Canadian Embassies provide funding and technical support to small NGOs in developing countries under the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). CFLI is a programme administered by the Canadian High Commission to support local initiatives whose priority areas depend on geographical scopes. Calls for proposals are normally open throughout the year and proposals shall be sent to the local Canadian Embassy for assessment. An application form to fill in is available to download from the website of your local Embassy. Although the aims and goals of these calls varies according to the most urgent needs of your country, CFLI is generally interested in projects dealing with good governance, human rights, and democratic development. Applicants shall be able to demonstrate previous project management experience and shall have a bank account. The Fund cannot be used to sponsor individual scholarship, pure research projects, business ventures, construction sites, or the payment of administrative costs not directly related to the development of a specific project.
In order to find out more about open calls in your country, check the website of your Canadian Embassy or contact them directly. For instance, CFLI supports small NGOs in Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi that address the priority themes by focusing on the promotion of gender equality, environmental sound practices and that incorporate conflict-sensitive approach aimed at reducing tensions between antagonistic communities. The Fund priorities for Argentina are advancing democracy, ensuring security, creating opportunities for children and young people, and increasing food security. Same emphasis on youth, democracy, and stability is given to the priority areas in India with an additional window open to projects stimulating sustainable economic growth.
For instance, projects funded in Botswana supported Community Development through Initiatives helping orphans and vulnerable children. Similarly, projects developed in Malawi focused on the training of young people and set up centres for childcare. A complete list of projects funded by CFLI can be accessed via the Canadian International Development Agency Browser, which gives detailed information of sponsored projects according to geographic areas. It is always a good idea to look up for projects developed in your country to understand what kind of activities have been previously funded.
Overall, consider that your local Embassy could have established deadlines for the submission of proposals. The application form is quite straightforward and does not present major technical difficulties. If you work in a young NGO and cannot provide a history of successfully managed projects, consider collaborating with more experience organisations; it is always a good way to start and to learn from those who started before you did!
A list of Canadian embassies are listed here.
