Summary of the evaluation of the Social Development Partnerships Program

Alternate formats

About the Program

The Social Development Partnerships Program is a federal grants and contributions program that supports the Government of Canada's priorities by investing in not-for-profit, and Indigenous organizations, and municipal, provincial and territorial entities that aim to improve the quality of life of persons with disabilities, children and families, and other vulnerable populations in Canada. The evaluation focuses on two unique components of the Program, the Disability component, and the Children and Families component.

Key Findings

1. The Program aligns with the Government of Canada priorities and ESDC departmental objectives on social development, including the priorities on diversity, inclusion and accessibility.
2. Stakeholders and interviewed participants mentioned that additional and clear information (for example, expectations, resources, eligibility, timelines, final reporting, etc.) may help clarify the application processes.
3. Overall, the majority of funding recipients agreed that reporting requirements were reasonable, and the Program's communication of these requirements was clear. However, the evaluation found low uptake in the usage of the final reporting templates over the evaluation period. This finding should be considered within the context that the funding agreements do not mandate the use of customized templates.
4. All interviewed or surveyed stakeholders agreed that the Program contributed to increased social inclusion by decreasing barriers to participation, in Canadian society, while increasing opportunities for community engagement.

Recommendations

1. The Program should explore different communications methods towards improved stakeholder access to information of the funding application intakes and how to apply.
2. The Program should explore the barriers experienced by funding recipients, related to reporting tools, to better support their performance assessment.