Multi-sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease

Section 11: Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the priority areas of this invitation to submit an LOI?
2. Can my project be focused on one disease area (i.e., diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease)?
3. Why are projects required to have multi-sectoral partnerships?
4. Can organizations submit more than one LOI?
5. How does the LOI process work?
6. Who can apply to this invitation?
7. Can First Nations, Inuit and Métis serving organizations apply?
8. Do projects have to be national in scope?
9. What amount of funding is available and for what project duration?
10. Are there any other funding requirements I should know about?
11. What is Pay-for-Performance?
12. What are the eligible expenditures/costs?
13. What expenditures are not eligible?
14. What criteria will be used to assess my submission?
15. What do I include in my LOI application package?
16. What is the deadline to apply?
17. How do I submit my LOI?
18. Will I be notified when my LOI submission is received?
19. How long will it take to know if my LOI is accepted for a proposal submission?

 

1. What are the priority areas of this Invitation to Submit an LOI?

This invitation to submit an LOI falls under the policy and funding authorities of the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease (ISHLCD) and the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS). Funded projects will support PHAC's contribution to Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights and the Declaration on Prevention and Promotion by focusing efforts on innovative, integrated approaches that promote healthy living, prevent chronic disease (e.g., cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease)and address common risk factors (i.e., physical inactivity and/or sedentary behaviour, unhealthy eating and smoking). Projects to be funded under these funding authorities must include a focus on at least one of the priority areas outlined below.

Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease

The ISHLCD provides a policy framework for the federal government to promote the health of Canadians and reduce the impact of chronic disease in Canada. Funding for the Multi-Sectoral Partnerships to Promote Healthy Living and Prevent Chronic Disease approach is provided through the Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Funding Program under this framework.

The ISHLCD aligns federal public health action on three interrelated pillars across the spectrum of health and chronic disease.

The three pillars of the ISHLCD are:

• promoting health by addressing the conditions that lead to unhealthy eating, physical inactivity and unhealthy weights;
• preventing chronic disease through focussed and integrated action on major chronic diseases and their risk factors; and
• supporting the early detection of chronic diseases.

The ISHLCD represents a way of working with a diversity of partners and involves enhanced collaboration among organizations, jurisdictions and sectors.

Projects to be funded must include a focus on the following priority areas:

• healthy living and healthy weights through a primary prevention intervention that includes a set of coordinated activities to enable and change behaviour that will positively impact health; and
• address at least one of the common risk factors (i.e., physical inactivity and/or sedentary behaviour, unhealthy eating and smoking) applicable to a number of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Federal Tobacco Control Strategy

As part of the Government of Canada's five-year renewal of the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy (FTCS) through Budget 2012, interventions under this program stream will target tobacco as a common risk factor for chronic diseases as reinforced in the 2011 United Nations Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases.

2. Can my project be focussed on one chronic disease area (i.e. diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease)?

Projects can be targeted towards one disease (e.g., diabetes), however, common risk factors (i.e., physical inactivity and/or sedentary behaviour, unhealthy eating and smoking) must be a focus and highlighted throughout your submission. This approach is in line with the Integrated Strategy on Healthy Living and Chronic Disease.

3. Why are projects required to have multi-sectoral partnerships in place?

Multi-sectoral approaches involving various segments of society - communities, academia, the charitable and not-for-profit sector and the private sector - are required to address complex social issues such as childhood obesity and the prevention of chronic diseases. By engaging multiple sectors of society, partners can leverage knowledge, expertise, reach and resources, in working towards the common shared goal of producing better health outcomes for Canadians.

4. Can organizations submit more than one LOI?

Yes. Organizations may submit more than one LOI if they are significantly different in scope of work. A separate submission will need to be completed for each LOI. Applicants with ineligible, incomplete and unsuccessful submissions are also welcome to revise and resubmit project ideas through the LOI process at any time.

5. How does the LOI application process work?

The application process consists of two stages. The first stage is the submission of an LOI, which will outline your project concept. Based on the outcomes of a comprehensive review process, applicants whose LOIs are successful will be invited to the second stage to submit a proposal for funding consideration.

6. Who can apply to this invitation?

Eligible applicants include:

• Canadian not-for-profit voluntary organizations and corporations;
• for-profit organizations;
• unincorporated groups, societies and coalitions;
• provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and agencies;
• organizations and institutions supported by provincial and territorial governments (regional health authorities, schools, post-secondary institutions, etc.);
• Indigenous organizations; and
• non-Canadian applicants may be considered on an exceptional basis.

7. Can First Nations, Inuit and Métis serving organizations apply?

Projects targeting Indigenous populations can be funded. This includes First Nations people living on or off-reserve, and Metis and Inuit people living within and outside of their traditional communities.

8. Do projects have to be national in scope?

Project must have potential for national applicability, in terms of:

• transferability to different settings or target population;
• potential to be expanded and/or scaled-up into other parts of Canada; or
• applicability to other chronic diseases or common risk factors.

9. What amount of funding is available and for what project duration?

• The total request for federal funding for each project must be a minimum of $200,000 up to a maximum of $5,000,000.
• The duration for each project must be a minimum of 2 years (24 months) to a maximum of 5 years (60 months).
• Funding requests must be a minimum of $100,000 per year of the project duration.

10. Are there any other funding requirements I should know about?

• Consistent with the multi-sectoral partnership approach of this invitation, projects must obtain matched funding in terms of financial (cash) and/or in-kind contributions from non-tax-payer funded sources and/or private sector partners. A matched funding ratio of 1:1 is required for funding under the ISHLCD and the FTCS. Final determination of the matched funding ratio for any particular project rests with PHAC.
• To achieve greater accountability for results, proposals will only be considered where funding can be tied to the completion of outputs/outcomes as measurable results. Applicant organizations should demonstrate that they have the ability to achieve and demonstrate results, as projects will have pay-for-performance agreements.
• Multisectoral partnerships are required for projects. Effective prevention initiatives are enhanced through multi-sectoral responses, involving shared leadership between players such as non-governmental organizations, academia, workplaces, industry, and communities, among others. Private sector applicants are required to engage and partner with organizations from the charitable and not-for-profit sectors.

11. What is Pay-for-Performance?

Pay-for-performance is a method of payment where reimbursement of eligible expenditures is tied to outputs/outcomes. Organizations would still be expected to measure outcomes through their performance measurement/evaluation activities, but payment would be tied to a concrete deliverable(s). Successful applicants (projects) will have "pay-for-performance" agreements, where payments are tied to measurable outputs/outcomes that are specified in advance.

12. What are the eligible expenditures/costs?

Eligible costs include expenses such as personnel, travel and accommodations, materials, equipment, rent and utilities, evaluation/dissemination, or "other" costs related to the approved project. A detailed budget will be required as part of the proposal (stage two) in the application process.

PHAC will not reimburse costs incurred in the preparation and/or submission of an LOI or proposal, and no expenses for approved projects may be incurred prior to the acceptance of the Contribution Agreement by all parties.

13. What expenditures are not eligible?

The following activities and expenses are not eligible for funding:

• pure research in any discipline;
• provision of services that are the responsibility of other levels of government;
• costs of ongoing activities for the organization;
• stand-alone activities such as awareness raising events, audiovisual production or website/smartphone application development and maintenance (a "stand-alone activity" would be considered as such when there is no program intervention with a target population);
• conferences, symposia, and workshops as stand-alone projects;
• capital costs such as the purchase of land, buildings or vehicles;
• ongoing operational support or overhead/administrative fees expressed as a percentage of ongoing activities of an organization;
• unidentified miscellaneous costs;
• travel and hospitality expenses that exceed the Treasury Board rates;
• rent charges for space and computer use when already owned by the recipient organization; and
• membership fees.

14. What criteria will be used to assess my submission?

The detailed assessment criteria are outlined in Section 5.1. The LOI must provide sufficient information regarding each assessment criterion so that a clear overview of all aspects of the proposed project is provided. Broadly, the criterion includes:

• Applicant eligibility;
• Project alignment with PHAC priorities;
• Evidence to support the intervention;
• Evaluation of the intervention; and
• Multi-sectoral partnerships and collaborations.

15. What do I include in my LOI application package?

The LOI submission includes a cover letter and the completion of the LOI template, as outlined below. The maximum length for an LOI is 10-12 pages, single-spaced, in size 12 font. The required format is Microsoft Word.

Part 1 - Organizational Information

Applicants are to provide a one page cover letter describing the organization. The letter must be signed by the President/Chair of the Board of Directors or equivalent of the applicant/sponsoring organization. This letter must include the following information:

• Mandate of the organization;
• Organizational incorporation/registration number;
• Brief outline of why the organization has the capacity to undertake the proposed project (e.g., credibility, relevant skills, experience with the target populations, ability to achieve and demonstrate project results); and
• Brief description of the organization's management structure, governance, and financial capacity to carry-out projects (e.g., financial administration/management, quality control mechanisms).

Part 2 - Project Information

The following areas are included in the LOI template:

• Project at a glance (name of applicant; project title; primary contact information; project duration (in months); funding amount requested from PHAC; status of matched funding from non-taxpayer funded sources; identification of the common risk factors the primary prevention intervention will address; and identification of the stage of development of the intervention);
• A description of the intervention, including the what, why, who, where and how;
• Evidence to support the intervention;
• Evaluation of the intervention; and
• Multi-sectoral partnerships and collaborations;

16. What is the deadline to apply?

There is no deadline for this LOI process. Under this invitation, LOIs will be accepted on a continual basis; however, funding will be subject to budgetary and project considerations.

17. How do I submit my LOI?

All LOIs must be submitted via email to phac.psd-dps.aspc@canada.ca. Applications will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure your email address is included in your LOI application so that we may contact you.

To obtain a copy of the LOI template, please contact: phac.psd-dps.aspc@canada.ca.

18. Will I be notified when my LOI submission is received?

Yes, applications will be acknowledged by email upon receipt of your submission.

19. How long will it take to know if my LOI is accepted for a proposal submission?

Organizations will be notified within 45 days if they are eligible to submit a proposal for funding consideration. Applicants with ineligible, incomplete and unsuccessful submissions will also be notified.