The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Permanent Mission to the Organization of American States 2024

The Permanent Mission of Canada to the Organization of American States is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

Program description

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy, high commission or permanent mission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

The average CFLI contribution is CAD $25,000 to $40,000 Canadian Dollars. Consult this Currency converter for local currency equivalents. Please note that all contributions are made in Canadian dollars and then converted to the local currency (currency of the organization´s local bank account).

How to Apply

• All projects must be completed between the date of signature of the Contribution Agreement (estimated to be in September 2024) and 28 February 2025.
• The deadline for submission is Monday, August 5, 2024 at 14:00 hours (GMT -4, 2:00 pm, Washington D.C., USA), Proposals should be submitted electronically to the following email: PRMOAS.CFLI-FCIL@international.gc.ca.
• Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
• Only those proposals using the fully completed designated application form Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) Project Application for Funding Form will be considered.
  • The link above is only available in English and French, If a copy in Spanish is needed, please request a version in Spanish by writing to PRMOAS.CFLI-FCIL@international.gc.ca.
  • The CFLI application for funding form is only compatible with the Web browser Internet Explorer (Help: Opening PDFs on your computer). If you receive an error page, for most Web browsers the form can be downloaded from that error page, and then opened directly on your computer. If trouble opening the form persists, please write to PRMOAS.CFLI-FCIL@international.gc.ca for a copy.
• Projects should be related to one the following priorities and themes:
  • Gender Equality & the empowerment of women and girls;
  • Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law;
  • Environment and climate change focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as water management.
• Preference will be given to projects that are regional in nature or aim to benefit two or more of the 34 Organization of American States members that are currently on the DAC List of ODA Recipients. Projects that aim to foster linkages between organizations or groups in two or more countries, either as a primary outcome or as a collateral impact, will also receive favourable consideration.
• Only one application per organization will be considered, and proposals must be completed in English, French or Spanish.
• For more information on the types of activities and costs that are eligible for CFLI funding, please refer to the list of CFLI approved activities and costs at the end of this document and the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) Project Application for Funding Form.
• Project proposals must explicitly answer all questions in the CFLI project application form, including the required gender-based analysis. The proposed project budget should summarize the proposed activities and associated costs. A more detailed budget may be required if selected.
• Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a selection committee. Due to the large number of applicants, only selected projects will be contacted.
• Project applications are kept on file at missions in accordance with Global Affairs Canada’s information management policies.

Organizations eligible to apply for CFLI funding

Eligible recipients must be legally registered in the country in which the project will be implemented, and be one of the 34 Organization of American States members that are currently on the DAC List of ODA Recipients. Types of organizations include:

• Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
• Local academic institutions working on local projects,
• International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities, and that are legally registered in the country where the project is to be implemented,
• Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
• Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities, and that are legally registered in the country where the project is to be implemented.

The majority of CFLI funding is directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral 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. Organizations that form part of the Inter-American system will not initially be considered as primary targets of this CFLI program, although they will not be excluded from submitting proposals. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

Thematic priorities

All projects must align with at least 1 of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Gender Equality & the empowerment of women and girls;
• Inclusive governance, including diversity and 2SLGBTQI+, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law;
• Environment and climate change focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as water management.

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.

Please contact the CFLI Local Coordinator with any additional questions: PRMOAS.CFLI-FCIL@international.gc.ca

Eligible costs

The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:

• accounting costs
• administrative and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution)
• advocacy and lobbying related costs
• capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure
• civic education costs
• conference and event expenditures
• costs of services received by recipients
• domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class
• environmental assessment costs
• facilities charges,
• equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability),
• hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages
• installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel,
• computers and communication devices
• lease or rental of vehicles
• legal costs
• medical costs
• miscellaneous expenses integral to the project
• outreach, communication and information dissemination costs
• publishing costs
• radio and television broadcast fees
• research-related costs
• salary costs, including stipends, relating to the project,
• security costs
• training and capacity building expenditures
• translation and interpretation fees
• vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance
• website development and related costs

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,
• purchase of vehicles, land or buildings,
• expenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement, or after it expires.