Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians Program (IPSFC) 2025-2028 – Questions and answers

This page includes questions from potential applicants and answers from Global Affairs Canada about the Call for initial Proposals – Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians Program 2025-2028. This page is not a substitute for the guidance on the application process for this Call for Proposals.

Application process and eligibility

Can an organization that has been legally incorporated in Canada for less than 2 years apply for this call?

No. An organization that has been incorporated for less than 2 years in Canada is not eligible to apply for this call. To be eligible for this call, your organization must provide 2 separate financial statements for the most recent fiscal years. Also, as indicated in the required project experience section of the call page, the initial proposal (concept note) must provide 2 examples of projects in Section 2.1 of the application form. For each of the 2 examples, the organizations/signatories must demonstrate a minimum of 4 years of experience (per project example) managing international scholarship programs in specific regions of the world within the last 6 years. In a consortium, signatories must ensure that their overall experience demonstrates this requirement.

Do we understand correctly that only one proposal will be first and foremost considered from this call for proposals?

All proposals that meet the eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the selection criteria. We will invite only one (1) Canadian organization with the best overall score whose proposal align best with the objectives and parameters of the call to submit a full proposal. Global Affairs Canada plans to select one (1) initial proposal, either submitted by one (1) sole Canadian organization or a consortium, to implement the IPSFC initiative in its entirety. However, Global Affairs Canada may also decide not to fund any of the proposals.

Why does GAC only accept just one proposal on a Call for Proposals?

Under the IPSFC, GAC can also use this Call for Proposals to fund just one (1) full proposal as per program’s requirement after evaluating all eligible proposals that submitted.

Is it sufficient for my organization to have a Canadian tax number?

No. A Canadian organization is an organization that is legally incorporated in Canada, is established with an office and employees in Canada and can provide proof of legal status (e.g. a letter of incorporation) along with a Canada Revenue Agency business number.

Are there any situations in which you will grant an extension to the deadline for receiving applications?

Extensions will not be granted to individual organizations. If an issue arises that affects all applicants, we will provide a call page update to all applicants.

How can we get clarification on the forms?

The forms themselves contain guidance and all relevant information needed to apply for Global Affairs Canada funding through a call for proposals.

Is there a way of knowing if our organization/consortium and our project idea/outline/concept fit your call?

Global Affairs Canada does not provide guidance to individual applicants on their specific proposals. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet all eligibility requirements as detailed in the call page and application form.

How long will it take to learn whether we will be invited to submit a full proposal or not?

We cannot provide an exact timeline on the evaluation of proposals submitted under this call. However, Global Affairs Canada will expeditiously evaluate the proposals and respond within a reasonable timeframe from the date of the Call’s closure.

How long will we have to complete a full proposal?

If you are invited to submit a full proposal, we would ask for the full proposal to be submitted in approximately 6 weeks from the date of the invitation.

How long will it take to learn whether we will receive funding?

Again, we cannot provide an exact timeline for a funding decision. GAC will do its best to respond with a funding decision as soon as possible, based on the date of receipt of the full proposal.

Will you accept initial proposals (concept notes) as Word documents instead of in the template that you have provided?

No. Organizations must submit their completed initial proposal PDF form—with the “Validated” label showing on first page—using the formats indicated on the call page.

Under the required project experience, how do you define “within the last 6 years?” Do the experience examples have to be related to completed projects or can they include ongoing projects?

At the closing date of the call, the project examples must meet the requirements as indicated under the required project experience section. Any project activities that took place on or after November 1, 2018, will count towards the required project experience for this application. Future experience does not count towards the experience criteria.

Form content

The maximum number of pages indicated in the French application form is different than in English. Why?

There is a difference between the number of pages allowed in the English and French application forms because text volume varies depending on the language. It has been established that when French is used, there will be more words.

What is included in the page limit for the preliminary proposal and full application form?

Please refer to the applicant page counter at the top of the application form. This feature counts characters entered in all the tables and text boxes within the form and performs a calculation that provides a page count. The applicant page counter on the first page of the form is updated when you save or print the form and is the true indicator of the number of pages of content entered in the form.

Is there a preferred source of data to be used in this Call for proposals?

No. Applicants should use reliable, current and appropriate data for their proposals, and cite sources used.

Can we attach photos to our application?

In calls for Proposals, Global Affairs Canada will only consider information contained in the documents that are requested on the call page.

Can we submit our application under our own format?

To apply in response to this call, the form(s) posted on the call page must be used.

Will Global Affairs Canada keep the information in the initial proposal confidential?

Proposals (including supporting material) submitted to Global Affairs Canada are subject to the Government of Canada Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. You should be aware that all information in your proposal (including supporting material) is subject to release upon request under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act.

To the extent that you consider certain portions of your completed proposal to be confidential or to contain confidential information regarding a third party, you must clearly identify in writing the material considered confidential. However, you should be aware that information you have identified as being confidential may not be considered confidential under the requirements of the Access to Information Act and may still be subject to release upon request under that Act. Where funding is approved, the amount of funding, the purpose for which the funds were granted and the name of the organization receiving the funding are considered public information and will be published on the Proactive Disclosure section of our website.

By submitting an initial proposal (Concept note), you will be agreeing that Global Affairs Canada may disclose any information received in your proposal within Global Affairs Canada and the Government of Canada or to outside consultants hired by Global Affairs Canada for the following purposes:

to reach a decision on an application;
to administer and monitor the implementation of the initiative or programming; or
to evaluate the results of the initiative.

Rationale for the initiative

Our project does not include any innovative approach. Can we still apply and how should we respond to questions on innovation?

This is not a requirement under the IPSFC Call for Proposals. However, preference may be given to initial proposals that incorporate innovative approaches. If this is the case with your proposal, simply indicate that you are taking a proven approach, and explain that approach as part of your theory of change.

Gender equality

Do projects have to target an equal percentage of women and men as beneficiaries?

No. Your proposal may target women and men or any variation of those groups that makes sense for your project. Please consult the Gender Equality - Tools and resources page for guidance on integrating gender equality in your project.

Does Global Affairs Canada understand the concepts of gender equity and gender equality to be different?

Yes. The following text is an excerpt from Status of Women Canada’s Integrated Approach to Gender-Based Analysis, quoted in Global Affairs Canada’s Policy on Gender Equality page:

“Gender equity means being fair to women and men. To ensure fairness, measures are often needed to compensate for historical and social disadvantages that prevent women and men from otherwise operating as equals. Equity leads to equality.

“Gender equality means that women and men enjoy the same status and have equal opportunity to realize their full human rights and potential to contribute to national, political, economic, social and cultural development, and to benefit from the results.

“Originally it was believed that equality could be achieved simply by giving women and men the same opportunities. Same treatment, however, was found not necessarily to yield equal results. Today, the concept of equality acknowledges that women and men may sometimes require different treatment to achieve similar results, due to different life conditions or to compensate for past discrimination.

“Gender equality, therefore, is the equal valuing by society of both the similarities and the differences between women and men, and the varying roles they play.”

Results-based management

How many activities should be included in the Outputs and Activities Matrix?

We’re looking for top-level activities, not sub-activities. Two to five activities per output are appropriate.

Financial Information and budget

Is there a minimum or maximum amount of funding for which we can apply?

Global Affairs Canada does not specify any minimum of funding for this Call for proposals. The total amount of funding available under this Call can go up to $10 million over 3 years.

Keep in mind that Global Affairs Canada will do an initial fiduciary risk check using your organization’s financial statements.

If your organization’s financial statements show that you could have trouble managing the amount of funding requested, the application may not be further assessed.

The initial calculation used is:

Is the (annual total revenue) equal or less than (the funding requested divided by number of years of duration of the proposed project)? This ratio is indicative of both burden on the applicant and risk for the management of Canadian taxpayers’ funds.
The financial statements may also be examined to see if the organization holds sufficient funds to cash manage through the last 5% of the value of their proposed project. Global Affairs Canada contribution agreements generally specify that 5% (or more) of the total contribution amount is held back at the end of the project until all project activities are complete, including final reports.

Can the project receive 100% financing from Global Affairs Canada, or is there a minimum percentage that the applicant must contribute?

There is no cost sharing requirement for this Call for Proposals. On the application form, insert 0 (Zero).

Is “Remuneration” for employees intended to include all benefits?

No. Remuneration rates include the direct salaries paid by the Organization to its employees, as well as time off and paid benefits.

The definitions below are from the Contribution Agreement- General Terms and Conditions:

“Arm’s Length Relationship” means a relationship whereby in the implementation of the Project, the Organization has entered into a contract or agreement with a Subcontractor and where the Organization and the Subcontractor are independent of each other and are not controlled by the same person or group of persons.

Does Global Affairs Canada reimburse the costs incurred for the preparation and submission of an application?

No. The department does not fund the development or the submission of applications or full proposals.

Organization ability relevant to the initiative

Can examples of past project experience include current operational projects?

The purpose of this section is to demonstrate that your organization can manage projects of this size and achieve sustainable results. If a project has been operational long enough to describe lessons learned from it along with results achieved and risks managed, it may be used. Be sure to follow any specific instructions related to the experience examples shown.

Is there a limit on how old the past project experience examples can be?

Past project experience examples can go back to November 1, 2018. However, the relevance and currency of the examples presented are considered in the merit assessment of the proposal.

Is it possible for us to introduce partners in the full proposal stage if we have made no mention of specific partners in our application?

Yes. All partners will be assessed against their last two (2) audited annual financial statements. Make sure that these partners organizations are financially viable to bolster your chance of having your full proposal accepted.

Does Global Affairs Canada assess the organizational capacity of each Canadian partner individually, or does it assess how the capacities of the partners complement each other?

The assessment focuses on the applicant, but the partnering relationships described in the application are considered and determines the depth of the assessment of the applicant’s partners.

As for the relevant experience table, if there is more than one proposed signatory, any proposed signatory can provide the experience examples. In case of a single applicant organization, only the experience of that organization must be provided in the experience examples.