Social and Community Initiatives Support Program (SCISP) – Community Action and Volunteerism Component

• Maximum financial assistance of $75,000 per project per financial year.
• Funding covers up to 90% of total eligible project expenses.
• Cumulative government financial aid (Quebec, Canada, municipal) must not exceed 90% of eligible project costs.
• For projects approved, payments may be made in two or three installments, with the final payment contingent on approval of project reports.

• The applicant must be a legally constituted non-profit organization active within the community.
• The organization must maintain a democratic and associative structure and be free to determine its own mission, approaches, practices, and orientations.
• The organization must have been created at the initiative of community members and pursue a distinct social mission that fosters social transformation.
• The organization must be managed by a board of directors that is independent from the public sector.
• The proposed project must focus on research, evaluation, training, or knowledge dissemination related to community action and volunteerism.

Who is eligible?

• Legally constituted non-profit organizations (NPOs)
• Non-profit organizations active within the community
• Non-profit organizations with an autonomous community action mission
• Non-profit organizations directed by an independent board of directors (not from the public sector)
• Family economy cooperative associations (ACEF) assimilated to community action

Who is not eligible

• Organizations incorporated for less than 12 months.
• Entities with missions or activities that are political, religious, union-related, or professional in nature, as well as foundations mainly focused on fundraising and redistribution of funds.
• Organizations listed in the Register of Enterprises Ineligible for Public Contracts (RENA).
• Organizations that, within the past two years, have failed to meet their obligations following previous financial support from the Ministry after being formally notified.

Eligible expenses

• Necessary expenses directly related to the implementation of approved projects.
• Costs associated with the publication and dissemination of research and evaluation project results.
• Salaries for human resources directly involved in carrying out approved projects, provided they align with the organization's usual pay standards for similar roles.

Eligible geographic areas

• Quebec

• Relevance of the project to the Ministry’s field of responsibility, objectives, and priorities, as well as its complementarity with other projects funded by the Ministry.
• Realism of the project planning.
• Organization’s capacity to carry out the project, based on expertise, partners, and financial stability.
• Anticipated outcomes and impact of the project in relation to the specific objectives of the program.
• Innovative and structuring nature of the project, including potential for replication within the community.

• The program supports one-time projects only and does not fund an organization's core mission or regular activities.
• Subsidized projects must not be already completed before the grant decision is rendered.
• Organizations receiving funding are required to enter into a formal grant agreement with the Ministry.
• Decisions on grant approval are final and cannot be appealed through a formal review process.