Canadian Rural Partnership's Networking Initiative

2008-01-04 - The Initiative runs until March 2008. However, the Initiative has committed all of its available funding and is no longer accepting requests for funding.

The Canadian Rural Partnership's Networking Initiative funds three types of rural community projects aimed at building community capacity: learning events, partnerships and networks.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible recipients may include cooperatives, individuals, non-profit* organizations and associations, universities, colleges, non-governmental corporations, and municipal or regional governments.

Organizations must be incorporated under Canadian law and capable of entering into binding contracts.

Excluded

Specifically excluded are federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations, and provincial and territorial governments. Where assessment indicates any of the following conditions, the applicant may not be eligible:

• the organization does not meet the definition of eligible recipients;
• the objectives of the organization are not compatible with those of the Government of Canada;
• the project is not primarily a rural project.

Eligible Activities

Examples of activities that could qualify:

Learning events: providing training and skills development for community stakeholders and needs/assets identification for rural and remote communities.

Partnerships: developing action plans for community development and community capacity building, and carrying out socio-economic research on the issues faced by rural communities.

Networks: enhancing the capacity of communities and community organizations to develop responses to rural and remote community issues thereby contributing to community capacity building.

Summary

Categories within the Networking Initiative

A proposal may be considered for funding under one of the following three categories:

Learning Events

Funding of up to 1/3 of total project costs; maximum $15 000.

Eligible learning events are short-term in nature and can be stand-alone or part of a larger event such as a conference series. The expected results of learning events are that benefits are accrued at an individual or community level. The time frame and target audience allows impacts to be measured upon completion of each event.

Examples

• conferences, workshops or seminars aimed at knowledge or skill development;
• identifying solutions to challenges facing rural and remote communities;
• training and skills development for community stakeholders;
• needs/assets identification for rural and remote communities;
• citizen engagement (roles of citizens in community development);
• consensus building and conflict resolution processes.

Partnerships

Funding of up to 1/3 of total project costs; maximum $40 000.

A partnership is defined as two or more groups with compatible goals who form an agreement to share the work, the risk and the results of the project. The expected result is the creation of new opportunities to share investment risks and create/develop funding strategies in order to meet rural community challenges. Partnerships are medium-term in nature, with impacts assessed on a continuous basis.

Examples

• the development of action plans for community development and community capacity building;
• identifying new socio-economic activities contributing to the sustainability of rural communities;
• developing effective tools and mechanisms;
• carrying out socio-economic research on the issues faced by rural communities.

Networks

Funding can reach up to half of the total project costs to a maximum of $80 000 per year for regional networks. For national networks, please contact the Manager, Networking Initiative, Rural Secretariat at 613-759-7388.

A network is an umbrella organization whose membership is comprised of multi-community or multi-sectoral groups and individual members. The purpose is to fund activities that increase the capacity of coordinating agencies to advise all levels of government on rural development policies within their respective province. Networks are long-term in nature, with impacts and benefits that can be evaluated throughout and upon completion of the process. Funding is for activities incremental to the organization's core activities. For start-up networks, limited funding is available to help the organization get established.

*Note: "non-profit" also known as nonprofit organizations, non profit organizations, not-for-profit organizations, voluntary organizations and volunteer organizations.

New Brunswick Contact(s):
New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
Paula Belliveau
Senior Policy Advisor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Suite 210
1600 Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1E 1G5
Telephone: 506-851-7981
Fax: 506-851-2984
E-mail: belliveaup@agr.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml

Yvon Leblanc
Regional Advisor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Suite 210
1600 Main Street
Moncton, New Brunswick  E1E 1G5
Telephone: 506-851-2859
Fax: 506-851-2984
E-mail: leblancy@agr.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml

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National Contact(s):
Rural Development Network
Anne-Michelle Bareil
Chief, Rural Development Network
Strategic Policy and Network Development
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Tower 7
1341 Baseline Road
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0C5
Telephone: 613-759-6753
Fax: 613-715-5544
E-mail: bareila@agr.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml

Canadian Rural Information Service (CRIS)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
6th Floor, Tower 7
1341 Baseline Road
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0C5
Fax: 1-800-884-9899
Toll-free (information): 1-888-757-8725
E-mail: cris@agr.gc.ca
Web site: http://www.agr.gc.ca/index_e.phtml