Home : Reports and Publications : Audit & Evaluation : Program Evaluation Study: EDP and UEDI
Overview of the EDP and UEDI
Profile of organizations involved in program delivery
WD has contracted with organizations in each of the four western provinces to deliver the programs. Delivery of UEDI is contracted to 7 local non-government organizations operating in the major centres while EDP is delivered through the 90 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) located throughout rural western Canada. Since 2001/02, operating funding for the EDP has been administered in each province by the respective provincial association of CFDCs.
| Province | EDP |
UEDI |
|---|---|---|
British Columbia |
34 CFDCs |
Coast Capital Savings |
Alberta |
27 CFDCs |
Distinctive Employment Counseling |
Saskatchewan |
13 CFDCs |
North Saskatchewan Independent Living Resource Centre (NSILRC) |
Manitoba |
16 CFDCs |
Independent Living Resource Centre |
A description of the organizations involved in program delivery is provided below:
1. Community Futures Development Corporations
Introduced in 1986 as part of the Government of Canada’s Canadian Jobs Strategy (CJS), the Community Futures Program was designed to let communities be the innovators, leaders and directors in solving their long-term employment problems. In 1995, responsibility for the program in Western Canada was transferred from Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) to WD.
Community Futures is delivered through a series of Community Futures Development Corporations (CDFCs), which are independent, locally autonomous corporations that each operate under the direction of a volunteer board. The primary objective of a CFDC is to enhance the overall well-being of the community by increasing economic activity and, often more importantly, by empowering community members to take an active role in the development of their community and thus building community capacity to deal with economic change and labour force adjustments. Over time, the area represented by CFDCs in Western Canada has expanded to include most of the territory in each province outside of the major metropolitan centres. From a base of 4 in 1986-87, the number of CFDCs in Western Canada has expanded to 90 including 34 in British Columbia, 27 in Alberta, 13 in Saskatchewan and 16 in Manitoba.
Most services provided by CFDCs can be divided into one of two categories:
- Business services through which CFDCs directly assist entrepreneurs in starting, expanding or modernizing their businesses.
- Community Economic Development (CED) activities through which CFDCs work with communities to assess local problems, establish objectives, and plan and implement strategies to develop human, institutional and physical infrastructure, entrepreneurism, employment, and the economy.
As illustrated below, business services commonly delivered by CFDCs include the provision of loans including EDP loans, delivery of the self-employment program, and delivery of other types of services including training, counselling and other technical support services. Generally speaking, these other services are most commonly provided before a client receives a loan and/or starts-up a business. Most of these services focus on enabling clients to prepare or finalize business plans in advance of an anticipated application for loan funding.
| General Loan Fund | ||
| Loan Programs | EDP | |
| Other Loan Funds | ||
| Business Services | Self-employment Program | |
Other Services |
Training | |
| Business Counselling | ||
| Information | ||
| Referrals |
EDP loans have accounted for about 5% of the value of loans advanced by CFDCs. CFDCs tend to use the same process to manage their EDP loan portfolio as they use for their General Loan Fund. The loan applications are adjudicated by a loans committee, which consists of volunteers from the local business community. The CFDC staff and loans committee first consider whether the loan application is “bankable” and commonly refer applicants to commercial lending sources. The criteria applied by the CFDCs in reviewing loan applications may include issues such as:
- Market potential and future economic viability of the business;
- Location of the business;
- Management competence;
- Local job creation;
- Experience related to the venture;
- Reasonable personal financial investment;
- Ability to repay;
- Adequate security for the venture; and
- Creation of a business plan.
According to our interviews, the criteria for EDP clients are generally similar to those applied for general loan clients with several exceptions. For example, certain criteria have tended to be applied less stringently (e.g. with respect to the amount of security required or the emphasis placed on credit history) and other factors related to disabilities may be considered (such as considering the potential loss of government benefits or medical coverage and the implications of the disability on the personal and business risk involved).
In recent years, CFDCs have not received any direct operating funding related to the delivery of EDP but rather are expected to fund the services provided to entrepreneurs with disabilities through their core operating funding, with support from the projects and initiatives implemented by the provincial associations.
2. Provincial Associations for Community Futures
Associations have been established in each of the four western provinces to represent the CFDCs. The Community Futures Development Association of BC, Community Futures Network Society of Alberta, Community Futures Partners of Saskatchewan, and Community Futures Partners of Manitoba work on behalf of their membership to:
- Promote the Community Futures program to the public and government agencies;
- Locate resources to enable their members to achieve their goals more effectively;
- Develop provincial and inter-provincial networks; and
- Foster communication with the volunteer boards that guide the Community Futures program at the community level.
Since September 2000, the four associations have taken a direct role in the implementation of EDP. They are not involved in delivering services directly to EDP clients but rather work to support the CFDCs that deliver the services. More specifically, each provincial association administers a pool of annual funding provided by WD in accordance with the following principles:
- Funding is to be used to support entrepreneurs with disabilities throughout non-metropolitan areas of the province.
- Funding is to be used to support dedicated human resources with skills specific to helping people with disabilities.
- Funding will flow through the CF Associations in each province rather than directly to the resources contracted to deliver the services.
- Activities supported should be consistent and coordinated with the urban EDP initiatives in each province.
Each provincial association consults with WD, CFDC offices, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and various groups who represent persons with disabilities in determining how best to allocate the funding for each province. The actual process through which decisions are made has developed over time and varies somewhat across the provinces. A brief overview of the activities in each province is provided below while Appendix VI provides descriptions of a sample of projects to illustrate the various types of projects that have been funded.
Community Futures Development Association of BC
Over time, the CFDA has worked with CFDCs in BC to:
- Increase awareness and address the barriers of entrepreneurs with disabilities
- Provide assistance and access to business development advice, training, and financial loans for entrepreneurs with disabilities
- Deliver research and marketing initiatives
- Gain community involvement
- Facilitate creative partnerships
- Access adaptive/assistive equipment
- Initiate regional projects
In fiscal year 2003/04, WD allocated $150,000 in funding to the CF Network in BC of which $141,994 was used for five regional projects and $8,006 was used for CFDA administrative purposes. All organizations that received funding were under third party contracts which necessitated reporting back to the CFDA on funds used one month after fiscal year end.
The EDP funds were made available by the CFDA to the 34 CFDCs across BC for projects to be completed before fiscal year end that specifically targeted entrepreneurs with disabilities. An EDP Committee comprised of 6 CFDC Regional Managers and a WD representative first approved all projects that received funding. It was the CFDAs responsibility to facilitate the sending out of project proposal templates, receive all project proposals, distribute project proposals to the EDP Committee, arrange and chair conference calls to judge the proposals, sign third party contracts between CFDA and the approved project proponents for services to be rendered, receive completed project reports and compile the reports into a final EDP report.
Funding has been provided for a wide range of CFDC-led regional projects and provincial-wide projects such as conferences. Examples of regional projects include:
- The Internet Business Development for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program. The IBDE program has now operated for several years. In 2003/04, the program worked with 6 CF areas and enrolled 43 students from Vernon (7); Sunshine Coast (12); Salmon Arm (3); Williams Lake (9); Penticton (10); and Grand Forks (2).
- Bridging the Gap is a research project undertaken by CF of the South Fraser that explores the feasibility of establishing a matching/placement service to match contractors with disabilities and the local business community.
- The objective of the Accessible Business Learning Experience (ABLE) pilot program is to assist 8 participants on the Lower Sunshine Coast area with self employment skills that would enable them to develop a business concept, develop a clear personal management plan and evaluate the feasibility of implementation toward a successful self employment business venture.
Other examples of projects funded by CFDCABC including workshops, conferences, and forums, public awareness programs, a recycling exchange, and a regional strategy for the Okanagan Valley.
Community Futures Network Society of Alberta
The CFNSA uses the provincial funding to deliver the Alberta Entrepreneur with Disabilities Enhanced Support Services Initiative (AEDESS). AEDESS funding has supported a wide variety of different types of initiatives including:
- Training: Training dollars are available to CFDC staff, board members and support providers working with persons with disabilities, including EDP clients in partnership with CFDCs.
- Partnerships: Funding is available to assist partners to develop innovative approaches designed to provide services to benefit the person with disabilities, including the EDP clients.
- Special Projects: Funding is available to CFDCs to provide innovative approaches to AEDESS and partnerships.
- Materials and Resources: Funding is available to CFDCs for the development of materials and resources which will assist CFDCs with the delivery of support at the local level to EDP clients.
- Self Management: Funding is available to enable rural EDP clients to access self management supports such as specific management training, business coach support and consulting team support.
- Development of a E-Business Toolkit, which is a comprehensive toolkit that provides key information to EDP clients wishing to develop an e-business or become involved in virtual employment.
- An E-Learning Project, which has provided access to internet based learning modules related to self employment, small business and entrepreneurship for EDP clients.
- Marketing and Advertising: Funding is available to CFDCs to market the EDP program, EDP loans, workshops and success stories.
The AEDESS Initiative program coordinator along with the CFNSA Executive Director established the following 6 objectives:
- Launch the AEDESS E-learning site to Alberta CFDCs, entrepreneurs with disabilities, and service providers.
- Fund a minimum of 12 Self Management Projects.
- Fund a minimum of 10 Special Projects.
- Continue partnership with Employabilities.
- Host a professional development session and provide educational and motivational forum to CFNSA Staff.
- Work with CFNSA Board Members to re-evaluate the AEDESS Initiative and strategically plan for the future.
Community Futures Partners of Saskatchewan
The CFPS provides funding to CFDCs in Saskatchewan to provide assistance to Entrepreneurs with Disabilities. An Ad hoc EDP Committee was formed to determine the elements needed to meet the principles of the program. In a planning session held in November 2002, the EDP Committee identified a number of different types of initiatives that would assist in meeting the goals of the program including:
- Marketing to increase awareness regarding EDP programs and services.
- Secondment opportunities. Support has been available through which a staff member from a CFDC could travel to one of the two urban disability service agencies, North and South Saskatchewan Independent Living Centres (NSILC and SSILC), to participate in a shared learning opportunity regarding programs and services.
- I am an Entrepreneur. The “I am an Entrepreneur” book, CD and webpage were developed to facilitate efficient access to information and resources pertaining to entrepreneurs with disabilities.
- Educational opportunities: Opportunities have been created for CFDC staff, board members and partners to attend educational workshops to help them better support clients with disabilities. Examples of topics include EDP sensitivity training, mentoring skills, counseling (credit and business), and interviewing.
- Lobbying to support entrepreneurs with disabilities under the Opportunities Fund. Representatives from the EDP Committee have met with individuals from HRDC in Saskatoon to lobby for the job coaching initiative under the Opportunities Fund.
A committee, consisting of Board members from various CFDCs, gets together annually to review funding applications and allocate the provincial funding.
Community Futures Partners of Manitoba
The CFPM in Manitoba provides EDP funding for pilot projects and funding for EDP support to help CFDCs provide extra support services for persons with disabilities. An EDP Advisory Committee was established in 2000 to help design a model for the delivery of EDP through CFPM. This model encompasses many components, which continue to evolve as the program is implemented. Currently, there are 10 components including:
- Regional Marketing
- Business Coaching
- Pilot Research Projects
- Support Funding
- Central Information Resource
- Assistive Technology
- Rural EDP Advisory Committee
- Partnership Building
- Pan Western Activities
- Administration
Pilot research projects are designed to allow CFDCs in Manitoba to create projects that can improve services to persons with disabilities. CFPM has funds that can be accessed by individual CFDCs, but preference is given to projects involving a group of CFDCs together with other service providers/partners.
CFPM has provided funding up to $4,000 per new EDP client to assist CFDCs to provide additional supports. Funds are also available up to $1,000 per existing EDP client to assist CFDCs to provide new services/support. These funds can be used for many things dependent on the client’s needs. Examples include:
- Mileage costs
- Administration/Employee Time
- Training Costs
- BusinessCoach/Mentoring
- Accessibility Accommodations
To access funding, CFDCs must provide a complete service delivery plan for the client. This plan defines the supports that the CFDC plans to provide the client and details how the plan will be implemented, including a timeline.
CFPM has also funded a 1-800 EDP Resource phone line that is answered by the Canada Manitoba Business Centre. This allows service providers and consumers to have a central phone line that they can contact to get information about the EDP program.
3. Coast Capital Savings
Coast Capital Savings is Canada's second largest credit union, with $6.7 billion in assets, 300,000 members and 44 branches across the Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. The credit union places a high responsibility on incorporating responsible financial, social, and environmental practices into their overall business strategy. In 2004, they provided $2.9 million in funding to support their local communities.
Under the ABLED program (which is supported by UEDI), entrepreneurs with disabilities are eligible to receive loans of up to $75,000. To be eligible, the applicant must:
- Be a member/client of Coast Capital Savings;
- Have a self-declared disability and proof thereof;
- Have a financially viable business plan;
- Demonstrate proof of community/network support (2 letters of reference, documentation outlining support);
- Show strong evidence and documentation of disability management strategy; and
- Demonstrate proof of their own contribution to the business (financial or in-kind).
Over time, Coast Capital Savings has expanded its delivery area for the program from Vancouver Island to Richmond and now to the entire Lower Mainland area that it serves. ABLED clients receive pre-care and aftercare support. Pre-care support includes pathfinding services to assist clients to assess their entrepreneurial readiness and make appropriate choices regarding their next steps towards self-employment. ABLED clients who are experiencing challenges with their business start-up are offered complimentary diagnostic assessment and cost-shared consulting services to remedy identified issues. Participation in after-care support is voluntary but encouraged. To facilitate delivery of the program, Coast Capital Savings has established partnerships with:
- The Enterprise Facilitation Centre at the New Westminster Community Development Society to provide pre and after-care service for ABLED clients in the Lower Mainland; and
- SUCCESS to increase demand with the new immigrant entrepreneur population.
They have also contracted with a private consultant to provide after-care service for ABLED clients on Vancouver Island.
4. VanCity Credit Union in BC
VanCity is Canada's largest credit union, with $9.0 billion in assets, 302,000 members, and 41 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. VanCity owns Citizens Bank of Canada, serving members across the country by telephone, ATM, and the Internet. Both VanCity and Citizens Bank are guided by a commitment to corporate social responsibility and to improve the quality of life in the communities where they live and work.
Under the ABLED program, entrepreneurs with disabilities in the Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley are eligible to receive a line of credit of up to $15,000, a start-up loan of up to $35,000, or a loan of up to $75,000 for an existing business (at least six months experience operating the business). The interest rate is prime plus 4%. The criteria for loans address two main issues for entrepreneurs with disabilities - investment into the business and credit history. A viable business plan is required.
During the application process, VanCity will assist the entrepreneur in pathfinding to appropriate business planning resources, identifying training needs and training resources, locating other business resources, and provision of adaptive technology resources to facilitate the application process for VanCity staff members. Once approved for a loan, clients can receive ongoing training resources tailored to the realities of entrepreneurs with disabilities as well as limited business counselling for the duration of the loan.
5. Distinctive Employment Counseling Services
The Distinctive Employment Counseling Services of Alberta (DECSA) is a community-based, non-profit organization that offers customized support programs to individuals who are facing barriers to employment. It assists these individuals in developing the personal and professional skills that will enable them to find and integrate into jobs.
The organization obtains most of its funding through contracts with the Government of Alberta, for which it delivers a variety of programs including : 1) Work Links, an integrated occupational skills training program; 2) Online with Employment, which supports skill development in the areas of life management, employment preparation, and job training leading to employment; and 3) Opportunity Program, for women with barriers resulting from domestic violence.
UEDI funding supports the delivery of the Ventures Program in the Edmonton area. Ventures provides entrepreneurial training and business support to people with disabilities who want to pursue self-employment. Some of the key roles that DESCA plays in the delivery of the Ventures Program include:
- Recruits and screens participants;
- Performs a functional assessment of participants related to their disability;
- Assesses participants in relation to the need for disability supports;
- Assesses all applicants for suitability for entrepreneurship;
- Coordinates access to disability related supports;
- Provides entrepreneurship training leading to the development of a business plan through one-on-one counseling, small group sessions, or referrals to other programs; and
- Recruits and develops mentorship opportunities.
To deliver the loan component of Ventures, DESCA partners with the Edmonton Community Loan Fund (ECLF). ECLF is a non-profit organization specifically mandated to provide loans to low-income people wishing to start their own business.
6. Mennonite Central Committee Employment Development Society
Since 2002, the UEDI has been delivered in Calgary by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Economic Development Society. Prior to that, it was delivered by the Alberta Centre on Entrepreneurship and Disabilities (ACED). The MCC Employment Development Society has been operating since 1991 but was only incorporated in 2001 as a society legally independent from, but in partnership with, MCC Alberta. The Society’s work with low-income people is based on a Community Economic Development strategy, which strengthens community resources for community benefit. Their programs are designed to build people's assets, their incomes, and their connections in the community, self-confidence, information and employability. Services are delivered in four program areas including:
- Trades Training for immigrants and aboriginal people
- Business Development
- Financial Literacy
- Access to Information Technology
MSS has been delivering a micro-loan program (maximum loan of $7,500) since 1995.
The UEDI funding is used to deliver the FundAbility program, which offers orientation, disability consultation, business training and coaching, loan review, loan facilitation, entrepreneurial support services, and access to a loan fund. The program is structured to enable entrepreneurs with disabilities to undertake and complete their self-employment plans according to their abilities and their own timelines. Support is provided in the form of one-on-one coaching support. Clients participate in a peer support group of fledgling entrepreneurs who meet for two hours a week for four weeks. If additional support is needed, clients may participate in a 12-week ABCs of Business course. Upon completion of the business plan, clients may prepare a loan application which is presented by staff to the loan committee (consisting of three volunteers and 3 staff members). After the loan is approved, clients are expected to contact the loans officer once per month although this does not always happen.
FundAbility participants also have access to the Society’s monthly business bulletin, networking events, and workshops to address after-care support. In addition to WD funding, the program has received funding from the Opportunity Fund of HRDC.
7. North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Independent Living Resource Centres
The North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Independent Living Resource Centres are committed to the Independent Living approach, which recognizes the rights of citizens with disabilities to take control of their lives by examining choices, making decisions, and taking risks. When existing options do not provide an acceptable alternative, individuals are encouraged and assisted to seek their own solution.
The North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Independent Living Resource Centres deliver the UEDI in Saskatoon and Regina respectively. They share a small loan pool and provide clients with:
- Help to develop customized business plans;
- Mentoring and counseling services;
- Training in business development;
- One-on-one assistance;
- Help to identify needs for specialized equipment and the assistance needed to acquire it; and
- Access to capital.
The NSILC hires local contractors to assist clients in developing business plans. When the business plan completed and a loan application has been prepared, they are reviewed by a NSILC staff member who serves as the loans officer for the program.
The SSILC has a staff member who works with clients in preparing business plans. Plan development follows a 20-step process and commonly takes 4 to 5 months from the initial contact to completion of the business plan. Once the business plan is developed and a loan application has been prepared, it is reviewed by a loan review committee consisting of 5 individuals including one banker. The client presents the business plan to the committee. After the loan is approved, a staff member will generally speak on a regular basis with the client (up to one time per week, depending upon need).
NSILC and SSILC received only $100,000 in capital for their loan funds. The SSILC fund has very little cash remaining on hand (after deducting outstanding loans and loans that have been written off). To meet the need for loans, the SSILC participates in the delivery of a Government of Saskatchewan program through which entrepreneurs with disabilities or those associated with a person with a disability can borrow up to $15,000 from the Small Business Loans Association (SBLA). SSILC has made 9 SBLA loans to date.
8. Independent Living Resource Centre (Winnipeg)
The mission of the ILRC in Winnipeg is to promote and enable the progressive process of citizens with disabilities taking the responsibilities for the development and management of personal and community resources. The ILRC recognizes the following principles:
- People with disabilities, through their experience in being disabled, are aware of the needs of people with disabilities.
- Support services should be based on consumer-controlled policies.
- The goal of independent living is to provide the skills needed by an individual to cope with a disabling environment.
- The goal of services is full integration into the community.
With support from UEDI, the ILRC works to enhance the fundamental business skills of people with disabilities through such methods as self-assessment, business plan development, counseling, mentoring, networking, and assisting people with disabilities to access financing for their business. Clients initially complete a self-assessment to determine the appropriateness of self-employment and entrepreneurship for them. After the self-assessment, the clients may fill out an application to the program and be interviewed by a staff member of ILRC. The next step in the process is to prepare a business plan through one of three options:
- By participating in a business plan development program delivered by SEED Winnipeg (ILRC purchases 12 seats in the program annually);
- By working with the ILRC staff member; or
- By working through Manitoba Business Start.
After completion of the business plan, clients can present a loan application to the loan committee. ILRC places an emphasis on encouraging clients to present their own business plans to the committee. The committee will make recommendations on the loan application to the ILRC, who has final approval authority.
ILRC has developed a relationship with the Assiniboine Credit Union to facilitate delivery of the loan component of the program. In effect, ILRC has placed the UEDI loan funds on deposit with the Credit Union. The Credit Union makes loans to clients approved by ILRC and uses the deposited capital to guarantee the loans. Some aftercare may be provided to loan clients for a period of one year, if they participated in the SEED Winnipeg program. However, ILRC has very little contact with clients after the loans are approved.