The Government of Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is seeking applications for its Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Innovation program to support organizations exploring new ideas to maximize innovative practices in ELCC services across Canada.

ELCC supports innovative practices that strengthen the changing nature of early learning and child care. This program benefits children under 6 years of age and their families.

Objectives

• explore new ideas to maximize innovative practices in ELCC services across Canada
• support emerging needs and preparedness activities as a response to the pandemic (if applicable)

Eligible projects

To be eligible for funding, project must meet all of the following criteria:

• benefit children under 6 years of age and their families
• activities must go beyond your organization’s normal, core, existing or ongoing activities
• be no longer than 36 months
• request no more than $3,000,000 over the term of the project
• end by March 31, 2024
• meet the objectives

How ESDC Assess Application?

• Project objectives:
  • explore, test and develop innovative approaches
  • aim to improve the quality, accessibility, affordability, inclusivity and flexibility
  • develop knowledge, tools, methodologies, solutions, lessons learned and best practices
  • benefit children under 6 years of age and their families
  • improve results and strengthen the impact of ELCC programs and services
• Priorities:
  • support emerging needs and preparedness activities as a response to the pandemic
• Considerations:
  • promote cultural diversity, respect and inclusion, and gender equality
  • support the next generation of ELCC sector leaders (including early childhood educators, service providers, and research leaders) from one or more of the following groups:
    • Black Canadians and other racialized communities
    • Indigenous peoples
    • those living in rural remote and northern communities
    • other groups that have not traditionally contributed to the leadership of the ELCC sector or to ELCC research in Canada
  • target children and families with unique child care needs for one or more of the following groups:
    • Indigenous families
    • lower-income families
    • families that include children with varying abilities
    • newcomer families
    • single parent families
    • Black and other racialized families
    • families from official language minority communities
    • families working non-standardized hours
    • families in underserved communities
    • Project activities, timelines and feasibility
• Application must:
  • provide clear and relevant description of your project activities, that align with the project objectives
  • indicate timelines and milestones that are specific, detailed and realistic
• Applicants must describe project’s outputs, outcomes and indicators.
• Applicant must provide a brief and clear justification of how intend to expend the funds effectively and efficiently. The project costs must be reasonable, detailed, and support the project activities.

Eligibility Criteria

• To receive funding, your organization must be one of the following types:
  • Not-for-profit organizations
  • Provincial and territorial entities (including educational institutions and health and social services institutions)
  • Municipalities
  • Indigenous organizations (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities)
• Ineligible applicants include:
  • provincial and territorial governments and their respective departments
  • for-profit organizations
  • individuals
• Eligible organizations may only submit 1 application, but may consist of more than 1 project. Submit a separate application for each department if applicants are submitting more than 1 project for the same organization. This includes ELCC agencies, educational institutions, and health and social services institutions.
• Note: Organizations in the province of Québec cannot apply for this funding. The Government of Canada is in discussion with the Government of Québec to ensure Innovation funding is available for Québec-based projects.

For more information, visit ELCC Innovation.