ARCHIVED – Equity stream

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• New for 2024 Call for proposals
• Description
• Description of services
• Scope of work
• Expected outcomes
• Eligible activities
• Project outputs and deliverables
• Mode of delivery
• Eligible clients
• Eligible applicants for funding
• Funding instruments
• How we assess applicants for this stream
• References for applicants

Description

In line with IRCC’s commitments to Anti-Racism, Gender Equality, Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus), and Truth and Reconciliation, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is seeking to support the settlement sector in increasing the capacity of not-currently funded, grassroots community organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to participate in the settlement and integration of diverse newcomers as service provider organizations (SPOs).

Note: The Equity Stream will fund successful intermediaries to redistribute funds to not-currently funded grassroots organizations that serve and are representative of equity-deserving groups, in order to build capacity to effectively deliver settlement services. Alternatively, settlement sector organizations seeking to increase their capacity in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) to address gaps and enhance their strategies, policies, and programming should apply to Indirect Services with a national or sector focus - Capacity Building: EDI.

Description of services

The Equity Stream uses an intermediary model to provide funding to high capacity settlement organizations with demonstrated expertise in the settlement sector to act as intermediaries to support the organizational capacity-building of not-currently funded grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations. The aim is to subsequently increase these grassroots organizations’ participation in the settlement sector as IRCC-funded service provider organizations. These grassroots organizations will also be supported to build service capacity to offer relevant and appropriate (re)settlement programing to diverse, equity-deserving newcomers. Equity-deserving population is a term used to refer to group of people who, because of systemic discrimination, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to the resources and opportunities that are available to other members of society, and that are necessary for them to attain just outcomes. The intermediaries will:

• Conduct funding processes (with IRCC-provided funding) directed at grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations;
• Provide funding directly to successful applicants of those funding processes in order to address capacity gaps and barriers that hinder access to IRCC Settlement Program funding.

The Equity Stream will fund successful applicants for up to a maximum of 5 years and up to $5M per organization each fiscal year to act as intermediaries to launch funding processes targeting equity-deserving organizations and support these organizations in building the capacity to participate in the settlement and integration of diverse newcomers. Funding applicants can apply for projects of shorter duration or funding amounts that align with their specific organizational or service capacity-building intent, or both.

A successful project must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• must not exceed 60 months, and end by March 31, 2030;
• must not exceed $5 million per year for a period of 5 years.

Note: The Equity Stream does not include funding for direct services to clients.

Scope of work

Under the Equity Stream, IRCC will provide funding to a limited number of intermediaries (approximately 4-6) to support lower-capacity, grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to enhance these organizations’ participation in the settlement and integration of migrant women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+, racialized newcomers, seniors, persons with disabilities and other diverse populations.

As intermediaries, funded applicants will support organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to address organizational capacity gaps that have been identified as barriers to their full participation in the settlement sector. These barriers can include, but are not limited to:

• Navigating the funding application process for federal, provincial, territorial or municipal calls for proposals;
• Financial stewardship;
• Developing strategic partnerships within the settlement sector or across different but related sectors, or both;
• Improving volunteer management;
• Applying sector guidance to strengthen organizational capacity;
• Identifying opportunities to leverage their expertise within the sector, etc.

In addition to building organizational capacity, funded applicants will also support grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to build service capacity, in order to offer relevant and appropriate programming to support settlement and integration of diverse, equity-deserving newcomers. Service capacity improvements will support these organizations to eventually deliver efficient settlement program services with equitable outcomes for newcomers.

Expected outcomes

IRCC expected immediate outcomes, as described in the (Re)Settlement Program Logic Model, are written to capture the overall results for all projects that deliver a particular set of activities.

There is one immediate IRCC outcome related to the Equity Stream:

Settlement sector improves capacity to provide coordinated and effective settlement support to newcomers, including equity deserving groups

With regard to organizational capacity building, you can define your alignment with this outcome by specifying how the project will support the professionalization and improved management of grassroots organizations, for instance, how the project will improve their access to IRCC funding through the increase in organizational capacity, including their governance and financial management.

With regard to service capacity building, you can define your alignment with this outcome by specifying how the project will address any challenges and build on expertise of grassroots organizations, for instance, how the organizations will improve their knowledge of settlement program, its approaches, reporting requirements and systems, consequently improving their capacity to deliver settlement services to newcomers from the equity seeking groups, such as migrant women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+, racialized newcomers, seniors, persons with disabilities and other diverse clients.

Each eligible Equity Stream activity is associated with the IRCC expected immediate outcome. When an activity is selected in the application, the applicable IRCC expected immediate outcome will automatically populate.

For more information on outcomes please refer to the Outcomes Guidance.

Eligible activities

All equity indirect projects must align with the IRCC outcome in delivery of at least one of the indirect service activities outlined below: Organizational Capacity Building and Service Capacity Building.

Under each type of indirect activity outlined, there are additional service-specific focus areas which are outlined below that address area.

Organizational capacity building

Targeted applicants: This is targeted to organizations who can support grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations and that are seeking to increase their capacity to effectively deliver IRCC-funded services to diverse clients.

Description of project: The project will enhance the foundational organizational capacity (including governance and financial management) of grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to support them in independently accessing IRCC funding in the future. Funded applicants, as intermediaries, will receive funding to support a range of capacity-building activities for the supported grassroots organization eligible under the Equity Stream.

Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

Organizational Governance

• Creating or strengthening a board or governing body;
• Governance training for board/steering committee members of organizations.

Strategic Planning

• Developing and implementing an organizational strategic planning to streamline an organization’s resources.

Building the Financial or Human Resources Management Capacity, or both

• Developing or strengthening human resources strategies or building the organizational structure;
• Strengthening financial management – budgeting, accounting practices, managing funds etc.

Partnership Development, Collaboration, Networking

• Building and improving partnerships to strengthen the organization’s network;
• Coordinating, sharing or leveraging resources with other organizations to expand the reach and efficiency of services.

Service capacity building

Targeted applicants: This is targeted to organizations who can support grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations that are seeking to increase their capacity to effectively deliver IRCC-funded services to diverse clients.

Description of project: The project will increase program design and delivery capacity of grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to offer relevant and appropriate services to support settlement and integration of diverse, equity-deserving newcomers. Funded applicants, as intermediaries, will receive funding to support a range of capacity-building activities for the supported organization that are eligible under the Equity Stream.

Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

Knowledge Development

• Increasing knowledge and understanding of settlement program delivery, as well as; expertise in addressing specific needs of equity-deserving newcomers in the settlement context;
• Supporting the development or enhancement of skills, such as digital skills, dissemination of learning tools, and skills development of employees;
• Building capacity to apply GBA Plus to the design and delivery of services.

Program Delivery Partnerships

• Developing and leveraging partnerships to support service delivery in the community, including linkages with other settlement organizations, partnerships with Indigenous Peoples or Organizations, etc.;
• Developing and leveraging partnerships that maximize outcomes for migrant women; youth; 2SLGBTQI+; racialized newcomers, seniors; persons with disabilities and other diverse clients.

Outreach and Promotion

• Developing website or online applications, or both; including social media, to improve access to information and services;
• Developing a communication plan to improve outreach to eligible clients.

Service Delivery

• Building capacity to measure and track outputs and outcomes of the diverse client groups;
• Building capacity to effectively meet reporting requirements, such as developing expertise in collecting, maintaining and disposing of client information; and training on information privacy;
• Building capacity to deliver relevant settlement services to diverse client groups as aligned with settlement program activities and outcomes.

Project outputs or deliverables

The following outputs or deliverables are expected from projects funded as intermediaries under the Equity Stream:

• Conduct a minimum of one funding process targeting grassroots, equity-deserving organizations;
• Distribute funding using transparent processes to successful grassroots, equity-deserving organizations;
• Monitor and report on the use of that funding, including capacity-building strategies and initiatives;
• Evaluate and report on results and outcomes; and
• Develop and sustain partnerships with grassroots, equity-deserving organizations, including opportunities to leverage their expertise.

Mode of delivery

Projects funded under the Equity Stream can consist of in-person, remote delivery (online/digital service delivery), or a hybrid format to increase accessibility and inclusion as appropriate and relevant to the planned activities.

Funding applicants will also need to consider who the client audience will be for each of the project activities being proposed in their online application form (more than one audience may be selected per activity):

• For Indirect Services: Individual Organizations; Local Non-Settlement Service Delivery Partner(s); Entire Sector or Community or Service Area (or all)

Eligible clients

The Equity Stream does not include funding for direct services to clients.

Eligible applicants for funding

Eligible applicants for funding for settlement services are:

• not for profit organizations including non-governmental organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups, umbrella organizations, regulatory bodies and apprenticeship authorities;
• educational institutions (including school boards, districts and divisions).

Funding instruments

Those funded under the Equity Stream will be given contribution funding. Grants are ineligible for the Equity Stream.

How we assess applications for this stream

Mandatory and asset criteria

All applications

All applications will be assessed according to the Core criteria

• Client-centered;
• Outcomes-driven;
• Responsive to needs; and
• Effective use of resources

Applications will also be assessed against Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) criteria. More information about the CORE and EDI criteria.

Mandatory criteria

In addition meeting the CORE and EDI criteria, Equity Stream applicants must:

• Demonstrate the anticipated contribution of the initiative to IRCC commitments (e.g. to advance substantive gender equality; address racism; integrate Truth and Reconciliation in Settlement Programming; address inequities for diverse populations, e.g. women, youth, seniors, 2SLGBTQI+).
• Demonstrate the ability to act as an intermediary, including redistribution of funding and delivering initiatives to a variety of partners.
• Include a concise and clear articulation of expertise to provide capacity-building supports to grassroots organizations that serve and are led by equity-deserving populations to increase their participation in the settlement sector, including the planned activities, outputs, and the anticipated results.

Asset criteria

Proposals demonstrating the following may be prioritized for funding. Applicants for this stream should include a description of the following experience or capacity, as applicable:

• Diverse representation in the organization through (1) equity-deserving persons at multiple levels, including at the executive and board of director levels; (2) a mandate to serve equity-deserving persons.
• Cross-sector partnerships, including with Indigenous Peoples and communities, organizations that provide a capacity-building and professional development role within the settlement sector (e.g. Umbrella Organizations), organizations with expertise working with specific populations (e.g. racialized populations) or on specific issues (e.g. advancing substantive gender equality and women’s empowerment).
• GBA Plus in the design, implementation and evaluation of the project(s). Please refer back to the overview of funding guidelines overview for more information on GBA Plus.

References for applicants

Applicant resources