The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)- Colombia (2026)

The Embassy of Canada in Colombia is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI).

Program description

The CFLI is a program designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassies or high commissions. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

The average CFLI contribution is $25,000 to $50,000 Canadian Dollars. Consult the currency converter for local currency equivalents. Please note that all contributions are made in Canadian dollars and then converted to the local currency

How to apply

• All projects must be completed between the date of signature of the Contribution Agreement and February 28th 2027.
• This year, the process will be divided into two stages: first, everyone must complete the form below, and second, projects prequalified during the first stage must complete a more extensive document for review and final selection by the CFLI Committee.
  1. STAGE 1 (Prequalification of project proposals): Please complete the form at the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSey5Szic5PxlMfS3kxdip-FAX9V7sRhJ14JTe3zf9ZnQuq1MQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor
     • The deadline for submission is February 11th, 2026, at 23:59 (GMT-5). Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.
     • Only proposals that use the designated application form and include the required budget document will be considered. Incomplete proposals will not be considered.
     • Due to the large number of applicants, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
     • Proposals must be completed in English, French or Spanish.
  2. STAGE 2 (Project selection): The Embassy will contact organizations with prequalified projects directly before the third week of February 2026.
     • For more information on the types of activities and costs that are eligible for CFLI funding, please refer to the list of CFLI approved activities and costs at the end.
     • Project proposals must explicitly answer all questions in the CFLI project application form, including the required gender-based analysis. The proposed project budget should summarize the proposed activities and associated costs.
     • Applications will be assessed for approval on their merits by a selection committee.
     • Prequalified and selected applications are kept on file at missions in accordance with Global Affairs Canada’s information management policies.

Organizations eligible to apply for CFLI funding

Eligible recipients include:

• Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations,
• Local academic institutions working on local projects, and
• International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities,
• Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities,
• Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects, and
• Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities.

The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature.

Thematic priorities

All projects must align with at least 1 of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

• Inclusive and shared economic growth that benefits Colombian communities in and around areas where Canadian companies operate—particularly Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Colombian communities, farmers—including through collaboration with a Canadian company.
• Peace and security that advances protection and rights for victims, including from marginalized groups, and communities disproportionately affected by conflict—particularly Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Colombian communities, farmers—including prevention of the recruitment, use, and exploitation of children, and support for transitional justice and community-based reconciliation.

Gender-based analysis plus

In 2025, Canada is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) as part of Canada’s commitment to gender equality, following the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. In alignment with this policy, the CFLI project application process now requires a gender-based analysis plus (GBA+).

The “Plus” in GBA+ highlights that this analytical tool is not just about examining impacts in terms of sex and gender, but also the impacts in terms of multiple identity factors and how they intersect to shape a person’s experience of an issue, program or other initiative. These other factors, for example, might include race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

A GBA+ will require applicants to:

• consider how women, girls, men, boys, marginalized populations, including Indigenous, Afro, LGBTQ+ communities, and persons with disabilities, are affected differently by the problem their project is aiming to address, ensuring, at the same time, that the project does not cause harm
• consult targeted groups in the development of their project proposal
• ensure that the views of those groups inform the project’s design

Note that consultations can include, but are not limited to, speaking to individuals that identify with groups mentioned above from the local community, or who work for civil society organizations that have worked in the local community and decision and change makers who have knowledge of the local community.

Inadequate completion of a GBA+ may affect the consideration of your proposal.

Eligible costs

The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:

• accounting costs
• administrative and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution)
• advocacy and lobbying related costs
• capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure
• civic education costs
• conference and event expenditures
• costs of services received by recipients
• domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class
• environmental assessment costs
• facilities charges,
• equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability),
• hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages
• installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel,
• computers and communication devices
• lease or rental of vehicles
• legal costs
• medical costs
• miscellaneous expenses integral to the project
• outreach, communication and information dissemination costs
• publishing costs
• radio and television broadcast fees
• research-related costs
• salary costs, including stipends, relating to the project,
• security costs
• training and capacity building expenditures
• translation and interpretation fees
• vehicle and equipment operation, installation and/or maintenance
• website development and related costs

The following costs are not eligible for CFLI funding:

• nuclear technologies and facilities,
• assistance to military or paramilitary organizations,
• gifts,
• luxury goods,
• direct fiscal support to a government,
• seed funding and/or microfinance,
• core funding or recurrent costs of an organization
• expenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement, or after it expires