Small and medium organizations for impact and innovation
The Government of Canada is dedicating $100 million to a five-year pilot initiative targeted at Canadian small and medium organizations (SMOs). This initiative seeks to engage Canadian SMOs in international assistance efforts in areas consistent with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy.
This pilot initiative is a direct response to feedback we received during the International Assistance Review consultations to provide predictable opportunities to Canadian SMOs to apply for funding. It seeks to diversify Global Affairs Canada’s partnerships and enhance the impacts of our international assistance investments.
Programming windows
The initiative has two programming windows:
- The Development Impact Window will fund thematic programming by SMOs through calls for proposals.
- Global Affairs Canada received a high number of applications to the first call under this window, launched in November 2017, demonstrating the significant interest, breadth and commitment of Canadian SMOs to international development;
- Twenty-one projects, spanning 18 countries, were approved for funding from this first call to implement high impact, innovative and sustainable development projects to reduce poverty, vulnerability and build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world;
- The Call for concept notes for Canadian SMOs closed on July 10, 2019. Under the call, eligible applicants were invited to submit full proposals by April 9, 2020. Merit assessment of the full proposals is now complete. Applicants whose proposals were not retained following merit assessment have been informed. A select number of applications are undergoing due diligence. Applicants with proposals undergoing due diligence will be informed of their results once this process is complete.
- The Innovation Window will invest in the testing of new or improved innovative solutions to global development challenges aligned with Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy in ways that are more effective than existing approaches.
Both of these windows will seek to generate impact, evidence, knowledge and learning.
Building capacity
In addition to Development Impact and Innovation windows above, the Capacity Building and Knowledge-sharing project will provide support for SMOs to enable them to apply for funding, and develop, deliver and implement projects that could be funded through the other windows. The capacity building and knowledge sharing project is being implemented by the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation (ACGC) in collaboration with the other provincial and regional councils across Canada.
The project’s activities aim to:
- Increase effectiveness of SMOs to deliver sustainable results in support of the Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and the Sustainable Development Goals;
- Foster knowledge-sharing between Canadians SMOs and their local partners; and;
- Increase the engagement of Canadians, particularly youth, as global citizens in support of the Feminist International Assistance Policy and Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact information
For more information, contact: correspondance.pid@international.gc.ca.
Related links
- The 2030 agenda for sustainable development
- International assistance review
- Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy
- Announcement of Small and Medium Organizations for Innovation and Impact and initiative
- Canada announces support to small and medium organizations for innovative projects
- 2019 Call for Concept notes - Development Impact Window – Canadian Small and Medium Organizations for Impact and Innovation
- Webinar on “Designing a Better System for SMOs: Lessons Learned from the (2017) Call for Preliminary Proposals for Small and Medium-Sized Organizations for Impact and Innovation”
