Community Forum Program (CFP)

The Community Forum Program (CFP) is designed to provide an opportunity for CSC to:

• partner with a registered non-profit organization
• work collaboratively within a community to raise awareness and build a network of support to assist offenders.

The objectives of the Community Forum Program are to:

• provide an opportunity for CSC and a registered non-profit organization to work together toward building strong and safe communities;

• encourage community engagement by providing a venue for open dialogue about corrections;

• strengthen the community's understanding of gradual and safe reintegration of offenders; and

• build community capacity to assist offenders in their reintegration efforts.

How the Program Works

Forums are organized by a registered non-profit organization and sponsored by CSC. Non-profit organizations are eligible to receive up to a maximum of $5,000 per forum under this program.

Each forum is a partnership between the host organization and CSC. Additional partnerships are encouraged in order to draw on expertise, find assistance, or sustain the work started at a forum. In all cases, it is compulsory that all forum organizers work closely with CSC staff. Having representatives of the local Citizen Advisory Committee, where one exists in close proximity would also be considered a benefit to the success of a forum (a list of Citizen Advisory Committees has been attached for your reference).

Once a forum is held, the program requires that non-profit organizations complete and forward a report to CSC. These reports ensure that program objectives are met. As well, they enable CSC to feature best practices and share lessons learned on its Internet site.

Themes

The Community Forum Program will accept applications from non-profit organizations that clearly focus on building a network of community support to assist offenders in their reintegration efforts. Applications must address one of the following themes:

1. The Needs of Offenders in the Community: When offenders return to the community, many have needs surrounding employment, health care, mental health, or substance abuse, housing and family issues. Forums must focus on creating better access to services, tools, and resources for offenders in the community. A forum can focus on offenders in general or the specific needs of women, Aboriginal, aging or long-term offenders.

2. Enhancing the Role of Aboriginal Communities: Under this theme, forums must focus on building an Aboriginal community's capacity (urban, First Nations, Métis and Inuit) for reintegrating Aboriginal offenders. Forums should focus on developing correctional strategies, programs, or initiatives.

3. Healing and Reintegration: Healing can play an important role in assisting offenders in their reintegration efforts. Forums that fall under this theme should focus on the use of Restorative Justice in community transition.

4. Cultural Diversity: Offenders, like the Canadian population, come from a range of ethnic backgrounds. Forums must focus on developing and enhancing the role of specific ethnic communities, in reintegration and/or developing culturally appropriate programs and services to assist offenders from an ethnic community, to be accepted back into these communities.

5. Current Issues / Public Safety: From time to time, issues such as the release of a high-profile offender or the opening of a new correctional facility raise concern for public safety. Forums under this theme must aim to raise awareness about a current issue and find ways to bring the community together in an open venue to dispel myths and perceptions surrounding corrections.

Consultation

Community forums present an excellent opportunity for the community to provide their ideas or views on correctional issues, policies, programs and initiatives to CSC. In addition to selecting a theme, each forum must include a consultation component in their agenda. Each forum organizer is required to:

1. Establish a list of questions that forum participants will be consulted on
2. Indicate how the exercise will be conducted
3. Analyze and report the results in the final report on the forum

Please see the application form for further details.

Sustainability

When preparing applications and planning forums, organizers should think about building local capacity to continue or sustain any initiatives that result from the forum by creating as many partnerships as possible. It is important to ask the question "where do we go from here?"

For example, there are opportunities for further funding from the National Crime Prevention Strategy's Community Mobilization Program. If you would like to pursue this option, CSC can support you in applying for funds. More information can be found on the National Crime Prevention Strategy Web site at: http://www.prevention.gc.ca.

How to Apply

Non-profit organizations must fill in the application form. Completed applications may be sent by mail, faxed or e-mailed. Please see the Contact Information section for details.

Applications will be accepted on or before:

First Intake: JUNE 1, 2006

Second Intake: SEPTEMBER 30, 2006

Funding

Non-profit organizations may receive up to a maximum of $5,000 per forum and are eligible to receive 80% up front. The remaining 20% will be payable upon submission of a final report which will include participant evaluations and a budget breakdown. A clear outline of projected costs must be included in the application form. If the projected costs change significantly during the planning of a forum, a revised budget must be submitted to CSC.

Funding for community forums is limited. Projects that demonstrate they can best meet objectives are given priority. Application forms need to be completed by non-profit organizations.

Eligibility Costs

• Administrative Costs (no more than 10% of total costs)
• Planning / Salary / Support Costs
• Venue / Room Rental
• Equipment Rental
• Translation
• Hospitality (food and non-alcoholic beverages)
• Advertising / Event Awareness
• Travel costs (for speakers)
• Honoraria (for speakers)
• Printing of public awareness and/or resource materials
• Supplies

Non-Eligible Costs

• Core operations of your organization

Evaluating and Reporting Results

One of the requirements of the Community Forum Program is to evaluate and report the results of each forum to:

• ensure that the objectives of individual forums and of the program are met;
• inform CSC about issues and concerns in the community; and,
• allow CSC to share the best practices and lessons learned on the Internet.

A final report must be submitted before the final payment is transferred to the host organization. The final report must include an overview of the forum, the results of the consultation component and a complete budget breakdown. As well, a standard evaluation form is required to be completed by forum participants and be submitted with the final report. Please note that reports will be posted on the CSC Web site. Please submit them in electronic format. See the final report form .

All final reports are due 30 days after a forum has been held.

Contact Information

For further information or to apply for funding, please contact:

Email: cfp-pfc@csc-scc.gc.ca

Marty Maltby
Outreach Manager
Communications and Citizen Engagement Sector
Correctional Service Canada
340 Laurier Ave., 9^th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0P9

Tel: (613) 943-9296
Fax: (613) 947-0091

Downloads

For those non-profit organizations that received funding this fiscal year, templates are available for advertising, evaluating, and reporting on your forum.

Previous Community Forum Programs
     2005-2006
     2004-2005 (PDF)
     2002-2003 (PDF)