Supporting Syrian refugees: Open Intake Process for new Resettlement Assistance Program Centres

Contents

• Foreword
• 1. Submitting Your Application
  • 1.1 How to Apply
  • 1.2 Mandatory Documents
• 2. Funding Requirements
  • 2.1 Eligible Applicants
  • 2.2 Eligible Clients
  • 2.3 Eligible Activities
  • 2.4 Program Themes
  • 2.5 Program Outcomes
• 3. Funding Priority
• 4. Budget Submission
• 5. Project Assessment
• 6. Communications with IRCC
• Annex A: Program Logic Model
• Annex B: Existing GAR-Receiving Centres
• Annex C: Budget Submission Details

Foreword

The Government of Canada recently announced its commitment to welcome 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of February 2016. These refugees will be resettled to Canada either as Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs), Government-Assisted Refugees (GARs), or Blended Visa Office-Referred Refugees (BVORs).

• PSRs are sponsored by community groups or small groups of private citizens and permanent residents, resettling to the communities where their sponsors live. Sponsors provide income support for 12 months from the sponsored refugees’ arrival in Canada or until they become self-sufficient, whichever comes first.
• GARs are supported through their first year of integration by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). GARs are provided with income support for up to one year after arrival, or until they become self-sufficient – whichever comes first.   They are destined to communities that have specialized supports in place to help refugees adjust to life in Canada. There are currently 23 communities with IRCC-funded service provider organizations (SPOs) in place to provide the services refugees need (outside of Quebec) upon arrival.
• BVORs are refugees identified for resettlement by UNHCR and are matched with private sponsors in Canada by Canadian Visa Officers. BVORs receive up to six months of income support from their sponsoring group, and the remaining six months income support from IRCC through the Resettlement Assistance Program.

The Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) supports GARs, blended visa office-referred refugees and other eligible clients when they first arrive in Canada by providing direct financial support as well as funding the provision of immediate and essential services.

As Canada embarks on this great national effort, IRCC is now inviting interested currently funded Settlement SPOs to apply for additional funding under the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP) Support Syrian Refugees: Open Intake Process to establish new GAR receiving centres in areas where Canada will welcome a large numbers of refugees and where there is currently a shortage of those centres. New centres will be required as early as Spring 2016 and funding will be available until March 31, 2017.

Considering the urgent nature of the Syrian initiative, applications will be accepted electronically (hard copies will not be accepted) through the IRCC funding page, and will be reviewed as they are submitted. This Open Intake Process will remain open as long as additional RAP centres are required.  The IRCC funding webpage will be updated on a regular basis to reflect any changes to the process.

These Funding Guidelines are the primary reference tool for applicants. They describe the funding priorities for this intake process, as well as any requirements for submitting an application. Also refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

IRCC staff will not assist applicants in developing proposals. However, for answers to questions or for clarifications, contact IRCC. IRCC will make every effort to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.

1. Submitting Your Application

Follow the instructions below to submit your application electronically. Remember that no hard copy applications will be accepted.

1.1 How to Apply

Step 1: Review reference materials

The following reference materials provide you with information about the funding process as well as the technical instructions on how to submit your application. They include the following:

• These Funding Guidelines, which provide information about available funding, eligibility and assessment criteria, as well as other information to help you properly complete your application (note: technical tips are included with the application itself);
• Questions and Answers: a list of frequently asked questions and answers about the Support Syrian Refugees: Open Intake Process; they will be updated as new questions come in that are applicable to all applicants.

Make sure you thoroughly review the above reference materials.

Step 2: Create an account or access your account

Applications for this funding process must be submitted through the IRCC online portal.

If you have never used the IRCC online portal, you must first register and create your account to be able to access and complete your online application. Applications can be completed at your own pace and in more than one session.

To create an account, go to the IRCC funding page and click on “Apply here for funding” and then, once in the IRCC online portal, click “create an account” to get started. You only need to register once, regardless of the number of applications you are submitting.

If you had applied to the previous funding process, the National Call for Proposals (CFP) 2015, then you already hold an account with the IRCC online portal. You will then simply need to access your account, as you did when applying to the CFP 2015, and complete an application.

Step 3: Complete an application

Now that you have reviewed all reference materials and have accessed the IRCC online portal, you are ready to begin your application.

Return to the IRCC funding page and click on “Apply here for funding” to access IRCC’s online portal. Using your user name and password, you can login and follow the instructions to create a new application or view and modify your existing information.

Each part of the online application must be complete before you can submit. These parts are:

• Information about your project: this contains seven sections- Summary, Rationale, Activities, Outreach and Outcomes, Capacity, Evaluation and Budget;
• Application contacts: choose who will receive notifications about the application after it has been submitted; and
• Executive declaration: to be completed by the Executive Director (or equivalent) to confirm the validity of the information within the application.

Note: Once you have completed the online application sections noted above, ensure you click on the “Submit” button available on your screen. You will receive an automatic notification of receipt and eligibility once the application has been submitted to IRCC.

1.2 Mandatory Documents

To submit, you will be asked in the online application to attach mandatory documents specific to the type of applicant listed below.

Note: Be sure to attach the correct files in your online application. If the files you submit are not the requested mandatory documents, the application will be considered as incomplete and there will be no follow-up to obtain missing information or documents.

• Public institutions (such as a school board) and any non-federal levels of government:
  • letter of support from each financial partner
• Other organizations:
  • most recent Annual Report;
  • full financial statements including comparative information for the last two fiscal years (audited preferred)^{Footnote 1};
  • names of persons on your board of directors;
  • 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.

Although it is not required, you may also wish to attach supporting documents to provide additional relevant information about your project or organization.

2. Funding Requirements

To receive RAP funding through this Open Intake Process, proposals will need to:

• be from an eligible applicant (see 2.1 below)
• target RAP’s eligible clients (see 2.2 below) identified for this funding process;
• focus on project activities identified for this funding process (see 2.3 below);
• align with at least one RAP Theme (see 2.4 below);
• address all RAP Immediate Outcomes (see 2.5 below).

IRCC will prioritize RAP funding to projects that also address the Funding Priority (see Section 3) for this funding process.

IRCC is under no obligation to fund any proposal submitted through this funding process or to fund the entire scope or duration of a proposed project. If a project is selected for possible funding, IRCC will notify the applicant in writing that the proposal has been approved-in-principle. Applicants must not assume that their proposal has been approved-in-principle until specifically notified by IRCC.

The amount of funding and scope of activities that will be supported by IRCC will be contingent on the satisfactory negotiation of a contribution agreement (CA). Any expenditure incurred prior to the signing of a CA by IRCC or prior to IRCC’s approved project start date, or any costs related to the preparation of a proposal, 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 and/or Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. Applicants will also need to adhere to all physical and electronic security requirements as stipulated in a signed CA. See the questions and answers for this process for a list of security requirements.

2.1 Eligible Applicants

Services under RAP are specialized and considered essential to providing critical support to GARs during their first months in Canada.  For this reason, IRCC’s initial plan for the arrival of Syrian refugees was to work with existing Settlement SPOs to expand their efforts, rather than immediately increasing the number of RAP service providers. We are currently moving to the next stage of our efforts to support the Syrian resettlement initiative by allowing current Settlement SPOs to open new GAR receiving centres if they meet our requirements.

Therefore, applications for this funding process will only be accepted from SPOs currently funded by IRCC through the Settlement Programs, who are located outside of Quebec^{Footnote 2}.

2.2 Eligible Clients

Through this open intake process, support is sought for resettlement services for GARs only. More specifically, RAP funding is intended to support services to the following:

• Permanent residents admitted to Canada or temporary residents who are issued a permit under section 24 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) who, respectively, have been determined to be or who initially applied for admission to Canada as members of the Convention Refugees Abroad class or the humanitarian protected persons abroad class where one of the following applies:
  • selected on the basis that assistance will be provided by a government RAP; or
  • selected as part of the Joint Assistance Sponsorship program.
• Persons who were members of the protected temporary residents class who become permanent residents under section 151.1 of the IRPR;
• Permanent residents admitted to Canada who were granted permanent residence under section 25.1 of IRPA on humanitarian and compassionate grounds;
• Permanent residents admitted to Canada who were granted permanent residence under section 25.2 of IRPA as part of a group under public policy established by the Minister on unique and compelling humanitarian situations and where no other means of financial support is available; and
• Permanent and temporary residents admitted to Canada who applied for admission to Canada as members of any future humanitarian protected person abroad class.

2.3 Eligible Activities

Current IRCC funded SPOs applying for funding under this process will need to demonstrate their capacity to provide immediate and essential services usually provided during the four to six weeks following the refugee’s arrival in Canada, with the focus of equipping GARs with the eventual ability to live safely and independently.

With this in mind, IRCC RAP funding will support the following services in RAP centres:

• temporary accommodation and assistance locating and securing permanent accommodation;
• needs assessments and referrals;
• information and orientation, including information on income support and financial responsibilities, as well as life skills training to help clients with higher needs transition to independence more effectively;
• links to federal and provincial programs (e.g., social insurance number, permanent resident card, Canada Child Tax Benefit, Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP), provincial health care, school registration);
• interpretation and translation services;
• transportation services within Canada (e.g., transportation from the airport to temporary accommodation and subsequent transportation to permanent accommodation);
• temporary allowance to meet basic needs, including food or the means to acquire it, while in temporary accommodation.

Note:  All the above services should be culturally appropriate, gender-sensitive and delivered either in the client’s own language or with appropriate translation and interpretation services.

SPOs proposing new GAR receiving centres through this funding process will need to clearly demonstrate that their proposed activities are supported by:

• the availability of broader settlement services in the community;
• the availability of interpretation services in the community;
• the availability of suitable permanent accommodation (e.g., rental housing);
• the availability of other relevant specialized supports (e.g., availability of specialized medical care, mental health services, educational system supports); and
• community accessibility for the GAR population (e.g., public transportation, accessibility for persons with a disability).

2.4 Program Themes

To receive RAP funding, proposals must align with at least one Program Theme described below:

Orientation

Immediate orientation helps RAP clients develop the skills to live safely and independently. Orientation topics should be focused to best meet the needs of the individual or client group addressing any immediate needs to prepare them for their move to permanent accommodation. RAP clients must also be informed about income support and their financial responsibilities, ensuring that they understand the basics of the Canadian financial system as well as the key entitlements of their income support budget and their financial responsibilities as outlined in the Agreement for Income Support Recipients. Immediate orientation is generally provided while the RAP client is in temporary accommodation with the exception of life skills orientation, which is delivered after the RAP client has moved into their permanent accommodations. Life skills orientation provides intensive and short-term life skills support to newly arrived, higher needs RAP clients who have life skills challenges beyond the scope of the basic suite of services delivered under RAP.

Linkages

Linking RAP clients to federal and provincial programs ensures they can access fundamental services similar to all permanent residents and Canadian citizens. Clients are to be registered for all appropriate mandatory federal and provincial programs, and should understand each program and how it works. Most of these links are to be made in advance of the client’s move to permanent accommodation. These include: social insurance number applications, Canada Child Tax Benefit applications, assistance in obtaining IFHP certificates, provincial health-care coverage applications and school registrations.

Accommodation

Provision of these services includes meeting the newcomer and providing temporary accommodation to ensure that RAP clients are safe and secure during their initial days in Canada. The stay in temporary accommodation also allows RAP clients to receive orientation and other services to help them live safely and independently afterwards. Service providers also assist RAP clients in searching for and moving into permanent accommodation, ensuring that the best possible accommodation is found.

Translation and Interpretation Services

Interpretation and translation services may be delivered under RAP to ensure that clients have access to and benefit from core RAP services. SPOs are encouraged to access and refer clients to the use of local interpretation and translation services as much as possible.

Assessments

These services aim to understand client immediate needs and potential barriers to learning so that RAP service delivery can be tailored to meet client needs. They also aim to make appropriate links to other non-RAP services that will support integration into Canadian society, including settlement services. Before the end of the RAP service delivery period, service providers must provide clients with a referral plan to facilitate the transition from resettlement to settlement services. Depending on the individual circumstances, some RAP clients will be ready to access settlement services earlier than others. Higher needs clients may require more intensive support before being ready to access settlement services.

Knowledge Development

This designates any other justifiable service deemed appropriate to support the objectives of RAP, including projects, workshops as well as other initiatives intended to support and improve the program. This also includes support (e.g., training) provided to the refugee sponsorship community under the PSRs Program. Furthermore, projects related to providing information sessions to GARs by preparing  training/workshops on cultural sensitivity, diversity & inclusiveness, anti-racism and discrimination, and Canadian values during the RAP period would be encouraged.

2.5 Program Outcomes

To receive funding, projects must address all of the RAP Immediate Outcomes noted below (see Annex A: RAP—Logic Model):

• Resettled newcomers have their immediate and essential needs met;
• Resettlement assistance is timely, accessible, useful and client-focused; and
• Resettled newcomers are linked to IRCC settlement services, as well as to other government and specialized services.

3. Funding Priority

IRCC will prioritize RAP funding to projects that address the following Funding Priority.

Direct delivery of timely, effective and client-focused resettlement assistance programming, which includes:

• Needs assessments and referrals to services that respond to the immediate needs of clients;
• Provision of appropriate temporary accommodation that supports the timely and effective delivery of RAP services with minimal burden on clients (e.g., limiting travel between service delivery locations to the extent possible);
• Measures to support an effective transition from temporary housing to suitable permanent accommodation, including provisions to assist clients for whom it may be more difficult to secure housing;
• Assistance in applying to and accessing federal and provincial programs (e.g., social insurance number applications, Canada Child Tax Benefit applications, provincial health-care coverage applications, school registrations, etc.);
• Assistance in connecting clients directly with the Canadian health-care system, including specialized services to identify and address physical and mental health needs;
• Basic practical information, orientation resources and programming that address resettled newcomers’ immediate needs, prepare them for longer-term integration challenges, inform them of available services and supports, including content tailored to the needs of specific client groups (e.g., youth, seniors);
• Financial orientation informing clients about income support and their financial responsibilities to ensure that they understand the basics of the Canadian banking and financial system, the key entitlements of their income support budget, as well as their financial obligations, helping to increase their financial literacy;
• Effective use of partnerships to ensure client-focused service delivery, including partnerships with other immigrant serving organizations, regular community-based supports, as well as other relevant stakeholders;
• Provisions to ensure a seamless and rapid transition from RAP to broader Settlement Program supports, minimizing disruption to the client to the extent possible, and facilitating the client’s transition toward playing a productive role in Canadian society and the economy.

4. Budget Submission

Refer to Annex C: RAP—Budget Submission Details for information on how to prepare the budget template in the online application.

5. Project Assessment

Proposals submitted to Support Syrian Refugees: Open Intake Process will be assessed on the following criteria:

Project Relevance: 40% of overall score

• The need for the project is clear and supported by evidence. There are feasible project goal(s) with clear link(s) to one or more of the IRCC’s Themes.
• Project activities address all aspects of the project, showing no major gaps and activities are all relevant to the successful completion of the project.
• Project effectively addresses one or more of the priorities for this funding process.
• Project outcomes have an alignment to one or more of the IRCC outcomes identified for the Program.

Potential for Success: 35% of overall score

• Applicant has demonstrated capacity, experience, contextual knowledge and appropriate partners (if applicable) to carry out the project.
• Strategy to engage target clients is sufficient and appropriate.
• Each outcome is measurable and supported by an effective performance measurement plan.
• A plan is in place to monitor the overall project performance and evaluate the project results.
• Applicant experience: organization has been in existence for over two years or individual has at least three years of experience, which qualifies them to carry out the project.

Project Cost-Effectiveness: 25% of overall score

• Proposed budget is balanced. All costs as well as revenues related to the project have been itemized and explained.
• Project costs are in line with average costs for similar services at project location. The applicant demonstrates proper and responsible use of funds related to both administration and program delivery.

Funding recommendations and decisions will be based on a proposal’s total assessment score and other departmental considerations, such as available funding and destination data.

6. Communications with IRCC

IRCC will keep you informed on the processing of your application. You will receive confirmations of the following as soon as they are available:

• Acknowledgment: confirmation that the application was received by IRCC upon submission of the application.
• Eligibility: confirmation that the applicant and application meet or do not meet eligibility criteria within 40 calendar days.
• Decision: confirmation of a decision on whether the application will proceed for negotiation of a contribution agreement between IRCC and the applicant or whether IRCC needs more time before issuing a decision within 125 calendar days.

These confirmations will be communicated electronically.

For additional questions or clarifications, contact IRCC. IRCC will make every effort to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.

Annex A: Program Logic Model

Annex B: Existing GAR-Receiving Centres

Currently, GARs resettled to Canada (outside Quebec) are destined to one of the 23 communities noted in the table below where they receive RAP services upon arrival.

Annex C: Budget Submission Details

The information in this Annex will help you prepare the budget template portion of the online application.

A few points to note:

• Only costs listed below are eligible under this open call.
• Only complete sections that apply to you.
• It is important that the overall cost of your project is as accurate as possible.
• Successful applicants may be asked to provide additional budget details.
• When providing budget details, note that IRCC will fund the fair share of the total costs (e.g., if you are proposing that an employee is to work only 30% of his/her time on the project, IRCC will fund up to 30% of the salary cost).
• Where costs are to be shared among different funders and/or projects, a cost allocation matrix/model may be required to ensure the fair share of cost distribution. This should include the methodology used to determine cost drivers (e.g., square footage, full-time equivalents, level of funding, etc.) and the breakdown by funders (including IRCC’s share).

Eligible Costs for new RAP centres for Syrian Refugees

Salaries, Wages and Benefits

In general, IRCC will contribute toward the proposed expenses related to the position for the provision of services under a contribution agreement, not the person. This means that IRCC will contribute to the costs of a position, for example, a reception house staff. If the person hired for this position were to take maternity leave, IRCC would no longer contribute to that salary cost. However, IRCC would contribute to the cost of a replacement staff.

Gross Salaries and Wages

• Wages should reflect the prevailing rate for jobs at a similar level in the local labour market.
• When preparing the budget form, each part-time and full-time position, if applicable (including those at different wage levels in the same job), should be listed by job title grouping multiple personnel in the same category (e.g., three reception house staff). The rates of pay, hours of work per week and number of weeks (or any other frequency based on the pay frequency) should be listed for each position. For full-time positions, either fully or partially funded by IRCC where salary is based on an annual rate, the annual salary (pro-rated, if applicable) should be listed. In addition, for shared costs, the percentage of IRCC’s portion should be clearly stated.
• Vacation pay and paid leave are eligible expenses; however, IRCC will not fund both for an individual employee, only one or the other.
  • Vacation pay is expressed as a percentage of the wages or salary, which is paid to the employee every pay period OR as a lump sum payout annually. Where there is no collective agreement, provincial or territorial rates can be consulted when establishing the basis for vacation pay.
  • Paid leave represents vacation time off earned by employees as they work.
• Overtime is only paid in exceptional circumstances and; therefore, should not be included in the budget submission.

Mandatory Employment-Related Costs (MERCs)

• In the budget submission, describe the MERCs and other benefits that will be provided and the average percentage of wages these represent.
• MERCs are costs that employers are required to pay based on federal and provincial/territorial laws.
• Under Canadian federal law, MERCs include employment insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
• Vacation pay is mandatory in all provinces and territories. Provinces and territories may also require such things as workers’ compensation (e.g., Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario), health taxes (e.g., Employers Health Tax in Ontario), education taxes, provincial pension plans; etc.
• The budget submission should identify the specific MERCs for which funding is being sought (note that although employees also contribute to EI and CPP, these costs are part of gross salary and; therefore, would be included in the budget as part of salary expenses).
• Statutory holidays will be funded according to the employment standards of the province or territory. These statutory holidays must be identified in the employer’s personnel policy or equivalent.

Other Benefits

• Discretionary benefits as per the employer’s personnel policy or equivalent, may include:
  • medical insurance plans
  • dental insurance plans
  • life insurance
  • private pension plans or registered retirement savings plans
• Discretionary benefits must be offered to all staff under the employer’s personnel policy or equivalent, not solely to those staff members working on the project requesting IRCC funding.
• Typically not all employees will take full advantage of all these benefits (e.g., some employees might decline one or more health-care benefits if they are covered under a spousal plan). The budget submission should reflect an amount that corresponds to the rate of uptake. IRCC is not mandated to contribute 100% of these benefits.

Not Eligible

• Pay in lieu of benefits;
• Employee benefits not administered by a third party;
• Severance pay (except if legislated mandatory employer cost);
• Long-term disability (IRCC can require that the recipient specify what is meant by “short term” in their human resources (HR) policy. Where there is no provision for this in the HR policy, IRCC defines long-term as greater than eight weeks);
• Any forms of remuneration for board of directors;
• Payroll penalties (as assessed by the Canada Revenue Agency or other bodies);
• Staff bonuses;
• Salary costs related to union activities;
• Paid lunch breaks (except if legislated mandatory employer costs);
• Retroactive salary adjustments and signing bonuses resulting from collective agreement bargaining (unless within funding period);
• Claims for sick days that employees have accumulated, but not used, are not eligible (i.e., payout of unused sick leave is not an eligible expense);
• Extra costs resulting from paid leave;
• Costs associated with staff retention and recognition;
• Maternity or parental leave, except if required by legislation.

Training and Professional Development

• Professional development activities must be directly related to the activities and objectives of the project as well as improve staff performance in the delivery of programs.
• Eligible costs include tuition and registration fees.
• IRCC will contribute toward the salary costs when an employee is on training.

Not Eligible

• Training and professional development that is directed toward capacity building (i.e., employees hired for a position should have the skills required to perform the duties of said position).
• Costs for replacement employees hired to work during a training activity.

Travel, Accommodation and Related Costs

• Employees and volunteers can claim travel directly related to delivery of the project, including travel for professional development, workshops, conferences and training.
• Travel must be considered necessary and reasonable for the provision of services as determined by the Department.
• Travel should be by the least costly method considering time and expense—mileage, taxi, rental, airfare, etc.
• Travel is restricted to economy class and alternatives to travel must be considered first.
• Eligible costs for employees and volunteers only, include transportation, meals, incidentals and accommodation during travel status, specifically related to the delivery of the program.
• IRCC will fund the lesser of:
  • the rate outlined in the recipient’s internal travel policy; or
  • the rate outlined in the National Joint Council Travel Directive (meals and incidentals up to the allowances set out in the Directive). Note that mileage rates include GST/HST.Recipients may separate out GST/HST costs if they wish to claim it separately.

Not Eligible

• International travel
• Travel costs for executive or board meetings
• Employee travel from home to work

Delivery Assistance Tools and Materials

• The delivery assistance tools and other associated costs must support direct service delivery to clients.
• IRCC will fund photocopying or printing costs of non-copyrighted and copyrighted material approved for copying that relate directly to program delivery (e.g., handouts to newcomers).
• Note:
  • Other photocopying or printing is normally included in administration costs.
  • General stationery and/or materials used for delivery assistance (e.g., pens, pencils, paper, etc.) are always to be included in administrative costs.

Publicity

Includes costs related to publicity, purchase of promotional items and advertising to market or promote a particular service funded by IRCC but not to promote the recipient organization itself.

Professional and Consultant Fees

Direct program/project costs such as translators, interpreters, subject matter experts, third party evaluators and computer consultants.

Note:

• Professionals and consultants are not employees. Therefore, MERCs or mandatory salary related costs and other benefits do not apply.
• Computer maintenance plan costs are not professional fees but rather are included as an administrative cost.

Copyright Fees

Fees related to approval of duplication/printing of copyrighted materials

Client Transportation

• In-Canada costs to transport clients (e.g., from the port of entry to temporary accommodation) are eligible.
• Recipients’ staff may claim mileage. IRCC will fund the lesser of the mileage rate in the recipient’s internal travel policy or the National Joint Council kilometric rates.

Temporary Accommodation

• Costs associated with maintaining a facility to house and feed eligible RAP clients prior to placement in permanent accommodation (i.e., reception house).
• Commercial accommodation format is also eligible but should be used under the following situations where:
• there is no reception house;
• there are no available spaces in the reception house; or
• the reception house cannot accommodate certain needs (i.e., mobility).

Temporary Allowance

Reasonable and necessary daily allowances to cover the costs of incidental expenditures necessary to the client while they are residing in temporary accommodations (e.g., costs related to the purchase of calling cards, costs associated with providing transportation (bus tickets/tokens), etc.).

Costs of Meals for RAP Clients

• The costs associated with providing meals to eligible clients (i.e., in a reception house)
• Costs associated with providing eligible RAP clients with a means to obtain food while the client is residing in temporary accommodations

Overhead Costs (i.e., Other Non-Salary Program Delivery Costs)

• Other incremental costs directly related to program activities/delivery, excluding all costs in the “Negociated Administrative Rate”.
• Includes:
  • rental of office space, utilities and equipment associated with program delivery;
  • communications costs directly related to program delivery such as Internet access for a computer dedicated to eligible RAP clients (e.g., Internet to a computer in a general area (lobby) for eligible RAP clients to use);
  • membership/association fees associated with program delivery;
  • specific insurance costs related to delivery of activities (e.g., transportation);
  • volunteer recognition awards (e.g., plaque) for IRCC-funded programs;
  • security costs directly related to the delivery of a specific activity or project rather than the organization as a whole.

Provisions for Disabilities

• Costs to allow a client with a physical or learning disability to participate in IRCC-funded resettlement programming are eligible and include up to $1,000 worth of equipment, as well as non-equipment provisions and arrangements such as special training materials and software (e.g., in Braille material or large print). They also include interpretation costs to support communication between the deaf or hearing-impaired clients and recipient staff.
• Provisions and arrangements costing over $1,000 are considered capital expenditures. Refer to the Capital expenditures category above, under Costs related to arrangements and devices for eligible clients with disabilities.
• Provisions and arrangements under $1,000 would generally be listed under Overhead Costs.

Not Eligible

• Fees associated with the maintenance of individual worker’s credentials
• Gift cards as a mechanism for volunteer recognition
• Child care
• Crisis counselling
• Employee mileage and car allowance (from home to work)

Capital Expenditures

• Capital expenditures deemed by the Department to be necessary costs that the service provider expects to incur as capital assets purchased and/or leased (e.g., computers, furniture and other tangible property). This includes leasehold improvements, and costs for arrangements and devices for RAP clients with disabilities. Any assets costing more than the equivalent of $1,000 CAN should be included in the capital category:
  • Multiple items of one kind costing more than $1,000 CAN are to be considered capital even if less than the equivalent of $1,000 CAN individually (e.g., desks/tables and chairs for classes).
  • Components: i.e., items that work together to make a whole are to be considered capital even if each item taken individually is less than the equivalent of $1,000 CAN (e.g., computer, printer, screen, keyboard).
• Leased assets are to be considered capital if there is an option to buy in the lease agreement and if there is reasonable assurance that the lessee will obtain ownership at the end of the lease agreement;
• Maximum to be funded by IRCC: there are two thresholds to be aware of with regard to capital expenditures, which should be considered in the following order (all cost refer to the Canadian dollar equivalent):
  1. The Department will reimburse capital expenditures up to and including 15% of the total value of the CA.
  2. Within this 15% threshold, the Department will not reimburse capital expenditures in excess of 50% of the total CA amount in any given fiscal year.