The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)

For over three decades, Canada has funded small-scale but high-impact projects in developing countries worldwide through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

The CFLI provides financial assistance to cover part or all the costs of projects that are comparatively modest in scope, scale and expense, and are generally designed and developed by authorities or organizations of local base, proposed and implemented by them. This enables Canada to respond to local needs by working at the community level.

The Canada Fund is also a major tool of the Canadian government to strengthen relations between Canada, Palestinian civil society and the local communities, helping to build networks of contacts in around the world.

CFLI Priorities for 2018-19

The CFLI funds projects aligned with the following priorities:

1. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.
2. Inclusive governance, including diversity, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
3. Peace and security, with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace.
4. Human dignity, covering health, education and nutrition.
5. Growth that works for everyone, including women’s economic rights, decent jobs and entrepreneurship, investing in the poorest and most vulnerable, and safeguarding economic gains.
6. Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

This year, priority consideration will be given to themes 1, 2, 3 and 6.

Available Funding for the CFLI:

The average CFLI contribution is C$15,000 to C$30,000 Canadian Dollars. Please note that all contributions are made in ILS or USD.

Term of Projects:

Projects are implemented over a six to seven month period. All project activities must be completed between the date of signature of the Contribution Agreement and 28 February 2019. Projects with activities beyond this date may be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is expected that Contribution Agreements for selected projects will be signed in July 2018.

The Canada Feminist Fund (CFF)

For 2018-2019, the new Canada Feminist Fund will focus on supporting projects which seek to foster gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls through working with civil society and local partners in the Palestinian territories.

CFF Priorities for 2018-19

To achieve this objective, the CFF will fund projects that:

Support women’s rights organizations’ agendas and programs, including through providing services, piloting innovative ideas, raising awareness, conducting research, advocacy and policy dialogue, networking and mobilizing their constituency, including online.

Build the organizational capacity of women’s rights organizations and facilitating networks and alliances among them to increase their sustainability and impact.

Support and advocating for the role, participation and leadership of women’s rights organizations in policy dialogue with government and stakeholders.

Strengthen the capacity and systems of public sector institutions (e.g. statistics), research institutes, universities, the media and civil society to generate, use and disseminate gender statistics, evidence, tools, analyses, policy research, and expertise to inform actions that address the specific needs of women and girls, men and boys and foster equal outcomes.

Canada’s approach for 2018-2019 is based on an analysis of the key challenges facing Palestinians in supporting the empowerment of women and girls and the achievement of gender equality.

Available Funding for the CFF

The average CFF contribution is C$30,000 to C$50,000 Canadian Dollars. Please note that all contributions are made in ILS or USD.

Term of Projects:

Projects are implemented over a one year period. All projects must be completed between the date of signature of the Contribution Agreement and the end of July 2019. Projects with activities beyond this date may be considered on a case-by-case basis. It is expected that Contribution Agreements for selected projects will be signed in July 2018.

The CFF is managed by Trigon, a third party.

Eligible CFLI and CFF Recipients

• Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
• Local academic institutions working on local projects in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and/or East Jerusalem
• International, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
• Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
• Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities through a local office.

Process to Submit a Proposal:

• Deadline for submission is 31 May 2018 at 17h00. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
• Contact us for the CFLI application form and budget template. 
• CFLI proposals should be submitted electronically to the following e-mail: [email protected]
• CFF proposals should be submitted electronically to the following e-mail: [email protected]
• Only those proposals using the designated application form and including the required budget document will be considered.
• Proposals must be completed in English, French or Arabic.
• As required in the project narrative of the application form, each proposal must explicitly answer all questions and summarize all project activities. The proposed project budget must reflect the costs associated with each project activity.
• Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a Selection Committee.
• Due to the large number of anticipated applications, only the successful candidates will be contacted.
• We encourage you to submit a proposal for the fund that best suits your project.
• We reserve the right to consider submitted projects for both funds.

NEW! Gender-Based Analysis

In 2017, Canada adopted a Feminist International Assistance Policy to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as the most effective way to reduce poverty and build a more inclusive, peaceful and prosperous world. In alignment with this policy, a Gender-Based Analysis will be a required element of the CFLI and CFF project application process. The purpose of this change is to enhance the gender equality outcomes of the CFLI/CFF Programs.

A Gender-Based Analysis will require applicants to: a) consider how women, girls, men, and boys are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, including to ensure the project does not cause harm, b) consult women and/or girls in the development of their project proposal, and c) ensure that those views inform the project design.

*Consultations can include, but are not limited to: speaking to women and girls from the local community; speaking to women and other individuals who work for civil society organizations that have worked in the local community; speaking to female and male decision and change-makers, who have knowledge of the local community.

Inadequate completion of a Gender-Based Analysis may affect the consideration of your proposal.

The following expenses within projects are eligible for funding:

• administrative and overhead costs specifically related to the project,
• capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure,
• installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel, computers and communication devices,
• civic education costs,
• conference and event expenditures,
• training and capacity building expenditures,
• costs of services received by recipients,
• outreach, communication and information dissemination costs,
• environmental assessment costs,
• advocacy and lobbying related costs,
• legal costs,
• accounting costs,
• medical costs,
• publishing costs,
• radio and television broadcast fees,
• facilities and equipment rental charges,
• research-related costs,
• salary costs relating to the project,
• security costs,
• translation and interpretation fees,
• travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class (international travel expenses must receive prior approval)
• lease or rental of vehicles,
• vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance,
• website development and related costs,
• reasonable and necessary hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages,
• miscellaneous expenses integral to the project.

The following expenses within projects are NOT eligible for funding:

• nuclear technologies and facilities,
• assistance to military or paramilitary organizations,
• gifts,
• luxury goods,
• direct fiscal support to a government,
• core funding or recurrent costs of an organization,
• revolving funds, (that is, funds used to advance loans to individuals, i.e. microfinance),
• expenses incurred prior to the signing of the CA, or after it expires.