Update: Effective immediately, the Voluntary Sector Fund (VSF) will no longer be accepting project proposals for Bulgaria and Romania. Please see the VSF Guidelines and Application Form for the full list of eligible countries for the VSF.

Program Description
Eligibility
Assessment Criteria
Application Process
Links

Program Description

The objective of the Voluntary Sector Fund (VSF) is to support sustainable international development projects proposed by Canadian not-for-profit organizations in partnership with developing-country partners in at least one of five priority sectors: governance, health, basic education, private sector development, and environment, with gender as a crosscutting theme in all projects.

The Voluntary Sector Fund has an annual budget of $20 milllion for development projects submitted through an ongoing process based on evaluation of the merit of the proposal against established criteria.

Eligible Canadian not-for-profit organizations can:

• submit proposals for projects of up to three years' duration at any time; and
• receive funding for up to a maximum of three operational projects at any one time from this fund.

---

1. must be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization under the laws of Canada or of a province or a territory of Canada;
2. must have a regularly elected board of directors (or governing body under another designation);
3. must have its main place of business in Canada;
4. must provide CIDA with audited financial statements of its last two fiscal years, the latest having been completed within the last 18 months;
5. must have had revenues of at least $50,000 a year, obtained from Canadian sources, for the organization's past two fiscal years. Exception: Organizations who have never received CIDA funding only need to demonstrate revenues of at least $20,000 a year, obtained from Canadian sources, for the organization's past two fiscal years;
6. must have had at least two years’ experience in cooperating with developing-country partner organizations and in managing or delivering international development projects in a developing country; and
7. must not have any outstanding issues with CIDA related to a previous CIDA-funded initiative.

---

1. must address one or more of the five priority sectors;
2. must target one or more of the eligible countries identified for the VSF (see Application Guidelines and Application Form [Microsoft Word Format] for country list);
3. must respect the CIDA-to-applicant cost-sharing ratio of up to 3:1;
4. must require a contribution from CIDA of between $75,000 and $500,000 (an organization may have a maximum of three active projects funded by the VSF at any given time);
5. must be carried out in partnership with a developing-country partner organization;
6. must have a duration of no more than three years; and
7. may not receive funding from the VSF if the applicant organization is currently receiving ‘‘program’’ funding from CIDA’s Canadian Partnership Branch. (If an organization’s program funding is ending within a year, it may apply to the Voluntary Sector Fund with the understanding that any approved project may not start until the ‘‘program’’ funding ends.)

---

1. The initiative’s developmental focus, beneficiaries, and reach clearly support at least one of CIDA’s priority sectors (i.e., health, including HIV/AIDS; basic education; governance; private sector development; or environmental sustainability) that contribute to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
2. The initiative contributes to at least one of CPB’s voluntary sector objectives of capacity development of developing-country organizations, policy influence and/or empowerment of poor and marginalized groups, or engaging Canadians.
3. The developmental priorities/plans/strategies of a CIDA-eligible target country(ies) are clearly being supported in a manner that addresses the developmental needs of poor and marginalized groups, including strengthening local capacity.
4. The initiative is in accordance with CIDA’s policy on gender equality and contributes appropriately to at least one of the gender equality results desired as defined in CIDA’s policy objectives.
5. Environmental considerations, consistent with the developmental objectives of the proposed initiative, have been appropriately integrated.
   Note: An appropriate integration may mean no environmental activities, since they are not needed; the analysis should provide a rationale.

1. The expected results and the results chain proposed are consistent with CIDA’s RBM approaches, logical, and complete, and clearly support the identified development goals/needs.
   Note: The outcomes are the results expected at the end of the project, not beyond. A logical and complete results chain means that if the output results proposed are all achieved, then the outcome results will be achieved, and that achieving the outcomes will logically contribute to achieving the impacts in the future. If the outcomes cannot realistically be achieved by achieving all the outputs listed, then the results chain is incomplete.
   
2. Activities clearly support identified realistic outputs that are measurable.
3. Value for money: Evidence that the resources being applied will produce results for the identified beneficiaries in a cost-effective manner.
4. Sustainability: Evidence that results/benefits are expected to continue after CIDA’s involvement ends.
5. Potential for Canada and Canadians to add value.

1. Local ownership and partnership: Evidence initiative is local-country (Southern) driven, there is shared responsibility and accountability for results, and clear roles and responsibilities are evident.
2. Technical soundness of the proposed development approach to achieve results.
3. Experience: Capacity, sector, and geographic/cultural experiences of the proponent organization are appropriate to implement the initiative and achieve the expected results.
4. Assumptions and risks, and mitigation strategies proposed to deal with at least high-level risks, are relevant and appropriate to achieving the results.

---

Application Process

1. Call us to discuss your organization and/or your project idea before taking the time and effort to fill out an application form. (Note, keep the Director of your Canadian Regional Office informed of your actions at every stage).
2. Download and fill out the Application Guidelines and Application Form (Microsoft Word format).
3. Attach the required supporting documentation as described in the application form.
4. Please send us your completed application form and supporting documentation electronically.

Supporting documentation can also be faxed to Attn.: Voluntary Sector Fund at 819-953-6357.

For more information, please contact CIDA's Canadian Regional Offices in Canada or the Projects and Innovation section through CIDA's toll free number 1-800-230-6349 (switchboard), or at (819) 997-1560 (direct) or by e-mail.

---

Links

This section provides other useful links to relevant background documentation for the Voluntary Sector Fund:

• In-Kind Contribution Guidelines for CIDA's Canadian Partnership Branch
• An Introduction to Capacity Development Strategy
• Capacity Development Results Examples Table
• Gender Results Examples Table
• Contribution Agreement: General Terms and Conditions
• Voluntary Sector Fund – Frequently Asked Questions

---

Microsoft Word Format

Note: To view this file you need Microsoft Word on your system. To download a copy, right-click on the file below and choose "Save Target As..." from the pop-up menu. If this file is not accessible to you, please request an alternate format to vsf@acdi-cida.gc.ca.

Application Guidelines and Application Form (321 Kb, 26 pages)