Applicant guide: Funding for the Skills for Success Program – Training and Tools Stream

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, banking account, etc.

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 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
• Municipal government
• 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.

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.

Note: We must be informed if your main organizational contact changes.

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.

Note: We must be informed if your secondary organizational contact changes.

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.

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, describe 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.

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 project.

Projects must be completed by March 31, 2024.

We will notify you in writing of the outcome of the review of your application. You cannot begin any of the proposed activities or incur any expenses until the approval of your project. 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.

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 Training and Tools Stream is to fund projects that meet 1 or both of the objectives below:

1. Objective A: Design and implement training to support individuals to improve their foundational and transferable skills and be better prepared to meet on-the-job demands
2. Objective B: Develop assessment tools and training resources

Additional requirements to the objectives

If your project is focusing on Objective A (designing and implementing training), you must also meet the following requirements:

• involve the collaboration of employers or employer organizations to provide targeted skills training to meet current and future requirements within an industry or occupation; and
• be partnership-driven, involving collaborative relationships between organizations that contribute to the success of the training model for the targeted audience
  • For example between sectors, regions or industries, or with community/non-profit groups supporting targeted population groups and educational institutions and other training providers

For Objective A, you must:

• indicate under Question 62, the details of involved partners and collaborators, and
• provide a mandatory letter of support from the partners/collaborators who are involved with the project

If your project is focusing on Objective B (development of assessment tools and training resources), you must also meet the following requirements:

The assessment tools and training resources should be made available to Canadians

• online and/or in an alternate accessible format; and
• at no cost

Note: If you intend to focus on both Objectives A and B, you must ensure that the additional requirements for both objectives are also met.

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 are clearly established and feasible. Each activity is 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 significantly impact the assessment of your proposed project and of your organization's ability to undertake the project successfully.

Eligible activities for program Objective A - design and implementation of training may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• expansion of a proven training model:
  • This would include models that have been successfully applied within Canada or outside Canada that could be:
    • replicated in a different region or with a different target audience, and/or
    • increased in scale
• integration of the Skills for Success Model into an existing employment and/or training program
• development of a new training approach based on the Skills for Success Model:
  • This would include the development and testing of new approaches with the potential to improve labour market outcomes for Canadians
    • For example, the development of a micro-credentialing program to ensure a better match between Canadians' skills and employer needs

Eligible activities for program Objective B - development of assessment tools and training resources may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• updating an existing assessment tool or training resource and aligning it to the new skills model
• developing and validating an assessment tool for social-emotional skills including the new skills added to the model (adaptability, creativity and innovation)
• developing training materials to build the digital skills of workers for employers diversifying their operations
• developing assessment and/or training tools tailored to specific audiences, such as specific population groups underrepresented in the labour market or sectors
• developing training modules to help digitally literate individuals to navigate self-directed assessments and training resources

Other mandatory activities

• Your project must contain a strategy to achieve gender equality in the delivery of the training. This is to ensure that access to skills training opportunities is unaffected by one's:
  • gender identity
  • gender expression, or
  • sexual orientation
• 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; and
  • A sustainability strategy that maps out the ways the project activities and/or partnerships will continue, in whole or in part, by the partners or other interested parties beyond the duration of the project

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

Sustainability strategy

A sustainability strategy maps out the ways the project activities and/or partnerships will continue, in whole or in part, by the partners or other interested parties beyond the duration of the project. For example, Indigenous service providers in receipt of project funding may build their capacity to deliver effective training to Indigenous people. After the project has ended, the activities and partnerships will continue using their ongoing program funding.

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.

Program Objective A. Development, testing, implementation and scaling of innovative training models

Outputs – Access to skills training

• Number of participants in training
• Number of participants completing training
• Number of participating employers/employer associations
• Number of partners, including service providers, training organizations, health and social support partners

Outcome measures related to:

Skills outcomes

• Number and proportion (%) of participants with improved foundational and transferable skills
• Number and proportion (%) of participants with improved wellness and wellbeing (for example, their health, self-efficacy, self-confidence), if applicable

Labour market outcomes

• Number and proportion (%) of participants who pursue further education and training
• Number and proportion (%) of participants employed (post-intervention and 6-month retention)

Partner and employer outcomes:

• Number and proportion (%) of employers with improved business results, for example:
  • their return on investment
  • productivity and profitability
  • health and safety
  • employee retention, and
  • customer service
• Number and proportion (%) of employers with a more diverse and inclusive workforce
• Number and proportion (%) of partners, including employers that have adopted or integrated the new skills model. For example, a partnering training institution could integrate the new model in their ongoing programming. An employer could integrate the new skills model in their Human Resources (HR) practices (for example, to recruit, deliver on-the-job training, manage their staff)

Program Objective B. Development of assessment tools and training resources:

Outputs – Access

• Number of users, according to demographic information, and/or
• Number of organizations using the assessment tool and/or training resource
• Number of train-the-trainer workshops and number of practitioners trained (if applicable)

Outcomes measures such as:

• Number of users/organizations with increased awareness of assessment tools and/or training resources, as a result of the dissemination strategy
• Number of users with improved foundational and transferable skills (if applicable)
• Number of practitioners with improved capacity (if applicable)
• Number of organizations that have integrated assessment tools and/or training resources in their adult training programs (if applicable)

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. You should also 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. Also 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

In addition to Question 62, if your project is focusing on Objective A (designing and implementing training) you must provide a mandatory letter of support from the partners/collaborators who are involved with the 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 project includes activities that will take place in more than 1 province or territory, including online
2. Regional in scope means the project includes activities that:
   1. will take place within a province or territory, and
   2. target racialized groups or Official Language Minority Communities, and/or
3. Remote in scope means having:
   1. a population of less than 1,000 (core population), and
   2. no, or very little, access to the services of the closest municipality with a population of 1,000 or more exists

Remote projects do not have to target racialized groups or Official Language Minority Communities

If your project will be 'national in scope' and activities are delivered online, please specify the provinces and territories that will be targeted in Question 56.

Also, please provide additional details about the remote communities in Question 56.

Question 64 - Does your project include activities that are listed in Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) Regulations Designating Physical Activities established under the Canadian Impact Assessment Act 2019?

Not applicable for this intake process. Indicate "No".

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 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.

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 the following, but are not limited to:

• Overhead costs up to 15% of the total ESDC financial support for the project. This includes costs related to central administrative functions of the recipient organization, such as:
  • utilities
  • copying
  • information technology maintenance, and
  • head office support
• Materials and supplies
• Wages and mandatory employment-related costs
• Professional fees (such as, consultants, research, audit, translation)
• Training and professional development
• Honoraria costs limited to industry standards
• Printing and communication
• Computer services, library expenses, research and evaluation costs, and collection and analysis of data
• Purchase or rental of tools, equipment, computers, furniture
• Travel costs, in accordance with the National Joint Council's Travel Directive
• Digitization costs, such as developing and adapting existing training, curricula, and other resources to an online platform
• Hospitality costs, subject to the Treasury Board Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Events Expenditures
• Wage subsidies for employees to participate in foundational and transferable skills development;
• Participant costs, such as costs for:
  • a course or program of instruction
  • transportation
  • living allowance
  • reasonable childcare
  • accommodation costs to support persons with disabilities
  • other expenses related to specialized services, arrangements or equipment); and
  • Other cost necessary to support the purpose of the funding as approved by the Minister of EWDDI or delegated authority

Ineligible costs under this call include the following 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 the Department [ESDC], whether cash or in-kind.

“Other” includes funding from another source (not ESDC).

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