The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Brazil (2025)

The Embassy of Canada in Brazil 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.  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.

CFLI contributions can be up to CAD $100,000 Canadian Dollars per eligible project for one-year projects, and up to $200,000 for two-year projects. Please consult the currency converter for local currency equivalents. Please note that all contributions are made in Canadian dollars and then converted to the local currency at the prevailing applicable rate. 

Projects over CAD $200,000 can be considered if they clearly demonstrate a direct partnership with other smaller organizations to increase the effectiveness of local and regional impacts of the project.

How to apply

• The timeline for submission of concept notes is January 8, 2025, through January 31, 2025, at 23:59. Applications sent after this deadline will not be considered.
• The concept note application form can be obtained by writing to the following email: BRSLACFLI@international.gc.ca
• Only proposals using the designated application form and including the required budget document will be considered.
• 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, described later in this document.
• Proposals must be completed in Portuguese, or English or French.
• 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.
• Proposals must be implemented by the applicant organization.
• Proposed initiatives may apply for one or two fiscal years of funding. The length of the project must be indicated at the application stage and cannot be modified after.
• Two-year projects must clearly demonstrate the need for two years of implementation in their application.
• Proposed activities must be completed by February 28, 2026, for single-year projects and February 28, 2027, for two-year projects.
• The project submission process is carried out in 2 stages: first, participants are invited to complete a concept note in a form available on Google Forms; in the second phase, organizations that have their concept notes pre-selected will be contacted and invited to submit a detailed project proposal for final selection. This invitation is for the first stage of the process: submission of a concept note.
• Applications will be evaluated for merit approval by a selection committee.
• Owing to the large number of applicants, only organizations with approved proposals will be contacted.
• Project applications are kept on file at missions in accordance with Global Affairs Canada’s information management policies.
• For questions about the application process, please email the following address: BRSLACFLI@international.gc.ca

Organizations eligible to apply for CFLI funding

 Eligible recipients are limited to:

• Brazilian non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations. Organizations must be registered with a CNPJ.

Thematic priorities

All projects must produce concrete, tangible and lasting results and be aligned with at least one of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Environment and climate action with a focus on adaptation and mitigation as well as water management.
• Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, including marginalized groups and those victims of discrimination such as black, brown, indigenous, quilombolas, LGBTQIA+, refugee and migrant communities.

For the 2025-2026 period, the CFLI – Brazil especially welcomes projects in the north and northeast regions of Brazil.  

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 the women and/or girls consulted inform the project’s design.

Note that consultations can include, but are not limited to, speaking to women and girls from the local community concerned; women and other individuals who work for civil society organizations and who 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.

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;
• international flights or airfares (regional travel may be approved on an exceptional basis);
• expenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement, or after it expires.