Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative

From: Global Affairs Canada

On this page

• Benefits
• Milestones
• Key elements
• Working together
• Why we are doing this

The Government of Canada is changing processes and tools for international initiatives. The Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative (GCTI) is part of that transformation.  It aims to make Canadian international assistance reach more people, faster. It uses innovative and effective solutions that align with public service values and government priorities. GCTI will make sure that we process, distribute and use Canadian international assistance as efficiently as possible.

Benefits

The Government of Canada is building an online grants and contributions system to manage international initiatives. This new interface is called Impleo.

Impleo will support all grants and contributions programs for:

• International Development
• International Trade
• Foreign Affairs 

GCTI’s goal is to make sure that our grants and contributions programing is more:

• efficient
• effective
• transparent
• responsive
• accountable

It will provide the greatest value for:

• funding recipients
• civil society organizations
• the Government of Canada
• Canadians at large

GCTI will:

• simplify the process for external organizations, so it’s easier to apply for assistance
• improve risk assessment so organizations of all sizes and capacity have access to assistance
• digitize information so that it’s up to date and easy to share

Streamlined systems and processes will better serve the needs of:

• Canadians at large. Making our processes easier will serve Canada’s people, businesses and economy.
• communities around the world who benefit from our funding
• organizations within these communities who work directly with us

GCTI will help us work better with non-governmental organizations through the whole project cycle. It will improve results for Canada’s international aid around the world.

GCTI ensures that:

• programs and projects are tracked, and investments are made based on data and evidence
• administrative burden of accessing funding and running programs is decreased
• a diverse range of organizations and people have access to transparent and responsive funding opportunities

As this initiative advances, we will continue to adjust and develop our approach to international assistance. We are committed to integrating the principles of diversity, inclusion and cooperation into every exchange and process.

Key elements

Business process optimization

Business process optimization (BPO) is an examination and analysis of processes. The goal is to find ways to make processes more efficient.

BPO:

• reviews and improves grants and contributions processes for International Development, Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
• finds core processes common to our 3 foreign assistance streams. We will integrate these processes with Impleo, our new grants and contributions management solution.

Testing environment

Our testing environment, called Failsmart Lab, is where we test better ways to manage grants and contributions.

The Failsmart lab can: 

• test solutions with programs and partners 
• simplify processes and explore new approaches
• streamline obsolete tools and requirements 
• measure and track performance indicators 
• connect programs and business units

The Failsmart will continue to test new solutions and analyse users’ feedback. We see what works well and what doesn't, make changes and test again. This way, we keep improving processes and tools as we build them.

Risk aware approach

We are updating risk management processes into the project management system. This will make sure that users can easily access risk assessment results throughout their project.

The update includes:

• a system that understands, analyzes and learns from risk
• an improved and streamlined approach to risk management

Key features include:

• managing risk through the:
  • risk-appetite framework
  • risk aware approach
  • risk management component 
• full assessment of external organizations
• fraud case management tool 
• risk management for all projects

Working together

We connect with organizations outside the Government of Canada on the right issues, at the right time. This makes sure that our new grants and contributions systems and processes work for the people who use them. 

Risk-appetite hackathon

Government of Canada employees and partnering organizations explored the best ways of working together. They also focused on the risks related to approving and managing funding for international assistance projects. This exercise is part of our commitment to involve partners in designing a modernized system.

Change management 

Change management plays a crucial role in the success of this initiative. We make sure to consider the needs of anyone who may be affected by these changes. This includes people inside and outside the Government of Canada.

When we consider, include and train people, new tools, systems and processes are easier to adopt.

Collaborative approach

GCTI is part of a larger transformation in the Government of Canada's global affairs. We govern this initiative in a transparent and accountable way. This aligns with public service values and government priorities.

Our team includes senior leaders, program managers and digital experts. We commit to ongoing collaboration between federal government departments, international assistance providers and civil service organizations.

This inclusive approach makes sure that decisions are:

• informed by diverse perspectives
• grounded in user needs
• based on data
• aligned with the Government of Canada’s goals

Why we are doing this

GCTI is a part of our broader Transformation Implementation Plan and supports:

• Prime Minister of Canada’s May 2025 Mandate Letter. It insists that we spend less on government operations and more on the people, businesses and building our economy.
• Former Prime Minister of Canada’s mandate letter to the Minister of International Development. It asked us to improve the way we manage and deliver international development assistance.
• Canada’s Digital Ambition 2024-2025, an important federal policy
• Our Transformation Plan to reduce red tape and administrative burden
• 2023 Auditor General Report and its recommendations, such as Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy

GCTI is responding to these requirements as we modernize our grants and contribution systems and processes, as we:

• improve the grants and contributions (G&Cs) funding and reporting processes
• reduce the administrative burden on recipients of funding
• have the most up-to-date digital processes for managing G&Cs 

Contact us

If you have questions or comments, send us an email at:
  MobilisationITSC-GCTIEngagement@international.gc.ca

Related links

• Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy
• Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Mandate Letter