Prepare to apply

This question is mandatory. What is your organization's legal name? The legal name is usually:

• the name on your registration with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) or provincial/territorial equivalent, or
• the name used on funding cheques, bank accounts, etc.

The legal name should match the one provided on your Work-Sharing application.

What is the operating (or common) name of your organization (if it differs from the legal name)

What year was your organization established?

Choose one of the following:

• Not-for-profit

  Not-for-profit organizations are established for purposes other than financial gain for their members. They primarily receive Provincial/Federal government funding (supplemented by fundraising and fees), often rely on volunteers to deliver programs, and are often governed by a Board of Directors or a Committee.

• Public sector organizations

  All companies and agencies under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada are classified as public sector organizations. For the purposes of certain statutes, various agencies, such as school boards and hospitals, are considered part of the public sector. They are often referred to as parapublic organizations. Public sector organizations can be large or small, though often have numerous employees and are governed by Public Policy mandates.

  When a public sector organization uses a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) registered charity business number, it does not change the organization's designation to a not-for-profit.

• Private sector organizations

  Private sector organizations are established to generate a profit or to provide an economic advantage to their proprietors, members, or shareholders. They primarily operate through company profits, but can be supplemented by Provincial/Federal government funding. These organizations are privately owned and are independently managed. Note that volunteers may deliver some programs, and a Board of Directors may govern the business.

Select the most appropriate category from the following based on what you chose in Question 4.

• Not-for-profit sector
  • Local community, charitable, or voluntary
  • Provincial non-governmental organizations
  • National non-governmental organizations
  • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) with a focus on encouraging employment
  • Unions
  • Associations of workers and/or of employers
  • Indigenous not-for-profit groups
• Private sector
  • Businesses, bodies incorporated or unincorporated
  • Private universities or colleges
• Public sector
  • Public degree school boards / school districts
  • Public community colleges and vocational schools
  • Public degree-granting universities
  • Public degree-granting colleges

Consult the list of eligible recipients for this CFP. Not all the above organization categories are eligible under this CFP.

This question is mandatory. Provide the Canada Revenue Agency Payroll Account Number you use to report the employees' payroll deductions to the Canada Revenue Agency. The Payroll Account Number consists of nine numbers, followed by 2 letters (RP), and followed by 4 numbers. You must enter all 15 characters.

You must provide the same CRA Payroll Account Number provided on your Work-Sharing application.

This question is mandatory. State the primary address of your organization. The primary address is usually the head or main office. The full address is required including city, province and postal code. You can’t include a PO Box; this information, if applicable, can be included in the next question.

This question is mandatory. State “yes” or “no” to the question of whether your mailing address is the same as the primary address. If no, state the mailing address of your organization.

Describe your organization's primary activities and include the following information:

• the main activities of your organization
  • mission
  • mandate
  • objectives

These questions are mandatory. Who is the main contact person for the proposed project? Provide the contact information for the person who will be ESDC's primary contact person in respect to your application for funding.

This person must be available for questions during the review process.

Note that this email address will be used for all correspondence.

Provide the person's full name, telephone number where ESDC can reach them during business hours and their email address. The secondary contact's information must be different from the main contact person.

This person must be available for questions from the time of submission to the time decisions are communicated. ESDC will reach out if they require additional clarification and/or documentation.

Note that the email address provided will be used for all correspondence.

A secondary contact is mandatory. If the department cannot reach the main contact, who's the next best person to contact? Provide the person's full name, position title, telephone number where we can reach them during business hours and their email address.

This person must be available for questions during the review process.

If we can't reach the main contact, who else can we contact? Provide the person's full name, telephone number where we can reach them during business hours and email address.

These questions are mandatory. If "Yes", complete the fields for each amount owing. ESDC won't reject your application for this reason. However, you must provide detail as to the type of debt and the arrangements you have for repayment.

Example of amount owing by organization

Answering "Yes" won't make your application ineligible, but you must provide details about the type of debt owed.

If you have a payment plan in place to repay the debt, check "Yes" under Question 19, otherwise check 'No'. You may be asked to provide the current arrangements for repayment during the assessment of your application.

This question is mandatory. Give a short title that describes your project.

These questions are mandatory. When do you plan to start and end your training?

The start and end dates you enter will be used to determine the dates for the Worker Retention Grant.

These dates must fall within the implementation date and the end date of the related Work-Sharing agreement.

Your project must start on a Sunday and end on a Saturday to mirror the Work-Sharing program.

Start Date:

The earliest project start date is:

• the Sunday you submit your Worker Retention Grant application, or
• the Sunday following, if you apply on any day other than a Sunday

End Date:

The end date must:

• not exceed the end date of your Work-Sharing agreement, and
• be no later than Saturday, March 27, 2027

You must commit to delivering training in 40% of the weeks between the start and end dates you indicate.

A complete Grant Calculator form is required.

The estimated Grant amount will be calculated using the following information:

• the individual average weekly earnings of each employee in the WS Unit(s)
• the EI benefit rate for those employees
• the estimated/negotiated work reduction (for example, a 30% decrease in hours) as per the WS application
• the total number of weeks of the grant period as per question 21 and question 22 on the application form

Please note: The first tab on Grant Calculator Workbook provides comprehensive instructions.

The Department uses the information you provide in this section as part of the assessment in determining whether your proposed project is eligible for funding.

This question is mandatory. In 500 words or less, describe in detail, your training plan. The training offerings should support skills development that is pertinent to your organization operations and/or to worker-retention.

Elements that could be included in a 500‑word training plan

• Overview of Training Objectives
  • The overall purpose of the training initiative
  • How the plan supports organizational priorities or workforce challenges
  • The expected impact on operational performance and/or employee retention
• Types of Skills to Be Developed
  • Job‑specific or technical skills relevant to day‑to‑day operations
  • Foundational skills (e.g., digital literacy, communication, problem‑solving)
  • Safety, compliance, or regulatory requirements
  • Leadership, supervisory, or team‑management capabilities
• Upskilling and Reskilling Components
  • Training that helps employees adapt to new processes, tools, or technologies
  • Cross‑training initiatives to improve workforce flexibility
  • Support for career advancement or internal mobility
• Training Methods and Delivery Approaches
  • Classroom or instructor‑led training
  • Hands‑on or practical training
  • On‑the‑job learning, mentoring, or coaching
  • Online or blended training options

Your objectives must be clearly link to the objectives of the Worker Retention Grant

Describe the objective(s) of your project by:

• clearly outlining how your proposed training plan supports the objectives of the Worker Retention Grant, including helping employees maintain employment, supporting retention, and increasing participation in training opportunities while on Work-Sharing
• explaining how the training you are offering will help workers strengthen skills that support your business operations, recovery, or adaptation (for example: technical skills, foundational skills such as digital literacy, or on the job upskilling)
• confirming that training will be offered for at least 40% of the weeks covered by the Grant period, as required by the program
• describing the types of skills or competencies employees will gain and how these will contribute to improved resiliency, productivity, or business continuity
• identifying the number of eligible employees (participants in the Work-Sharing unit(s)) who will have access to this training as listed on the Grant calculator tool
• outlining how your project will encourage greater use of training during Work-Sharing and support workforce flexibility, upskilling, or internal mobility

Note: Training does not need to be formal, credential based or delivered by a third-party provider. Eligible training may include informal, on the job, facilitator led, peer to peer, online, or in person learning.

Describe, in full detail, the proposed project activities. These must be broken into clear steps. Explain the timeframes involved in completing each step.

Activities should be S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. 

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 you answered "yes" to a different location, include the address for every other location.

ESDC commits to enhancing the vitality of the English and French linguistic minorities in Canada. ESDC support and assist their development and foster 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 proposed project involves Official language minority communities, you should answer "Yes" to this question. Complete the question following the instructions in the application form.

Answering "No" to this question will not invalidate your application.

Indicate the vulnerable groups your project is targeting, if applicable. You can select more than one.

For example:

• have low income
• are Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis, Urban/Non-Affiliated)
• are women
• are youth
• are 2SLGBTQIA+
• are members of Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)
• are Black people
• are racialized people
• are newcomers
• are persons with disabilities
• are individuals experiencing homelessness
• are seniors
• are living in rural and remote settings

This question is mandatory. 

Using the totals in the Grant Calculator form, list the total amounts for each of the following fields:

• Supplement Amount
• Employment Insurance Premiums
• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

Complete the question following the instructions in the application form. Note that the additional funding sources listed should be necessary for the project to succeed.

Cash Contributions

If you are getting a cash contribution from another source, tell us how much.

List the name for each organization providing funding. Indicate the type of funding and value associated with it.

Donations (in-kind)

Donations (in-kind) are goods and/or services that people or organizations give to you for free for the proposed project. They can be provided by:

• your organization
• other organizations
• partners

They can include:

• equipment
• services
• paid labour from within the organization or from another organization that is not being charged to the project

Provide more details about your project's budget if needed.