Question Period Note: COMMUNITY SERVICES RECOVERY FUND

What is the federal government doing to advance the implementation of the Community Services Recovery Fund?

We are working hard to ensure that charities and non-profits have the tools they need as they emerge from the pandemic.

Budget 2021 announced $400 million for a one-time Community Services Recovery Fund to help these organizations adapt and modernize so they can better support recovery in communities across Canada.

Three National Funders managing the fund – the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada and United Way Centraide Canada – are accepting applications until February 21, 2023. Funded projects will run from May 1, 2023 through 2024.

Community Services Recovery Fund

Community service organizations, such as charities and non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies, are at the forefront of addressing communities’ needs, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the early phases of the pandemic, they have struggled with increased demand for their services, reduced revenues, declines in charitable giving due to the rising cost of living, and a greater need to make use of digital tools. Many of them are struggling to recover and adapt their services to the changing needs of communities across Canada

To support the vital work done by these organizations, the Government of Canada committed to providing $400 million to Employment and Social Development Canada to create the Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF). As community service organizations across Canada work to support recovery in their communities, the CSRF will help them adapt and modernize their operations to grow their impact.

Funding from the Community Services Recovery Fund will enable community service organizations to invest in their own organizational capacity under one of the three project focus areas:

Investing in People: projects that focus on how organizations recruit, retain, engage and support their personnel.

Investing in Systems and Processes: projects that invest in the systems and processes involved in creating the internal workings of an organization’s overall structure.

Investing in Program and Service Innovation and Redesign: projects primarily focused on program and service innovation and redesign using information gained during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government will deliver the CSRF through National Funders who will be responsible for establishing open application processes to distribute funding to a broad and diverse range of eligible community service organizations providing services in communities across Canada. On November 22, 2022, the Government of Canada announced that the Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada were selected as the National Funders for the Community Services Recovery Fund (CSRF).

The Community Services Recovery Fund is open for applications from January 6 to February 21, 2023, through the National Funders. Funded projects will begin May 1, 2023, and will continue into 2024.

The Community Services Recovery Fund has two funding streams: one for local or regional community service organizations serving a portion of a province or territory, and one for community service organizations serving the entire country, an entire province or territory, or multiple provinces or territories.

The CSRF builds on the successful delivery of the $350 million Emergency Community Support Fund, where the Government funded over 11,570 projects serving vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If Pressed (Broad Reach)

The National Funders for the CSRF will apply an equity lens in all aspects of program delivery to ensure broad and diverse inclusion of all types of organizations, including those that are led by or serve equity-deserving communities.
If Pressed (M-30 in Quebec)

The Government of Canada is working with the Government of Quebec so that community service organizations in Quebec can access the funding without delay. More details will be provided in the coming weeks.

“The Government is supporting the long-term COVID-19 pandemic recovery in communities across Canada through this historic fund. This transformational investment with the National Funders supports a more inclusive model of economic growth that creates opportunities at the community level. The Community Services Recovery Fund will strengthen the ability of community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, to deliver services and resources where they will have the most impact.”

– Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, Karina Gould

“The Government of Canada continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting Canadians as we recover from the prolonged impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Canadian Red Cross is pleased to be a National Funder of the Community Services Recovery Fund that will provide funding to help non-profits, registered charities and Indigenous governing bodies adapt to ensure they are able to continue to provide vital services and programs in their communities.”

– Conrad Sauvé, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Red Cross

“The Community Services Recovery Fund will change the reality for thousands of charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies from coast to coast to coast. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, these organizations have stood up for and supported their communities. We will be forever grateful for their efforts. Now, through this Fund, community foundations will support projects at charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies that invest in their internal systems and processes, making them more resilient for the future.”

– Andrea Dicks, President, Community Foundations of Canada

“The Government of Canada has entrusted United Way Centraide Canada and our partner National Funders to deliver the Community Services Recovery Fund. Our national network of local community experts is working hard to support charities and non-profits serving our diverse communities to ensure they can access this important funding they so greatly deserve.”

– Dan Clement, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way Centraide Canada