Cooperation with the Community Sector

The Cooperation with the Community Sector aims to support the involvement of community organizations and to reinforce their ability to take action to make measurable gains in long-term community development, as well as to encourage innovation and excellence.

1. Cooperation framework
2. Eligible recipients
3. Funding decisions and evaluation criteria
4. Eligible expenditures
5. Schedule
6. Funding terms
7. Applicant's Guide

I. Cooperation framework

Investments, whether national in reach and scope, interprovincial/territorial, regional or local, are made either directly to organizations or within the framework of cooperation agreements. Agreements with communities, which set out certain delivery parameters, may be made on a multi-year basis and must be linked with global provincial/territorial or sectoral development plans.

Program - Supporting Action

These investments are intended to support the communities' involvement in their own development and to provide community organizations with the ability to take action to achieve concrete and measurable outcomes that will contribute to the sustainability of the communities.

The Department is primarily interested in supporting activities that:

• provide structure or have a structural effect on the overall development of the communities or of a particular sector;
• contribute to enriching community life, developing a sense of identity and welcoming diversity; and
• target outcomes directly compatible with the objectives of the Community Life component.

Project - Supporting Innovation

These investments are intended to encourage innovation in the development of official-language minority communities.

The Department is primarily interested in supporting projects that are innovative and/or address issues of a timely nature.

II. Eligible recipients

• non-profit organizations that reflect official-language minority community interests and whose mission, mandate or majority of activities contribute to the development and expansion of official-language minority communities on a national, provincial, regional or local scale.

III. Funding decisions and evaluation criteria

Funding decisions are based on funds available, priorities, particulars of negotiated agreements and an analysis of requests in accordance with the following criteria:

• Quality of the action plan, which must include:
• • a status report in the areas of action concerned;
  • a written description of planned programs, services or activities;
  • a clear statement of expected outcomes and performance indicators for the full period of the investment;
  • links between the proposed activities and the objectives and priorities of the Community Life component;
  • links between the proposed activities and the development priorities flowing from cooperation agreements with the communities, where applicable;
  • a time frame for implementation;
  • a budget with a breakdown of projected expenditures and the financial contributions of different parties for the proposed programs, services or activities.

• Effectiveness of the action plan as an instrument for:
• • achieving the objectives of the Community Life component and producing expected outcomes;
  • advancing the development of official-language minority communities and producing structural effects;
  • meeting the priorities of official-language minority communities and contributing to the advancement of key files at the interregional or national level;
  • developing cooperation between other federal departments and other partners.

• Contribution to the growth of the inclusive character of official-language minority communities.

• Adequacy of the proposed budget in relation to the activities to be carried out.

IV. Eligible expenditures

Eligible expenditures under the Community Life component include (but are not limited to):

• costs related to the set-up, delivery and monitoring of programs, services, activities and projects that contribute to the long-term development of official-language minority communities in key sectors (e.g. cultural events program, volunteer training program, recreation services, cultural services, communication services, etc.) at the national level or identified in cooperation agreements;

• research costs (e.g. surveys, feasibility studies, etc.) for developing programs, services or activities necessary for the development of official-language minority communities.

V. Schedule

Invitations to submit requests will be sent annually with a submissions deadline. Submission deadlines can be found at the following link: Canadian Heritage Official Languages Programs. Funding recommendations will be based on the above-mentioned criteria, available funds and due diligence principles. All funding decisions rest with the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Note:

• An invitation to submit a funding request does not constitute a financial commitment on the part of the Department;
• Any organization that has not received an invitation and believes that it meets eligibility criteria may address the Department to discuss the matter;
• Organizations wishing to submit a request should consult the "Applicant's Guide" and complete the request form.

VI. Funding terms

Requests will be funded by the Department through grants or contributions. In the case of contributions, agreements will set out requirements for reporting and payments.

In certain cases, multi-year funding agreements will be signed in order to provide organizations with a degree of stability and to increase their ability to cooperate in reaching long-term objectives.

VII. Applicant's Guide

Applicant's Guide and request form.

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