Support for Interpretation and Translation

Support for Interpretation and Translation aims to assist organizations that encourage the participation of Canadians in both official languages at public events and to increase the number of documents available in both official languages.

  1. Cooperation framework
  2. Eligible recipients
  3. Funding decisions and evaluation criteria
  4. Eligible expenditures
  5. Funding terms
  6. Schedule
  7. Applicant's Guide
  8. Acknowledgment of the Government of Canada's contribution

I. Cooperation framework

National, interprovincial, provincial/territorial, regional or local contributions may be made directly to organizations in the following two categories.

Events
Simultaneous interpretation and translation, from one official language to the other, of documents related to public events, such as conferences and congresses held in Canada.

Translation
Translation, from one official language to the other, of documents intended for members of the organization and the Canadian public, such as brochures, folders, website contents, etc.

Note: Projects needing only translation services for an event will be considered a translation project and not an event project.

II. Eligible recipients

Canadian not-for-profit organizations.

The following are not eligible:

  • individuals;
  • government bodies, universities, schools, school boards, hospitals and foreign organizations.

III. Funding decisions and evaluation criteria

Funding decisions are based on available funds and analysis of requests in accordance with the following criteria:

Events

  • Scope and visibility of the project (number of participants by official language and origin, communication plan, anticipated media coverage).
  • Financial assistance previously received by the organization under Support for Interpretation and Translation (organization cannot get funding in two consecutive years).
  • Capacity to demonstrate that the applicant is the proprietor of the event.

Translation

  • Publication and distribution plan.
  • Scope of distribution (target audience in each official language).
  • Link between texts to be translated and the organization's mission.
  • Financial assistance previously received by the organization under Support for Interpretation and Translation (organization cannot get funding in two consecutive years).
    • The organization must demonstrate that it is the author of the documents it wishes to translate or that it has obtained permission from the copyright holder to translate and publish the text.

All funding decisions are made by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

IV. Eligible expenditures

Eligible expenditures include:

  • costs of simultaneous interpretation and translation during public events (including interpreters' honoraria, travel and accommodation expenses, if any, and equipment rental), with the exception of annual general meetings and internal administrative meetings;
  • costs of translation and editing of texts (translators' and editors' honoraria), with the exception of books, periodicals, newsletters, internal administrative documents and teaching material.
    • Translation work must be performed by a professional translator who is not affiliated with the organization.

Funding limit
Funding may not exceed 50% of eligible expenses, to a maximum of $5,000 per request, and may not be less than $500.

V. Funding terms

Organizations are permitted to submit only one project per government fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). The Department reserves the right to not consider an application where there is insufficient time to evaluate it or where the total amount of funds available for the year has already been committed.

The Department provides funds to successful applicants in the form of grants. Organizations that receive funding must undertake to submit to the Department an activity report and copies of any documents that are translated.

The Department will assume no responsibility for any contractual commitments entered into by the Applicant prior to confirmation of financial support from the Department.

VI. Schedule

Applications for funding may be submitted at any time during the fiscal year. Evaluation of applications takes several weeks. Interested parties are therefore asked to take this into account when submitting their application and to allow approximately 12 weeks before the start of the translation project or the event, whichever comes first.

VII. Applicant's Guide

The content of the application must include:

  • Description of the proposed translation or interpretation services.
  • Description of the project's target clienteles.
  • Clear statement of expected outcomes with performance indicators for the entire project.
  • Linkages with the objectives of the Support for Interpretation and Translation sub-component.
  • Implementation schedule.
  • Budget with a breakdown of the projected expenditures and financial contribution of each party for the proposed services.

Applicant's Guide: Applicants for funding under the Support for Interpretation and Translation sub-component must use the Application Guide and Application Form, which can be obtained by clicking "Application Forms/Guides" on the right hand menu of this page.

VIII: Acknowledgment of the Government of Canada's contribution

Recipients are required to acknowledge the contribution from the Department of Canadian Heritage in any promotion or advertising related to the activities from which funding is provided.