Supporting Indigenous Women's and 2SLGBTQI+ Organizations program: Application guidelines
Detailed guidelines for applying to the Supporting Indigenous Women's and 2SLGBTQI+ Organizations program.
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Program objectives
Successful projects will be focused on increasing the ability of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations to engage at the grassroots level and collaborate with all levels of government in Canada. This initiative seeks to empower these organizations to bring forward their voices and perspectives in the development of policy, programs, and legislation. Expected results (outcomes) are as follows:
- Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations have an increased ability to effectively engage with their communities
- Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations can engage with government entities regarding their communities' priorities and interests and/or to influence policy, programs and legislation
- federal departments and agencies have access to Culturally Competent Gender-Based Analysis Plus advice and guidance
- increased collaborative relationships between the Government of Canada and grassroots Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ organizations contribute to the reduction of systemic barriers and support advancing reconciliation and vision of self-determination
How to apply
Applicants are encouraged to review these guidelines in their entirety before submitting a proposal.
Applicants must complete the Indigenous Women's and 2SLGBTQI+Organizations Program Funding Application.
- The form can be found on the Proposals, applications, work plans web page under fiscal year 2025 to 2026.
For the department to consider entering into an agreement, an eligible recipient must complete and submit an application that identifies the following:
- description of the applicant's name or representative organization and contact details
- description of the project or initiative and how it supports the objectives of the program
- detailed project plan listing all activities to be undertaken and planned deliverables
- list of targeted project outcomes
- detailed budget and if applicable, a cash flow statement
The following mandatory information and documentation must accompany the application:
- proof of incorporation, not for profit delivery organization certification or number or description of organization
- certificate of good standing
- organizations by-laws
- list of current Board of Directors
Applicants may be asked to provide additional documentation to clarify other areas of the proposal.
Applicants can include additional and supporting documentation with their application, including a narrative description of their project, in other formats of their choosing.
We are currently accepting applications and supporting documents for one-year projects for the fiscal year 2025 to 2026 on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit their materials at their earliest convenience to ensure consideration. Additionally, we anticipate a national call for proposals for fiscal year 2026 to 2027, with the call officially launching in fall 2025.
Applications and supporting documents must be sent to femmesautochtones-indigenouswomen@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca.
Eligible activities and expenditures
Eligible activities
Eligible activities are ones that improve the recipient's ability to:
- engage with community at the grassroots level
- investigate, develop, propose, review, inform or consult on policy, program and legislation
- collaborate with all levels of government in Canada to advance Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ people's priorities and needs
Example of eligible activities include but are not limited to:
- engagement with community, attendance at or delivery of workshops, conferences, information-sharing and community consultations, with or without government involvement, related to informing the development of, or call for, policy, programs, and legislation that reflect the voices of Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQI+ people
- studies, research or knowledge-gathering related to advancing the priorities and interests of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ people
- informing the development of Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ specific programs, policies and legislation or ranges of subject-matter related to Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ people whose intended purpose or product will be of interest to the department in developing or modifying Indigenous women's and 2SLGBTQI+ government policy
- development of tools, policies or processes that increase organizational capacity
- development of advice, guidance, or tools to support government in understanding and utilizing culturally specific GBA Plus to make informed decisions regarding policies and programs and legislation that impacts Indigenous women and 2SLGBTQI+ people
Ineligible activities
Example of ineligible activities include, but are not limited to:
- activities or events that take place outside of Canada or include international participation, unless pre-authorized in writing
- service delivery and programming, for example:
- direct community services
- health, wellness and cultural programs
- career training services
- training or development of individuals working within the organization that do not relate to organization needs
- eligible training must benefit the organization, not just the individual
- research that is not directly linked to the project
- renovations and construction, including purchasing, lease or rental of real property
- activities that generate commercial advantage or profit
Eligible and ineligible expenses
Eligible expenditures are those incurred by the recipient, which are necessary to carry out the eligible activities. There are 2 types of eligible expenses:
- project delivery expenses: expenses to deliver the project
- administrative expenses: expenses to administer and support the project activities
- these expenses are necessary to deliver the project and cannot exceed 15% of the total funding requested from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC)
CIRNAC reserves the right to make the final decision on the dollar amount and the activities that will be funded.
Eligible project delivery expenses
Includes, but is not limited to:
- salaries and employee benefits for staff for the duration of the project and that are directly related to project delivery
- honoraria
- travel, transportation, meals and accommodations
- professional fees
- workshops, conferences, events and meetings
- training and professional development
- communications, outreach, information sharing and translation
- facilities that are project specific, such as a room to host a meeting
- volunteer participation expenses and initiative incentive expenses
- costs of engaging consultants or other qualified professionals
- research and studies
Eligible administrative expenses
Includes, but is not limited to:
- project oversight
- project staff office space
- telephones
- general office supplies
- IT maintenance
- accounting
- shared postage
- costs related to audits, if required
Expenditures related to hospitality have to be reasonable for the activities undertaken. Please refer to the Treasury Board guidelines on hospitality for examples of rates and eligible expenditures.
Expenditures related to travel have to be reasonable for the activities undertaken. Please refer to the National Joint Council travel directive for examples of rates and eligible expenditures per province.
Other expenditures may be considered eligible based on direct link to the activity, initiative or project and are subject to program review and approval.
Ineligible expenses
- capital, infrastructure, land and building costs
- legal action
- claims for compensation
- partisan and/or political activities
- international travel
- deficit recovery
- for-profit initiatives and investments including entrepreneurial activities
- other expenditures may be considered ineligible and are subject to program review and approval.
Please consult below for detailed examples on eligible and ineligible expenses:
Examples of eligible and ineligible expenditures
Salaries and benefits
Salaries and benefits should be in keeping with local rates for similar types of work.
Eligible project delivery costs:
- Salaries and benefits for work directly related to the project. Annual wage per employee must be indicated.
Ineligible project delivery costs:
- Salaries and benefits for full-time elected leaders, volunteer members of a Board of Directors or other governing body
- Performance pays and bonuses
- Severance (in other words, separation payment)
- Pay related to leave (maternity/parental/sick)
Eligible administrative expenditures:
- Salaries and benefits related to management and support staff
Travel
Travel expenses shall not exceed the rates for public servants set out in the National Joint Council Travel Directive.
Eligible project delivery costs:
- Project-related ground or air transportation for salaried or contract staff, volunteers and resource people within Canada
- Cost of meals and accommodation during travel time
- Local transportation costs for participants (in other words, tickets for public transportation)
Honoraria and professional fees
Honoraria should be in keeping with local rates for similar types of work.
Eligible project delivery costs:
- Payments made to an individual for a task performed or for knowledge contributed to the project
- Professional services of an individual (who is not an executive or board member of the applicant organization) or a company with the expertise needed to carry out specific project activities (for example, translation)
Ineligible project delivery costs:
- lobbyist fees or payments
- litigation costs, or any legal costs not specified in the work plan
- liability insurance
Eligible administrative expenditures:
- Professional fees related to project activities (for example, bookkeeping)
Ineligible administrative expenditures:
- Allowances paid to volunteer members of a Board of Directors or other governing body
Materials and supplies
Eligible project delivery costs:
- Materials and supplies needed to carry out the project
Eligible administrative expenditures:
- General office material and supplies that are not directly attributable to specific project activities
Facilities
Rental charges should be in keeping with local rates.
Eligible project delivery costs:
- Daily facility rentals for project activities (for example, the facility used during a workshop or a conference)
Eligible administrative expenditures:
- Costs related to the short-term lease or rental of office space necessary to carry out the project and not already rented by the organization, including utilities
Ineligible administrative expenditures:
- Capital expenditures, including construction of a new building or any internal or external loadbearing component of a building that is essential to the stability of the building or any part of it, including foundations, floors, walls, roofs, columns and beams
- Renovations or retrofitting
- Land costs
Office equipment
Eligible administrative expenditures:
- Lease or purchase of office equipment and furniture necessary to carry out the project activities and not already owned by the organization
- Internet and telephone services
Other ineligible costs
- Costs outside of the scope of the project exclusively for operations and maintenance of the organization or institution as a whole
- Budget deficits, debt reduction or organizational reserves
- Contributions to fundraising campaigns or other fundraising events
- Profit to the recipients
Example of detailed expenditures
Salaries and benefits
The description should include:
- number of people working on the project and their position title
- annual wage and Mandatory Employer Related Costs (MERCs)
- percentage and length of time working on the project
Example of direct delivery expenditures:
1 Project Coordinator, annual salary $60,000, 35% of time working on the project for 2 years, $60,000 × 35% × 2 = $42,000
Fiscal year 1: $21,000 + MERCs
Fiscal year 2: $21,000 + MERCs
Example of administrative expenditures:
1 Director of Policy, annual salary $95,000, 3% of time working on the project for 2 years, $95,000 × 3% × 2 = $5,700
Fiscal year 1: $2,850 + MERCs
Fiscal year 2: $2,850 + MERCs
Travel
The description should include:
- number of people travelling
- frequency of trips, the means of transport and the locations of departure and arrival, if possible
- reason for travelling
- cost of meals and accommodation
Example of direct delivery expenditures:
1 person, 3 roundtrips (Ottawa-Montreal) for 2-day workshops, train tickets 3 × $114 ($342) + meal allowance 3 × 2 × $90 ($540) + accommodation 3 × $150 ($450) = $1,332
Fiscal year 1: $444
Fiscal year 2: $888
Honoraria and professional fees
The description should include:
- type of service (for example, translation, interpretation, consultant)
- daily or hourly wage
- percentage or length of time attributed to the project
Example of direct delivery expenditures:
Elder to guide the meetings, $400/half-day, 3 half-day workshops, $400 × 3 = $1,200
Fiscal year 1: $400
Fiscal year 2: $800
Example of administrative expenditures:
Accounting, $90/hour, 13 days of 7 hours, 15% of time attributed to the project, $90 × 13 × 7 × 15% = $1,229
Fiscal year 1: $378
Fiscal year 2: $851
Materials and supplies
The description should include:
- item or service purchased
- cost per item or service
- percentage of the service attributed to the project and length of the service, if applicable
Example of direct delivery expenditures:
Office supplies for 16 participants, 3 workshops, $13 × 16 × 3 = $624
Fiscal year 1: $256
Fiscal year 2: $368
Example of administrative expenditures:
Photocopying and printing services, $80/month, 10% attributed to the project for 24 months, $80 × 10% × 24 months = $192
Fiscal year 1: $96
Fiscal year 2: $96
Facilities
The description should include:
- item or space being rented
- daily or monthly rental fee and cost of the utilities, if applicable (requires pre-approval)
- percentage of space attributed to the project and length of the rental agreement, if applicable
Example of direct delivery expenditures:
Audiovisual equipment for 3 workshops, $75/day × 3 = $225
Fiscal year 1: $75
Fiscal year 2: $150
Example of administrative expenditures:
Office space of the organization, $1,450/month (including $150/month for utilities) 5% attributed to the project for 24 months, $1,450 × 5% × 24 = $1,740
Fiscal year 1: $870
Fiscal year 2: $870
Office equipment
The description should include:
- item or service purchased
- cost per item or service
- percentage of the service attributed to the project and length of the service, if applicable
Examples of administrative expenditures:
Laptop for Project Coordinator = $800
Fiscal year 1: $800
Internet and telephone services, $160/month, 10% attributed to the project for 24 months, $160 × 10% × 24 = $384
Fiscal year 1: $192
Fiscal year 2: $192
Publicity and promotion
The description should include:
- type of promotion or publicity
- cost per item or service, or daily or monthly rates
Examples of direct delivery expenditures:
Printing of 3,000 brochures to hand out during meetings with external stakeholders, $0.65/brochure × 3,000 = $1,950
Fiscal year 1: $1,300
Fiscal year 2: $650
Advertising space for 4 advertising campaigns, $200/campaign × 4 = $800
Fiscal year 1: $200
Fiscal year 2: $600
Selection process
Applications to this program will be assessed by an interdepartmental review committee against the program's terms and conditions. Criteria that will be assessed include, but are not limited to:
- the completeness of the application
- clarity of the objectives and priorities and their measurement of success
- feasibility of the project
- demonstrated support for the project
- organization capacity to monitor success and control of the expenses of the project
CIRNAC may request additional documentation to assess applicants for the purpose of determining eligibility and suitability to deliver on the objectives of the project.
Reporting requirements
The contribution agreement contains provisions that outline the financial and non-financial reporting required from recipients. The level and frequency will vary depending on the contribution agreement and the project funded. Financial reporting requirements will be set out in the funding agreement and the frequency of reporting will be based on the recipient risk and/or the project funded.
At a minimum, contribution recipients are required to submit annual financial reports or an annual financial audit (if total federal funding is $150,000) that account for the use of funding in accordance with the terms of the funding agreement and the program terms and conditions. Recipients must also provide a report on the activities they did to support the project's goal, including the results and expected outcomes.
Applicants are required to disclose all confirmed and potential sources of funding, inclusive of all federal, provincial, territorial or municipal governments (total government assistance) at the time of application. Annual financial reporting is required to identify all sources of funding received during the term of the project.
Contact us
For more information about the program, assistance with preparing your application or to request an application form, please email: femmesautochtones-indigenouswomen@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca