ARCHIVED – Introduction and overview to Settlement Program and Resettlement Program call for proposals (CFP) 2024

Immigration contributes to Canada's culture, economy, and population growth. Canada also proudly maintains its standing as a leading refugee resettlement country. Making immigration work for Canada is a complex undertaking. Even with the difficulties posed by COVID-19 and multiple humanitarian crises in recent years, all levels of government, settlement service provider organizations, and other service delivery partners came together to ensure that newcomers and refugees were supported. In addition, service providers across the country introduced new practices, including: rapid, innovative, and successful program delivery transformations to respond to pandemic-related challenges and unprecedented volumes of arrivals.

As Canada continues to build a resilient economy, our Immigration Levels Plan will continue to play an essential role in Canada's economic growth and recovery, from filling labour shortages and closing labour market gaps to ensuring employers who will provide jobs in the industries of the future can become established and grow in Canada.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is committed to ensuring newcomers and refugees have the support and services they need to make the most of their talents and experience in order to fully integrate and contribute to the Canadian economy and their communities. The supports and services delivered to newcomers and refugees through IRCC's Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs are world-class and help to make Canada a recognized international leader in settlement and integration.

The Programs have strong foundations. They are significant in scope and footprint. This investment demonstrates IRCC's commitment to continue working closely with provincial and territorial governments, local and regional partners, service provider organizations, and other service delivery partners through bilateral and multi-efforts to ensure our vision that newcomers and refugees have access to the right services at the right time, regardless of who they are or where they are in Canada.

Since the last Call for Proposals (CFP) 2019, IRCC has continued to develop its evidence base, notably through the Settlement Outcomes Report, two major evaluations, several waves of the Newcomers Outcomes Survey, and research on the recent experience with the pandemic. As a result, the Department has strengthened its knowledge of what continues to work well and meet client needs and where there are opportunities to make changes.

Cross-country consultations conducted early in 2023 with over 1,300 partners also informed key priority areas that will be addressed in CFP 2024. Based on these consultations, opportunities and priorities were identified and confirmed: continue to emphasize partnerships at all levels to minimize duplication of effort; maintain and expand targeted services to better meet the needs of diverse clientele; and continue the momentum initiated during the pandemic to improve access to digital services.

As part of our commitment to deliver high quality settlement services to newcomers, IRCC is issuing a call for proposals for the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs. The CFP 2024 approach is informed by both program evidence and the cross-country consultations with the settlement and resettlement partners. The CFP 2024 priorities will ensure that the Programs remain effective, efficient, and flexible for newcomers and refugees to receive the support they need when they need it.

As Canada strives to encourage new immigrants to settle in different regions of the country, including rural, remote communities and small and medium centres under the Immigration Levels Plan, and as it responds to multiple humanitarian crises and continues to resettle refugees, CFP 2024 will set up the Programs for success by leveraging partnerships, collaboration, innovation and technology to capitalize on the changing immigration landscape and to improve service delivery further and respond to the evolving needs of newcomers and refugees.

Canada has benefited from the millions of skilled newcomers and refugees from around the world, ready to contribute to Canadian society. The continuous improvements to the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs that will be implemented through CFP 2024 demonstrate IRCC's ongoing commitment to ensure that newcomers and refugees have the support they need when they need it, regardless of who they are or where they settle in Canada.

Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) funds the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act objective to "promote the successful integration of permanent residents into Canada, while recognizing that integration involves mutual obligations for new immigrants and Canadian society". IRCC also administers the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs to help newcomers settle and adapt to life in Canada, setting them on a path to integration and full citizenship. Through these programs, IRCC works with many partners to deliver a set of ongoing high-quality services to newcomers outside Quebec.

The purpose of this Call for Proposals is to establish a comprehensive set of regional and national services for the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs across Canada.

Funding for recommended projects will commence on April 1, 2025 and will be eligible for a duration of up to five years, ending no later than March 31, 2030. Applicants for funding may apply to receive it under the Settlement Program or the Resettlement Assistance Program, or both, but must submit separate applications for each program. These Funding Guidelines are a tool to help applicants develop their proposal(s). All applicants are responsible for reading the Funding Guidelines in full.

This funding process covers both direct and indirect services funded under two programs: IRCC’s Settlement Program and the Resettlement Assistance Program.

Further information about various services under the Settlement Program and the Resettlement Assistance Program can be found in their individual sections of the Funding Guidelines.

Under the Settlement Program, IRCC is also soliciting proposals for three distinct programming streams within CFP 2024. A brief description of the three streams are as follows:

Further information about these streams can be found in their sections of the Funding Guidelines.

Settlement and Integration vision

What does “right service to the right client at the right time” mean?

• Right service: ensuring that services are closely aligned to client strengths and needs;
• Right clients: strengthening our commitment to ensure that diverse populations can access and benefit from settlement services;
• Right time: improving access to high quality and consistent services, regardless of where the client is in their immigration journey.

The Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs seek proposals that align with the following CFP 2024 priorities:

• Nationally consistent services
  • Ensuring that clients can access services of comparable quality and content no matter where they are in Canada, or abroad as relevant;

• Digital and hybrid delivery of services
  • Reducing barriers to access through remote service delivery where appropriate and necessary; 

• Strengthening the Francophone Integration Pathway
  • Ensuring broader coverage and access as well as better visibility of services; expansion of the par et pour approach to services for French-speaking newcomers, ensuring referrals of French-speaking newcomers to Francophone service provider organizations and enhancing connections to Francophone communities.

• Data and evidence based approaches
  • Strengthening disaggregated data collection, monitoring and evaluation within programming, to support local organizational planning and community development as well as the promotion and dissemination of best practices and innovations across the sector;

• Maintain and expand targeted programming
  • Designing or enhancing services to meet the needs of specific client populations facing distinct barriers to settlement and integration (e.g., programming exclusively intended for women, seniors, youth, 2SLGBTQI+^{Endnote 1} populations, refugees, racialized newcomers, people with a disability, or to address sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and mental health issues. Services can also incorporate co-design through engagement, consultation, or co-creation, or all three, with clients to increase the relevance of and participation in programming (Please see below for more information and examples of targeted programming).

• Support for mental health and well-being
  • Settlement programming that addresses the mental health and well being needs of newcomers, including programming through Support Services, non-clinical supports^{Endnote 2} and navigation activities through Community Connections.

• Promoting welcoming communities through increasing collaboration and coordination amongst service delivery partners
  • Building on and expanding collaboration at the local and regional level between organizations, as well as with levels of government. This includes collaborating with partners in the private sector, mental health and disability sectors, employer groups, Indigenous organizations and communities, and faith or ethnic communities, to improve service delivery, referrals, and maximize outcomes for both newcomers and their receiving communities.

• Increasing availability and quality of services in rural, remote communities and small and medium centres
  • Creating conditions in these communities that increase newcomer’s access to services and support their successful integration.

Promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are cornerstones of Canadian identity and are a source of Canada’s social and economic strength. However, challenges remain for newcomers, who face systemic discrimination and inequalities, including during the settlement and integration process. IRCC strives to ensure that its Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs address these barriers to effectively support the integration of newcomers into Canadian society.

In line with IRCC’s commitments to Anti-Racism, Gender-based Analysis Plus, and Gender Equality, the Department is advancing equity priorities within CFP 2024 to ensure that diverse populations can benefit from inclusive Settlement and Resettlement programming. This approach includes incorporating Truth and Reconciliation through programming that increases awareness of Indigenous-related topics among newcomers as well as facilitates meaningful connections and social cohesion between Indigenous Peoples, newcomers and Canadians. This also includes supporting diverse funding partners that reflect their communities, and that have lived experience and expertise that can help inform responsive, equitable services. For the first time in CFP 2024, proposals will receive a Equity, Diversion and Inclusion (EDI) score based on incorporation of GBA Plus, targeted programming for specific equity-deserving client populations, and Truth and Reconciliation.

Successful applicants will be accountable to ensure discriminatory practices do not occur within the organization or during the delivery of IRCC-funded programming throughout duration of the funding agreement. This will be formally reflected in all grants and contribution agreements. Departmental requirements related to these expectations will be shared with successful funding applicants prior to the commencement of a funding agreement.

Integration of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

GBA Plus assesses how diverse people may experience policies, programming and initiatives. It is an intersectional approach, informed by data and evidence. GBA Plus is aligned with the CORE principles of the Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Programs as well as the vision of delivering the right service, to the right client, at the right time. Funding applicants should incorporate GBA Plus in the design, implementation and evaluation of the proposed project(s), as much as possible, to create effective programming for newcomers. This includes programming for diverse populations that experience greater barriers to services (e.g. women; youth; 2SLGBTQI+; racialized newcomers, seniors; people with a disability) and to address specific issues (e.g. sexual and gender-based violence; mental health needs).

Applicants for funding can access the following resources from the Department of Women and Gender Equality and the Treasury Board Secretariat for further guidance on applying GBA Plus.

• Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) - Women and Gender Equality Canada
• Take the Gender-based Analysis Plus course - Women and Gender Equality Canada
• Integrating Gender-Based Analysis Plus into Evaluation: A Primer (2019) - Canada.ca

Targeted programming

Targeted programming is designed and implemented to address barriers to integration for a specific newcomer population group or to address an issue. It is not the same as programming available to any demographic group accessing services offered by the applicant organization (e.g. employment training available to all clients). Targeted programming contributes to IRCC commitments to Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus), and to priorities such as Anti-Racism, Gender Equality, and addressing inequities for diverse populations.

Targeted programming provides an opportunity to design or enhance services to meet the needs of specific newcomer client populations facing distinct barriers to settlement and integration (e.g., programming exclusively intended for women, seniors, youth, 2SLGBTQI+ populations, racialized newcomers, people with a disability, and to address issues such as sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and mental health).

Promoting Collaboration and Coordination Amongst Service Delivery Partners

IRCC strongly encourages collaboration and coordination both among service provider organizations and between service provider organizations and other relevant service delivery partners outside of the settlement sector. Enhancing partnership and collaboration in the settlement and resettlement sectors, in particular among organizations providing services in the same region, will allow the programs to better serve more clients, more efficiently and achieve better outcomes. Effective engagement of partners and collaboration between organizations can also harness the collective skills and knowledge within the settlement, resettlement and other sectors.

Partnerships (both new partnerships and deepening of existing partnerships), the nature of partnerships (e.g. financial or service delivery agreements between organizations to share resources), leveraging of shared community assets and resources, and other innovative approaches can help to achieve the same or greater outcomes together within budget allocations. Partnerships can also make use of untapped resources such as relevant technologies, new volunteers and businesses. Duplication of effort should be avoided and instead, a collaborative approach should be used to learn from and build on the experience of new and existing partners.

IRCC discourages competition for clients between organizations and instead encourages a model where organizations collaborate in the best interest of clients, including referring clients to the service provider organization(s) that can best meet client’s individual needs. IRCC will be looking for proposals that feature partnerships and collaboration among applicants and other relevant service delivery partners outside of the settlement sector. Use of partnerships is captured within the CORE principles under Effective use of resources and will be factored into how applications are assessed and scored.

IRCC’s approach to modes of service delivery for CFP 2024

IRCC supports the administration of the Settlement program through various modes of service delivery (outlined in the graphic above). While the vast majority of Settlement programming was traditionally delivered through in-person services, the sector made an accelerated pivot towards remote service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the benefits of digital service delivery have become evident for Settlement program clients, service providers and IRCC. By engaging in digital service delivery, service providers have equipped themselves with modernized tools (e.g. online registrations, 24/7 availability of digital information and self-directed services, virtual meeting platforms) to assist their support for newcomers, and newcomers have been able to access services in a way that is most convenient and feasible to them. In turn, digital service delivery has supported IRCC’s vision of delivering the right service, to right clients, at the right time. Through consultations, we also heard from service provider organizations about the successes and the challenges in delivering digital services. To continue reaping the shared benefits of digital service delivery, our vision and approach to it prioritizes the following elements:

• Ensuring that all newcomers have access to a full suite of settlement services in their preferred mode, location, time and point in their immigration journey;
• Using digital services to address gaps or shortcomings, or both, in traditional in-person services to ensure that digital services are complementing rather than replacing them;
• Increasing the availability of digital services across the Settlement program in areas where it is the most appropriate, while being mindful of existing digital tools or platforms, or both, to avoid duplication;
• Supporting service provider organizations who choose to build up their digital expertise as well as those who continue to focus on in-person delivery in order to foster diverse modes of service delivery across the Settlement program;
• Encouraging on-demand services and technology (e.g. interactive online training modules or courses that enables clients to access a service independently at any time that they need) that can be easily scaled by others across the country;
• Stronger cooperation and collaboration among service provider organizations through the sharing of promising digital tools or practices or both, usage of effective interoperable systems, co-creation of digital content and platforms, and making content and information freely available and accessible online without login or credential requirements;
• Developing digital services and infrastructure that allow for the effective and safe provision of services in relation to protecting clients’ privacy and cybersecurity;
• Increasing digital skills (i.e. support for those who do not have the ability to use digital technologies to access digital settlement services) for both service providers and clients to work towards equitable service access across the Program.

The Francophone Integration Pathway

Under the Official Languages Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, IRCC has a responsibility to support the vitality and development of official language minority communities; satisfy the principle of substantive equality; and adapt its services to meet the needs of the official language minority population.^{Endnote 5}

To support these obligations, IRCC has implemented a Francophone Integration Pathway, which is a suite of settlement and resettlement services in French, offered in a coordinated and integrated manner by Francophone organizations in Francophone communities outside of Quebec. The services aim to facilitate the reception of French-speaking newcomers, provide them with supports, enhance their economic and socio-cultural integration, as well as create lasting ties between newcomers and Francophone communities in order to foster a sense of belonging. The goal of the Pathway is to create conditions for French-speaking newcomers to settle and thrive in French throughout their integration process, until they obtain their citizenship.

Since the 2019 Call for Proposals, progress has been made in consolidating the Francophone Integration Pathway, including a greater offering and coverage of services.

Despite this progress, some gaps still need to be addressed to achieve substantive equality, including more targeted Francophone programming aimed at specific population segments (e.g., French-speaking immigrant women, refugees). There is a recognized need to significantly increase the capacity of key service delivery partners in the settlement and resettlement sectors.

This will ultimately allow greater accessibility and visibility of the Francophone Integration Pathway and promote the success of more French-speaking newcomers.

In addition, the new funding cycle is taking place in a unique context with a Modernized Official Languages Act. The Act now includes several immigration-related provisions, notably an obligation for IRCC to adopt a Policy on Francophone immigration.

The Department is currently laying the groundwork for this new Policy, which will build on and reinforce the actions and gains of the Francophone Immigration Strategy. The Department is also developing new ambitious admissions targets for French-speaking immigrants outside Quebec, further reinforcing the importance of providing settlement and integration services to help more French-speaking newcomers succeed.

The Francophone Integration Pathway will remain a major component of IRCC’s Policy on Francophone Immigration. To ensure the success of the Policy, there needs to be greater engagement and collaboration among the entire resettlement and settlement sectors, including: IRCC and its regional offices, and non-Francophone and Francophone service provider organizations. To support the Francophone Integration Pathway, IRCC is committed to the “par et pour les Francophones” principle, ensuring that services for French-speaking newcomers are offered by Francophone organizations. As a result, for applications including services in French, IRCC will give priority to projects offered primarily by Francophone service providers.^{Endnote 6}

Moreover, since 2020-2021, all organizations funded by IRCC have Official Languages requirements supporting the Francophone Integration Pathway built into their funding agreements in order to promote and ensure referrals to Francophone organizations.

Consequently, all projects must demonstrate that they have mechanisms in place to ensure that French-speaking newcomers are adequately informed of the existence of services offered in French by Francophone organizations in their area and are referred to Francophone services providers according to their preference.

IRCC is under no obligation to fund any application submitted through this CFP or to fund the entire scope or duration of a proposed project. IRCC can fund a portion of an application, dependent on eligibility and alignment with departmental priorities. Please submit proposals as per the guidelines in the Steps to Apply section. If a project is selected for possible funding, IRCC will notify the applicant in writing that the application has been approved in principle. Applicants for funding must not assume that their application has been approved-in-principle, until notified by IRCC.

Proposed project budgets should be based on a realistic evaluation of expenses required to deliver proposed activities. All applicants for funding should refer to IRCC’s Budget Submission Guidance, located in our Applicant Resources section, for detailed information on eligible and ineligible items. The amount of funding and scope of activities that will be supported by IRCC will be contingent on the satisfactory negotiation of a grant or contribution agreement.

Any expenditure incurred prior to the signing of the funding agreement by IRCC or prior to IRCC’s approved project start date, or any costs related to the preparation of an application, will not be reimbursed.

Note: Successful applicants will be required to comply with Canadian privacy laws such as the applicable federal/ provincial/territorial privacy and Access to information legislation or Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or all. Applicants will also need to adhere to all physical and electronic security requirements, as stipulated in a signed funding agreement. See the questions and answers section on our Learn about funding processes page for a list of security requirements.

Funding for this process will be provided through a contribution or grant agreement, or both.

Applicants for funding do not need to identify whether they are applying for a contribution agreement or a grant. The Department will make the determination as to which funding instrument will be used to support projects for this process. If an applicant is not eligible for a grant, it is still possible to be considered for funding via a contribution agreement.

Using the GCS Portal

Once you have read through and understood the CFP 2024 Funding Guidelines and web tools, you are ready to prepare and submit your application. Submitting your application is a simple three-step process:

1. Create your Organization ID.

If you do not yet have a Grants and Contributions System Organization ID, go to GCS and click on the “Create a new Account” link to set up your account and obtain your Organization ID.

2. Complete your Settlement or Resettlement Assistance Program application form.

3. Click on “Submit” by January 31, 2024.

Mandatory Documents

You must attach certain mandatory documents to your application.

• Different mandatory documents are required based on your applicant type.

Applicant type - Public institutions (such as a school board) and any non-federal levels of government:

• Letter of support from each financial partner that is contributing funds toward the proposed project (if applicable).

Applicant type - Other organizations (including non-profits):

• Most recent Annual Report;
• Full financial statements including comparative information for the last two fiscal years (audited preferred). If your organization is relatively new and lacks full financial statements for two full fiscal years, provide the information for the period of time the organization has been in existence;
• Names of persons on Board of Directors;
• Names of any former public servants associated with this application, if applicable;
• At least one of the following: Constitution, By-law, Letter of Incorporation or similar instrument of governance; and
• Letter of support from each financial partner that is contributing funds toward the proposed project (if applicable).
• Organization legal history

Application strategy

At the funding application stage, applicants are asked to submit separate proposals in the Grants and Contributions System (GCS) for distinct projects, rather than combining multiple different types of projects into one larger proposal. (For example, complementary general settlement services should be submitted in one proposal, however a Service Delivery Innovation (SDI) project should be outlined in a proposal on its own and not be included in the same proposal as a project to deliver other general settlement services. Likewise, a project to apply as a Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) should not be bundled in the same proposal as a project to deliver Language Training, etc.).

At the negotiation stage, the final decision to combine or split proposals into funding agreements rests with IRCC.

When the Call for Proposals (CFP) 2024 application period closes, IRCC will begin assessing submitted applications individually against our CORE Principles, against Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) criteria integrated into projects in order to advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) outcomes for diverse newcomer populations, and against the mandatory and asset criteria listed in each of the funding guidelines for the services and streams solicited under this CFP. Criteria such as project complexity and applicant capacity will also be used to assess eligibility of projects for funding. Additionally, consideration will be given to how strongly applications align with the overall objectives that the Department is aiming to achieve, including collaboration and partnerships for effective use of resources and improved client service. IRCC’s decisions regarding applications will be informed by a number of intersecting factors, rather than based solely on one element. As this is a competitive funding process, submitted projects will undergo individual assessments as well as multiple rigorous, comparative and comprehensive rounds of reviews before the Department arrives at funding decisions.

IRCC co-plans settlement funding with Provincial and Territorial governments and strives to avoid duplicating funding of services. Therefore, IRCC will also consider whether the applicant is receiving funding from other levels of government when proposals are being assessed.

Additional information about IRCC’s CORE Principles and GBA Plus/EDI criteria is included below, to assist applicants in developing and writing their application(s). Mandatory and Asset criteria are listed in each of the funding guidelines, as these are tailored to each of the services or streams.

IRCC CORE Principles

All of IRCC programming funded under the Settlement Program and the Resettlement Assistance Program follow the CORE principles. CORE refers to Client-centered, Outcomes-driven, Responsive-to-need, and Effective-use-of-resources. Applicants for funding are expected to incorporate these principles in the design, implementation and evaluation of their proposed project(s), and to articulate how they have done so in their application.

Long description of CORE diagram

Client-centered
Programming that is tailored to meet specific client`s profiles. This includes ensuring Francophone services for those who want to live and work in French, and a focus on clients who are vulnerable, marginalized or face barriers.

Outcomes-driven
Programming that is driven by evidence, ensuring the best outcomes, both short and long term, for the client.

Responsive to need
Programming that meets the needs of not only the client, but of society itself, to best integrate newcomers and achieve the shared vision for Settlement and Integration.

Effective use of resources
Programming that is effective and efficient, utilizing partnerships, leveraging shared resources, and developing untapped community assets such as volunteers and local businesses.

Client-centered

Client-centered programming meets client needs by asking and listening to newcomers, to understand: their circumstances; their needs; their assets; what services are the most useful to them; and, how, when and in what language these services should be provided. Where feasible, services should be accessible at the time and location most effective for the client, including services delivered remotely. Programming should address barriers that might affect access to services, which can vary by client group. Service provision should also take into account the government-wide commitment to supporting the vitality of Francophone minority communities and official languages. This should include providing services in the official language of the clients’ choice wherever possible, ensuring full awareness of, and referrals to, Francophone organizations.

Outcomes driven

Outcomes-driven programming is based on evidence and data. It is designed to provide the best outcomes for clients from the beginning to the end of their resettlement or settlement journey. It means being able to track both project outputs and measure client outcomes to recognize success.

Outputs vs. outcomes

• Outputs are the result of activities you are proposing to undertake (e.g., number of community connections services rendered, number of clients served).
• Outcomes are what changed as a result of the delivered outputs (for the client, the community, employers, etc.) (e.g., percentage of community connections clients who indicate that they increased their social networks as a result of participation in IRCC-funded services).

For additional information refer to the Outcomes Guidance.

Responsive to need

Resettlement and settlement programming seeks to meet the needs of as many eligible clients in a community as possible. It also helps host communities strengthen their capacity to welcome and retain newcomers. This includes addressing systemic barriers that hinder the integration of newcomers (including their opportunity to become Canadian citizens), and increasing involvement of specific sectors of the community to support multi-sector involvement in newcomer integration strategies for your geographic area.

It also encourages programming that creates meaningful dialogues and connections between newcomers and Canadian citizens, including Indigenous peoples, recognizing that cross-community interactions are an important part of the settlement and integration process for newcomers and their receiving communities. This includes addressing common barriers to citizenship or experiences of exclusion affecting different minority groups, and to identify what members of each community might do to support each other’s inclusion.

There should be a clear need for the project, supported by evidence and data. Project goals should be feasible, with clear links to one or more Settlement services, the Resettlement Assistance Program, or the other important streams under this funding process. Programming should be adaptable to changing needs and circumstances of newcomers and their host community.

Applicants should be maximizing current and emerging technological solutions so that programming is more effective, flexible, and accessible.

For example:

• Expansion of remote and hybrid^{Endnote 7} (a combination of in-person and remote offerings) options for services to increase the ease of access; improving access to and the use of technology and mobile platforms to make settlement services more readily accessible regardless of the client’s location. Remote services can be delivered through high-tech (online/digital) or low-tech (telephone/email/text) means.
• Coordinated, collaborative promotional activities that leverage the use of social media to improve outreach to newcomers to increase awareness of services offered.
• Promotion of remote and hybrid settlement services.

Applicants are to indicate any cost associated with staff training directly linked to the delivery of the specific project in their budget.

Effective use of resources

There are finite resources, and an ever-growing need for Settlement and Resettlement Assistance Program services. This means that programming must be as effective and efficient as possible.

• Community-wide division of labour with multiple service providers working on one project;
• Partners outside the settlement sector:
  • Private sector and employers;
  • Faith communities;
  • Indigenous peoples; and
  • Ethnic communities.

Proposals may be prioritized for funding by IRCC:

• If services are concentrated and consolidated in one location on behalf of several organizations where appropriate (for example where one service provider organization (SPO) administers a physical location where several partner SPOs also provide services) to provide services in a timely and effective manner for clients
• Where a coherent division of labour is presented by multiple agencies to ensure comprehensive coverage of services across a geographic community (for example where multiple agencies partner to conduct NAARs or to ensure youth programming is available in schools across the community without duplication of effort)
• If they include other innovative approaches to share resources or effectively refer clients between organizations, or both, or engage partners outside of the settlement and resettlement sector.

Similarly, proposals may be prioritized for funding where flexibility is demonstrated to serve more or fewer clients depending on fluctuating landings, client numbers by country of origin, etc.

Overarching assessment criteria

Below are the overarching assessment criteria, based on CORE Principles, against which all applications will be evaluated. Funding decisions are based on your proposal’s total assessment score, service provider funding history with IRCC (if applicable), and departmental priorities.

New for CFP 2024

In addition to a CORE Principles project score, all proposals will receive a separate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) score for how well the design of the project incorporates GBA Plus, Truth and Reconciliation and targeted programming for equity-deserving clients. Both the CORE and EDI in project-design scores will be used to arrive at funding decisions.

Data collection on EDI in organization capacity will not be scored and will be used to create an information baseline of the settlement sector’s diverse representation and EDI capacity, to contribute toward fostering continuous improvement of IRCC programs and services and help advance equity priorities across the sector.

GBA Plus/EDI assessment information

After you have applied

IRCC will keep applicants informed on the processing of their submission in accordance with the following standards:

Acknowledgment

Upon submission of your proposal, IRCC will send an automatic notification confirming that your proposal has been received.

Assessment and review period

The National CFP 2024 is a competitive process and proposals will be thoroughly and carefully assessed and reviewed against our CORE principles, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) assessment criteria, as well as any mandatory and asset criteria outlined in the Funding Guidelines. Consideration will be given to how strongly proposals align with the overall objectives that the Department is aiming to achieve, comparative to other similar submissions. IRCC’s decisions regarding proposals will be informed by a number of intersecting factors, rather than based solely on one element.

Decision

IRCC will send written notification to applicants for funding advising whether the Department is interested in entering into negotiations with the applicant, or whether IRCC needs more time before issuing a decision. Unless otherwise noted, these confirmations will be communicated electronically.

For questions or clarifications related to the Call for Proposals, contact the Call for Proposal Coordinators at CFP-ADP@cic.gc.ca.

Help with GCS Partner Portal or application form

For help with the Grants and Contributions System Partner Portal or functionality of the application form

• Contact gcs-ssc@cic.gc.ca.
• Please note that it can take up to two business days to receive a response to your enquiry.

We know Funding Guidelines can raise questions. We want to address any uncertainty you may have. We will be hosting information webinars in both official languages during the application period to provide you with the opportunity to ask IRCC questions relating to this funding process.

Specific dates and times for each webinar can be found on our Information sessions (webinars) page.

Web tools and applicant resources

The following resources may assist you as you write your application. This list and links to each of the items can be found on our Applicant Resources page.