Application Guidelines for Funding “Promoting Integration”

The Multiculturalism Program

• Grants and Contributions Funding
• Priorities
• What is Funded
• What is NOT Funded
• Who Can Apply
• Who is not Eligible to Apply
• When to Apply
• The Assessment Process
• Assessment Criteria

Grants and Contributions Funding

Objectives

Funding provided under the terms of the Multiculturalism Program focuses on initiatives to achieve the following program objectives:

1. Ethno-cultural/racial minorities participate in public decision-making (civic participation)
   
   To assist in the development of strategies that facilitate full and active participation of ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious communities in Canadian society.
   
   
2. Communities and the broad public engage in informed dialogue and sustained action to combat racism (anti-racism/anti-hate/cross-cultural understanding)
   
   To increase public awareness, understanding and informed public dialogue about multiculturalism, racism, and cultural diversity in Canada.
   
   To facilitate collective community initiatives and responses to ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious conflict and hate-motivated activities.
   
   
3. Public institutions eliminate systemic barriers (institutional change)
   
   To improve the ability of public institutions to respond to ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious diversity by assisting in the identification and removal of barriers to equitable access and by supporting the involvement of these ethno-racial/cultural communities in the public decision-making process.

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Priorities

Since its inception, the Multiculturalism Program has evolved to respond to Canada’s changing diversity and to address emerging issues in our pluralistic society.

In 2009-10, the Multiculturalism Program will pay particular attention to the following priorities:

1. Support the economic, social, and cultural integration of new Canadians and cultural communities
   
   Emphasis will be placed on projects which aim to:
   • assist new Canadians and cultural communities to gain knowledge and skills for economic, social, and cultural integration and civic engagement;
   • provide opportunities and support for the involvement of new Canadians and cultural communities to work in partnerships with various stakeholders towards identifying and resolving issues affecting them (schools, social services, employment, recognition of foreign credentials, justice systems, policing, media, etc.);
   • improve the ability of public institutions to respond to, and integrate, ethnic, racial, cultural, and religious diversity by assisting in the identification and removal of barriers to equitable access.
     
     
2. Facilitate programs such as mentorship, volunteerism, leadership, and civic education among at-risk cultural youth
   
   Areas of emphasis include projects that will:
   • assist cultural youth at-risk to gain self-confidence, knowledge, and skills for participation and civic engagement (volunteerism);
   • provide opportunities for youth through partnerships with their peers, adults, and community leaders as well as through mentorship initiatives, to gain practical learning experience and develop the skills necessary to contribute to the economic, social and cultural life of their communities;
   • assist in addressing the root causes of cultural youth marginalization, detachment, and radicalization;
   • assist youth in responding to racism and hate-motivated activities.
     
     
3. Promote inter-cultural understanding and Canadian values (democracy, freedom, human rights and rule of law) through community initiatives, with the objective of addressing issues of cultural social exclusion (parallel communities) and radicalization
   
   Areas of emphasis include projects that will:
   • foster interaction between different communities and support cross-sector collaboration in community-based projects to build and shape an inclusive and respectful society;
   • facilitate collective community initiatives and responses to combat ethnic, racial, cultural and religious conflicts and hate-motivated activities;
   • support community-based initiatives designed to facilitate inter-faith dialogue and increase understanding of the place of religion in Canada in order to combat ignorance and faulty assumptions and foster constructive and informed dialogue about multiculturalism, religions, racism, cultural diversity, and Canadian values;
   • encourage activities aimed at reaching society at large to facilitate inter-cultural understanding and address the cultural social exclusion of some communities;
   • increase awareness and understanding of racism and discrimination and take action to foster equal opportunities for all people;
   • reduce or eliminate factors contributing to exclusion, disenchantment, and radicalization.

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What is Funded

Under the Multiculturalism Program, the Government of Canada provides funding assistance in the form of grants and contributions for eligible projects that:

• address an issue related to one or more of the program objectives or the program priorities as listed above;
• use social development approaches to achieve measurable results [note 1];
• involve the broad community (community-based, neighbourhood-based and/or coalitions that are inclusive);
• focus on action and measurable results leading to sustainable and lasting changes to address community issues;
• involve partnerships, such as other federal departments; provincial, territorial and municipal levels of governments; public institutions; collaboration with the private or the voluntary sector, etc.

Projects developed to support youth should be relevant to youth, resonate with young people, and include their involvement in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the project.

Pertinent, reasonable, and essential expenses required to carry out the project will be considered to be eligible expenses. Funding preference will be given to projects that include other sources of funding, including cash and in-kind contributions.

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What is NOT Funded

The Program does not fund:

• activities that have been undertaken before the signing of a contribution agreement;
• annual or regular executive board meetings of an organization or association;
• festivals, camps, religious activities or celebrations of foreign national days and other cultural events;
• heritage language initiatives;
• commemorative walks or parades;
• ongoing production of newsletters, newspapers, magazines, journals, or radio and television broadcasts;
• activities that take place outside Canada;
• profit-making activities;
• provision of direct one-to-one services, e.g. individual counseling;
• development of a website;
• production of films and videos that are not for educational purposes;
• certain budget items such as:
  • any type of Director’s fees for volunteer members of Boards or other governing bodies;
  • capital costs or expenditures;
  • any international travel or expenses incurred abroad or related to activities outside Canada;
  • core program expenses;
  • eligible travel and accommodation costs that exceed the Government of Canada’s Travel Directive (Please see: www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/TBM_113/c-eng.asp); and
  • eligible costs for hospitality (meals and refreshments for workshop participants only) that exceed the meal rate per person under the Treasury Board Travel Directive noted above.
• in-kind expenses.

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Who Can Apply

The Program accepts funding applications for not-for-profit projects from:

• Canadian not-for-profit organizations or associations;
• non-federal Canadian public or public-interest institutions such as the media, boards of education, schools, colleges and universities, chambers of commerce, law enforcement and police agencies, hospitals, and other health care institutions;
• regional and municipal governments and their agencies;
• First Nations and Inuit governments, band councils and organizations; and
• Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Who is not Eligible to Apply

Funding will not be provided to:

• federal, provincial or territorial departments and agencies;
• foreign institutions and organizations; or
• individuals who are not permanent residents or Canadian citizens.

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When to Apply

Applications can be submitted throughout the fiscal year. There are no preset deadlines for applications for projects.

However, please allow sufficient time in advance of the proposed start date to:

• discuss your project idea with a Program Officer;
• develop your proposal;
• complete the application form; and
• allow for assessment of your proposal.

Assessment times will vary with the nature and content of a proposal. Applicants can expect a minimum of eight weeks following submission of a complete project proposal for assessment and file processing. Some applications may take longer to assess and evaluate.

The Assessment Process

Proposals cannot be assessed until all the information required under the Application Guidelines for Funding is complete. Funding is awarded following an assessment and recommendation process during which Multiculturalism Program Officers:

• confirm that the applicant and project are eligible for funding under the Program;
• ensure that the required information is complete and has been included in the application and project proposal;
• assess the application and seek, if required, assistance and advice from experts, analysts, or other knowledgeable people; and
• prepare an assessment to recommend the project, if appropriate, to the Minister responsible for multiculturalism or her/his designate, who approves all grants and contributions awarded through the Program.

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Assessment Criteria

All applications must include a signed and dated General Application Form (see Appendix A) that includes a project proposal with:

• a clear description of the issue that the project addresses, the need for the project, and how the issue and the need are related to one or more of the objectives of the Multiculturalism Program;
• clear objectives and expected outcomes demonstrating how the project will produce measurable results that contribute to achieving the objectives of the Multiculturalism Program;
• a rationale for seeking funding which explains why funding from the Multiculturalism Program is needed;
• a detailed budget showing all revenues and expenses for the project related to an action plan that outlines activities and milestones. The project budget will include a listing of financial and other resources from all sources and identify activities that are related to these funding sources (government, community, private sector, individuals and the applicant);
• clear evidence that the applicant has the capacity, expertise, and skills to undertake and successfully complete the proposed project;
• documentation demonstrating the participation and assistance of key stakeholders/partners (other organizations, institutions, communities and individuals) who are involved in the issue and who can have an impact on the outcome;
• documentation demonstrating how the communities most affected by the issue are involved throughout the key phases of development, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the project;
• an evaluation plan that outlines the indicators, evaluation strategies and tools that will be used to measure and assess project results and impacts; and
• a distribution plan to share, as widely as possible, the information, knowledge and/or experience gained as a result of the proposed project.

Where applicable, project proposals should also include documentation demonstrating that the project is built on best practices acquired through involvement in similar or related initiatives.

Conformity with these guidelines does not guarantee funding by the Multiculturalism Program.

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1. By respecting principles of social development, approved Multiculturalism Program projects will use approaches that ensure that:

• communities help define their problems and develop solutions that are most appropriate to their circumstances;
• communities participate in efforts to improve their standard of living, with as much reliance as possible on their own initiative;
• there is recognition of the legitimacy and value of diverse viewpoints within communities and there is no expectation of unanimity or a single representative voice based on ethnicity or race;
• there is provision of technical and other services and institutional help that encourage community initiative, self-help and mutual help and make these more effective; and
• links are made between local concerns and wider social issues.

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