act bands
  • band or tribal councils; or
  • Indigenous self-government entities

Indigenous-led means that people who self-identify as Indigenous hold 51% of the leadership positions. This must be true at management and governance levels.

In Question 22 of the application form you must select 1 of the types of Indigenous-led organization that applies. You must also confirm your organization is Indigenous-led in a plain written statement. See the applicant guide for details on how to answer.

Eligible projects

• The project proposal aims to prepare and train Indigenous people for specific jobs that are demand driven
• The proposed project is no more than 60 months, ending before or on March 31, 2028
• The total amount of funding requested from ESDC is no more than $10 million per project per year. The total request does not exceed $50 million
• The project has secured a minimum of 25% contribution (cash or in-kind) from partners
• The proposal includes measures to ensure that potential employers provide a respectful and inclusive workplace for Indigenous employees. If not, it provides a concrete plan to create one
• Consider the future of the project by:
  • outlining a sustainability plan to continue the project after ESDC funding ends, or
  • including a clear plan to end the project

Project Assessment

If your project proposal meets all of the screening requirements, we will assess it as follows.

Organizational Capacity (refer to Questions 47 to 51)

We will assess project proposals based on whether they:

• demonstrate that the applicant has previous, successful, experience with similar projects

Project relevance (refer to Questions 55 to 57, 62, and 70 to 73 of the applicant guide)

We will assess projects proposals based on whether they:

• prepare and train Indigenous people for specific jobs that are demand driven
• demonstrate partnerships that will develop training to employment activities aimed at improving employment outcomes of Indigenous people
• demonstrate relevance of partnerships to the project’s success
• include measures to ensure that potential employers provide a respectful and inclusive workplace for Indigenous employees. If not, it provides a concrete plan to create one
• consider the future of the project by:
  • outlining a sustainability plan to continue the project after ESDC funding ends, or
  • including a clear plan to end the project
• demonstrate that project goals are clear, rational, and can be achieved within the project budget and timeframe

Project activities (refer to Questions 49 and 56 of the applicant guide)

We will assess project proposals based on:

• how they describe each activity and how they will be delivered
• whether they establish timelines that are clear and feasible
• whether they demonstrate that proposed activities are specific, realistic and relevant to the project goals and outcome(s). Also whether they demonstrate that you can measure them

Project results (refer to Questions 57 and 58 of the applicant guide)

We will assess project proposals based on whether:

• they explain the expected results of the project, linking them to project activities.
• they demonstrate that the project will have long-term outcomes (over 1 year)
• the project results are specific, concrete and you can measure them
• the proposal includes qualitative and quantitative Results Measurement Indicators that are clearly linked to the project objectives. Proposals should specifically include targets for:
  • number of clients served
  • number of clients employed

Budget (refer to Questions 76 of the applicant guide)

We will assess project proposals based on whether they:

• provide budget details for each requested cost
• demonstrate that the project costs are eligible. Also demonstrate that they support the project activities
• demonstrate that the project costs are good value for money

Partnerships (refer to Questions 62 and 65 to 69 of the applicant guide)

We will assess project proposals based on whether:

• they include a plan to create a committee charged with overseeing the project. Members must include staff from partners
• they define the roles of each partner. If a partnership is with an Indigenous Skills and Employment Training (ISET) program Agreement Holder, they must describe how this partnership is complementary to achieving project objectives
• additional consideration will be given if partners have committed to providing 25% or more of the total project value
• additional consideration will be given if at least 10% of the total project budget is provided by project partners in the form of a cash contribution
• additional consideration will be given if the project proposal demonstrates contributions from more than one partner

Considerations and priorities (refer to Questions 55, 56, and 62 of the applicant guide)

• If your project targets the following sectors, we will award it more points:
  • Green Economy
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Infrastructure
  • Blue Economy
  • Indigenous Public Sector
• Additional consideration will be given if your project targets more than 25 employed clients

Steps to apply

Gather your supporting documents

• A complete application for funding form
• A complete budget detail template (BDT)
• A partnership commitment letter or letters
• One of the following:
  • proof of a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) business number
  • proof of a CRA registration number; or
  • if unavailable, other proof of incorporation or registration (provincial or federal)

Decide how to apply

Apply Online

1. Create your GCOS account. It may take multiple weeks to create your account
2. Read the applicant guide to complete your application form. This guide includes details for each question of the application form
3. Complete the Budget detail template (PDF Format, 47 KB) and upload it in GCOS
4. Apply online using GCOS
5. Email or mail your supporting documents, including your Partner Commitment Letter(s), to:
   • Email address: NC-SPF-FCP-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
   • Mailing Address:

   Skills and Partnership Fund – 2022 Call for Proposals
   Unit mailstop 421
   140 Promenade du Portage Phase IV Floor 4
   Gatineau QC K1A 0J9

6. You must send your documents by May 9th, 2022 and include the following:
   • the name of your organization
   • the title of your proposed project; and
   • your confirmation number

Apply by mail or email

1. Read the Applicant guide to help you complete your application form. This guide will help you fill out the form
2. Complete the Application for funding (EMP5523) form
3. Complete the Budget detail template (PDF Format, 47 KB)
4. Attach your Partner Commitment Letter(s)
5. Send your complete application package by email or by mail to:
   • Email address: NC-SPF-FCP-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
   • Mailing Address:

     Skills and Partnership Fund – 2022 Call for Proposals
     Unit mailstop 421
     140 Promenade du Portage Phase IV Floor 4
     Gatineau QC K1A 0J9

Please note that there is a size limit of 13.5 mb for sending emails. You may need to double-check to be sure your email was sent with everything you need. We will not accept cloud-based documents.

Note on PDFs

Our Application form uses PDF form technology. You must have a PDF reader installed to use the form. There are several readers you can get on the Internet for free that support our form. Both Adobe Reader 8 (or higher) or Foxit Reader should work.

Downloading the application form

• Make sure that you have one of the above PDF readers installed on your system
• Select the Application form
• When prompted to open or save, select “Save as”
• Select your folder location and save (file type must be PDF)
• Reopen the form from your computer:
  • select the “Open with” option
  • choose option to open with your PDF reader
  • make sure that the form opens in your PDF reader of choice, by looking at the top of your screen
• Begin inputting and save your form as you go
• Before submitting make sure that the form is complete and is saved

Forms that perform calculations

Some sections of the form will calculate totals for you. Please double-check all data you enter. You are in charge of ensuring the form is complete and correct.

Beware that these issues will impact your form

• Not using correct reader software. For example, old versions of Adobe, or Preview reader on a Mac
• Completing the form in a browser

After you’ve applied

We will review your application. We expect to make funding decisions in Fall 2022.

Online

You will receive an automatic reply.

By email

We will confirm receipt by email.

By mail

We will confirm receipt within 21 days.

Contact us

If you need to contact us, you can reach us here:

NC-SPF-FCP-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

We will answer questions sent before May 2nd 2022, at 5:00 pm (EDT).

Information sessions

We will hold information sessions on March 10th. You can join online or by phone. If you want to join, send an email to NC-SPF-FCP-GD@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca. We will tell you how to do so.

In your email, let us know if you prefer English or French. Also, let us know if you need any special accommodation to attend.

Glossary

Blue economy

Industries that support long-term growth in ocean-based sectors such as ocean-based energy, marine infrastructure, aquaculture, commercial fisheries, coastal and marine tourism and ocean technology.

Green economy

Industries that support a more efficient use and alternative sources of energy and resources.

Indigenous-led

Indigenous-led means that people who self-identify as Indigenous hold 51% of the leadership positions. This must be true at management and governance levels.

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.

Indigenous Public Sector

Indigenous Governments and public-services owned and operated by Indigenous governments such as law enforcement, emergency services, infrastructure, land administration, public transit, public education, child care and health care.

Information and communications technology

Industries that support and contribute to the manufacturing of goods and/or the delivery of services related to broadband, connectivity, computers, software, and other communications technology.

Infrastructure

Industries that support the construction, function, and maintenance of physical infrastructure advancing governmental priorities. They may also support the development of a community.

Partners

SPF partners are organizations that are part of the project and play a specific role contributing to the objectives of the project. Groups that support the project are not the same thing as partners. A supporter endorses a project, while a partner, including the applicant, contributes to the project and plays an active role.

Project partners may include:

• private and public sector employers
• Indigenous self-government entities
• Indigenous Skills and Employment Training agreement holders
• provincial and or other federal government departments; and
• other divisions of the applicant’s own organization

ESDC does not count as a partner for the purposes of SPF.