Partnership Grant Program Application Guidelines

Transcription

1 Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade Voluntary Sector Relations Unit 400 University Avenue, 4 th Floor Toronto ON M7A 2R9 Ministère des Affaires civiques, de l Immigration et du Commerce international Unité des relations avec le secteur bénévole 400, avenue University, 4 e étage Toronto ON M7A 2R9 Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade Voluntary Sector Relations Unit Citizenship Branch Partnership Grant Program Application Guidelines Deadline for Submission: October 27th, :00 p.m. Please refer to these Partnership Grant Program Full Application Guidelines before completing your application. 1

2 INTRODUCTION About the Partnership Grant Program (PGP) In April 2010, the Government of Ontario launched the Partnership Project a province-wide initiative to seek ideas and advice on ways to renew, streamline and modernize the relationship between the government and the Ontario not-for-profit (NFP) sector. The PGP was designed to address one of the key recommendations - to build sector capacity by investing in projects that support intra-sector cooperation, communication and networks. Goal and Objectives The not-for-profit sector is a vital contributor to Ontario s present and future well-being. In 2014 the Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade evaluated the PGP. Based on findings and recommendations, the PGP will continue to support building capacity of the sector in three priority areas: 1. Program Evaluation; 2. Inclusive Leadership; and 3. Volunteer Management. The approach will be sector wide with the goal to engage in activities that focus on sector capacity building and enable organizations to engage in activities that will strengthen the not-forprofit sector s networks, build collaborative capacity and improve responsiveness to clients, communities and stakeholders. The objective of the funding will be to support two-year and three-year projects, that will have substantive impact on improving the ability of organizations to advance their mandates and operate effectively in communities across Ontario. Vision The Ministry s vision for the not-for-profit sector is A healthy not-for-profit sector that contributes to the economic and community well-being of Ontario. This vision was identified in the State of the Sector report, a statistical portrait of the Ontario not-for-profit and charitable sector based on research conducted in The research has confirmed the importance of government support for capacity building for NFP organizations. The report states that 37% of respondents support capacity building as one of the government s top priorities for the not-for-profit sector. Currently PGP is the Ministry s main vehicle for investing in strengthening the capacity of the sector through transfer payments. The Program supports organizations in fulfilling their core mandate by investing in areas identified as priorities in the NFP sector. The Ministry is seeking proposals for projects that demonstrate: Capacity to develop and deliver tools to address one of the three identified priority areas, including: learning/training modules, best practices, information, mentorship and resources for organizations in the NFP sector; Subject matter expertise in one of the three priority areas identified; Existing relationships with and influence over a broad number of NFP organizations that will benefit from the tools developed, such as a membership base or network; Established mechanisms for working cooperatively with these organizations. 2

3 FUNDING CRITERIA Applications for funding from eligible applicants (please see Eligibility section, pg.5) will only be considered if the proposed project supports the PGP goal of promoting sector capacity. Funding will be available for two and three year projects for a maximum of $400,000 for two years and a maximum of $500,000 for three years, per project (please see the Grants Ontario Application Instructions section for more details, pg. 8). The Ministry may fund up to 100% of project costs. Priority will be given to projects that clearly identify how activities or outputs will achieve the Ministry s stated outcomes (listed below) in one of the three priority areas: program evaluation, volunteer management or inclusive leadership. Proposed projects will be accepted for more than one priority area from a single applicant. Proposed projects must detail how projects will provide training and mentoring to organizations in the sector. Proposed projects should clearly identify how they will address the specific sector needs in relation to one of the priority areas identified and how the benefits will have a lasting impact. Program Priorities, Key Outcomes and Required Activities The Ministry will continue to support capacity building in the sector through a grants program that will focus on three priority areas: Program Evaluation Inclusive Leadership Volunteer Management Effective evaluation helps to ensure that project/program outcomes are aligned with advancing the organization s mandate and demonstrates clearly to funders the return on investment. Projects will increase capacity for program evaluation in the NFP sector. Evidence continues to demonstrate that organizations are directly impacted in a positive way when they adopt a culture of inclusive leadership: one that recognizes the value of diversity in leadership.projects will develop diversity/inclusion in Leadership in the NFP sector. Volunteerism plays a key role in Ontario s Not-for-Profit Sector. Efforts to create and sustain a strong volunteer base requires effective Volunteer Management. Projects will enhance capacity for Volunteer Management in the NFP sector. Program Priorities Develop the capacity to demonstrate/articulate the results of programs in the NFP sector Increase the capacity for program evaluation Improve the methodologies/practices used to measure project success/impact Develop diversity/inclusion in leadership in the NFP sector Enhance recruitment and retention of inclusive leadership. Improve the policies and practices in organizations Create/Sustain a strong volunteer base in the NFP sector Enhance capacity for volunteer management Create a volunteer management framework for the sector 3

4 Program Evaluation Inclusive Leadership Volunteer Management Key Outcomes Monitor and assess progress Articulate impacts/successes Use relevant program evaluation language/terminology Identify risk and develop mitigation plans Use benchmarking Demonstrate how intiatives advance organization s mandate Develop a diversity and inclusion strategy Develop an implementation plan Benchmark use of inclusion practices Develop an HR policy that promotes inclusive leadership Develop a volunteer policy that promotes inclusive leadership Develop a policy and procedures framework to manage and engage volunteers Develop a plan to increase volunteer hours Develop a plan to increase number of volunteers Develop an effective marketing awareness campaign that demonstrates the value of volunteering Develop benchmarks for volunteer satisfaction and demonstrate improvements Demonstrate that organizations utilize volunteers to advance their mandate Identify and use the competencies required for volunteer management within the organization Required Activities Proposed projects must perform the following activities: Develop, implement and evaluate a program designed specifically for the benefit of not-for-profit organizations in Ontario; Develop measurable activities and project outputs that will contribute to achieving the Ministry desired outcomes; Market or promote the project to organizations, relevant stakeholders and other interested parties; Communicate project activities, disseminate project outputs and mentor organizations; Report to the Ministry as required about project activities and finances, including shortterm results, and the project s impact and the expected long-term impact; Demonstrate where possible community support in the form of volunteer time, contributions from other organizations, cash or in-kind support from corporate sponsors, individual donors. 4

5 Program Expectations Projects that support not-for-profit sector sustainability, capacity building, innovation and community building in one of the key priority areas; Projects must benefit as many organizations as possible, communities, and/or more than one part of the not-for-profit sector; Projects that will have lasting or sustainable impact on the sector; Projects that respond to a demonstrated need in the sector overall in relation to: 1. Program Evaluation-Developing the capacity to demonstrate/articulate the results of programs in the NFP sector 2. Volunteer Management-Creating and sustaining a strong volunteer base in the NFP sector 3. Inclusive Leadership-Developing diversity and inclusion in leadership in the NFP sector Key Dates and Timelines Milestone Date * Deadline for applications October 27 th, 2014 Anticipated Ministry approvals of applicant proposals Release of first payments to successful applicants December 1 st, 2014 December 22 nd, 2014 *Please note dates are approximates and the Ministry reserves the right to adjust as required ELIGIBILITY The Applicant The Ministry is seeking applications from: 1) Network or Umbrella organizations with member organizations operating in Ontario, and, 2) Partnerships representing two or more not-for-profit organizations that demonstrate an ability to recruit and work with a large number of organizations and will be jointly responsible for developing and implementing a project. NOTE: Where it is proposed that multiple organizations undertake the proposed project, the application shall be made by only one lead eligible organization, which will be responsible for completing the application process and, if approved, will be responsible for fulfilling the terms and conditions of the funding outlined in the agreement. 5

6 Eligibility Criteria In addition to the above criteria, to be eligible for funding, organizations must: Be incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in any jurisdiction in Canada, and: Have its head office or other primary place of business in Ontario; and, Have been operating for at least two years in Ontario; or o Be a charitable organization or foundation registered as a charity by the Canada Revenue Agency and have been operating for at least one year in Ontario; o Carry commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 for property damage, bodily and personal injury for the activities/projects being proposed, o Be compliant with Ontario s Human Rights Code 1 and all other applicable laws. PREPARING AN APPLICATION Please review these guidelines, including the eligibility criteria, before submitting an application. When completing your application, please note the following: a) Refer to Program Priorities, Key Outcomes and Program Expectation of the PGP initiative to review specific requirements. b) The following attachments must accompany your application Proof of Eligibility incorporation as a not-for-profit or charity (Letters Patent) Current Board of Directors List including position title and contact information By-Laws of Applicant Organization Audited Financial Statements for the most recent year If Applicable, Participating Organization Commitment Letters Partnership Commitment letters should include the following information and be signed by an individual with signing authority for the Partnering Organization: 1. Statement of agreement with the project s objectives and outcomes; 2. List of the Partnering Organization s specific commitments to the project and/or roles as defined in the project proposal; 3. Indication of the Partner Organization s commitment to fulfilling its specific obligations as stated in the project proposal Project Evaluation Framework for the proposed Project Organizational Chart for the proposed Project c) Please submit your application online using the template available through the Grants Ontario System. Applications submitted in a different format will not be accepted. d) The application must include the signature of a person with the authority to bind the organization (e.g., Executive Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, etc.) and by the Chair of the lead organization s Board of Directors. 1 Please refer to Appendix A for more information about the Ontario Human Rights Code. 6

7 Deadline PGP applications and supporting documents must be submitted through the Grants Ontario System by 5:00 pm on October 27th, The Ministry may refuse to consider applications that arrive after the deadline or are incomplete. For any technical questions Contact Grants Ontario Customer Service Line at (416) or , Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Eastern Standard Time, or by at Reference Guide For Applicants: ontents/prd pdf Information Sessions Ministry staff will host three information sessions by teleconference on: Friday, September 26th, 2014 at 10 a.m. - French Friday, September 26th, 2014 at 2p.m. - English Friday October 3rd, 2014 at 10 a.m. - English To register please RSVP at PGP@ontario.ca. The information sessions will offer an overview of the goals and objectives of the program as well as provide an opportunity to pose questions. Key Application Elements The title or name and a brief overview of the project as well as contact information for other organizations participating in the project. The overview should be no longer than 60 words. What will the project achieve and how does this address the program criteria and funding priorities? Who will benefit and how? What is the geographic reach of the project? What are the key activities and how will the project be organized and carried out? How will you measure the project outcomes and determine if the impacts are beneficial? Who will manage the project (organization and individuals) and what is their track record? What are the project outputs (resources, lessons learned, etc.) and how will they be disseminated to other non-profit organizations? What is the total project budget (e.g. $42,000 per year for 1 year)? What is the amount that you are requesting from the Ministry? 7

8 GRANTS ONTARIO APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Please note information regarding filling out your application on-line versus off-line. While working on-line, users will need to save manually as there is no automatic save feature. The system will time-out after 15 minutes of no usage. Applicants will have to sign back into Grants Ontario to continue working on the application. Preparing your Application off-line may be a preferred option. Please note prompts in Grants Ontario when submitting a proposal in two or more priority areas. You will not be required to provide your Organizational tombstone information more than once. Applications If submitting a proposal in two or more of the priority areas, individual applications are required. The Validate button will confirm completion or alert user to missing information. List of Required Attachments (see Item 5) A proposal will be deemed incomplete if required attachments are not received. Project and organization attachments will be identified with different naming conventions. Section G2 - Additional Questions (see Item 11) Please consider the following when responding to question #9 onward: Describe the activities you will undertake to achieve this. Indicate when key activities will take place and who will be responsible for them. List the measures or targets you expect to achieve. Section G3 - Project Work Plan Please attach a work plan to be based on a 24 or 36 month period commencing January 1, Section H1 - Project Financial Information Two year projects will be funded up to $200,000/year. Three year projects will be funded up to $200,000/year for the first two years and up to $100,000 for the third and final year. All budgets for approved projects will be negotiated with the funder at the time of contracting. Section I - Performance Measures In column 3.Goals please indicate the number of outputs you anticipate achieving for each metric. If appropriate a value of 0 will be accepted by the system. 8

9 If you wish to identify additional metrics, please use the client provided performance metrics table immediately below. Section J - Partnership / Stakeholders Information (if applicable) Please note that this refers to proposals that are being submitted in partnership with other organizations. Eligible and Ineligible Expenses Funding is available for two and three year projects. Funding may be used for: Personnel costs including salaries and benefits of program staff directly involved in the project or professional service fees; Participant training, support and related costs; Project design, planning, and evaluation; Program costs such as materials, resources, transportation, marketing and promotion, training, rent, and liability insurance for the project; Website development, website expansions/enhancements, development of online tools and resources, and other online tools that promote collaboration and information sharing for these projects, software related costs are eligible; Project-related administration costs (not to exceed 15% of total eligible project expenses). Project budgets will be negotiated with the approved grant recipient and the Ministry at time of contracting. Total funding not to exceed $200,000/year for the first two years of either a two or three year project and $100,000 for the third year of a three year project. The Ministry will not fund: Capital, start-up or ongoing operating costs; Budget deficits; Religious and/or political activities; Activities that may result in an infringement of rights protected under the Ontario Human Rights Code; Programs, activities or services outside Ontario; Honorariums or other cash payments for project participants; Permanent staff salaries; Membership fees, fundraising activities, committee and political meetings; Costs funded by other grant programs; Components of a project already funded by another funding program; Capital expenses, furniture, computers, fixtures or other equipment; Commitments made by the applicant(s) prior to, or in anticipation of, official written notification from the Ministry that funding has been approved; Refundable Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). 9

10 Application Review Criteria Ministry staff will review applications and may consult with other funders, organizations and ministries. The review process will assess the proposed project and lead applicant organization and partner organizations to determine whether they address the program criteria and priorities. Proposed projects will be reviewed giving consideration to the following criteria: Whether the proposed project meets the basic program criteria How well the proposed project will support not-for-profit sector sustainability, capacity and communication within the sector How the project will be evaluated (internally/externally) The role and level of commitment of partner organizations (if applicable) Proposed activities are measurable and achievable within the scope of the proposed project Potential for project to have a lasting impact through sharing of best practices, dissemination of knowledge and mentoring Applicant s capacity meets the program requirements to deliver on the project Application includes an achievable work plan that is aligned with a cost-effective budget Submission of an application does not guarantee that funding will be granted. Evaluation of Applications Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade staff will evaluate the application to determine the degree that it has met the requirements identified in these guidelines. This process will result in the recommendation of a successful Applicant. The Ministry may consult with its key stakeholders and other ministries. Successful applicants will work with the Ministry on the details of their projects and enter into a funding agreement with the Ministry. 10

11 PROJECT REPORTS AND RESULTS ANALYSIS The Ministry will require interim and final reports for approved projects. The details of what is to be included will be set out in the funding agreement. Successful applicants must complete a post-project report (PPR) form within three months of completion of the project. The PPR will contain a financial reconciliation and a report on results that includes the performance measures. You may be required to submit further reports at the request of the Ministry. DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION Applications submitted to the Ministry are subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ( FIPPA ). FIPPA provides every person with a right of access to information in the custody or under the control of the Ministry, subject to a limited set of exemptions. All applicants are advised that the names and addresses of grant recipients, and the amount and the purpose(s) for which grants are awarded is information made available by the Ministry to the public including the posting of grant awards on the Ministry website. Copies of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F. 31 are available on the Internet at: MINISTRY SERVICE STANDARDS The Ministry has a commitment to providing quality service to our stakeholders. We can guarantee that: Applicants will receive written acknowledgement of the receipt of an application within 15 business days of the posted deadline. Applications will be assessed fairly and consistently against program criteria, organization eligibility criteria and potential targeted outcomes. Once a funding decision has been made, applicants will be notified in writing, in a timely manner. Applicants will be updated, in writing, on the status of their application if they have not received notice of a funding decision within 14 weeks of receipt of the application. All applications that are submitted in French will be responded to in French. 11

12 PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION For further information about the application process, please register for the one of the teleconference information sessions or contact the Voluntary Sector Relations Unit using the contact information listed below: Voluntary Sector Relations Unit Citizenship Branch Ministry of Citizenship, Immigration and International Trade 400 University Avenue, 4th floor Toronto ON M7A 2R9 APPENDIX A Ontario Human Rights Code Ontario s Human Rights Code provides for equal treatment in the areas of services, goods, facilities, accommodation, contracts, and employment without discrimination on the grounds of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, family status, marital status, the receipt of public assistance (in accommodation only), and record of offences (in employment only). For more information about the Ontario Human Rights Code, please visit the following link: 12