Continuous intake of proposals: Eligibility

2. Eligibility

Applicants

In addition to the specific requirements listed under the individual priorities, all applicants must meet the following criteria:

• be a legally constituted Canadian organization
• have proof of incorporation or be created under an Act

Under the GBV Program, there may be cases where the following organization types are eligible:

• academic and educational institutions, including universities, secondary schools, school boards, and school districts
• provincial, territorial, municipal governments, and their agencies
• public health institutions, hospitals, and healthcare service providers

These organization types must provide matched funding that is equivalent to at least 50% of total eligible costs.

Funding

The maximum amount of funding is available under the continuous intake priorities.

Consider the following notes:

• For projects with a pan-Canadian reach: Project activities must have impact in at least four WAGE regions and be carried out in both official languages. WAGE may waive this requirement for Indigenous organizations. It depends on the needs of the population involved in their project.
• Projects that cover one of Canada’s three largest municipalities, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, would qualify as regional.
• There are often extra costs of living and traveling in northern or remote areas. You may apply for an extra 35%, but only for activities that happen in these areas. See question Activity location type for more information.

Duration

The maximum duration for projects is available in the section on continuous intake priorities.

Activities

Before starting an application, we encourage you to take the free online course: Introduction to Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus).

Eligible activities

All activities must align with the continuous intake priorities.

Examples of activities under the Women’s Program:

• change discriminatory laws, policies, or practices
• design and put in place ways to increase women’s opportunities and participation in the job market
• design and put in place ways to increase women’s leadership in democratic, civic, public, or private sectors
• engage communities to address harmful attitudes and barriers
• engage women and girls with lived experience to develop solutions to systemic barriers
• help stakeholders who can influence change understand barriers and put in place solutions
• work with other stakeholders to influence change

Examples of activities under the Gender-Based Violence Program:

• engage survivors to ensure the project reflects their experience
• collaborate with other partners that work with survivors of violence
• use a trauma-informed approach and focus on survivors to adapt a promising practice
• undertake an external evaluation to measure the impact and results of the promising practice
• scale a tested promising practice that has shown positive results. For example:
  • replicate an existing promising practice in a new location or with a new population
  • use the promising practice to advocate for change in law and policy
  • work with partners to increase wrap-around supports in a community

Examples of activities under the Equality for Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Program

• change laws, policies, or practices
• work with service providers to make it is easier to access their services
• work with service providers to address prejudices and meet the needs of 2SLGBTQI+ people
• work to address hate toward 2SLGBTQI+ people:
  • to identify and address root causes of hate
  • to identify who spreads hate and how they do it
  • to work with the public or private sector to address hate in their respective fields
  • work with cultural leaders to reduce hate
  • work with faith leaders to end harmful practices
• work to increase the representation of 2SLGBTQI+ in all sectors
• develop and test tools to help 2SLGBTQI+ people to:
  • learn about and access services
  • help navigate systems, such as health care and employment
• develop ways to help non-2SLGBTQI+ people remove barriers to the community
• work with Two-Spirit and Indigenous members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community to work on reconciliation

Ineligible activities

The department will not support activities that:

• charge a fee to project participants, such as individuals or stakeholders
• deliver services or programs, such as career help or fundraising. To be clear, you cannot create new or expand existing services or programs.
• train employees or volunteers unless this increases the organization’s capacity and not an individual’s capacity
• create unfair advantage or profit
• involve construction and renovation
• involve the purchase, lease, or long-term rental of real property
• are religious or politically partisan in nature
• take place or address a related issue abroad, such as initiatives that advance equality in a country other than Canada
• involve lobbying
• are negative or harmful:
  • violent or adversarial rallies, demonstrations, and social protests
  • boycotts
  • litigation or legal advocacy

The following will only be eligible as part of a broader project if they are necessary to advance WAGE’s program objectives:

• information campaigns
• awareness-raising activities
• networking or partnership development
• delivery of training, such as leadership or occupational training
• conferences
• studies
• publications or newsletters
• research

Costs

The department will only fund eligible costs. Eligible costs are those that are necessary to support the purpose of the project. We will only reimburse eligible costs incurred after the signature of the agreement. Read the examples of eligible costs for more information.

Total government funding for the project must not exceed 100% of eligible costs. This includes federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal assistance for the same goal. We will adjust the level of funding and seek reimbursement if necessary.

There are two categories of eligible costs:

• Direct costs: expenses related to the delivery of the project that are linked to specific activities
• Administrative costs: expenses incurred to manage and support the project

The department will determine the final value of funding.

Eligible costs

The department will fund as many projects as possible to have a greater impact, but funding is limited. Please only request eligible costs that are necessary to deliver the project. This allows other projects to be funded. Eligible costs include:

Direct costs that are necessary to deliver activities:

• travel costs must not exceed the rates in the National Joint Council Travel Directive. This includes the Travel Directive’s Kilometric Rates,  Meals Allowances, Accommodation - Canadian city rate limits and Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference and Event Expenditures.
• salaries and benefits for staff related to project delivery
• honoraria and professional fees, including those paid to Indigenous Elders
• materials and supplies
• spaces used for project activities
• translation
• training related to the project
• publicity and promotion
• other costs such as snacks or meals served during key project activities

Administrative costs as a portion of costs necessary to manage and support the project:

• project oversight
• office space for project staff
• phones
• computer equipment
• IT maintenance
• accounting

WAGE offers two options for administrative costs:

• up to 20% of the total funding requested from WAGE. If you choose this option, you will need to provide details on these costs.
• up to 15% fixed rate of the total funding requested from WAGE. In this case, you do not have to provide details on these costs.

You can only choose one option. Read the budget section for more information.

Include audit costs for projects of $300,000 and above in your administrative costs. The department requires the following on an annual basis:

• externally reviewed statement of revenues and expenditures for projects between $300,000 and $999,999
• audited financial statements for projects of $1,000,000 and above

Ineligible costs

Ineligible costs include:

• core or operational funding for existing or ongoing activities, projects, engagement, or advocacy
• general core or operating costs for the organization that are not related to this project, such as:
  • rent
  • utilities
  • phones
  • property taxes
  • equipment for staff
  • insurance not required for this project
  • audit costs not required for this project
• capital expenditures, such as land, buildings, vehicles, and other major capital costs, except for computer equipment such as desktops, portables, and small peripherals required to carry-out the project
• salaries, allowances, and benefits for directors of a board or other governance body
• budget deficits, coverage of losses, debt reduction, organizational reserves, or endowment funds
• costs added to a project over the estimated project value to cover unexpected costs
• costs incurred before a funding decision is made