Call for Proposals to Address GBV through Community-based Research: Eligibility

4. Stream 2 - Community-based Research: Eligibility

Objective of the community-based research stream of the call for proposals

For the community-based research stream of the call for proposals the objective is to fund research projects that build knowledge to help address the needs of the underserved in the GBV sector.

Key action areas

Key actions will focus on community-based research that will help improve GBV services for at-risk groups:

• Produce knowledge to help improve services for at-risk groups: Black or racialized women, immigrant, refugee and newcomer women, women living with disabilities, Indigenous women, or 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Conduct research on GBV that is community-driven and action or change oriented

Eligibility

To apply, you must meet all the eligibility criteria in the following sections.

Applicants and funding

All applicants under this call for proposals must meet the following criteria:

• Be a Canadian organization
• Have proof of incorporation or registration or be created under an Act
• Have experience working on GBV issues
• Be one of the following organization types:
  • Not-for-profit or for-profit organizations that:
    • Are community-based and work with one or more of these population groups: Black or racialized women, immigrant, refugee and newcomer women, women living with disabilities, Indigenous women, or 2SLGBTQI+ people
    • Have experience in community-based research or a current partner with that experience
    • Do not intend to generate a profit
  • Research organizations or institutes that:
    • Have a mandate to conduct research and have research staff and facilities
    • Have proof of incorporation or registration as an independent body
    • Have a partnership with a community-based organization that:
      • Serves at least one of the at-risk groups
      • Has experience working on GBV issues
  • Centres of expertise that:
    • Provide leadership, best practices, support, or training in a given field
    • Have experience in research
    • Have proof of incorporation or registration as an independent body
    • Have a partnership with a community-based organization that:
      • serves at least one of the at-risk groups
      • has experience working on GBV issues
  • Universities, colleges, and CÉGEPs: For these applications, the federal government will only fund up to 50% of the total project budget. They must:
    • Have experience in research
    • Have a partnership with a community-based organization that:
      • Serves at least one of the at-risk groups
      • Has experience working on GBV issues

The maximum amount per project is:

• Up to $400,000 in total for a community-based research and data collection project

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 question Activity location type for definitions).

Duration

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

Activities

Before starting an application, we 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 many identity factors that intersect to make us who we are. It also considers many other identity factors like ethnicity and age.

Eligible activities

The activities must align with the following objective: To fund research projects that build knowledge to help address the needs of the underserved in the GBV sector.

All projects in this stream must:

• Get ethics approval before research can begin. You can get research ethics approval from the following:
  • An existing research ethics board within the applicant or its umbrella organization
  • An academic institution could go through their usual process to get approval
  • An organization that approves research, such as the Community-Based Research Ethics Office.
• Address one or more of the three pillars of the federal GBV Strategy:
  • Prevent GBV
  • Support survivors and their families
  • Promote responsive legal and justice systems
• Be community-based
• Focused on GBV
• Focus on and involve Black or racialized women, immigrant, refugee and newcomer women, women living with disabilities, Indigenous women, or 2SLGBTQI+ people
• Include a way to share information with others as a key component. You will need to share your findings with affected communities in a way that is accessible and useful. For instance, you could share information on your project with the GBV Knowledge Centre.

The call for proposals will support activities that:

• Include data collection and research. Eligible research methods that we will support include:
  • Interviews
  • Focus groups
  • Surveys
  • Questionnaires
  • Case studies
  • Visual or creative methods, such as storytelling and photography
• Meet the needs of the involved communities, such as Indigenous sharing circles
• Are trauma-informed to ensure the well-being of those involved
• Engage and work with stakeholders
• Share information with others

We will prioritize proposals that:

• Have a local or regional scope of work and/or
• Address any other gap, such as geography, as deemed by the Department

Ineligible activities

Activities that are not eligible include:

• Formal evaluation of existing projects or programs
• Those that only use quantitative research methods
• Sub-contracting the entire project to an outside party
• Activities outside of Canada

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 an 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. For universities, colleges, and CÉGEPs, the federal government will only fund up to 50% of the total project budget. This includes all levels of government. 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 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. As such, please only request eligible costs that are necessary to deliver the project. 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 for 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 during the project
• Materials and supplies
• Space 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 (to manage and support the project)

• Project oversight
• Project staff office space
• Telephones
• Computer equipment
• IT maintenance
• Accounting

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

• Audited Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for projects between $300,000 and $1,000,000
• Audited Financial Statements for projects above $1,000,000

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

Ineligible costs

Ineligible costs include:

• General operating costs for the organization that are not related to this project such as:
  • Regular telephone
  • Rent
  • Utilities
  • Property taxes
  • Equipment for staff
  • Insurance that is not required for this project
  • Audits that are not required for this project
• Capital costs, such as land, buildings, or 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
• Pay debts or cover losses