Closed
Source verified May 28, 2026
Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy
Supports First Nations skills and employment development
Funding available
$ 70,000,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Canada
Overview
This program provides up to $70 million per year per initial recipient to support First Nations labour market development. It funds training, employment services, wraparound supports, capacity building, and related activities that improve skills and employment outcomes.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop a new program or service
- Increase social or community impact
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 70,000,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Youth (<40)
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Employment and career development services for First Nations clients
- Training and skills development for employment and long-term careers
- Wraparound supports to remove barriers to employment
- Capacity-building for First Nations service delivery organizations
- Labour market research, partnerships, and employer linkages
Documents Needed
- Contribution agreement materials requested by the Department
- Financial reporting information
- Performance reporting information
- Final accounting of eligible expenditures
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- First Nations-controlled not-for-profit organizations
- First Nations governments and mandated organizations
- First Nations-controlled for-profit organizations for sub-agreements
- Provincial and territorial governments, institutions, agencies, and Crown corporations for sub-agreements
Eligible expenses
- Staff wages, mandatory employment-related costs, and benefits
- Training, professional development, and professional fees
- Participant supports such as tuition, living expenses, child care, and transportation
- Tools, equipment, computers, materials, and supplies
- Travel, communications, promotional costs, and overhead
Selection criteria
- Alignment with program objectives and First Nations labour market outcomes
- Capacity-readiness assessment for new recipients
- Impact of requested changes on the existing service delivery structure
How to apply
- Step 1: Determine recipient type
- Confirm whether the organization is applying as an initial recipient or an ultimate recipient.
- Review the recipient categories identified for the program.
- Step 2: Prepare the agreement package
- For new recipients, complete the joint capacity-readiness assessment process.
- Provide the information needed for the impact evaluation and negotiation process.
- Step 3: Submit through departmental negotiations
- Work with Employment and Social Development Canada to finalize the contribution agreement.
- Proceed according to the requirements established by the Department.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are reviewed through negotiations or an assessment process with the Department.
- New recipients undergo an impact evaluation and a joint capacity-readiness assessment.
- Funding decisions for initial recipients are made by the Minister.
- Reporting requirements are set in the contribution agreement and include progress, financial, and final reports.
Additional information
- Funding arrangements may be flexible for self-governing Modern Treaty entities.
- Projects and funding priorities can be adjusted for innovative approaches, subject to approval.
- Recipient intellectual property remains the property of the recipient.
- Official-language access must be provided where there is significant demand.
Contacts
Other components of this program
Explore related funding streams and grants that belong to the same program.
- Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — Inuit Labour Market StrategyFunding for Inuit skills and employment development
- Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — Urban and non-affiliated labour market streamSupports Indigenous employment and skills development initiatives
- Métis nation labour market funding stream — Indigenous Skills and Employment Training ProgramSupports Métis employment and skills development
Frequently Asked Questions about the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy Program
What is the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy?
This program provides up to $70 million per year per initial recipient to support First Nations labour market development. It funds training, employment services, wraparound supports, capacity building, and related activities that improve skills and employment outcomes.
How much funding can be received?
Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy Funds up to $70,000,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy program?
To be eligible for the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy program, you must:
First Nations-controlled organization or government
Labour market or training focus
Non-commercial for-profit activities only
What expenses are eligible under Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy?
Employment and career development services for First Nations clients
Training and skills development for employment and long-term careers
Wraparound supports to remove barriers to employment
Capacity-building for First Nations service delivery organizations
Labour market research, partnerships, and employer linkages
Who can I contact for more information about the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy?
You can contact Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) by email at none or by phone at none.
Where is the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy available?
The Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy program is available across Canada.
Is the Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Program — First Nations Labour Market Strategy is a Other Support