2. ASEP Project Proposal Outline
ASEP 2009 Request for Proposals Application Package
Introduction
When you develop your proposal for funding, refer to the Terms and Conditions of the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) Program for a description of the requirements.
Your proposal provides a detailed description of the project plans, staff capacity, and ASEP funds you are requesting. The proposal must be officially approved and submitted by your organization (or the proposed non-profit entity it will legally incorporate as under provincial/territorial legislation if approved for ASEP funding). Your ASEP funding proposal should be written as a separate document from the application.
The proposal must clearly identify:
- the labour market analysis demonstrating the skills gap of the targeted Aboriginal population in relation to the long-term jobs associated with the major economic development;
- the activities identified in the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan are clearly tied to the long-term jobs available;
- targeted activities and plans to recruit and support youth, women, and persons with disabilities;
- all available funding sources for the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan and the gap that ASEP funding will fill;
- proposed or existing partnerships; and
- the proposed or existing governance structure.
Table of Contents for ASEP Proposal
Your ASEP funding proposal should use the following headings:
- Project Title
- Executive Summary
- Major Economic Development Project Description
- Proposal Objectives
- Proposed Activities and Timelines (Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan)
- Description of Participants
- Budget and Contributions by Partnering Organizations
- Outcome and Output Measures
- Applicant’s Background, Mandate, and Expertise
- Past Projects with HRSDC, Service Canada (or Other Funders), and Their Achievements
- Evidence of Community Support and Program Relationship
- Environmental Impact of Proposed Activities
Required Proposal Elements
1. Project Title
The project title to be used in the proposal.
2. Executive Summary
Provide a short synopsis of the project that includes: the proposed major economic development, the partners, the number of participants, the number of long-term jobs targeted for Aboriginal people, the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan activities, the location, the duration, the total costs of the proposal, and the total ASEP funding requested.
3. Major Economic Development Project Description
Provide an overview of the major economic development opportunity that is tied to the proposal. This section should describe the opportunity, the total number of jobs available, the type of jobs available, the timelines associated with the major development, and detail regarding the jobs targeted for Aboriginal people. This section should also include information on the length of the jobs, with emphasis on long-term sustainable employment. Please identify the status of the project, if applicable [for example, currently in permitting, environmental assessment underway, the type of assessment (federal or provincial), and feasibility study status].
4. Proposal Objectives
Briefly and succinctly describe the main purpose of the proposed project, and the quantifiable and measurable goals to be achieved. You should specify how your project objectives relate to the objectives of the ASEP program. You may wish to include major steps or sub-objectives if your project is multi-faceted.
As a guideline, your proposal objectives should:
- be specific and give an accurate description of the proposed activities;
- be measurable and clearly define performance objectives against which progress can be assessed;
- be practical, realistic, and achievable;
- ensure a common understanding of goals by all who will be involved in carrying out activities; and
- identify milestones (intermediate steps in the achievement of the objective) against which progress can be assessed.
Provide a rationale for the project and explain why it is needed in the local labour market. Your description should be based on current labour market information, including a labour market and skills profile of the Aboriginal population, and the job requirements of the major economic development opportunity. The objectives should clearly explain how this project will address the skills gap within the local Aboriginal labour force and lead to long-term jobs with major employer(s).
Your objectives should summarize key points from any specific research or consultations conducted to prepare this proposal. Include any supporting documentation in appendices. Documentation could include consultation reports; research reports; labour market information sources; geographic, specific target group, socio-economic, and labour market factors; and any relevant community planning/consultation process carried out.
5. Proposed Activities and Timelines (Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan)
Your plan should describe each proposed activity and:
- explain how the activities relate to the objectives of the project;
- list the activities in a logical sequence;
- describe the milestones, timelines, and duration of the various activities;
- include the number of training sessions and the number of participants per session;
- describe how the project will support the movement of unemployed Aboriginal people into training and jobs with the private sector/major employer associated with the project;
- describe follow-up services provided to participants;
- describe the communication strategies for the project; and
- include strategies for recruiting women, persons with disabilities, and youth (as appropriate).
Refer to the ASEP Terms and Conditions for eligible activities.
The Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan can be updated on a regular basis (in consultation with HRSDC) if the project is approved for funding.
Provide the estimated start and end dates of the project. These dates are tentative and may be changed during the proposal’s assessment. Although you may implement the project before the start of ASEP funding, indicate the date when you expect you will require ASEP funding. Remember that expenditures incurred before signing a contribution agreement will not be eligible for reimbursement.
6. Description of Participants
State the anticipated number of participants for this project and the eligibility criteria (such as unemployed, legally entitled to work in Canada, or residing in a specific area and specific Aboriginal group). Identify any sub-client groups that will be targeted or given priority, such as women, persons with disabilities, or youth. Explain the process of client recruitment, selection, and referral; procedures for dealing with clients who are not selected as participants; and the client case management system/plan and retention strategy that will be implemented.
Include any detailed supporting documentation in appendices. This could include samples of application forms, release of information forms, detailed client profiles, a list of referring agencies, and a detailed marketing strategy.
7. Budget and Contributions by Partnering Organizations
Partners are defined as active project supporters who contribute time and resources, and have a vested interest in the results. The proposal should identify all partners involved in the project. Partners’ contributions can be financial, human resources for program delivery, joint delivery of a program or service, and capital investments. Contributions can be monetary and/or in-kind.
In the proposal, clearly identify:
- the total cost of implementing the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan;
- the total amount of funding requested from ASEP;
- the roles and responsibilities of each partner, and explain how the partners will work collaboratively to achieve the stated objectives (for example, through formal agreements with the society or memorandums of understanding);
- each partner’s financial contribution and how it will be spent;
- any funding programs that the money will flow through (if appropriate), such as federal or provincial/territorial government programs, along with the funding department; and
- the type and value of partners’ in-kind contributions.
In-kind contributions are non-monetary goods or services that are contributed to the project by a partner for which the partner will not be requesting reimbursement. In-kind contributions can include physical assets, such as land, buildings, machinery, equipment, and office space, or can be through the provision of staff, expertise, or other services. The value of in-kind contributions must be verifiable, supported by financial documentation, and reflected in the project budget.
To be eligible, an in-kind contribution must be:
- clearly linked to the project’s success, eligible under the program’s Terms and Conditions, and something the training society would otherwise need to purchase and pay for;
- assessed for fair value and have the value confirmed by a departmental official during the project’s assessment phase;
- justified and documented (nature and value) during the initial project approval and again during the agreement negotiation; and
- supported through a letter of commitment from the donating partner (see Appendix).
The project must receive monetary contributions from at least the major employer(s) and the provincial/territorial government where the economic development opportunity is occurring. Indicate if funding from other sources is confirmed.
Note: The maximum federal government contribution is 50% of the total costs for implementing the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan. This includes ASEP funding.
Refer to the Budget information sheet for more guidance on the required elements.
The proposal must be accompanied by the following letters of commitment (see Appendix for samples):
- A letter from the private sector/major employer(s) that identifies the number and types of jobs to be filled through the project, and the cash and in-kind funding contributions for the project – This letter must be signed by someone with the authority to make human resource and financial commitments on behalf of the employer, such as the company President or Vice-President of Human Resources.
- Letters from all Aboriginal organizations implicated in the Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan (including band or tribal councils, beneficiary corporations, Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement holders, and others as appropriate) that specify how clients will be identified and referred to the ASEP project, and cash and in-kind funding contributions to the project – The letters are signed by individuals with the authority to make human resource and financial commitments on behalf of their organizations.
8. Outcomes and Output Measures
The proposal must describe the project’s expected results, achievements, and outcomes. Relate the project results to the objectives and activities. Results can be both quantitative (for example, the number of action plans opened and completed, the number of participants who return to work) and qualitative (for example, the level of client satisfaction). Results can be expressed in actual numbers or as percentages. Provide clear and concise detail on how the project outcomes and success will be measured. Describe interim measures of progress (“milestones” or “benchmarks”) to verify that the project is “on track.” Specify the format and frequency of reporting for the interim measures of progress, including a final summary report.
9. Applicant’s Background, Mandate, and Expertise
Briefly describe the mandate (or proposed) of your organization. Describe the overall structure (or proposed structure), including the governance structure of the organization. If applicable, provide a brief history of the organization (for example, how long your organization has been in existence). If a new organization will be established, please provide a history of the partners that will form the new entity. Provide information on your partners’ and the organization’s expertise related to the proposed project and the types of clients to be served. Identify the staff qualifications, classification of positions, or recruitment plan (if staff are not already in place) to successfully implement the proposal.
10. Past Projects with HRSDC or Service Canada and Achievements
Describe your previous agreements with HRSDC, Service Canada, or other federal departments. Describe the activities and outcomes of the agreements, including how successfully your organization delivered the agreement requirements.
11. Evidence of Community Support and Program Complementarity
Provide evidence for the community support of this project (not your organization), including a description of linkages with service providers and agencies, businesses, and other stakeholders. The proposal must identify how the project will utilize existing resources, programs, and services within your region.
Describe existing funding programs (federal, provincial, and municipal) that can support your Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan, and how ASEP funding fills a gap in the funding. Explain the status of your funding applications to the existing programs. If you did not apply to the existing programs, provide a rationale. Also explain how the project is complementary to the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement(s) in the area.
The proposal needs to clearly demonstrate that the request for funding does not duplicate other funding programs.
12. Environmental Impact of Proposed Activities
Make sure you complete the Environmental Assessment Questionnaire and submit it with your application package. The environmental impact of your proposed activities must be pre-screened by HRSDC through the questionnaire.
Your responses on the questionnaire may indicate that the industry partners are required to conduct an environmental assessment of the project or major economic development before HRSDC can enter into a contribution agreement with your organization (if your project is approved for funding). To complete the environmental assessment, the industry partners may require the services of an independent consultant, which is not a cost that would be covered by HRSDC.
APPENDIX
Sample Letter of Commitment from Private Sector/Major Employer
Date
Company Name
Company Address
To: [Name of Project/Board of Directors]
On behalf of [company/sponsor name], I am pleased to send this letter of commitment to (name of project).
The [company/sponsor name] is pleased to offer a financial (cash) contribution of [$0.00] and/or an in-kind contribution of [e.g., wages, capital costs, support to individuals, overhead costs, or other general project costs]. The value of the in-kind contribution is calculated as follows: [xxxxxxxx = $0.00]. We estimate the total cash and/or in-kind contribution from [company/sponsor name] to be approximately [$0.00] over the [X] years of the project.
The [company/sponsor name] is also pleased to confirm the availability of the following employment opportunities for Aboriginal people who successfully complete the required training and meeting the necessary standards, as specified in the [name of project] Aboriginal Training and Employment Plan:
- [Xx] jobs as [position title]
- [Xx] jobs as [position title]
- [Xx] jobs as [position title]
We look forward to participating in the development and promotion of this project.
Sincerely,
[XXXX]
[Name and position of person authorized to make financial and human resource commitments on behalf of the company/sponsor]
Sample Letter of Commitment from Aboriginal Organization
Date
Organization Name
Organization Address
To: [Name of Project/Board of Directors]
On behalf of [organization name], I am pleased to send this letter of commitment to [name of project].
The [organization name] is pleased to offer a financial (cash) contribution of [$0.00] and/or an in-kind contribution of [e.g., wages, capital costs, support to individuals, overhead costs, or other general project costs]. The value of the in-kind contribution is calculated as follows: [xxxxxxxx = $0.00]. We estimate the total cash and/or in-kind contribution from [organization name] to be approximately [$0.00] over the [X] years of the project.
The [organization name] is also pleased to confirm our support for the identification and referral of Aboriginal people to the [name of project]. The support will comprise the resources listed below and will be carried out as follows:
We look forward to participating in the development and promotion of this project.
Sincerely,
[XXXX]
[Name and position of person authorized to make financial and human resource commitments on behalf of the organization]
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