Community Social Services Technology Fund in Canada

Deadline: 31-Oct-22

The Federation of Community Social Services of BC is accepting applications for the Community Social Services Technology Fund will provide grant funding to community social service organizations to offset the added IT costs of adapting to new ways of working and delivering services.

It can also provide grant funding for purchasing laptops, equipment, and covering IT costs related to increasing your clients’ access to virtual supports, learning opportunities, and employment.

BC’s community social services sector experienced significant and unfunded expenses as a result of moving to virtual and remote service-delivery during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Providing safe and accessible supports and services has become more necessary and more challenging than ever before.

There are two different grant streams an organization may apply for: Support for Organizational Technology and Support for Client Technology.

Grant Streams: Organizational & Client

There are two different grant streams an organization may apply for. You may apply for both grants streams, and you may be awarded grants for both grant streams. If you decide to apply for both grant streams, you must do so via one combined application.

Support for Organizational Technology

Maximum grant amounts are determined as follows:
- Large Organization (50+ employees) – Up to $30,000 per organization
- Medium Organization (11-49 employees) – Up to $20,000 per organization
- Small Organization (1-10 employees) – Up to $10,000 per organization.
- The specific technology needs must be identified as part of the application.
- This grant stream is available once.

Support for Client Technology

The maximum grant amount is $2,000 per organization.
The specific technology needs must be identified as part of the application.
All client-related funding must be directed towards current clients of the organization applying (i.e. currently participating in programming/services).
This is one-time-only funding, and they will accept only one application per organization. Should additional funding remain, an announcement will be made.
This grant stream is available once.

Funding Information

Support for Organizational Technology:
- Maximum grant amounts are determined as follows:
  - Large Organization (50+ employees) – Up to $30,000 per organization
  - Medium Organization (11-49 employees) – Up to $20,000 per organization
  - Small Organization (1-10 employees) – Up to $10,000 per organization.
Support for Client Technology:
- The maximum grant amount is $2,000 per organization.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must be a community social services organization within British Columbia.
All client-related funding must be directed towards current clients of the organization applying (i.e., those currently participating in programming/services).
Eligible organizations of 50 or more staff (‘large organization’) may apply for a maximum of $30,000 for organizational technology needs.
Eligible organizations of 11-49 staff (‘medium organization’) may apply for a maximum of $20,000 for organizational technology needs.
Eligible organizations of 10 or less staff (‘small organization’) may apply for a maximum of $10,000 for organizational technology needs.
Eligible organizations, regardless of size, may apply for a maximum of $2,000 total, for client technology needs.
Eligible costs include:
- Existing or new technology costs
- Software Licenses: (e.g. Zoom, Microsoft)
- Upgraded Internet
- Hardware: Computers, speakers, webcams, headphones, cell phones
- Training that builds capacity for ongoing technology use for staff or clients served.
- Lending libraries/technology for clients.