Digital Citizen Contribution Program
Canada
Funding to support a healthy information ecosystem
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|openingDateNovember 01, 2023
- grant_single|closingDateNovember 28, 2023
grant_single|financingType
Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- Information and cultural industries
- Professional, scientific and technical services
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Public administration
grant_single|grantors
- Government of Canada
- Canadian Heritage
grant_single|status
grant_card_status|closed
grant_single_labels|preview
Get financial assistance for non-commercial research projects that help build citizen resilience against online disinformation and threats. Funding is based on having clear objectives, measurable results and meeting evaluation criteria.
grant_single_labels|projects
There are projects and activities eligible for the Digital Citizen Contribution Program grant. Projects must meet priorities such as developing tools for digital media literacy, addressing online violence against specific communities, preventing cyberbullying, and building resilience to online misinformation.
- Develop tools to support digital media and civic literacy skills
- Tools to identify content created by bots and AI
- Tools to prevent online violence against specific communities
- Resources to address and prevent cyberbullying
- Build technical capacity among civil society organizations to address online harms
- Tools to counter misinformation from foreign governments targeting Canadians
- Research, testing, and evaluation of tools for the above priorities
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$120,000
Ottawa
Conduct research on the efficacy of cyberbullying prevention strategies in schools
$180,000
Halifax
Develop tools to prevent online violence against marginalized communities
$120,000
Vancouver
Create a toolkit to support community centers in identifying online misinformation
$200,000
Toronto
Develop an educational app to enhance digital media literacy in high schools
$200,000
Montreal
Develop AI tools to identify bot-created content targeting senior citizens
$150,000
Calgary
Build technical capacity for NGOs to counter online misinformation campaigns
grant_single_labels|admissibility
The eligibility criteria for this grant are as follows:
- A national, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous, community or professional organization, society or association which has voluntarily associated itself for a not-for-profit purpose, and which has the mandate to represent its membership or community
- A not-for-profit organization, including non-governmental or umbrella organizations, non-profit corporations, community groups, regulatory bodies or apprenticeship authorities, or associations serving the private sector
- A university or educational institution
- An individual researcher, acting in his or her personal capacity
- A research institution with an established record in relevant field(s), intending to undertake work in a Canadian context
- A for-profit Canadian and Canadian-owned institution with a record of developing and delivering programming, and performing research or related activities relevant to the goals of Canadian Heritage’s Digital Citizen Initiative, provided that the nature and the intent of the activity is non-commercial
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
Eligible types of organizations for this grant include national, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous, community or professional organizations, not-for-profit organizations, universities or educational institutions, individual researchers, research institutions with an established record, and for-profit Canadian institutions with a non-commercial nature and intent.
- National, provincial, territorial, municipal, Indigenous, community, or professional organizations
- Not-for-profit organizations
- Universities or educational institutions
- Individual researchers
- Research institutions with an established record
- For-profit Canadian institutions with a non-commercial nature and intent
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
Some types of companies are not eligible for this grant. Federal institutions that receive an annual appropriation from Parliament are not eligible for funding under the Program.
- Federal institutions that receive an annual appropriation from Parliament
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
Eligible expenses for this grant include project-related costs such as equipment, materials, research activities, personnel salaries, travel expenses, and other direct project expenses. Indirect costs may also be eligible, subject to approval.
- Equipment
- Materials
- Research activities
- Personnel salaries
- Travel expenses
- Other direct project expenses
- Indirect costs (subject to approval)
grant_single_labels|criteria
Evaluation and selection criteria for this grant include:
- Alignment with the call priorities and objectives of the Digital Citizen Contribution Program
- Demonstrated capacity and resources to complete the proposed project
- Feasibility and soundness of the project work plan and budget
- Potential impact and relevance of the project in addressing online disinformation and related harms in Canada
- Diversity and inclusivity considerations in project design and implementation
grant_single_labels|register
- Step 1: Contact the Digital Citizen Contribution Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage to request an application package, including the application guidelines and the general application form.
- Step 2: Read the application guidelines in their entirety before completing your application.
- Step 3: Submit your completed application by email to icn-dci@pch.gc.ca.
- Step 4: Ensure that you meet all the eligibility requirements and submit a complete application package to be considered for funding. This includes providing a signed and completed General Application Form, a balanced itemized budget for the project, a project workplan, sub-components of the Application Form, proof of legal status and signing authority, and recent financial statements.
Apply to this program
Digital Citizen Contribution Program Summary
The Digital Citizen Contribution Program supports initiatives that enhance democracy and social inclusion in Canada by countering online disinformation and other online harms. The current open call for proposals aims to fund projects that develop tools, resources, and research to address various online threats and promote digital literacy among diverse populations in Canada.
Detailed Explanation of the Digital Citizen Contribution Program
The Digital Citizen Contribution Program, administered by Canadian Heritage, provides financial assistance for research and citizen-focused activities that support the Digital Citizen Initiative's objectives. The program prioritizes projects that contribute to democracy and social inclusion in Canada by tackling online disinformation, cyberbullying, and other harmful online activities. The current call for proposals focuses on citizen-focused activities, research projects, or projects that combine elements of both, with funding of up to $380,000 per approved project.
Projects eligible for funding must align with the program's priorities, which include developing tools to enhance digital media and civic literacy skills, identifying and combatting content created by bots or artificial intelligence, preventing online violence against specific communities, addressing cyberbullying, building technical capacity in civil society organizations, and countering foreign disinformation targeting Canadians.
Applicants can request funding for projects spanning more than 12 months, demonstrating the need for a multi-year commitment and the capacity to complete the proposed initiatives. The application deadline for the 2023-2024 intake is November 28, 2023. Eligible organizations include not-for-profit entities, educational institutions, research institutions, and for-profit Canadian-owned institutions with a focus on non-commercial activities related to the program's goals.
Previous calls for proposals under the program have funded research projects, evaluation initiatives, and efforts to combat online disinformation and related harms. Special calls related to COVID-19, the Ukraine Crisis, and online safety awareness have addressed specific challenges in the digital space, amplifying support for critical initiatives.
Overall, the Digital Citizen Contribution Program plays a vital role in supporting Canadians to think critically about online information, promoting media literacy, countering harmful online activities, and fostering a healthy and diverse online information ecosystem.
