Call for Proposals: Frequently Asked Questions - Open Solicitation

Community – based Health Promotion to Support Victims of Violence

  1. What types of activities can be funded through this investment?
  2. What is health promotion?
  3. What is an example of a health promotion intervention for victims of violence?
  4. What types of activities cannot be funded through this investment?
  5. What is expected for the intervention research component of the project?
  6. What are the required qualifications of the researcher for the research component of this call for proposals?
  7. Who can apply to this Call for Proposals?
  8. Does my organization have to collaborate with another organization to be funded?
  9. Why are multi-sectoral and/or multi agency collaborations encouraged?
  10. What capacities and experience does my organization need?
  11. Can organizations submit more than one Letter of Intent?
  12. Do projects have to be national in scope?
  13. What amount of funding is available and for what duration?
  14. Are there any other funding requirements I should know about?
  15. What are the eligible expenditures/costs?
  16. What expenditures are not eligible?
  17. How do I apply?
  18. What do I include in my Letter of Intent application package?
  19. What criteria will be used to assess my submission?
  20. What is the deadline to apply?
  21. How do I submit my Letter of Intent?
  22. Will I be notified when my Letter of Intent submission is received?
  23. How long will it take to know if my Letter of Intent is accepted for full Proposal submission?
  24. What is the process for submitting a full Proposal?

What types of activities can be funded through this investment?

Projects must deliver a health promotion intervention that is specifically geared towards the needs of victims of family violence. An intervention refers to an activity, initiative, project or program that is designed for and delivered to an identified population or audience and produces identifiable and measurable outcomes. For the purpose of this call for proposals, all interventions must be tailored to people who have experienced forms of family violence (child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, or child exposure to intimate partner violence). Note: all projects must also incorporate intervention research (see question 4).

What is health promotion?

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health (it is distinct from health care or treatment of an illness or injury). A health promotion intervention aims to create supportive environments and provide programs that help people develop skills, knowledge, and resilience to improve and maintain their physical and/or mental health.

What is an example of a health promotion intervention for victims of violence?

Examples of a health promotion intervention for people who have experienced family violence could include: a) a 12-week peer support program that provides information and tools to help mothers who have experienced intimate partner violence to improve their parenting skills (aimed at improving the mental health of both the mother and her children); or b) a 6-month trauma-informed youth sport program that tailors the coaching and rules to support the specific needs of youth who have experienced family violence, and aims to reduce aggression, improve self-regulation, and decrease anxiety among participants. (Note: these examples are given for illustrative purposes only; the investment may support a wide variety of interventions such as peer and social support, healthy eating, or arts, cultural and recreational activities.)

What types of activities cannot be funded through this investment?

The investment cannot support:

  • ongoing core operating costs of an organization;
  • provision of services that are the responsibility of other levels of government (e.g. primary health care or treatment);
  • individual counselling or other one-on-one intervention/treatment; or
  • interventions that address bullying, collective violence, or self-inflicted violence (e.g., suicide).

In addition, while projects are encouraged to include links and connections to related services and supports (e.g. housing, income support, law enforcement), the investment cannot support "wrap-around" or "navigation" services as the primary project activity. Connection to complementary services through a health promotion intervention can be supported.

(Please see sections 5 and 8.3 of the Call for Proposals for additional information about exclusions and ineligible activities.)

What is expected for the intervention research component of the project?

Interventions funded through this investment must include intervention research, with research questions and methods integrated into the project from the outset. Intervention research is the use of scientific methods to produce knowledge about outcomes from policy and program interventions (beyond measuring outputs from the project). Intervention research will contribute to the evidence base about what works to promote the health of victims of violence, examining changes in health-related knowledge, skills and behaviour as a result of the intervention, as well as "how" and "in what contexts" the intervention works. In the Letter of Intent, applicants will be asked to provide a preliminary description of research questions, methods, and indicators.

Applicants who are asked to submit a full proposal will be required to include a fully developed research approach.

What are the required qualifications of the researcher for the research component of this call for proposals?

Each project must include a role for a researcher who will design and lead the intervention research. This person needs to have a strong research background with an appropriate mix of education and experience. A university-affiliated researcher is not required, but projects will be required to demonstrate that the individual/team leading the research has the necessary research background (education and experience), as well as experience conducting rigorous research in the context of violence.

Who can apply to this Call for Proposals?

The types of organizations that are eligible to apply for funding include:

  • Not-for-profit voluntary organizations and corporations
  • For-profit organizations
  • Unincorporated groups, societies and coalitions
  • Provincial, territorial, regional, and municipal governments and agencies
  • Organizations and institutions supported by provincial and territorial governments (regional health authorities, schools, post-secondary institutions, etc.)
  • Aboriginal organizations

Non-Canadian recipients may be considered. 

Does my organization have to collaborate with another organization to be funded?

Yes, in order to be eligible for funding, organizations are required to collaborate with organizations working in other areas – e.g. those working directly in the field of intimate partner violence and child maltreatment would have to collaborate with an organization in the field of health promotion. In addition, an evaluator or researcher with an understanding of the complexity of working with victims of violence, and experience in the violence or related fields, is required. Collaborators from other sectors are also encouraged.

Why are multi-sectoral and/or multi agency collaborations encouraged?

Supporting victims of violence is a complex task and requires collaboration across sectors. Multi-sectoral approaches that involve organizations from various segments of society (e.g. non-profit, governmental, for-profit, academia) and with complementary sets of expertise (e.g. violence against women and health promotion) are required to address complex social issues like family violence. By engaging multiple sectors of society, partners can leverage knowledge, expertise, reach and resources in working towards the common shared goal of producing better health outcomes for Canadians.

What capacities and experience does my organization need?

The collaborating organizations, collectively, need to demonstrate the following experience and capacity:

  • Understanding of the complexity of health and social issues related to the provision of health promotion programs for victims of intimate partner violence and child maltreatment
  • Experience engaging with populations who face heightened risks of intimate partner violence and/or child maltreatment
  • Previous success in developing and maintaining collaborations in multi-sectoral or multi-agency projects for a minimum of two years
  • Compatibility between the mandates of collaborating organizations
  • Experience in conducting intervention research and/or outcome evaluation

Can organizations submit more than one Letter of Intent?

Yes. Organizations may submit more than one Letter of Intent if they are significantly different in scope of work. A complete and separate submission will need to be completed for each Letter of Intent. Applicants with ineligible, incomplete and unsuccessful submissions are also welcome to revise and resubmit project ideas through the Letter of Intent process at any time.

Do projects have to be national in scope?

Projects do not have to be national in scope. However they must the potential to be transferred or expanded to additional settings or populations in Canada.

What amount of funding is available and for what duration?

The value of funding per project is a minimum of $125,000 annually. Projects can be a minimum of 2 years in duration and a maximum of 5 years.

Are there any other funding requirements I should know about?

The following principles should be applied in developing applications to this funding opportunity:

What are the eligible expenditures/costs?

Eligible costs include such expenses as personnel, travel and accommodation, materials, equipment, rent and utilities, evaluation/dissemination, or “other” costs related to the approved project. A detailed budget will be required as part of the full Proposal (stage two) in the application process.

The Public Health Agency of Canada will not reimburse for costs incurred in the preparation and/or submission of a Letter of Intent or full Proposal, and no expenses for approved projects may be incurred prior to the acceptance of the Grant Agreement or Contribution Agreements by all parties.

What expenditures are not eligible?

The following activities and expenses are not eligible for funding:

  • Pure research in any discipline;
  • Provision of services that are the responsibility of other levels of government;
  • Costs of ongoing activities;
  • Standalone activities such as audio visual production or website/smartphone application development and maintenance (a “stand –alone activity” would be considered as such when there is no program intervention with a priority population (s)/ audience, etc.)
  • Conferences, symposia, and workshops as stand-alone projects;
  • Capital costs such as the purchase of land, buildings or vehicles;
  • Ongoing operational support or overhead/administrative fees expressed as a percentage of ongoing activities of an organization;
  • Unidentified miscellaneous costs;
  • Travel and hospitality expenses that exceed the Treasury Board rates;
  • Renting charges for space and computer use when already owned by the recipient organization; and
  • Membership fees.

How do I apply?

The application process under this invitation consists of two stages. The first stage is the submission of the Letter of Intent template, which will outline the project concept as described in detail in Section 6.  To obtain a copy of the template, or for additional information about this invitation to submit a Letter of Intent, please contact us via email.

Successful Letter of Intent applicants will be invited to submit a full Proposal for funding consideration.

What do I include in my Letter of Intent application package?

Letters of Intent must be no more than 10 pages long.  Additional appendices that demonstrate the evidence-base, such as literature reviews, needs assessments, and past evaluation results, are permitted. 

What criteria will be used to assess my submission?

The detailed assessment criteria are outlined in Section 7 of the invitation. The Letter of Intent must provide sufficient information regarding each assessment criterion so that a clear overview of all aspects of the Proposal project is provided. Broadly, the criterion includes:

  • Project overview
  • Project description
  • Evidence for the project
  • Organizational and collaboration capacity

What is the deadline to apply?

Letters of Intent must be submitted by January 22, 2016.

How do I submit my Letter of Intent?

All Letters of Intent must be submitted using the Letter of Intent template.  To obtain a copy of the template, or for additional information about this invitation to submit a Letter of Intent, please contact us via email.

All Letters of Intent must be submitted via email. Applications will be acknowledged by email. Please ensure your email address is included in your Letter of Intent application so that the Agency may contact you.

Will I be notified when my Letter of Intent submission is received?

Yes, applications will be acknowledged by email within 10 working days upon receipt of your submission.

How long will it take to know if my Letter of Intent is accepted for full Proposal submission?

Applicants whose Letters of Intent are successful will be invited, within 45 days of receipt of the Letter of Intent, to submit a full Proposal for funding consideration.  Applicants with ineligible, incomplete or unsuccessful submissions will also be notified in writing within 45 days.

What is the process for submitting a full Proposal?

Once the Agency has notified you that your Letter of Intent has been successful, you will be invited to submit a full Proposal. You will be provided with a template and instructions for submitting the Proposal.

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