Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Ukraine (2024)

Deadline: 14-Jul-24

The Embassy of Canada in Ukraine is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in countries that are eligible for Official Development Assistance and that align with Global Affairs Canada’s key areas of engagement. The program is directed at projects designed predominantly by local partners.

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least 1 of the following CFLI thematic priorities:
  • Theme 1. Supporting the objectives of Ukraine’s Peace Formula and Canada’s Women, Peace and Security agenda
    • CFLI will support the implementation of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula (10PPF) and, in particular, Point #4 on the Return of Prisoners of War, Civilian Detainees and Deported Children, as well as integrating the Women, Peace and Security agenda into local decision-making.
      • Support to families of Prisoners of War (PoWs) and unlawfully detained civilians
        • Thousands are considered missing and held in captivity, often in unofficial places of detention and in deplorable conditions. Their families are often deprived of any information about their location and well-being. CFLI programing could include, but is not limited to projects surrounding:
          • Networking and Collaboration: facilitate support groups, connections and foster collaboration between families for psychosocial support and advocacy initiatives.
          • Advocacy and Awareness Raising: conduct public campaigns which raise awareness about the plight of illegally detained individuals, promote information sharing of human rights standards and international law.
          • Information Sharing: projects may include organizing events, producing informational materials, engaging with media outlets, and leveraging social media platforms to amplify messaging about support resources for families.
          • Capacity Building: facilitate training, technical assistance, and provide resources for members supporters and implementors of 10PPF Working Group #4, both state and CSOs to enhance their skills and knowledge in areas such as legal advocacy, human rights monitoring, and trauma-informed care.
      • Integrating Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda into local decision-making
        • Women are playing a vital role in the defence of Ukraine and shaping its future. More than 60,000 Ukrainian women serve in the security forces and hundreds of thousands are helping their country as volunteers, fundraisers, caregivers, journalists, medics, teachers, politicians, and entrepreneurs. The inclusion of diverse voices in discussions and funding local women-led organizations and initiatives will lead to a more comprehensive and representative decision-making process and outcome. CFLI programing could include, but is not limited to projects surrounding:
          • Facilitation of consultations and dialogue sessions: with a diverse range of stakeholders, including women’s organizations, civil society groups, government representatives, and conflict-affected communities from both rural and urban areas. These conversations will provide opportunities for women to articulate their concerns, priorities, and recommendations for inclusion in local decision-making processes.
          • Capacity Building: training, resources, and technical assistance provision will strengthen women’s rights organizations’ advocacy skills and leadership capacities for eventual active and informed engagement in local policies concerning such issues as defence, security, transitional justice, and services for conflict-affected people.
          • Policy Advocacy: advocacy campaigns and initiatives aimed at promoting the adoption of gender-sensitive policies and measures. This may include advocating for the inclusion of specific provisions related to women’s rights, gender equality, and women’s participation in decision-making processes.
          • Awareness Raising: activities could raise awareness about the importance of integrating WPS principles into local policy-making. This will help generate broader support for gender-inclusive peace policies related to such issues as defence, security, transitional justice and services for conflict-affected people.
          • Support to Women and LGBTQI members of the military: projects could support the vulnerable groups with skills and tools to inform their advocacy work and improve their roles and rights while contributing to the war effort.
  • Theme 2. Veterans
    • CFLI will emphasize the rehabilitation and reintegration of veterans, acknowledging the unique and localized challenges faced by these individuals at the oblast and hromada levels. CFLI programing could include, but is not limited to projects surrounding:
      • Veteran Rehabilitation: occupational therapy and physical resources to support the physical reintegration into civilian life.
      • Barrier-Free Urban Planning: projects that involve veterans in the planning and development of barrier-free environments, ensuring that urban infrastructure is accessible, particularly for those with disabilities. This could include collaborating with urban planners, local authorities, and disability advocacy groups to design and implement infrastructure that is accessible to all, particularly veterans with disabilities. Such initiatives are essential as they promote social inclusion and mobility, helping to create more inclusive and equitable communities while leveraging veterans’ unique perspectives and experiences in urban development.
  • Theme 3. Strengthening Ukrainian Identity with a View Towards Social Cohesion
    • CFLI will support initiatives to strengthen Ukrainian national identity and promote social cohesion, addressing both cultural preservation and contemporary identity challenges. Initiatives that promote dialogue and interaction among diverse community groups will be prioritized. This would include a variety of ethnic, social, and socioeconomic groups, with an aim to promote inclusivity and understanding and celebrate the rich tapestry of Ukrainian traditions and history. Reinforcing a shared sense of identity and belonging, fostering a cohesive and united society, will contribute to mitigating internal divisions and contribute to the resilience and solidarity of Ukrainian society, while enhancing its capacity to withstand and recover from current and future challenges. CFLI programing could include, but is not limited to projects surrounding:
      • Information Campaigns: counter disinformation narratives locally to promote initiatives about Ukrainian identity, culture and history. These campaigns will strengthen societal cohesion by highlighting common goals and the collective resilience of the Ukrainian people.
      • Language and Culture:
        • Language: promotion of initiatives exploring Ukrainian language through educational programs, media content, and public campaigns.
        • Culture: Joint cultural activities such as art initiatives and community events can foster ties between IDPs and receiving communities. For example, educational or cultural programs can support IDPs to integrate into new communities, alleviating some of the stresses of displacement and supporting their psychological and social well-being. Community events and art programs can also provide platforms to express their identities and can build confidence to advocate for their rights.

Funding Information

• The small projects between CAD $30,000-$50,000 are selected and approved by the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine.

Gender-Based Analysis

• In 2017, Canada adopted its Feminist International Assistance Policy to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as the most effective way to reduce poverty and build a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world. In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis (GBA). The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI program. A GBA will require applicants to:
  • consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm
  • consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal
  • ensure that the views of those women and/or girls inform the project’s design
• Note that consultations can include, but are not limited to, speaking to women and girls from the local community, women and other individuals who work for civil society organizations that have worked in the local community and female and male decision and change makers who have knowledge of the local community. Inadequate completion of a GBA may affect the consideration of your proposal.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible recipients include:
  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
  • Local academic institutions working on local projects,
  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects.
• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as intergovernmental and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

Ineligible

• The following costs are not eligible for CFLI funding:
  • nuclear technologies and facilities
  • assistance to military or paramilitary organizations
  • gifts
  • luxury goods
  • direct fiscal support to a government
  • seed funding and/or microfinance
  • core funding or recurrent costs of an organization
  • expenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement

For more information, visit Government of Canada.