Applicant guide: Funding for the Skills for Success Program – Research and Innovation Stream

Part 1 - Organization

A - Organization identification

Question 1 - Legal name

Provide the legal name of your organization. This is usually:

• the name associated with your registration with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), or
• the name that would appear on funding cheques

Question 2 - Operating (common) name (if different from legal name)

Provide the operating (or common) name of your organization if it is different from the legal name.

Question 3 - Business or registration number

Indicate your 15-digit CRA (123456789 RR 0001) business number that the CRA assigned to your business or legal entity, or, for registered charities and not-for-profit organizations, your registration number.

Your CRA business number can be found on tax-related documents or CRA correspondence.

For more information, please visit the CRA website.

If you do not have a CRA business number or a charity or not-for-profit registration number, provide one of the following documents:

• if incorporated:
  • a copy of letters of patents
  • articles of incorporation
  • certificate of incorporation
  • memorandum of association
  • your rules, by-laws, or constitution
• if not incorporated:
  • a copy of your rules
  • bylaws
  • council resolutions, or
  • constitution

Question 4 - Organization type

Your answer to this question must be one of the following:

• Not-for-profit organization
• For-profit organization (provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives)
• Labour union
• Research organizations, Think tanks, Academic Institutions
• Indigenous organization including:
  • band council
  • tribal council
  • self-government entity
• Provincial and territorial government, institution, agency and Crown Corporation

Question 5 - Organization category

Select the most appropriate category from the following:

Not-for-profit:

1. Indigenous not-for-profit groups
2. Associations of workers and/or employers
3. International non-governmental organizations
4. Local community, charitable, voluntary organizations
5. Non-governmental organizations with a focus to encourage employment
6. National non-governmental organizations
7. Not-for-profit band councils
8. Provincial non-governmental organizations
9. Sector councils
10. Unions

Private

11. Banks
12. Businesses, bodies incorporated or unincorporated
13. Indian band corporations (profit basis)
14. International sector
15. Band councils
16. Private Universities and Colleges

Public

17. Public degree-granting colleges
18. Public degree-granting universities
19. Public community colleges and vocational school
20. Public Health
21. School board/Other educational institution not classified elsewhere

Question 6 - Year established

Indicate the year your organization was established.

Questions 7 to 14 - Organization Address

Indicate the primary address of your organization. You must provide a complete address in a format recognized by Canada Post. Information is available on the Canada Post website.

Questions 15 to 21 - Mailing address (if different from organization address)

Indicate your mailing address if different from your organization's address.

Question 22 - Organization's mandate

Describe the primary work of your organization or business, including your mission, mandate, objectives, and website address, if applicable.

B - Organization contact

Question 23 - Given name and surname

Provide the name of the person in your organization who will be the main contact for the proposed project.

Question 24 - Position title

Provide the title of the organization contact identified in Question 23. This person can be a Business Owner, President, Executive Director, etc.

Question 25 - Preferred language of communication

Indicate the preferred language of the organization contact for both written and spoken communication (English or French).

Question 26 - Organization contact - Address

Indicate whether the address for the Organization Contact is the same or different as the Organization Address or the Organization Mailing Address in Section A.

Questions 27 to 31 - Contact address

If you selected "Different" in Question 26, provide the address for the Organization Contact.

Questions 32 and 33 - Telephone and fax

Indicate the telephone and fax numbers of the Organization Contact.

Question 34 - Email address

Indicate the email address of the Organization Contact. Please note that this is where all correspondence will be sent.

Secondary Contact Information

Question 35 - Given name and surname

Provide the name of the person in your organization who will be the secondary contact for the proposed project.

Question 36 - Position title

Provide the title of the organization contact identified in Question 35. This person can be a Business Owner, President, Executive Director, etc.

Question 37 - Preferred language of communication

Indicate the preferred language of the organization contact for both written and spoken communication (English or French).

Question 38 - Organization contact - Address

Indicate whether the address for the Organization Contact is the same or different as the Organization Address or the Organization Mailing Address in Section A.

Questions 39 to 43 - Contact address

If you selected "Different" in Question 38, provide the address for the Organization Contact.

Questions 44 and 45 - Telephone and fax

Indicate the telephone and fax numbers of the Organization Contact.

Question 46 - Email address

Indicate the email address of the Organization Contact. Please note that this is where all correspondence will be sent.

C - Organizational capacity

We use the information provided in this section to help assess your organization's capacity to manage a project.

Question 47 - How many employees does your organization currently have?

Indicate the total number of people employed in your organization.

Question 48 - Has your organization undergone any important transformations in the past 2 years?

Important transformations refers to events such as:

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

If you answer "yes" to this question, provide a description of the changes.

Question 49 - Describe how your organization has the experience and expertise to carry out the proposed project activities

Include any relevant past experience.

Provide a description of your organization’s experience and expertise in administering projects.

This information will help the Department to assess the extent to which your organization is capable of:

• undertaking the proposed project activities, and
• achieving the expected results

You may wish to highlight related past achievements in addition to describing current expertise and activities or projects. As well, if you have past projects with ESDC, provide details, such as dates, outcomes, success, etc.

Question 50 - Does your organization owe any amounts to the Government of Canada?

If yes, indicate the amounts owing in the spaces provided. See the following example:

Question 51 - If an amount is owing, is a payment plan in place?

Indicate whether or not payment arrangements have been made.

Answering "yes" to this question will not invalidate your application. However, you must provide details as to the type of debt owed and the arrangements that have been made for repayment.

Part 2 - Project

A - Project identification

Question 52 - Project title

Provide a brief, descriptive project title.

Questions 53 and 54 - Planned project start (yyyy/mm/dd) and end dates (yyyy/mm/dd)

Indicate the planned start and end dates of your proposed project.

Projects must be completed by March 31, 2024.

We will notify you in writing of the outcome of the review of your application. Until the approval of your project, you cannot begin any of the proposed activities or incur any expenses. As well, both you and the Department must sign a Funding Agreement. 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

Question 55 - Project objectives (must be clearly linked to the objectives of the program to which you are applying)

Outline the objective(s) of your project. Your objective(s) must be clearly linked to the objectives of the program.

Proposals should include clear and achievable objectives. The objectives of each proposal should be described in terms of quantifiable and measurable goals to be achieved through this project. Multifaceted proposals should include major steps and sub-objectives.

Objectives are statements of desired change that describe:

• what should be accomplished, and
• provide a context in which progress can be monitored and success can be measured.

Project objectives should:

• be S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely
• be consistent with the funding program’s objectives and linked to the program objectives
• identify the specific outcome(s) or expected results that the project is designed to accomplish.
  For example:
  • number of clients served
  • number of clients trained
  • number of clients employed etc.
• ensure that these outcome(s) are measurable
• identify who will benefit from the project; and
• show how meeting the project objectives will help achieve the identified outcomes

The objective of the Research and Innovation Stream of this Call for Proposals under the Skills for Success Program is to fund projects that:

• support research and innovative projects to identify better ways of helping persons prepare for, return to or keep employment and be productive participants in the labour force

Additional requirement to the objective

In addition to the objective, projects under the Research and Innovation Stream of this Call for Proposals must also address a labour market issue that is present in multiple jurisdictions or has the potential to address the same or similar skills and labour market issues in other parts of the country.

Question 56 - Project activities (must be broken down into clear steps)

Describe, in full detail, the proposed project activities. It must be broken down into clear steps.

Project activities are the steps that will be taken to meet the objectives of the project. Activities should be specific, measurable, realistic and relevant to the project objectives and demonstrate how the project outcome(s) will be achieved.

Your answer to this question must include details regarding all your planned activities.

You must include the following details:

• A description of each activity and explanation of how each relates to the objective(s) of the project. There should always be a clear link between the project activities and the project objective(s) (see Question 55). Please list the project activities in a logical sequence, including timelines and/or duration of each, and descriptions where needed. Timelines must be clearly established and feasible. Each activity should be clearly linked to the project costs outlined in the budget (Sections 3B and 3C). This should demonstrate your expected progress and plans to complete the project on time and within budget
• Project milestones, timelines and/or duration of the various activities (milestones are significant events or points of progress during the project). These should demonstrate your expected progress and plans to complete the project on time and within budget
• Clear linkages between the project activities and the project costs outlined in the budget (see Questions 70 to 73 in Section 3B – Budget). Costs associated with all identified activities should be reflected in the Budget Detail Template

Include details about how the project will be delivered. For example, will there be third-party agreements, or will the organization deliver all aspects of the project?

The information you provide here will have a significant bearing on the assessment of your proposed project and of your organization’s ability to undertake the project successfully.

Eligible research activities may include, but are not limited to the following:

• better understand the labour market impacts (or importance) of transferable skills such as creativity and innovation, adaptability, collaboration, communication, problem solving
• better understand skills challenges faced by under-represented groups in the labour market, or
• become a centre of expertise to help break down biases/barriers to foster inclusivity and diversity in the workplace
• inform standards and/or certification for practitioners or identify promising practices for engaging employers in workplace training
• identifying best practices in teaching social-emotional skills and testing proficiency levels for the Skills for Success
• developing case studies of successful training to employment approaches with population groups that are underrepresented in the labour market

Other mandatory activities

To ensure funded projects enable the broad adoption and uptake of the Skills for Success Model, your project must include:

• a dissemination strategy to share project results with organizations and employers

Dissemination Strategy

A dissemination strategy aims to spread knowledge and share results of promising practices on a wide scale. This can be done:

• within or across geographic locations
• across the adult skills training field with various players:
  • service delivery organizations
  • training institutions, and
  • labour/unions
• within employer networks or other networks of end-users

Project recipients may develop promotional materials, such as:

• infographics
• videos, and
• capsules

This is to share project information through various avenues, such as:

• conferences
• webinars, and
• meetings

Question 57 - Expected results of the project (must be clearly linked to the project objectives and be specific, concrete and measurable)

Expected results are the proposed outcomes and outputs of your project.

Describe the expected results of your project. The expected results of the project must be clearly linked to the project objectives. The expected results must also be specific, concrete and measurable (qualitative or quantitative) and must be defined as outcomes.

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?”.

Outputs are tangible products, including goods and services that will be produced to generate the desired outcomes; several activities could contribute to one output.

Under the Research and Innovation Stream expected results include:

Outputs – Information Sharing:

• Number of organizations informed of research findings and insights

Outcomes measures such as:

• Number of organizations with increased awareness of research findings and insights
• Number of organizations with that have integrated the research findings and insights into their adult skills programming
• Number of practitioners with improved capacity (if applicable)

C. Project Details

Question 58 - Does the project include Results Measurement Indicators?

Your answer to this question must be "yes".

Outline the indicators that you will use to measure your project's results. You must include at least one result measurement indicator for each of your project's results identified in Question 57.

Your application describes how you intend to measure and report on each individual result indicator.

Question 59 - Does this proposed project fit with your organization's other activities?

Describe how the project relates to the ongoing work of your organization. You may wish to highlight how past achievements and current activities and/or projects are related to your proposed project. This information helps the Department to determine the extent to which your organization is able to:

• undertake the proposed project, and
• achieve the expected results

Please 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.

You may also wish to include details on your project management process.

Question 60 - Will any of the project activities be delivered in a different location than where your organization is located?

State where your project activities will be taking place. Will they be at the organization’s main address and/or at a different location? If ‘yes’ to a different location, include the address for every other location.

Please indicate “Yes” or “No”. If “yes”, please list the main address first, followed by each additional location.

If there are more than 5 locations, please include in Appendix A.

Question 61 - Is your project designed to benefit or involve people in English or French-language minority communities? If yes, please provide an explanation and any details on whether consultations will take place with these communities?

Answering "no" to this question will not result in your application being refused/dismissed.

ESDC is committed to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minorities in Canada by:

• supporting and assisting their development, and
• fostering 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 Québec and French-speaking communities established outside the province of Québec.

If your project will involve official language minority communities, you should answer "yes" to this question and ensure that this is listed and described in your answer to Question 56 - Project activities.

In addition, identify the linguistic profile of the beneficiaries targeted by your project, document any special needs of the official language minority communities, and indicate whether or not they were consulted. The related budgetary items can be identified in Part 3 of the Application for Funding.

The following page points to information about official language minority communities.

Question 62 - Will any other organizations, networks or partners be involved in carrying out the project?

If partners are involved with this project, you must provide the following information regarding the partner organization(s):

• Name of the organization
• Type of organization (for example not for profit, publicly funded, etc.)
• Nature of partner's involvement in the proposed project

Question 63 - Does the project address the program's national, regional or local priorities?

If your project addresses one of the following priorities, indicate ‘Yes’ and check all that apply; otherwise indicate ‘No’.

The scope of the project is eligible under the Skills for Success Program if it is:

1. National in scope meaning the research will address a labour market issue that is present in multiple jurisdictions (such as, Provinces/Territories), including online, or
2. Regional in scope meaning that the research will address a labour market issue that is present in one jurisdiction (such as, province/territory) and has the potential to address the same or similar skills and labour market issues in other parts of the country

If your project will be ‘national in scope’ and activities are delivered online, they must take place in more than 1 province or territory. Please specify the provinces and territories that will be targeted in Question 56.

Question 64 - Does your project include activities that are listed in the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's (CEAA) Regulations Designating Physical Activities established under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2019?

Not applicable for this intake process. Indicate “No”.

Part 3 - Funding

A - Anticipated sources of funding

You are not required to secure (that is leverage) cash or in-kind contributions from sources other than the Government of Canada for this application process.

However, if you do secure cash or in-kind contributions from sources other than the Government of Canada, you must provide information on that in your Application for funding. See instructions below.

Each program has a "stacking limit", in other words, a maximum permitted amount of combined funding from federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. If your proposed project is retained, contributions to the project cannot exceed 100% of eligible costs.

Question 65 - Source name

Please include the names of all the organizations that will contribute funds and/or in-kind contributions to this project. The Department should be listed as the first source name and any other sources listed below.

Question 66 - Source type

If applicable, identify the types of organizations that are contributing funds to this project from the following options:

• crown corporation
• federal department or agency
• foreign governments
• non-profit
• organization/recipient
• private sector
• provincial/territorial government
• regional or municipal government
• union
• other

Question 67 - Cash

If applicable, please include the amount of funding that will be provided from each source.

Question 68 - In-kind ($ value)

In-kind contributions are non-monetary goods or services for which your organization will not be requesting reimbursement. They may be contributed to the project by:

• your organization
• other organizations or partners

In-kind support may include donated equipment, services or labour necessary for the proposed project that would otherwise have to be purchased.

To be eligible as an in-kind contribution the contribution must be:

• essential to the project's success, and
• supported by a commitment from the contributor

In-kind contributions will only be recognized when fair value can be reasonably estimated.

Question 69 - Confirmed cash and in-kind

If applicable, indicate if the contributions from other sources have been confirmed.

B - Budget

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, and
• the general nature of the expenditures to be covered by all anticipated sources of funding

Use the Budget Detail Template (BDT) to provide the information. This must be included as part of the application. The BDT can be found here: Budget Detail Template. It is important that you use the same amounts entered in the Application Funding (Part 3 – Funding).

Question 70 - Cost category

Applicants shall not request the payment of any charge or fee from participants for their participation in the project.

If the project will involve subcontracting, a rationale and description of the process to select the subcontractors must be included.

A fair and accountable process is required when contracting for the purchase of project-related goods or services. This fair and accountable process must include the solicitation of a minimum of 3 bids or proposals. This is only if applicants intend to contract or subcontract for a value of $25,000 or more. 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

Refer to the program’s Eligibility criteria for expenditures.

Eligible costs under this call include, but are not limited to:

• Administration/overhead costs such as:
  • staff wages and employment related benefits
  • rent, lease, insurance, utilities
  • furniture, equipment purchase or rental
  • materials and supplies
  • printing
  • audit and evaluation costs
  • communication activities
• Costs for financial assistance provided directly to individuals, such as:
  • living expenses
  • tuition costs
  • expenses related to dependant care, disability needs
  • transportation and accommodation costs, and
  • incentives such as earning supplements

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• costs incurred in the preparation of the proposal
• entertainment costs
• costs outside the start and end dates of the contribution agreement
• fines or penalties
• lobbyist fees

Questions 71 to 73 - Planned expenditures ($) - ESDC/other - Cash/other - In-kind

Provide the total planned expenditures from all sources including ESDC, whether cash or in-kind.

"Other" includes funding from another source (not ESDC).

C - Budget details

Question 74 - Associated businesses or individuals.

Check all statements that apply to your planned expenditures of ESDC funding.

In carrying out the project, you may have to purchase various goods or services needed to perform the project from contractors. You may also contract-out to third parties (outside providers) to perform part of the project activities.

"Associated businesses or individuals" means:

• an officer, director or employee of your organization
• a member of the immediate family of an officer, director or employee of your organization
• a business in which an officer, director or employee of your organization, or a member of their immediate family, has a financial interest, or
• a business which is related to, or associated or affiliated with, your organization

Question 75 - Capital assets: Will capital assets be among your planned expenditures with ESDC funding?

Indicate yes or no.

If "yes", explain how your project will benefit from the purchase of capital assets.

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
• 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 and, as single units, fall below the established threshold of $1,000 (before taxes).

Question 76 – Further budget details.

Budget details are intended to capture a further breakdown of your total eligible project costs over the life of the project, by:

• project activity; and
• cost category

Your Application for Funding must include:

• a brief and clear justification of how you intend to use the funds. Costs must be reasonable and support the proposed project activities and scope of work; and
• a complete Budget detail template

Part 4 - Attestation

In order for your application to be eligible, you, as an official representative who has the capacity and the authority to submit proposals on behalf of your organization, must:

• attest that you have the capacity and authority to submit the application
• certify that the information provided is true, accurate, and complete; and
• attest that you have read and understood the Applicant Guide and the program’s requirements

In order to do this, the official representative must provide:

• your name
• your title, and
• the date

As this is an attestation, no signature is required.

Appendix A

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

Part 1, Section C, Question 48 continued: insert the rest of your answer

Part 2, Section B, Question 55 continued: insert the rest of your answer

Notice to applicants

The information collected in your application will be used to assess its merits.

It may also be used and/or disclosed for policy analysis, research, and/or evaluation purposes. In order to conduct these activities, various sources of information under the custody and control of ESDC may be linked. However, these additional uses and/or disclosures of information will not impact your project.

In the event that the application contains personal information, such personal information will be administered in accordance with the Privacy Act and the provisions governing the protection of personal information that are set out in the Department of Employment and Social Development Act. The application is also subject to the Access to Information Act ("ATIA"). The ATIA provides every person with a right of access to information under the control of the department, subject to a limited set of exemptions. Instructions for obtaining access to this information are outlined in the government publication entitled Information about programs and information holdings, which may also be accessed online at any Service Canada Centre.