Government of Canada launches two new Calls for Proposals to strengthen gender equality

From: Women and Gender Equality Canada

News release

September 22, 2023 –Toronto, Ontario — Women and Gender Equality Canada

Women's rights organizations in Canada play a leading role in driving social change by supporting women and girls from diverse backgrounds both economically and socially. These organizations help women and girls become financially secure, work to end gender-based violence, and provide a critical link to community services and supports.

Today, the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth, launched two new concurrent calls for proposals to support organizations in Canada serving women. Organizations are invited to apply for funding in two areas:

  1. Women’s Economic and Leadership Opportunities Fund: Up to $100 million for new projects or scale up past projects that change systems to increase women and girls' economic security and prosperity, as well as their representation in leadership and decision-making roles; and
  2. Women’s Capacity Fund: Up to $30 million for organizations to increase capacity to reach their goals, and to participate in activities such as partnership development and community engagement.

This announcement is taking place during Gender Equality Week. This year’s theme is United for Gender Equality: Stronger Together. The Government of Canada’s funding for gender equality initiatives continues to help women’s organizations and equity-deserving groups to tackle systemic barriers impeding women’s success. Their projects and initiatives focus on strengthening the long-term capabilities of women's and Indigenous women's organizations.

The deadline for completed applications is November 3, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Pacific Time / 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. We will not assess applications submitted after this deadline. Visit the WAGE website for more information and for details on how to apply.

Quotes

“Frontline organizations across the country have emphasized the need for reliable and sustained funding to continue providing critical services in their communities. In addition to the historic investments, we have made with provinces and territories to end gender-based violence, these new calls for proposals will improve women’s economic security and increase the participation of women and girls in decision-making roles, to make sure they can reach their full potential in all spheres of our society.”

The Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth

Quick facts

  • Budget 2023 allocated $160 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, for the Women’s Program to provide funding to organizations in Canada that serve women. 

  • The Women’s Program supports time-limited projects that address systemic barriers to women’s equality in Canadian society. Funding targets economic security and prosperity, leadership, and ending violence.

  • These new CFPs build on investments made through Budget 2018 ($100 million over five years) and Budget 2019 ($160 million over five years) to support the women’s movement. In response to stakeholders’ needs, the Department invested an additional $16.5 million in 2023-24 to provide a one-year extension for existing capacity-building projects funded through Budget 2018. 

  • Certain groups of women and girls may benefit from this funding as they face additional challenges or barriers to equality. Both CFPs will prioritize proposals that focus on women who are: Indigenous, living with a disability, members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, newcomers or migrants, Black or racialized, members of an official language minority community, seniors, young women and girls, living on a low income, and/or living in a rural, remote, or northern community. 

Associated links

Contacts

Johise Namwira
Press Secretary and Issues Manager
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
873-353-0985
Johise.Namwira@fegc-wage.gc.ca

Media Relations
Women and Gender Equality Canada
819-420-6530
FEGC.Media.WAGE@fegc-wage.gc.ca

Follow Women and Gender Equality Canada:

Page details

Date modified: