Evaluating Proposals

Evaluation Chart
Contribution Agreements

An evaluation committee composed of independent educational and international development specialists, and chaired by CIDA, will review all eligible proposals through a competitive process.

In evaluating your proposal, the committee will consider:

• its consistency with CIDA's mandate and the objectives of the GCI;
• the relevance and currency of international development themes;
• the project's links to mandated curricula and its ability to meet stated learning outcomes;
• project outputs and their application in a classroom and/or professional development environment;
• the strength of the formal education sector's commitment to apply the project;
• the long-term sustainability of the project and its potential transferability to other educational settings;
• the size of the target audience and the proposed methods of reaching this audience through promotion, marketing, and distribution. Preference will be given to proposals that include a detailed plan to promote the new resources to the largest possible number of educators and students;
• the total amount requested, its proportion of total project costs, and how the proposal meets established funding criteria;
• the project team's capacity to carry out the proposed project and to deliver effective follow-up activities and evaluation strategies;
• the strength and number of effective partnerships between the formal education and voluntary sectors; and
• the overall completeness and clarity of the proposal and supporting documentation.

Evaluation Chart

The following chart provides you with the standard criteria the committee will use to evaluate all proposals. To be considered for evaluation, your proposal must first satisfy the eligibility criteria.

When formatting your proposal, please include all the components mentioned in the chart below, and put them in the same order. Please respect the length requirements for each section. Submissions that do not respect the length requirements may be rejected by committee members without appeal. Also, be sure to complete and sign your application form; otherwise, your submission will be returned.

Item	Details	Length
Concept Value: 30 points	Synopsis Briefly summarize the overall concept, key themes, and objectives of the proposal.	1/2 page maximum
	Detailed description Provide details on the proposed resource or activity. Your proposal should be original and innovative, and should include a detailed description of: concept, themes, and objectives; how the resource or activity corresponds with mandated curricula and specific learning outcomes, and how the learning outcomes could be measured; how it will be applied to the classroom; how it will address the diverse needs of students and learning styles; the size and description of target audiences; the long-term sustainability of the project and its potential transferability to other educational settings; how the project meets all funding criteria and advances the mandate of the GCI; and how the project will address international development themes and feature Canadian individuals or organizations.	3 pages maximum
	Summary of research and development to date Include such information as objectives and outcomes of research and consultations, partners, and main conclusions. Your proposal should demonstrate that you have completed sufficient preliminary research and done a needs assessment. This research should include a gap analysis to ensure proposed material doesn't duplicate an existing one.	1/2 page maximum
Delivery Value: 20 points	Marketing and distribution plan Identify your marketing objectives and strategies, target user groups or participants, the number of resource copies you will produce, distribution methods and vehicles, and promotional activities. Be sure to attach letter(s) of commitment from intended resource user groups or participants. Your proposal should demonstrate: the project's ability to reach Canadian students and/or educators; the project's intended impact; if the applicant received GCI funding before, the impact of this/these earlier project(s); and a written expression of commitment from an appropriate member of the Canadian formal education sector.	1 page maximum
Management Value: 20 points	Team personnel summary Include names, organizational affiliation, and proposed roles for all individuals involved from conception to delivery. Clearly identify key team members and attach résumés.	1 page maximum
	Summary of partner organizations Include names and titles of funders and key partners, their role in the proposed project, and background on the organizations. Be sure to attach commitment letters. Your proposal should adequately demonstrate the calibre and commitment of team members and of partners affiliated with the proposal.	1/2 page maximum
	Project implementation schedule Provide dates for all milestones related to the development, production, and implementation of the proposed resource or activity. Your proposal should demonstrate that the implementation schedule is reasonable and achievable.	1 page maximum
	Budget Please provide a budget summary that itemizes all major expenditures and revenues. Also, be sure to provide a detailed breakdown of all project-related expenses and revenues in both hard copy and disk or CD format using either Lotus 1-2-3 or Microsoft Excel software. For important details, see thebudget checklist. A sample budget template has been provided for your use. Your proposal should demonstrate that: the expenditures and revenue projections are sound; the funding request is reasonable in relation to total project costs; and partners are committed to the project, either through financial or in-kind contributions. Submissions must include letters from all partners making a financial contribution to the project. Letters must specify the actual dollar value of their contribution and clarify any in-kind contributions.	1 page maximum As necessary
Capacity Value: 20 points	Supporting material Include up to two examples of supporting material that illustrate recent work (e.g. print/audiovisual materials, lesson plans, workshops, conference outlines, Web addresses for Internet resources) that are as closely related to the proposal's subject matter as possible. Key team members must have produced, or been involved in producing, the supporting material. Supporting material should clearly indicate the creative, technical, and managerial capacity of project personnel. An impact analysis of a previous GCI-funded project is considered as one example of supporting material.	As necessary
Evaluation plan Value: 10 points	Be sure to identify proposed methods for evaluating the project's effectiveness. Proposals should include a plan for a qualitative and quantitative post-project analysis, including: feedback from the resource users or participants; size of audience targeted; and an analysis of results and the impact of the project.	1/2 page maximum

Contribution Agreements

Successful applicants will be asked to enter into negotiations with CIDA to establish the terms of the contribution agreement. This agreement will detail the roles and responsibilities of each partner, specific rights and obligations, cash-flow and reporting requirements, milestones, deliverables, and payments. Contribution agreements must be negotiated and signed within four months after confirmation of funding.

Please keep in mind that we cannot advance funds. Payments will be made against expenses incurred, as specified in the negotiated schedule of payments. (Example of Contribution Agreement PDF, 142 KB, 19 pages).

Note: to view this PDF file you need Adobe Acrobat Reader on your system.

Changes in Project Scope

After you have signed a contribution agreement, you cannot modify your project without authorization: you must negotiate any changes with CIDA before you undertake them. CIDA's contribution can only be used to complete the project approved for funding.

Non-compliance

Recipients who do not comply with the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement shall be required to repay all or part of the contribution, as well as the interest prescribed by Treasury Board regulations.

Monitoring and Evaluating Projects

We will evaluate all projects against the terms and conditions set out in the contribution agreement. The agreement will stipulate a set number of deliverables against which we will issue portions of the contribution. Before we make a payment, we will assess each deliverable to ensure that you are implementing the project according to the terms and spirit of the agreement.

A percentage of the contribution will be allocated to a final report that includes:

• a detailed analysis of results and impact that incorporates feedback from users or participants;
• a final financial statement; and
• copies of all products associated with the resource or activity.

Recognizing CIDA's Support

CIDA's financial contribution must be acknowledged in all materials associated with the resource or activity as follows:
or by using CIDA's logo if other logos are present.

Note: Your CIDA project officer can provide you with an electronic copy of CIDA's logo.