Emergency Community Support Fund (Round 2): $350M Investment

Deadline: 30-Oct-20

In collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada, Community Foundations of Canada (CFC) is proud to announce Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) to fund projects designed to help communities experiencing heightened vulnerability during the COVID-19 crisis.

The Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF) is a $350M investment from the Government of Canada to support charities and non-profit organizations serving vulnerable populations as they manage the impacts of COVID-19.

The Government of Canada is releasing the balance of the funds now to ensure it and its partners, including Community Foundations of Canada, can make adjustments, as necessary, to continue responding to evolving emergency needs as a result of COVID-19.

Funding Information

The grant maximum is $75,000, except for the National/Provincial Stream where the grant maximum is $200,000.

Eligible Projects

Examples of eligible projects where vulnerable populations impacted by COVID-19 include:

Creation of a digital health platform to continue mental health and addictions recovery programming;
Development and delivery of a virtual mental health program for caregivers;
Purchase of food kits for marginalized families experiencing interrupted support services;
Addition of meal service staff at a women’s shelter to meet public health guidelines;
Food purchase assistance for members living on-reserve, where supplies and delivery are interrupted;
Purchase of a freezer by a food bank to accommodate a rise in food orders;
Technology purchase and service enabling seniors in-residence to connect with their families virtually;
Increased staffing and supplies at a shelter for women and children fleeing violence;
Preparing and delivering food for persons with disabilities;
Remote arts programming for vulnerable youth;
Procurement and delivery of educational materials to Aboriginal Friendship Centre families;
Development of online social skills curriculum for individuals with special needs, replacing in-person programming;
Deployment of a social worker to provide Deaf community with information on COVID-19 and support to navigate impact relief services.

Vulnerable populations include:

Children, Youth or Elderly
- Children and youth (ages 0-29);
- Youth ageing out of care;
- Seniors and Elders (in and not in care).
Vulnerable Workers
- Caregivers;
- Workers who are vulnerable (essential, temporary foreign, those in the informal labour market).
Populations Requiring Specific Care or Support
- People experiencing homelessness;
- People struggling with addiction;
- People living with mental illness;
- People with low-income or living in poverty;
- Persons with disabilities;
- People experiencing domestic or gender-based violence;
- People living in group homes or supportive living (under the age of 55);
- Prison populations (detained and incarcerated);
- Veterans;
- Students (postsecondary);
Marginalized Communities in Canada
- Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs);
- Women and girls;
- Members of LGBTQ2s+ communities;
- Newcomers (Permanent and temporary residents including immigrants and refugees);
- Racialized people (Arab, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Latin American, South Asian, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Other racialized groups);
- Indigenous people (First Nations, Métis, Inuit).

Eligibility Criteria

The ECSF run by CFC will support qualified donees in running projects at the community level that serve vulnerable populations that have been especially affected by COVID-19. Eligible projects include ongoing programs that meet the eligibility criteria outlined in this document.
Qualified donees should be in touch with their local community foundation to learn more about available grant sizes.
Applicants will be required to share how their project assists vulnerable populations, the populations they serve, and the impact of the project on the community.
Qualified donees include:
- Registered charities;
- Registered Canadian amateur athletic associations;
- Low-cost housing corporations for the aged;
- Registered Municipalities or their housing, cultural and recreational agencies;
- First Nations and other registered municipal or public bodies performing a function of government in Canada.