Government of Canada: Seeking Proposals for Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP)

Deadline: 13 February 2019

Government of Canada is currently accepting proposals for its Volunteer Cooperation Program (VCP) that aims to contribute to the economic and/or social well-being of the poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, in developing countries.

Funding Information

• The total amount of funding available under this call for proposals is up to $420 million over 7 years.
• Global Affairs Canada may fund any number of proposals, or none, up to the maximum funding available.
• Global Affairs Canada intends to fund proposals of at least $3 million and no more than $50 million.

Outcomes

Under this call, applicants proposed project must contribute to the achievement of these ultimate and intermediate outcomes.

• Ultimate outcome
  • Improved economic and/or social well-being of the poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly women and girls, in developing countries, with a view to contributing to sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    • Indicators:
      • Total number of people, women and girls from marginalized groups benefiting from initiatives improved through the efforts of the VCP and who have improved their economic and/or social well-being (Women/Men/Boys/Girls);
      • Impact of developing country partner projects on targeted beneficiary communities.
• Intermediate outcomes
  • Increased engagement of Canadians in international development and key global issues in support of the action areas of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP).
    • Indicators:
      • Number and percentage (/total) of Canadian volunteers (women/men) who continue to actively participate in Canada’s international development efforts following their volunteer mandate;
      • Number of Canadians (women/men) mobilized to support Canada’s international development efforts through informed action and/or long-term commitment.
  • Increased performance of developing country partners to deliver more inclusive, innovative and environmentally sustainable development initiatives that advance gender equality, in support of the action areas of Canada’s FIAP.
    • Indicators:
      • Number and percentage (/total) of developing country partners reporting and demonstrating improved development initiatives through VCP support, according to the types of improvements (such as more effective in advancing gender equality, more inclusive, more environmentally sustainable/climate-resilient, more innovative) observed that are supported by qualitative evidence (such as case studies);
      • Number and types of development initiatives that advance gender equality and have been improved through VCP support, including the number of innovative initiatives, supported by qualitative evidence (such as case studies);
      • Number and percentage (/total) of developing country partners reporting and demonstrating improved organizational practices/capacities through VCP support, supported by organisational diagnoses and qualitative evidence (such as case studies).

Special Thematic Funds

Applicants can include in their proposal up to 5% of Global Affairs Canada’s contribution to the direct costs of the project to activities that complement the work of volunteers by supporting some of the department’s priority themes: feminist approaches, innovation and experimentation, diversity and inclusion, indigenous integration, LGBTQ2 and climate change.

Eligibility Criteria

• This call is open to Canadian organizations, which may submit an application alone or in consortiums with other organizations. Applicants (including all signatories in the case of consortiums) must meet the following requirements:
  • Organization is legally incorporated in Canada;
  • Organization must provide two separate financial statements for the most recent fiscal years from each signatory (audited statements are preferred; if these are not available, the statements must be signed by a member of each signatory’s board of directors, by the board’s delegate or by the owner[s]; note also that since financial statements usually provide comparative information from the previous year, these statements will be used to do a three-year trend analysis);
  • Organization must provide the Organization Attestation dated and signed by the Organization’s Chief Financial Officer, or a duly authorised board member;
  • Organization may submit only one application under this call.
• If organization proposed project does not conform to the above statements, it will not be assessed because it cannot be considered for funding under this call.

How to Apply

In order to receive the budget template for this call, applicants must send an email at the address given on the website.

Eligible Country: Canada

For more information, please visit https://international.gc.ca/world-monde/funding-financement/vcp-pcv.aspx?lang=eng