Voluntary Sector Program

Program Description
Eligibility
Assessment Criteria
Application Process
Links

Program Description

The objective of the Voluntary Sector Program (VSP) is to support sustainable international development programs proposed by Canadian not-for-profit organizations in partnership with developing-country partners. In coherence with CIDA's mandate ''to support sustainable development in developing countries, in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable and prosperous world,'' programs are carried out in eligible countries to address the Millenium Development Goals in CIDA's five priority sectors: governance, health, basic education, private sector development and environment, with gender as a crosscutting theme. The VSP also supports proponents' engagement of Canadians in international development.

The VSP accepts proposals for international development programs on an ongoing basis, and assesses proponent and program eligibility and quality through a rigourous process based on pre-established criteria. Generally, programs funded by CIDA-VSP should be at least three years in duration, with a minimum CIDA contribution of $500,000. For most VSP-funded programs, the CIDA-to-organization direct program cost-sharing ratio is up to 3:1. The organization should contribute at least $1 for every $3 contributed by CIDA to the direct program costs.

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Eligibility

Organizational Eligibility Criteria

A VSP proponent must be able to clearly demonstrate a proven capacity to undertake long-term strategic partnerships that, as appropriate, integrate at the micro, meso and macro levels, and coordinate with other development actors.

To be eligible for VSP funding, an organization:

1. must be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization under the laws of Canada, a province or a territory;
2. must have its main place of business in Canada;
3. must have had a minimum of three years' experience in cooperating with developing-country partners and in managing or delivering extensive international development initiatives in at least one developing country;
4. must have a transparent internal governance structure with regularly elected or appointed board of directors (or governing body under another designation) that sets policy and appoints an executive that is accountable to the board; and
5. must have audited financial statements for its last two fiscal years, the latest being completed within the last 18 months.

Note: Organizations that meet eligibility criteria will not necessarily receive funding.

Program Eligibility Criteria

VSP-funded programs should be an integral component of the organization's strategic plan, as approved by the organization's governance structure. A VSP-funded program is not simply a collection of one-off projects, it is a long-term strategic partnership between a Canadian not-for-profit organization or consortium and one or more developing-country organizations. This partnership is guided by a coherent methodology and jointly developed strategic plan that addresses locally identified development needs and is integrated into local, regional, and/or global strategies in coordination with other development actors. A program is planned and implemented through North-South, South-South, regional, and global partnerships, with results continuing beyond the life of the initiative. The proponent must demonstrate the Canadian value-added beyond financial support.

With a focus on addressing the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) by strengthening capacities of developing-country organizations, increasing the policy influence of poor and marginalized groups, and engaging Canadians in international development, "the final aim is to help establish the institutions, capacity and human resource base necessary for sustainable, self-reliant development". Policy Statement on Strengthening Aid Effectiveness. September 2002.

To be eligible, a proposed program should:

1. address CIDA's mandate, one or more priority sectors, and the MDGs;
2. target one or more of the eligible countries identified for the CIDA-VSP (see the application Guidelines and Aplication Form for eligible countries);
3. have a budget that respects the CIDA-to-applicant VSP cost-sharing ratio, which is up to 3:1 for most program partners (see the application Guidelines and Aplication Form for cost-sharing ratio); and
4. be carried out in partnership with at least one developing-country partner organization.

Note: A new VSP program cannot be started before ongoing CIDA-VSP programs or CIDA Voluntary Sector Fund (VSF) projects are completed. Programs that meet eligibility criteria will not necessarily receive funding.

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Assessment Criteria

Organizations that meet basic eligibility requirements can apply to VSP for cost-shared program funding. Funding decisions are based on a detailed proposal analysis using the following criteria:

A) Support of CIDA's Mandate and Priorities

The proposal's coherence with CIDA's mandate and objectives is assessed on the following basis:

• The program is aligned with CIDA's mandate, including a contribution to the MDGs, geographic focus, gender, and environmental considerations. The initiative must take place in eligible countries.
• The program contributes to at least one VSP objective:
• capacity development of developing-country organizations;
• enhanced policy influence of poor and marginalized groups; and,
• increased engagement of a large and diverse spectrum of Canadians in international development.

The program is geographically focused to address priority development needs of poor and marginalized populations. The locally identified needs it addresses are relevant to the local context, coherent with the stated priorities of national development plans or poverty reduction strategies, and coordinated with other national and international development actors.

• The program is in compliance with CIDA's policy on gender equality and contributes to at least one of the gender equality results desired as defined in CIDA's policy objectives.
• Environmental considerations have been integrated into programming.

B) Results and Value for Money

The projected costs of the proposal are weighed against the expected benefits to provide an indication of the value for money of the proposed initiative on the following basis:

• Results: the development needs are clearly and locally defined; there is a clear and logical link between identified needs, program approach, and results; results are clear, realistic, and measurable; there is evidence that the results/benefits will continue after CIDA's involvement ends.
• Value: the relationship between proposed resource use and results is reasonable, there is clear potential for Canada and Canadians to add value, and the proponent has the appropriate capacity to leverage diversified sources of funding for the initiative.

C) Likelihood of Success / Capacity of the Proponent

The feasibility of the initiative to achieve expected results is assessed against success factors on the following basis:

• the level of local ownership, partnership, and shared accountability for results.
• the level of relevant sectoral, geographic, and management experience of the proponent.
• the technical soundness of the program methodology.
• a weighing and presentation of assumptions, risks, and appropriate risk-mitigation strategies.
• the initiative is incorporated into the organization's strategic plan and supported by its board of directors.

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Application Process

VSP applications can be submitted at any time and are assessed on a continuous basis (no time-bound calls for proposals); however, a program is not eligible for funding from the VSP if the organization is already receiving program or VSF project funding from Canadian Partnership Branch. Exceptions are made for Conference Secretariat and International Youth Internship projects, which can run concurrent to a VSP-funded program.

If an organization meets all other eligibility criteria, and its current VSF project or VSP program funding is ending within a year, the organization may apply for VSP funding, with the understanding that any approved program cannot start until current VSF project or VSP program funding ends.

The program proposal should be no more than 25 pages long, excluding permitted supplementary information identified in the proposal guide. The proposal should provide CIDA with a concise, but thorough, description of your program and its various components, referred to as program activities.

1. Contact us to discuss your organization and/or your program idea before taking the time and effort to fill out an application form. (Note: Include regional directors when communicating with CIDA at every stage.)
2. Download and fill out the application Guidelines and Application Form (PDF and RTF Format).
3. Attach the required supporting documentation as described in the application form.
4. Please send your completed application form and supporting documentation electronically to: cpb.proposal@acdi-cida.gc.ca

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

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Links

This section provides other useful links to relevant background documentation for the VSP:

Note: to read the PDF version you need Adobe Acrobat Reader on your system. If the Adobe download site is not accessible to you, you can download Acrobat Reader from an accessible page. If you choose not to use Acrobat Reader you can have the PDF file converted to HTML or ASCII text by using one of the conversion services offered by Adobe.

• Gender Results Examples Table
• An Introduction to Capacity Development Strategy
• Capacity Development Results Examples Table
• Results-Based Management
• Equality Between Women and Men
• Contribution Agreement: General Terms and Conditions
• Frameworks for Integrating Gender Equality
• Gender Equality Assessment of Core Fund Receiving Organizations (269.01 Kb, 25 pages) - see first column only

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Guidelines and Application Form

RTF Format (624 Kb, 30 pages)