2SLGBTQI+ Community Capacity Fund: Eligibility

2. Eligibility

Applicants and funding

Applicants must meet all the following criteria:

• be Canadian organizations
• be not-for-profit organizations
• provide proof of incorporation or registration unless applying under Stream 2
• work primarily or entirely with 2SLGBTQI+ communities. To show this you must provide your mandate and describe your organization’s experience. No exceptions will be granted.

Ineligible applicants include:

• organizations that do not work primarily or entirely with 2SLGBTQI+ communities

These are some examples of mandates from organizations that work primarily or entirely with 2SLGBTQI+ communities: 

• offer social, health, housing or cultural programs and services primarily for 2SLGBTQI+ communities
• create networks and share knowledge and training between 2SLGBTQI+ organizations
• increase access to services for trans and non-binary people
• provide resources and safe spaces for 2SLGBTQI+ people who are Indigenous, Black, or racialized
• organize 2SLGBTQI+ community celebrations
• promote the inclusion and well-being of gay and lesbian communities
• support 2SLGBTQI+ refugees
• build links between 2SLGBTQI+ communities and non-2SLGBTQI+ communities. The main goal is to remove barriers for 2SLGBTQ+ people
• provide HIV/AIDS prevention and education primarily for 2SLGBTQI+ communities

These are some examples of mandates from organizations that do not work primarily or entirely with 2SLGBTQI+ communities:

• provide shelter for vulnerable youth, including 2SLGBTQI+ youth
• address gender-based violence against women including lesbian, bisexual and trans women
• provide services for many different populations including 2SLGBTQI+ communities

You can only apply to this call for proposals once. This also means that you can only apply to one stream.

We will fund two types of projects:

Stream 1:  Eligible organizations that are incorporated or registered can apply for a total maximum amount of:

• up to $150,000 in total for local organizations. The organizations’ activities cover at least one community such as a town or city
• up to $450,000 in total for regional, provincial, territorial, interprovincial or interterritorial organizations. The organizations’ activities cover parts or all of a province or territory or many provinces or territories. Organizations that cover one of Canada’s three largest municipalities, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, would qualify as regional
• up to $600,000 in total for national organizations. The organizations’ activities have the potential of impact across Canada

There are often extra costs of living and travelling in northern or remote areas. You may apply for an extra 35% for activities in these areas (see Activity location type question for definitions)  

Stream 2:  Eligible organizations that are not yet incorporated or registered can apply for a total maximum amount of:

• up to $25,000
• you must first use this funding to incorporate or register your organization, and then you may use any remaining funds for eligible capacity-building activities
• you cannot apply for an extra 35% for northern or remote areas
• You must include becoming incorporated or registered as one of the activities in your workplan

Duration

Projects should aim to start no earlier than October 2023 and must end by March 31, 2026.

Eligible activities

Before starting an application, we encourage you to attend a virtual information session.

We also encourage you to take the free online course: Introduction to Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

GBA Plus is a process used to assess how diverse people may experience policies and programs. The “plus” in GBA Plus shows that GBA goes beyond sex and gender differences. We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are. GBA Plus also considers many other identity factors like ethnicity and age.

The activities must align with the call for proposals’ objective.

Eligible project activities include:

• how your organization makes decisions
  • assess and improve board effectiveness
  • develop a mission and mandate
  • establish bylaws and policies
• how your organization manages money
  • learn how to write funding proposals
  • secure funding from many sources
  • develop a sustainability plan, social enterprise or a funding partnership with the private sector
• how your organization collaborates
  • build regional and national partnerships to improve 2SLGBTQI+ networks, especially where gaps exist
  • link organizations, networks, governments, and services to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality in Canada
  • include different 2SLGBTQI+ communities to make your organization more diverse
  • offer anti-racism and anti-oppression training and initiatives
  • gather members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities to collaborate in a safe space
• how your organization manages people
  • develop and put in place strategies to attract and keep the right people
  • adapt human resources products and tools using GBA Plus
• how your organization drives change
  • develop an advocacy strategy to drive change. Activities cannot include carrying out advocacy activities
• how your organization makes plans
  • develop and implement a strategic plan
  • develop and implement a results evaluation plan
  • review your resources or share resources with other 2SLGBTQI+ organizations
  • plan how to increase the impact and effectiveness of your programs or services. Activities cannot include direct program or service delivery
• how your organization learns
  • improve your organization’s ability to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality by learning how to lead an organization, use technology to be more efficient, manage projects or manage finances. These improved skills must increase the organization’s capacity and not an individual’s capacity
  • create, put in place and share tools for employee or volunteer development
  • mentor and coach to improve other organizations’ ability to advance 2SLGBTQI+ equality
• how your organization learns about 2SLGBTQI+ challenges and barriers
  • engage with 2SLGBTQI+ communities to better determine their needs and align services
  • research the needs of the community and address barriers to 2SLGBTQI+ equality
• how your organization is built
  • incorporate or register your organization (mandatory for organizations that are not already registered or incorporated- Stream 2)
  • create a board or governing body

We will prioritize proposals that:

• build the capacity of eligible organizations. Their work focuses on advancing equality for 2SLGBTQI+ people who are
  • Indigenous
  • Black
  • racialized
  • seniors
  • youth
  • low income
  • living with a disability
  • members of an official language minority community
  • living in a rural, remote or northern community
• address any other gap, such as geography, as deemed by the Department 

Ineligible activities

The call for proposals will not support activities that:

• were funded under previous capacity building projects through Women and Gender Equality (WAGE)
• deliver services or programs (for example, health and wellness workshops, career help, personal support, community reintegration programs, community services). To be clear:
  • you cannot create new services or programs
  • you cannot expand existing services or programs
• train employees or volunteers unless this increases the organization’s capacity and not an individual’s capacity
• create unfair advantage or profit
• involve construction and renovation
• involve the purchase, lease or long-term rental of real property
• are religious in nature
• are politically partisan in nature
• take place outside of Canada
• deal with issues in other countries

Costs

The Department will only fund eligible costs. Eligible costs are those that are necessary to support the purpose of the project. We will only reimburse eligible costs incurred after the signature of the agreement. Read the Guidelines on Eligible Expenditures for Funding Programs for more information.

Total government funding for the project must not exceed 100% of eligible costs. This includes federal, provincial, territorial and municipal assistance for the same goal.  We will adjust the level of funding and seek reimbursement if necessary.

There are two categories of eligible costs:

• Direct costs: expenses related to the delivery of the project that are linked to specific activities
• Administrative costs: expenses incurred to manage and support the project

The Department will determine the final value of funding.

Eligible costs

The Department will fund as many projects as possible to have a greater impact, but funding is limited. Please only request eligible costs that are necessary to deliver the project. This allows other projects to be funded. For this call for proposals, eligible costs include:

Direct costs (necessary to deliver the project):

• travel costs must not exceed the rates in the National Joint Council Travel Directive. This includes the Travel Directive’s Kilometric Rates  and Meals Allowances
• salaries and benefits for staff related to project delivery
• honoraria and professional fees, including those paid to Indigenous Elders for their services
• materials and supplies
• spaces used for project activities
• translation
• training related to the project
• publicity and promotion
• other costs such as snacks or meals served during key project activities

Administrative costs (necessary to manage and support the project):

• project oversight
• office space for project staff
• phones
• computer equipment
• IT maintenance
• accounting

Include audit costs for projects of $300,000 and above in your administrative costs. The Department requires the following on an annual basis:

• externally reviewed Statement of Revenue and Expenditures for projects between $300,000 and $999,999

Administrative costs can be up to 20% of the total funding requested from the Department.

Ineligible costs

Ineligible costs include:

• costs for activities that were funded under previous WAGE capacity building projects
• core/operational funding for existing or ongoing activities, projects, engagement or advocacy
• general core/operating costs for the organization that are not related to this project such as:
  • rent
  • utilities
  • phones
  • property taxes
  • equipment for staff
  • insurance not required for this project
  • audit costs not required for this project
• capital costs such as land, buildings, and vehicles except for computer equipment such as desktops, portables and small peripherals required to carry out the project
• salaries, allowances, and benefits for directors of a board or other governance body
• budget deficits, debt reduction, organizational reserves or endowment funds
• costs added to a project over the estimated project value to cover unexpected costs
• costs incurred before a funding decision is made
• further distribution of funds
• payment of debts or coverage of losses