Investment Readiness Program – Stream 2: Ecosystem builder in Canada (Round 2)

Deadline: 18-Feb-22

The Government of Canada has announced the applications for the Investment Readiness Program – Stream 2: Ecosystem builder (Round 2).

Based on the success of the pilot program, the renewed Investment Readiness Program (IRP) will continue to advance Social Innovation and Social Finance (SI/SF) in Canada. It will support social purpose organizations (SPOs) to build their capacity to access social finance and a strengthened SI/SF ecosystem. SPOs are organizations with a social or environmental mission. SPOs straddle the charitable and non-profit sector and the private sector.

Stream 2 (Ecosystem builders) will invest in projects that help grow and strengthen the SI/SF ecosystem. This will provide another layer of support to SPOs

The IRP supports the Government of Canada’s goal to increase inclusion and opportunities for participation of Canadians in their communities.

Objectives

• The objective of this process is to fund organizations to build and strengthen the SI/SF ecosystem.
• This funding will support projects that build and strengthen the SI/SF ecosystem in these areas:
  • investing in inclusive innovation to ensure that leaders and organizations from equity-deserving groups are engaged, represented and welcome in the SI/SF ecosystem
  • strengthening networks of expertise in the SI/SF ecosystem, including specialized services to equity-deserving groups
  • conducting research and disseminate tools and knowledge on gaps in the SI/SF ecosystem
  • investing in SPO capacity to participate in social procurement markets in Canada
  • connecting the IRP and the broader SI/SF ecosystem to ensure that IRP partners and other stakeholders are engaged with each other and the ecosystem
• The IRP seeks to reach SPOs that serve and are led by:
  • women
  • Indigenous peoples
  • Black Canadians and other racialized communities
  • official language minority communities
  • people with disabilities
  • other equity-deserving groups

Funding Information

The total grants and contributions funding envelope for the IRP is $45,815,426. They anticipate that they will sign agreements with 20 to 30 organizations to deliver the IRP.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible organizations are those located in Canada and must be one of the following types:

• non-profit organization
• cooperative or mutual
• municipality
• provincial and territorial government entity including institutions, agencies and Crown Corporations; inclusive of educational institutions, public health and social services organizations
• National Indigenous Organization, Modern Treaty and Self Government Agreement Holder, or Indigenous non-government organization
• international organizationFootnote
• for-profit organization, inclusive of hybrid corporate models, provided that the nature and intent of the activity:
  • is non-commercial
  • is not intended to generate profit, and
  • supports program priorities and objectives

For more information, visit Government of Canada.

For more information, visit https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/investment-readiness-program-ecosystem-builder.html