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Apply for funding for the Scaling Up for Seniors stream of the Age Well at Home Initiative - Closed

From: Employment and Social Development Canada

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Application period

Current status: Closed

Learn more about other funding opportunities

This call ran between June 8, 2022 at noon to July 29, 2022, by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Description of the funding

Age Well at Home (AWAH) is a federal funding program. After a lifetime of hard work, seniors want to live healthy, safe, and independent lives. Seniors want to stay at home, in the communities that support them, for as long as possible. They also want to increase their sense of belonging and connection to their communities, but this can become difficult as they age. This leads many vulnerable seniors to move to supportive care (such as a senior’s home) sooner than they would have needed to if they had adequate support at home. Low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors, primarily those in their’ homes, may be particulary at risk.

The Scaling Up for Seniors is a stream of the AWAH Initiative. This stream provides funds to eligible organizations to scale up (expand) services that have already demonstrated results in helping seniors age in place. Applications must include the delivery of services in Canada in more than 1 province or territory. However, Indigenous governments located anywhere in Canada and organizations located in Quebec can choose whether to propose to scale up within a single province or territory, or scale up within more than 1 province or territory.

If funded, organizations will be required to undertake evaluation activities and plan for the sustainability of their projects after the end of federal funding.

Note: This initiative is delivered under the terms and conditions of the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Note: Age Well at Home will support scaling up of services that directly aim to help seniors age at home. Projects that focus on the arts, recreation, building and maintaining community spaces for seniors are not eligible under Age Well at Home. Projects such as these may be eligible for funding under the New Horizons for Seniors Program.

Note: You may also be eligible to apply under the In-Home Support Pilot Project stream of the Age Well at Home Initiative.

Objectives

Employment and Social Development Canada will accept project proposals from eligible organizations that focus on both objectives:

  • scale up services, previously delivered in Canada, that have already shown positive results in helping seniors age at home
  • deliver services directly to beneficiaries (seniors or seniors-serving organizations) to help seniors age at home

Important: Assess your eligibility

Before you apply, please check to see if you are eligible by responding to these 4 statements. If you cannot answer “yes” to all 4 eligibility statements and cannot provide all required information in your application, you are not eligible to apply under this process and your application will be deemed ineligible for funding.

  1. The services that I propose to scale up demonstrated positive results, in Canada, in helping seniors age at home. (Yes/No)
  2. An evaluation was done in the last 5 years to evaluate the services I am proposing to scale up. (Yes/No)
  3. I can provide the following supporting details about the evaluation. (Yes/No)
    This includes details about:
    • Results Measurement Indicators (RMIs)
    • data collection tool(s)
    • the main outcomes that the evaluation measured
    • a positive change in at least 1 Results Measurement Indicator(RMIs)
  4. The services that I propose to scale up will take place in more than 1 province or territory. (Yes/No)

*Indigenous governments located anywhere in Canada and organizations located (headquartered) in Quebec can choose to propose to scale up within a single province or territory, or to deliver services in more than 1 province or territory.

Note: Applicants are not expected to incur additional costs to be able to apply, such as by undertaking an evaluation of past activities. Costs incurred before a funding agreement is signed will not be reimbursed.

Eligibility

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

Eligible applicants

Your organization must have experience in delivering programs and services to seniors.

Your organization can only submit 1 application under the Scaling Up for Seniors stream Call for Proposals (CFP).

Your organization must be located in Canada, have a CRA business number or charitable registration number and must be 1 of the following types:

  • not-for-profit organizations (including charities)
  • municipal governments
  • educational institutions
  • Indigenous entities including:
    • band councils
    • tribal councils
    • self-government entities
  • health and social services institutions

Note to organizations located and operating in Quebec

If we accept your application for funding, approval from the Quebec government may be needed before a funding agreement can be signed. Consult the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif

Eligible projects

Your project must meet all of the following criteria:

  • end by March 31, 2025
  • request no less than $100,000
  • request no more than $2,000,000
  • demonstrate the need for the proposed project, including the target group(s) of seniors
  • scale up services that have already shown positive results in Canada in helping seniors age at home
  • an evaluation of the activities/service(s) was conducted in the last 5 years
  • propose to deliver services in more than 1 province or territory
  • *Indigenous governments located anywhere in Canada and organizations located (headquartered) in Quebec can choose to propose to scale up within a single province or territory, or to deliver services in more than one province or territory.
  • completed the Application for Funding form (EMP5692) and supporting documents submitted within the allowed timelines
  • an eligible recipient submits the application

Eligible activities

Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • developing and implementing services
  • adapting services or programs to enable the scaling up of those services or programs
  • training and supporting volunteers
  • reaching out to low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors
  • establishing partnerships and engaging in collaboration with partners (such as developing shared objectives, creating a Community of Practice, etc.)
  • developing and sharing information and tools for seniors or seniors-serving organizations
  • developing and implementing services to support caregivers of vulnerable seniors (such as respite care services)
  • activities related to sustainability planning (staff training, improving fundraising skills, etc.)
  • activities related to evaluation (designing data collection methods, collecting and analyzing data, writing evaluation report, etc.)

Each activity should be clearly linked to the project costs outlined in the Budget Detail Template (EMP5570)

Mandatory activities

Your project must include the following mandatory activities:

  • scaling up (expanding) services that have already demonstrated results in Canada in helping seniors age at home
  • developing a sustainability plan
  • developing an evaluation plan
  • participating in a Community of Practice convened by ESDC

Note: Your participation in the Community of Practice convened by ESDC will provide you with additional training and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Note: Funded organizations will be required to collect and report meaningful data on project impacts.

Ineligible activities

Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to:

  • projects to address homelessness or housing affordability
  • delivering support to health care and home care professionals
  • core operations of an organization (administration, human resources, etc.)
  • lobbying or politically partisan activities
  • delivery of health care and homecare services (such as therapy, physical therapy, dental care, medical devices, etc.)
  • projects that duplicate provincially- or territorially-funded health care, home and community care services already available in the jurisdiction(s) in which they propose to deliver their project activities

Projects can have the following activities as long as the total does not exceed 20% of the budget:

  • capital improvements (such as renovating office spaces, community spaces or outdoor spaces; or purchasing capital assets)
  • recreation (such as sports, games, the arts)
  • financial literacy (such as tax clinics or navigating financial services)
  • research, knowledge-translation, awareness-building or conferences

Eligible costs

Eligible costs include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • wages and employment-related costs for staff to undertake eligible activities
  • materials, supplies and equipment (including computer equipment and equipment rental)
  • administrative costs such as utilities, insurance, or rental of premises
  • costs of project evaluations, assessments and reporting
  • costs related to planning for the sustainability of the project
  • travel and hospitality costs
  • costs related to reimbursing volunteer material costs (including mileage, supplies)
  • traditional medicines and financial gestures of gratitude/honorarium for Elders
  • capital costs and capital assets (must not exceed 20% of the project budget)
  • accessibility supports for staff of the recipient
  • fees for professional services

Ineligible costs

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

  • costs incurred before the signing of the agreement
  • costs related to delivery of health care and homecare services, including:
    • therapy
    • physical therapy
    • dental services
    • assessment or support related to use of medical or mobility devices
  • cash payments or reimbursements to project beneficiaries (individual seniors)
  • costs related to capital improvements to private residences (including modifications for accessibility)
  • purchase of real property (such as buildings or land)

How we assess your application

We will use the information collected in your application, and may disclose it for the purpose of assessing the merits of your application. As part of the assessment process, the information may be shared with:

  • external consultants
  • review committee members
  • officials in other departments
  • federal, provincial and/or territorial governments

We will assess your application based on the following criteria:

  • the completed Application for Funding form (EMP5692) was received within the allowed timelines
  • the application was submitted by an eligible recipient
  • the application met the criteria for the project objectives, project activities and expected results mentioned below
  • the application demonstrated the applicant’s experience in delivering programs or services that target seniors, including low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors
  • the application demonstrated that the proposed services or program have already showed positive results and evidence was provided
  • the application was accompanied by all required supporting documents

Note: ESDC may refuse applications that are incomplete or contain errors. We will contact you to request any mandatory information if it is missing from your application. We will do this before we determine if your application is eligible. If you receive such a request, you must respond within 5 business days of the date we sent the request. If you do not respond before the deadline, we will assess your application based on the information provided.

Organization experience

You must show your organization’s experience in delivering programs or services that target seniors, including low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors

This could also include the experience of partners with who you propose to partner.

How the services that you propose to scale up have shown results

You must provide detailed information to show that the services you propose to scale up have shown positive results in helping seniors age at home, and that an evaluation was done.

Provide supporting information about the results, including information that an evaluation of good quality has been done, to help demonstrate how the services that you propose to scale up have been effective in the past in helping seniors age at home. (See the applicant guide for details.)

Project objectives

You must show in your application:

  • the service or program you propose to scale up (the service that was evaluated)
  • the target group of seniors who will benefit from your proposed project, including the approximate number of individuals
  • the geographic areas, including provinces or territories, in which you will deliver the services
  • proposed services must be delivered in more than *1 province or territory in Canada (Services must be based on a service or program that has been delivered in Canada)
  • why programs that are currently available do not meet the needs of the target groups of seniors in the province/territory in which the scaling up will occur
  • how your project meets the need of the target groups of seniors (for example, providing culturally relevant approaches, developing partnerships with organizations from specific faith communities or settlement organizations, etc.)
  • how you plan to scale up the services
  • the barriers to aging at home and how your project will address them
  • if your project primarily targets low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors
  • if your project will mobilize volunteers to deliver the services

*Indigenous governments located anywhere in Canada and organizations located (headquartered) in Quebec can choose to propose to scale up within a single province or territory, or to deliver services in more than 1 province or territory.

Project activities

You must demonstrate in your application:

  • how your project’s activities will align with the project objectives
  • that the activities and timelines are clear and realistic
  • the steps that your organization will take to meet the objectives of the project, including the following mandatory activities for all projects:
    • developing a sustainability plan
    • developing an evaluation plan
    • participating in a Community of Practice convened by ESDC

Project expected results

You must describe in your application how the expected results:

  • clearly link to your project objectives
  • are specific, concrete and measurable
  • are defined as outputs and outcomes (qualitative and/or quantitative)
  • include Results Measurement Indicators (RMIs) demonstrating the impact on the target population(s)
  • are tracked using data collection mechanisms

Project outcomes must support the outcome of this CFP, which are to:

  • increase the ability of seniors and vulnerable seniors to age at home
  • increase the capacity of seniors-serving organizations to support aging at home

Priority

The following priorities will be applied:

  • projects in as many provinces and territories as possible
  • projects that meet the needs of groups of seniors who are:
    • Black and racialized
    • Indigenous
    • LGBTQ2+
    • members of Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs)
    • newcomers
    • speak languages other than English or French

Considerations

Projects will be considered for funding based on their own merit, and the department will also consider how the projects contribute to the diversity and inclusion of the group of projects recommended for approval. To recommend a group of projects to the Minister of Seniors, several related considerations could be applied at the same time.

We may give additional consideration to:

  • geographic distribution of projects within a province or territory to allow for both urban and rural/remote sites to be funded
  • projects that focus on OLMCs
  • projects that primarily target low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors
  • projects that mobilize volunteers to deliver services
  • projects serving diverse vulnerable communities of seniors
  • projects delivering different types of interventions (services)
  • projects requesting $800,000 or less
  • funding an organization only once under the Age Well at Home Initiative (meaning 1 project across both streams – In-Home Support Pilot Project and Scaling Up for Seniors)
  • funding organizations that have not been funded by the Pan-Canadian stream of the NHSP in the past 5 years

Please note that we may share your application with other departments and jurisdictions as part of the assessment of your project proposal.

Steps to apply

Gather your supporting documents and information

Decide how to apply (online, email or mail)

Gather your supporting documents and information

  • Completed Application for Funding form (EMP5692)
  • A proof of organization type and status: A formal document coming from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that includes your organization’s current address and business number
  • Completed Budget Detail Template (EMP5570)

Note: If you are unable to provide that document with your application, please provide a rationale as to why you cannot provide it. You should also provide us with a document that includes:

  • registration number, or
  • proof of provincial incorporation or registration

Please note that you will be required to send us a formal document coming from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) that includes your organization’s current address and business number, but at a later date. We encourage you to get the process of obtaining that document started as early as possible.

Decide how to apply

Apply online
  1. Create your Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) account. GCOS allows you to apply and track your application status, sign agreements, manage active projects, submit supporting documents, and review past projects submitted through GCOS
  2. Read the applicant guide. This guide includes details for each question of the online form
  3. Download and save the Budget Detail Template (EMP5570) on your computer in order to complete it. You will be asked to upload this once you apply online.
Information you need to know if you apply online
  • Private and public organizations must have a Canada Revenue Agency business number to apply online
  • You can print a copy of your application, before you submit your application, by following these steps:
    • enter your username and password in the Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) platform and click ‘Continue’
    • choose on your organization’s name
    • select ‘Gs & Cs Online Services’
    • under “Applications and Projects”, retrieve your application
    • select “View Application”
    • select review under “Review and Submit”
    • select “Print”. It will open the “Review and Submit” screen in a printable version

After you print a copy of your online application, click “submit” to complete your application. If you do not click “submit”, your application will not be sent to us.

Apply by email or mail
  1. Read the applicant guide to complete your application form. This guide includes details for each question of the form.
  2. Complete the Application for Funding form (EMP5692). If you need additional space to answer any of the questions on the form, please use the space provided in Appendix A of the Application for Funding form.
  3. Complete the Budget Detail Template (EMP5570).
  4. Send your completed application package by email or mail to:
    • email address:
      EDSC.DGOP.BVCS.ME-AWAH.SU.POB.ESDC@servicecanada.gc.ca
    • mailing address:
      Age Well At Home – Scaling Up for Seniors stream
      Coordination Unit Mailstop 402
      National Grants & Contributions Delivery Centre (ESDC)
      140 Promenade du Portage, Phase IV, 4th Floor
      Gatineau QC  K1A 0J9

In your email, say if you will be sending further documentation by mail. For any documents mailed, clearly provide (on each document) the organization name and project title.

Note: You cannot submit applications through other means, including cloud storage service providers such as Dropbox or Google Drive. We will reject applications sent using such means.

PDF form help

The application form uses PDF form technology. You must have a PDF reader installed to use the form correctly. There are several readers available on the Internet for free that support our form:

  • Adobe Reader 8 or higher, for example:
    • Adobe Acrobat DC Reader
    • Foxit Reader
Downloading the application form
  1. Make sure that you have Adobe Acrobat Reader 8 or higher or Foxit Reader installed on your system
  2. Select the application form
  3. When prompted to open or save the form, select the down arrow on the Save button, and select Save as
  4. Select your folder location and save (file type must be PDF)
  5. Reopen the form from your computer:
    1. select the Open with option; and
    2. choose option to open with either Adobe Acrobat Reader or Foxit
  6. Make sure that the form opens in 1 of the Reader Software (Adobe or Foxit), by looking at the top of your screen. For example, you should see:
    • ESDC-EMP 5692.pdf (secured) – Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, or
    • ESDC-EMP 5692.pdf (secured) – Foxit PhantomPDF
  7. Begin inputting and save your information
  8. Before submitting your application make sure that you complete the application form, and that you save all information properly
Moving within a form

To move from one field to the next on the form, hit Tab. This ensures that you do not accidently skip over any fields.

Forms that perform calculations

Some sections of the form perform calculations based on the amounts you enter and will automatically calculate totals in the right fields.

You are responsible for the completeness and accuracy of any information submitted. Please double-check all data you enter.

Be aware that these issues will change your form

The following issues will change your form:

  • not using recommended reader software, for example:
    • old versions of Adobe
    • preview reader on a Mac
  • completing the form in a browser

We cannot accept links to cloud based documents

After you’ve applied

We will review your application. We expect to make funding decisions within 90 days of the Call for Proposal closing date of July 29, 2022 at 3:00 pm (EDT).

ESDC will let you know the outcome of the review of your application in writing.

Decisions are final and there is no appeal process.

Online

You will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt.

By email

You will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt by email.

By mail

You will receive a confirmation of receipt by email within 14 calendar days. We will use the email address you provided in your application.

Contact us

If you have questions or need help with this application process, contact EDSC.DGOP.BVCS.ME-AWAH.SU.POB.ESDC@servicecanada.gc.ca

We will answer questions sent before July 28, 2022 at 3:00 pm (EDT).

If you need any accessibility-related accommodation, please email us with the details. We strive to accommodate all of your needs in line with accessibility standards. We will accept accessibility requests until July 22, 2022 at 3:00 pm (EDT).

Information sessions

We will hold information sessions, in the coming weeks, to provide an overview of this application process. You can take part online or by teleconference.

If you are interested, send an email to EDSC.DGOP.BVCS.ME-AWAH.SU.POB.ESDC@servicecanada.gc.ca. In your email, specify your preferred language (English or French).

Glossary

Aging in place
Is the ability to live healthy, safe and independent lives in one’s own home and community. Seniors want to stay at home, in the communities that support them, for as long as possible. They also want to increase their sense of belonging and connection to their communities but this can become difficult as seniors age. This leads many seniors to transition to supportive care sooner than they would have needed to if they had adequate support at home. Low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors may be particularly at risk.
Barrier to aging in place

Something that makes it difficult for a senior to access the services they need to be able to live healthy, safe and independent lives at home. Examples of barriers might include:

  • lacking funds to pay for services
  • living in a rural area where few services are available
  • lacking access to services in a language they are comfortable speaking
  • lacking culturally-appropriate services; and more
Evaluation
For this CFP, evaluation is the measuring and assessing of the results of an Initiative (project) for the purposes of learning or making decisions. Evaluation generally results in a written report (evaluation report).
Evaluation plan
A detailed plan for how and when you will track, measure and assess the results of your project, both for your organization’s own purposes and to report on results to ESDC.
Evaluation Report
A written report that explains how an evaluation was done and what results it showed.
Informal caregiver
Someone who provides unpaid care to a senior family member or friend with a long-term health condition, a physical or mental disability, or problems related to aging. Caregivers may or may not be seniors.
Indigenous peoples
  • First Nations
  • Métis
  • Inuit

Note: includes Urban/Non-affiliated Indigenous people

In-Kind Contribution

Non-monetary goods or services donated to the project and for which the donor does not ask for. These contributions to the project can come from:

  • the applicant organization
  • other organizations
  • partners

In-kind support may include donated equipment, services or labour necessary for your project that would have to be purchased otherwise.

LGBTQ2+
Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and 2-Spirited, plus other identities.
Low income

For this CFP, low income means: not having enough money to buy:

  • specific goods and services, including: food, housing, clothing, transportation
  • practical services to support aging at home
Official Language Minority Communities (OLMC)

For this CFP, we define official language minority communities as:

  • a French-speaking population living outside of Quebec, where English is predominant, or
  • an English-speaking population living in Quebec, where French is predominant
Outcome
Outcomes are the short-term, intermediate or long-term changes that you expect the project to deliver.
Output
Outputs are direct products or services that you will expect to produce to get the outcomes you want.
Partnership
A partnership is a relationship between the applicant and another party. Partners could be other community organizations, not-for-profit organizations, private sector organizations, municipalities, grassroots groups, foundations or governments. Partners collaborate, share knowledge, assist in carrying out the project and contribute valuable resources, time and expertise to increase project success.
Racialized communities
Are communities that face systemic barriers, often in employment, justice, and social participation, due to racialization and systemic discrimination.
Results Measurement Indicators (RMIs)
Are quantitative (numerical) or qualitative (descriptive) measurements used to assess the performance or success of the project towards the project objectives and outcomes. An RMI provides evidence that results have or have not been achieved. They ensure a proper assessment of the progress achieved towards the intended objectives, outputs and outcomes of the project.
Rural communities

For this CFP, we define a rural community as a place with:

  • a population of less than 1,000, and
  • no or very little, access to the services of the closest municipality with a population of 1,000 or more

Note: for this CFP, rural includes remote communities.

Scale Up
To take an existing service or program and expand its size or reach to be able to serve more seniors, or to deliver services in new and different settings. This could also include adapting successful services or programs to fit new regional or cultural contexts.
Seniors
For the purpose of this CFP, seniors are people who are 55 years old or older.
Seniors-serving organization
For this CFP, seniors-serving organizations are eligible organizations that serve seniors. Organizations may exclusively serve seniors, or they may serve seniors as 1 of their main target groups (among other target groups). Organizations show that they are a seniors-serving by describing their past or current programming for seniors, having a mandate that specifically includes serving seniors, or other acceptable ways.
Sustainability
Is when some or all of the activities that are part of you project can continue beyond the end of a funding agreement with ESDC.
Vulnerable seniors

For this CFP, vulnerable seniors are seniors that face social and financial barriers that may limit their ability to age at home. Aging at home touches all seniors in all parts of Canada. However, some seniors are disproportionately at risk of being unable to age at home. Some populations also experience additional barriers to aging in place, and may have access to fewer supports and services. This may include populations such as (but not limited to) seniors who are:

  • living on low incomes
  • women
  • Indigenous
  • LGBTQ2+
  • Black or racialized
  • living in rural and remote settings
  • other vulnerable groups
Women
Adult person who identifies as a woman.

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