General information about CIDA
1 - What is CIDA?
2 - Why does Canada help people in developing countries?
3 - What is CIDA’s governance and management structure?
4 - When, how and why was CIDA created?
5 - What is the cost of Canada’s aid program?
6 - How can I find information on a particular country and CIDA projects that are making a difference in that country?
Information for Canadians
7 - How can I work for CIDA?
8 - How can I find a volunteer opportunity abroad?
9 - What kind of scholarships does CIDA offer to Canadian students wishing to pursue graduate studies abroad?
10 - Does CIDA offer internships for graduates and/or undergraduates?
11 - I have an idea for an international development project. How do I proceed?
Information for Canadian organizations
12 - How can a registered Canadian non-governmental organization receive funding from CIDA?
13 - How can my Canadian business work in partnership with CIDA?
14 - How can my business find current contracting opportunities at CIDA?
Information on CIDA resources and publications
15 - How can I obtain a CIDA publication (including CIDA’s Contracts and Agreements, previously known as Service Contracts and Lines of Credit)?
16 - Where can I find information, programs and activities specifically for youth?
17 - Where can I get a copy of CIDA’s A Developing World map (otherwise known as the world map)?
Information for non-Canadians
18 - I am a resident of a developing country. How can I apply for a scholarship to attend a Canadian college or university?
19 - How can an organization in a developing country receive funding from CIDA?
General information about CIDA
1 - What is CIDA?
The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is the federal agency charged with planning and implementing most of Canada's development cooperation program in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable and prosperous world.
CIDA administers approximately 80 percent of the aid budget. The other 20 percent is administered by the Department of Finance, the Foreign Affairs Canada and the International Development Research Centre. CIDA supports projects in more than 150 countries, which represent four fifths of the world's population. CIDA works in partnership with developing countries, Canadian organizations, institutions and businesses, as well as international organizations and agencies.
CIDA and other development agencies around the world are working in ever-greater coordination to achieve together what none of them could individually. At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, world leaders agreed on a set of goals to guide and coordinate international development efforts. The Millennium Development Goals set out an ambitious agenda to:
1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2) achieve universal primary education
3) promote gender equality and empower women
4) reduce child mortality
5) improve maternal health
6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7) ensure environmental sustainability
8) develop a global partnership for development
These goals are linked to measurable targets, such as cutting in half the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day, halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water, and reducing by two thirds the mortality rate of children under 5—all by 2015.
2 - Why does Canada help people in developing countries?
Peace, human security and sustainable development go hand in hand. Canada, through CIDA, believes that helping to spread peace in the world will remove the many sources of human insecurity that are the roots of fear, and the barriers to sustainable development. By helping people overcome hunger, illiteracy, resource scarcity, illness and human rights abuses, CIDA is providing families and communities with the means to lift themselves out of poverty and build a better life.
3 - What is CIDA’s governance and management structure?
CIDA reports to Parliament through the Minister for International Cooperation. The President of CIDA provides the Minister with advice on policy, program and management issues. Administratively, CIDA is organized into eleven branches.
4 - When, how and why was CIDA created?
In the early years, most Canadian aid took the form of contributions to the United Nations and its agencies. This was done via the Department of External Affairs, now known as the Foreign Affairs Canada. In 1959, the Department of Trade and Commerce set up an Economic and Technical Assistance Bureau to look after developing countries’ growing needs for international assistance.
In 1960, through an Order in Council, under the Public Service Rearrangement and Transfer Duties Act, the bureau's functions were transferred to the Department of External Affairs to form a consolidated External Aid Office. Its creation was integral to Canada’s role in international development, since foreign aid was continuously growing.
Finally, in 1968, the Canadian International Development Agency was created by Order-in-Council, replacing the External Aid Office.
5 - What is the cost of Canada’s aid program?
The aid program costs between one and two cents of every program dollar the federal government spends. More importantly, if there were no aid program, the cost would be much greater. By supporting long-term development, we help to avoid international crises. To find out precisely how the money is distributed, please consult CIDA’s Statistical Report on Official Development Assistance.
6 - How can I find information on a particular country and CIDA projects that are making a difference in that country?
The Projects page links to different sections of CIDA's website containing lists of projects by country or by program.
Information for Canadians
7 - How can I work for CIDA?
A career at CIDA can begin in many ways. For instance, you can apply through a competition or a program administered by the Public Service Commission. Or you can offer your services as a consultant. CIDA delegates the implementation of its projects to organizations, such as private sector firms, the UN, universities/colleges, Canadian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and provincial/federal government departments. If you are interested in working abroad, contact one of CIDA’s partners. Ask about current opportunities to work as an advisor. If you are interested in working in a developing country, you could register as a potential cooperant. Finally, consult CIDA’s Looking for Employment subsite for more information and opportunities posted by our partners.
8 - How can I find a volunteer opportunity abroad?
If you have relevant experience and knowledge of international development and foreign affairs, contact CIDA’s partners that operate volunteer sending programs. To identify other organizations, contact the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), or one of its associated provincial councils. Finally, if you are interested in volunteering with the United Nations, contact the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), the Canadian cooperating agency for the United Nations Volunteers Program.
9 - What kind of scholarships does CIDA offer to Canadian students wishing to pursue graduate studies abroad?
Unfortunately, the CIDA Awards Program for Canadians ended on March 31, 2004. Re-visit this page for updates.
10 - Does CIDA offer internships for graduates and/or undergraduates?
Graduates:
Through the International Youth Internship Program, CIDA has sent thousands of recent graduates to eligible developing countries to gain first-hand work experience in their field of study. CIDA's internship program is part of the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy. The program is available to young Canadians who:
- have graduated from college or university in the past two years;
- are between the ages of 19 and 30;
- are Canadian citizens or permanent residents eligible to work in Canada;
- are unemployed or underemployed, working in a job not directly linked to their academic training;
- have never participated in a program of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy;
- have never had a previously paid career-related work experience overseas;
- are looking for a job that contributes to their personal and professional development; and,
- are interested in international cooperation.
Graduates with a Master’s degree are also eligible for the Junior Professional Officer Program which offers opportunities for young Canadians to work at the United Nations and its agencies.
Undergraduates:
Undergraduates are not eligible for CIDA's youth internships. However, opportunities at CIDA for undergraduates may include a post-secondary co-operative (co-op) placement or a placement found via the Public Service Commission’s Federal Student Work Experience Program. CIDA is an active participant in both programs. Students participating in the co-operative program must contact their university’s co-op office directly for information on placements with CIDA.
11 - I have an idea for an international development project. How do I proceed?
CIDA does not provide funding to individuals for development projects. To receive funding, the entity must have a legal status. For example, this implies registration as a charity or a company. Another option for individuals is to submit a proposal to one of the many existing non-governmental organizations or charities that work internationally.
Information for Canadian organizations
12 - How can a registered Canadian non-governmental organization receive funding from CIDA?
A number of programs within CIDA are open to submissions from non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Your Guide to Working with CIDA provides details about the various possibilities. These include programs within the Canadian Partnership Branch (for the Volunteer Sector Division Projects and Innovation Fund), Multilateral Programs Branch (for humanitarian assistance), Communications Branch (for the Development Information Program), and the four geographic programs (Africa and Middle East, Asia, Americas, and Central and Eastern Europe).
Depending on the program, NGOs may submit proposals to these programs at any time. But before developing a proposal, NGOs are strongly advised to find out from the appropriate CIDA program if their proposal meets selection criteria. NGOs are also welcome to submit proposals in response to CIDA’s competitive process via MERX, the electronic tendering system.
13 - How can my Canadian business work in partnership with CIDA?
As a starting point, consult Your Guide to Working with CIDA. You should also consult the Want to do business? section. It provides links to contracting information and opportunities.
14 - How can my business find current contracting opportunities at CIDA?
CIDA pre-announces competitive opportunities on its pipeline. As a rule, pipeline projects are posted for at least 30 days before the Request for Proposal (RFP) is formally posted on the electronic tendering system.
All of CIDA's competitive opportunities are advertised on the MERX electronic tendering system.
The Want to do business? section of CIDA's website provides links to the pipeline and MERX. The section also provides other information useful to those contemplating a business relationship with CIDA.
Information on CIDA resources and publications
15 - How can I obtain a CIDA publication (including CIDA's Contracts and Agreements, previously known as Service Contracts and Lines of Credit)?
CIDA’s corporate publications are available online (including CIDA’s Contracts and Agreements). You can also find an array of publications and information by using the CIDA search engine. If you cannot find a specific publication or information, contact CIDA’s Public Inquiries Service by e-mail or via telephone: 1-800-230-6349 or (819) 997-5006.
16 - Where can I find information, programs and activities specifically for youth?
The Youth zone provides young people with inspiring ideas and opportunities to make a world of change in developing countries by contributing their own unique skills. The Youth zone features hot-topic articles, a calendar of events, journals from CIDA interns and many more features.
CIDA also has many online publications useful for school projects. Students can find country profiles and CIDA’s Global Citizenship in Action online magazine.
CIDA has also launched new programs that focus on informing youth about critical international development issues. For instance, the Global Classroom Initiative funds the Canadian formal education sector and NGO community interested in developing educational resources about international development. This program is a CIDA resource for eligible organizations wishing to encourage Canadian youth to actively explore international cooperation issues.
Another CIDA initiative that focusses on educating youth about international development is butterfly 208, an art and writing contest for Canadian youth aged 14 to 18. This contest is designed to interest youth in international development and global issues.
17 - Where can I get a copy of CIDA’s A Developing World map (otherwise known as the world map)?
Schools across Canada now have access an amazing and free educational resource. Canadian Geographic, in partnership with CIDA, has designed A Developing World, a map that illustrates through facts and figures the realities and challenges of the developing world. This map offers a unique perspective of the world and of Canada's role in international development. On the other side, a second map, Canada and the World, presents an overview of Canada’s accomplishments in science and culture worldwide.
To request a copy, please visit Canadian Geographic's website.
Information for non-Canadians
18 - I am a resident of a developing country. How can I apply for a scholarship to attend a Canadian college or university?
Several scholarships are available to students wishing to complete their studies in Canada.
- Citizens or permanent residents of an Organization of American States (OAS) member state who hold a university degree may apply to one of the OAS Fellowship Programs.
- Mid-career professionals in developing countries who are working in the field of marine studies can apply to the Marine Scholarship Program.
If you have not found a program for which you are eligible, contact the Canadian college or university to which you have been accepted. Ask if it offers scholarship programs for foreign students.
19 - How can an organization in a developing country receive funding from CIDA?
If an organization is based in a country that is eligible for Canadian official development assistance and is interested in implementing a project that will aid the country’s development, the organization will need to contact the development section of the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate in its home country. The Canadian Government supports small, locally generated development projects through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives. Projects are short-term and focus on strengthening the relationship with local communities in the poorest areas, with NGOs and government institutions, to create alliances to ensure project sustainability. The fund supports short-term emergency assistance, food security, income-generating activities, and safe water supply and sanitation projects.
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