Community Action Program for Children (CAPC)

The Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) provides funding to community groups that promote the healthy development of young children from birth to age 6, and their parents/caregivers, who face challenges that may put their health at risk, such as:

• Poverty
• Teen pregnancy
• Social and geographic isolation
• Substance use
• Family violence

Through this initiative, the Public Health Agency of Canada funds approximately 380 CAPC projects serving over 191,000 children and parents/caregivers across Canada each year.

Goals of the Community Action Program for Children

Improve healthy child development by:

• Increasing access to culturally sensitive programs and supports for families facing challenges
• Improving parenting knowledge, skills and parent-child relationships
• Promoting positive health practices for child and family wellbeing
• Decreasing social isolation

Promote and create partnerships within communities to:

• Work together to identify needs and strengthen support for vulnerable children and families
• Strengthen community capacity

Types of support

CAPC projects adapt their activities to meet the needs of the people they serve. Their programs may include:

• Parenting classes
• Parent-child drop-ins and play groups
• Child health and development activities for children and parents
• Collective kitchens, healthy snacks and meals
• Outreach and home visiting programs
• Referrals to other programs

Evaluating the Community Action Program for Children

• Most recent CAPC evaluation
• Infographic: Celebrating 25 years of CAPC

Funding

CAPC provides $51.5 million in annual funding to community groups to develop and deliver comprehensive, culturally appropriate prevention and early intervention programs for children aged 0-6 years, and their parents/caregivers, who face challenges that may place their health at risk.

All funding for CAPC projects is currently committed.

Read about the Public Health Agency of Canada's grants and contributions programs, how and why we give funding and who has had funding from us.

Other programs you might be interested in

• Canada Prenatal Nutrition Program
• Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Rural Communities
• Healthy Early Years Program for Official Language Minority Communities
• Nobody's Perfect Parenting Program