Deadline: 19-Jul-21
The Government of Canada has issued a call for applications for organizations interested in supporting the 50 – 30 Challenge participants in adopting diversity practices in their organizations.
The 50 – 30 Challenge Ecosystem Fund will provide funding to successful organizations, known as Ecosystem partners, to help 50 – 30 Challenge participants meet the diversity and inclusion goals.
The Ecosystem partners will support participants by linking them to best practices and tools, providing guidance and advising on other diversity supports specific to each organization’s unique needs.
They will also promote the What Works Toolkit, and report on the progress of 50 – 30 participants to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Objectives
- The overarching objective of the 50 – 30 Challenge Ecosystem Funding is to provide program supports to businesses, organizations and institutions who have pledged to increase the diversity of their boards and senior leadership to highlight the benefits of giving all Canadians a seat at the table.
- By signing on to the 50-30 Challenge, companies and organizations are committing to achieving gender parity (50% women) and 30% representation of other equity-seeking groups, specifically: racialized groups including Black Canadians, persons living with disabilities, Canadians who identify as LGTBQ2, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.
Funding Information
- Ecosystem partners will be awarded a three year, non-repayable Contribution Agreement with a minimum value of $3M and a maximum value of $10M.
Eligible activities:
Eligible activities undertaken by the 50 – 30 Challenge Ecosystem Funding are those that contribute to meeting the objective of the program. They include, but are not limited to:
- Compilation, development, promotion, and delivery of learning materials, tools, training and workshops;
- Promotion of the What Works Toolkit;
- Mentorships and internships;
- Skills development initiatives;
- Network and partnership development;
- Leadership and volunteerism initiatives including pilot projects;
- Knowledge sharing initiatives;
- Conferences, meetings, events, and workshops; and
- Development of programs, policies, and services responsive to the objectives of the program.
Expected Results
- The 50 – 30 Challenge is expected to result in increased diversity in positions of influence within Canadian organizations, and the 50 – 30 Challenge Ecosystem Funding is expected to deliver funding to diversity-serving organizations to provide the resources for Challenge Participants to achieve that goal. This may include recommending tailored incremental goals, inclusive trainings, and the promotion of the Toolkit and similar resources.
- Ecosystem Partners will work directly with Challenge Participants, and will also be expected to collaborate with the Toolkit Administrator and other Collaborators to achieve service coverage amongst diversity-serving groups. Proposals must demonstrate how the collaborating diversity-serving organizations will work together to deliver the proposed outcomes.
Eligibility Criteria
- Eligible applicants for 50 – 30 Challenge Ecosystem Fund include:
- Canadian associations, not-for-profit organizations, and registered charities;
- Non-governmental organizations and Canadian public institutions such as academic institutions, colleges and universities;
- Organizations representing Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments, and band councils; and,
- Private sector organizations in alliance with one or several not-for-profit organization(s).
- Applicants may choose to form a consortium entity of multiple Canadian organizations, comprised of the above eligible groups. Alternatively, the applicant can collaborate with other organizations in order to achieve national reach or serve a wider range of diversity groups (e.g. a national not-for-profit leads a proposal in collaboration with regional groups, to meet project objectives).
- Applicants may choose to form a legal consortium entity of multiple Canadian organizations, comprised of the above eligible groups.
- Alternatively, the applicant can collaborate with other organizations (“Collaborators”) in order to achieve national reach or serve a wider range of equity-seeking groups (e.g. a national not-for-profit leads a proposal in collaboration with regional groups, to meet project objectives).
- Applicants must be in good financial standing, have a governance structure, staff and networks that make them ideal candidates to deliver the initiative. In the event of a new consortium entity, financial records and governance information will be required from the respective organizations who formed the entity.
For more information, visit https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/07728.html