Call for Proposals: Skills Solutions Program (Canada)

Focus Areas

• Pathways to Jobs: Facilitating pathways for individuals entering, transitioning, and advancing in the labour market.
• SME Adaptability: Engaging Canadian employers, especially SMEs, in meaningful skills development and utilization.
• Tech and Automation: Preparing workers and employers for a more digital and connected world of work.
• Inclusive Economy: Driving labour market inclusion for underrepresented groups, including with an emphasis on Black Youth, Newcomers, and Indigenous & Northern Communities.
• Sustainable Jobs: Advancing skills development and transition planning for a decarbonized economy.

Funding Streams

• For this call, they are seeking proposals in two separate streams:
  • Stream 1 – Designing Solutions: This stream is aimed at project ideas and concepts that are still under development but that can demonstrate clear ambition and a strong team behind them. Partners funded in this stream participate in an intensive solution design process with the required support of a technical assistance partner assigned by the Future Skills Centre. Proponents should budget time to complete required co-design activities over six months, including:
    • Two in-person workshops to network with participants and accelerate the design and development of the solution (2 full days each);
    • Biweekly calls with technical assistance partner and Future Skills Centre staff to receive support and track progress (1 hour biweekly);
    • Discussion forum to exchange information and learning with peers in an online support community (1 hour weekly); and
    • Six assignments that will support the design and development of your solution (8-10 hours weekly).
  • Stream 2 – Strengthening Outcomes: This funding stream will support initiatives that have already undergone thorough consultation and design. The work to date should demonstrate both promising results and capacity to carry the project forward in a short timeframe and achieve tangible outcomes. Projects funded in this stream will focus on strengthening the outcomes of projects based on evidence of what has worked. These initiatives will be further tested through implementation and with the required support of an evaluation and learning partner assigned by the Future Skills Centre.

Funding Information

• Stream 1 – Designing Solutions: $75,000 to $95,000 per project
• Stream 2 – Strengthening Outcomes: $350,000 to $500,000 per project.

Eligibility Criteria 

• The Future Skills Centre is committed to embracing a diverse range of organizations from across Canada, representing various communities and groups within the skills ecosystem. Whether you are a community or sector organization, service deliverer, educational institution, employer or labour union, if you have a compelling idea to enhance skills development in Canada, they want to hear from you.
• The Future Skills Centre’s Skills Horizon Calls for Proposals is an open call for proposals available to organizations based in Canada. Applications may be submitted by a sole organization or a partnership/consortium of organizations, including:
  • Legally incorporated not-for-profit organizations, including not-for-profit social enterprises and registered charities;
  • Publicly funded post-secondary institutions;
  • Industry associations;
  • Professional associations;
  • Trade unions and relevant colleges of trades;
  • Indigenous organizations that are a legal entity;
  • Municipalities or district social services administration boards; and
  • For-profit organizations (provided the project is undertaken at cost, with no mark-ups or profit incorporated).
• For applications with multiple partners, one organization must be identified as the lead applicant for the purpose of submitting the funding proposal, signing the funding agreement, receiving and managing the funds, ensuring coordination of project parties and activities, and communicating with the Centre regarding the status of the project. The lead organization must be a Canadian entity. All participating organizations must be eligible as set out above. Applicants are only eligible to lead on one application but may participate in more than one application.
• Organizations that have received or are currently receiving funding from the Future Skills Centre are eligible, provided that the proposal clearly outlines a scope not previously funded by the Future Skills Centre. Federal, provincial and territorial government ministries and agencies are not eligible to apply. Proposals consisting solely of research activities are not eligible for this call.

For more information, visit Future Skills Centre.