Initial contact should be made with the Coordinator to discuss the concept for the proposed project and confirm eligibility and timeframes for submission.  (Renee Chale 204-989-8876).

Once it is determined that the proposed project meets CAHRD criteria and priority strategy, you can submit your application.

An assessment of each proposal is prepared by Community Projects staff and submitted to the Proposal Selection Committee (PSC).  During the process of assessing a proposal, staff will contact you to fill in any missing information and suggest any amendments that will assist your proposal to fit the assessment criteria.

Each application is individually reviewed based on the following criteria:

Industry Demand Driven

Due to an aging workforce and lack of new talent, many industries in Manitoba are experiencing a critical shortage of skilled workers.  These industries often have good paying, career-focused jobs that require a combination of specialized training, essential skills development, and life-long learning.  The Indigenous population, a relatively young and growing population, is a potential resource to assist in meeting these skills gaps.

Projects that provide high-quality training and can demonstrate a collaborative effort with an employer/industry group for training to employment will be given priority.  Projects that demonstrate strategic career path development within these industries will be given high priority.

Partnerships

Skilled-labour shortages in many industries sets the stage for like-minded parties to come together in partnership strategies to develop models of training and skill development that are favorable to the Indigenous community.  Partnerships can include, but are not limited to, the following elements:

Employers:  Who need skilled workers are often willing to work with like-minded partners and commit resources to design training to employment programs.  These employers are willing to commit jobs and understand the viability of working with the Indigenous community.  They are often willing to commit to cross-cultural training in an effort to transition Indigenous workers into their workplaces and/or provide cross-cultural training to existing workplace staff.

Governments:  All levels of government are committed to improving our lives through labour market and learning initiatives.  They have resources; financial, material and expertise, and have many common interests in improving the employability of Indigenous people.  When a partnership deals with many stakeholders, government has a broader capacity to invest resources at several levels.

Employment Service Providers:  There are several Indigenous employment service providers who offer a broad range of services such as literacy, high school, essential skills, employment assistance, industrial training and other supports.  They often have the infrastructures and expertise required to design and deliver training programs that are tailored to the Indigenous community, as well as the flexibility to tailor programming to an industry need or a regional need.  These organizations often have a client base of Indigenous people who are seeking training and/or employment opportunities.

Education and Training Institutions:  Post-Secondary institutions have had to re-shape their programming to fit the needs of the labour market and the new economy.  Most post-secondary institutions now have several options for training to employment and have incorporated support services to assist students to qualify for their training.  They often have the capacity to develop tailored curriculum and acquire certification to industry standards.  Many have already forged partnerships with local industry, government and indigenous employment service providers.

Sector Councils, Associations and Unions:  These organizations have an interest in developing a skilled labour force.  They are aware of the under-developed Indigenous labour force and have many resources available to implement programming.  By virtue of their membership, they can serve as educators and information venues for industry.

Projects that demonstrate a strategic approach to partnerships will have priority.  Please consider developing a transparent partnership network.

Intervention Programming

• Are the services you are going to provide designed to assist individuals in developing the necessary skills and competencies to obtain permanent employment?
• Does the intervention address current labour market demands?
• Is this an apprenticeship opportunity?
• Is the training accredited by an educational institution?
• Have you included on-going performance measurement processes with defined and gaugeable outcomes?
• Have you ensured that comprehensive client assessments, intervention planning, enhanced supports and follow-up procedures are in place?
• What will be your recruitment and intake process and criteria?

Administration

• Is your organization capable of delivering the project in terms of previous program administration, organizational administration support, financial policies and accounting procedures, data collection and reporting systems?
• Do you have the structures and processes needed to execute your project?
• Do you have the experience and expertise to carry out the proposed activities?
• Have you provided a history of your organization’s service delivery activities?
• Have you provided details of your core operational and program funding?
• Have you provided a copy of your last audited financial statements?
• Can you describe your staffing component and governance structure?

Accountability

• What are the outcomes of previous agreements with CAHRD?  Have past participants become employed?  What are the results?
• Measuring, monitoring and justifying project results.
• Are project costs reasonable and do they reflect fair market value?
• Are there adequate bookkeeping and financial controls in place to track project expenditures?
• Have you clearly stated your project objectives and evaluation capacity?  Are they measurable and consistent with CAHRD objectives?
• Can you provide client outcome information as required by CAHRD (results for intake, assessments, attendance, progress, completion, certification, employment)?

Budget

• What are the financial requirements of implementing this project?
• Are the cost categories detailed and consistent with the CAHRD budget template?
• Are overhead costs within the 15% maximum allowable?
• Have project wages been negotiated and approved?
• Does the budget encompass all sources of project revenue, including what amounts will be received from each source?
• Do the budgeted costs relate specifically to the project activities?
• Have you justified your costs?