Canada Service Corps Program - Micro-grants Diversity stream

• Maximum funding of $3,000,000 per recipient per year from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
• Maximum micro-grant of up to $5,000 per project participant for youth-led projects.
• Eligible overhead costs are normally up to 10% of the total grant amount.
• Financial payments may be made to participants for eligible expenditures under youth-led projects.

• The applicant must be a not-for-profit organization, for-profit organization (with non-commercial, non-profit activities), research organization or institute, Indigenous organization, or a municipal, provincial, or territorial entity, including public health and educational institutions.
• The organization's leadership and/or governance must be at least 50% representative of Indigenous and under-served populations it serves.
• The organization must have recent experience (at least two years within the past five years) working with youth (aged 15-30) or Indigenous and under-served populations.
• The organization must have experience in managing application intakes and disbursing funds to participants or clients.
• The project must take place in Canada and target 50% participation of Indigenous and under-served youth.

Who is eligible?

• Not-for-profit organizations
• For-profit organizations (for non-commercial, non-profit activities that support program priorities)
• Research organizations and institutes
• Indigenous organizations, including band councils, tribal councils, and self-government entities
• Municipal, provincial, and territorial entities, including institutions, agencies, Crown corporations, and public health and educational institutions (universities, colleges, CÉGEPs, school boards/districts)

Who is not eligible

• Organizations that do not meet the mandatory requirement of having at least 50% of their leadership and 50% of their governance comprised of Indigenous and under-served populations as defined by the program.
• Organizations that do not wish to answer or for whom the diversity-related eligibility questions do not apply.

Eligible expenses

• Overhead costs (up to 10%), including shared administrative expenses such as postage, telephones, IT maintenance, and head office support.
• Materials and supplies required for the project.
• Wages and mandatory employment-related costs for project staff.
• Training and professional development costs for project staff.
• Honoraria (excluding participants).
• Printing and communication costs.
• Professional fees such as consultants, technical expertise, or facilitators.
• Domestic travel costs, within approved government rates.
• Participant costs and supports (e.g., living expenses, equipment or services for virtual opportunities, mentorship, dependent care, transportation, accommodation, specialized services, or disability-related equipment/arrangements).
• Recognition or completion certificates for participants.
• Financial payments to participants for eligible project-related expenditures under youth-led projects.
• Reimbursements to third-party organizations for the above-listed eligible expenditures incurred.

Eligible geographic areas

• Organizations and businesses operating in Canada.
• Organizations located and operating in Quebec (with respect to the specific conditions of the Act respecting the Executive Council (M-30)).

• Demonstration that project proposals provide youth with the knowledge and tools to engage in service.
• Quality of the approach to promote and deliver micro-grants to youth.
• Effectiveness of the strategy to reach, enrol, and support Indigenous and under-served youth, aiming to meet the 50% target per project.
• Capacity to support youth in developing and delivering youth-led projects.
• Strength of the plan to collect data, report on results, and manage the distribution of funds to youth for project costs.

• Project proposals must clearly outline plans for collecting data and reporting on results as part of their implementation.
• If the applicant organization is based in Quebec, it should ensure compliance with the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30) prior to signing any agreement with the federal government.
• Decisions regarding funding are final; there is no appeal process for unsuccessful applications.
• Organizations are required to provide a safe, inclusive environment for all CSC participants, free from racism, harassment, and discrimination.