The Community Services Recovery Fund is a $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support Community Service Organizations as they focus on how to adapt their organizations for COVID-19 pandemic recovery. Now more than ever, Community Service Organizations are playing a key role in addressing persistent and complex social problems faced by all communities. The purpose of the Community Services Recovery Fund is to strengthen the internal capacity of Community Service Organizations facing immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Things to Know:
Applications open as of January 6; deadline for submissions is February 21, 2023, at 5:00 PM PT.
Program info / how to apply webinar session: January 12 @ 2pm EST (11am PST). Register here.
Funding amounts available will depend on funding stream. Organizations applying to the local stream can apply for funding from $10,000 to $200,000 and organizations applying to the National/Provincial/Territorial can apply for funding from $20,000 to $500,000.
Community Service Organizations are defined as: non-profit organizations, Indigenous Governing Bodies or Registered Charities located in Canada that provide services to communities within Canada. .
Eligible projects funded will work within one of the three Project Focus Areas. Projects should be designed to strengthen the internal capacity of CSOs:
Investing in People: Funding will support one-time projects that focus on how organizations recruit, retain, engage and support their personnel, including staff, volunteers and boards of directors.
Investing in Systems and Processes: Funding will support one-time projects that invest in the systems and processes involved in creating the internal workings of an organization’s overall structure.
Investing in Program and Service Innovation and Redesign: Funding will support one-time projects primarily focused on program and service innovation and redesign using information gained during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Examples of projects in the Investing in People Project Focus Area (may include):
Human and volunteer resource structures and policies
Recruitment and retention strategies for staff, volunteers, and/or board members
Mental health supports for staff, volunteers, and/or board members
Supports and training for staff, volunteers, and/or board members
Diversity equity and inclusion initiatives
Other activities to help your staff, volunteers, and/or boards modernize or adapt
Examples of projects in the Investing in Systems and Processes Project Focus Area (may include):
Investment in contact management systems
Implementation of a new communications plan
Enhancement of a new accounting system
Development, implementation, or adaptation of a new fundraising strategy
A governance review through the lens of organizational resilience
Exploring a merger or amalgamation amongst one or more CSO
Development or adaptation of a data/privacy strategy or plan
Other activities to help your organization and systems modernize or adapt
Examples of projects in the Investing in Program and Service Innovation and Redesign Project Focus Area (may include):
Exploring the adaptation of a program, service, or service delivery system using information gained during the COVID-19 pandemic
Testing or piloting a program, service or service delivery system that was redesigned or adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic
Purchasing equipment or other program materials to facilitate the adaptation of a program and/or service using information gained during the COVID-19 pandemic
Evaluating or analyzing the adaptation or redesign of a program, service, or service delivery system that was implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic
Other activities to help your organization modernize or adapt its programs and services
Ineligible activities include but are not limited to:
Direct service delivery
Major capital projects
Purchase of land and buildings
Partisan, political or election-related activities
Publication of books or research
Projects and activities that generate a profit
Direct fundraising activities or events
Projects that benefit only private interests
Projects that promote a for-profit entity or its products and services
Activities that undermine, restrict, or infringe on human rights legally protected in Canada Sub-granting projects/activities
Sponsorship, endowment funds, and donations
Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced, affected, or shaped the operations of the CSO.
The proposed project is viable, meaning it can be implemented in the available time and with the available funding, and the organization has the capacity to provide oversight of the project.
The proposed project will help the CSO adapt, modernize, or build resilience following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The applicant uses an equity lens in its work.
Additional consideration will be given to distribute the available funding equitably, for example, across types of organizations, populations served, sub-sectors, project focus area, and geographic areas.
Note: I am signed up for the January 12th info session & will update this post with any new/pertinent information, post-session. Stay tuned for more!