Questions and answers

Summary Questions and answers about the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund

 

Q1. What is the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund?

Through grants and contributions, the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund provides private, public or academic organizations support for research, innovative initiatives and projects tailored to improve the well-being of Veterans and their families.

Q2. Who can apply for the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund?

Organizations in the public, private and academic sectors conducting work that supports Veteran and family well-being may apply for the Fund. If you have any questions about the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund, please contact: veteraninnovation@veterans.gc.ca.

To qualify, you must be a:

  • Non-profit organization;
  • Registered charity;
  • For-profit organization (provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives);
  • Research organization/institute;
  • Educational institution;
  • Public health and social services institution; or
  • Indigenous organization.

Q3. How much funding can an organization apply for?

The Veteran and Family Well-being Fund may award grants up to a maximum of $500,000 per fiscal year, for a maximum of three years; and contributions up to a maximum of $1 million per fiscal year, for a maximum of three years. Veterans Affairs Canada encourages organizations to apply for the amount of funding that their research, project or initiative requires, and not the maximum amount available.

Q4. What kind of funding is available? What is the difference between a grant and a contribution?

Grants are awarded to organizations for research, initiatives and projects that are considered low risk and less complex. Grants are unconditional transfer payments, made as a lump sum ahead of project completion.

Contributions are similar to grants, however, instead of a payment, organizations are reimbursed for specific costs that meet pre-established financial and performance conditions, such as reporting on expenditures.

The government can audit recipients' use of funding.

Q5. Can I apply for two separate initiatives in the same year and receive funding for both?

Yes. The same organization can apply for multiple initiatives separately and may be chosen to receive funding for each. Each project is evaluated on its own merits.

Q6. How do I know if my project or initiative is eligible to receive funding through the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund?

Please refer to the Veteran and Family Well-being Application Guide.

Q7. What are the reporting requirements for organizations that receive funding?

Organizations are expected to measure the success of their research, initiative or project. If an organization is awarded funding, they are required to provide Veterans Affairs Canada with quarterly reports as well as a final report to demonstrate the measurement of success of their research, initiative or project.

Q8. Who will decide what research, projects and initiatives are funded? Will Veterans have a say in the selection process?

An internal selection committee will review and evaluate all applications and make recommendations for funding.

For more information, please refer to the Veteran and Family Well-being Application Guide.

Q9. I have a question about my application. Whom should I contact?

Contact the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund at veteraninnovation@veterans.gc.ca.

Q10. My initiative did not receive funding. Should I reapply?

If you believe your organization has an innovative way of improving the well-being of Veterans and their families and meets the Fund's objectives and priorities, please reapply in the next call for applications.

Q11. Will the Government of Canada continue to support research, projects and initiatives that receive funding if they prove to be beneficial for the well-being of Veterans and their families beyond the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund?

The Government of Canada is looking to fund research, projects and initiatives that are sustainable and do not require further funding. The fund provides temporary financial support. Terms and conditions do not allow for continued funding.

Q12. Are research projects subject to additional terms?

Projects involving research will be asked to obtain research ethics board approval from an accredited academic institution before funding begins. Research projects should follow best practices and consider the unique needs of underserved or underrepresented groups. Specifically, proposals performing research should comply with Canada's Tri-Council Policy on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans and adhere to guidelines for Sex and Gender Equity in Research.

Q13. Which organizations were chosen to receive funding and what do their initiatives include?

The following organizations have received funding through the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund:

Q14. How did the committee choose which organizations received funding and which did not? What was the criteria?

As outlined in the program guidelines, all applications undergo an evaluation against the Fund criteria listed below. Organizations must show that projects are self-sufficient if they plan to continue operating after funding is complete.

Funding criteria:

  1. Impact – the project/service will have meaningful impact on Veterans' and their families' well-being, including a sustained impact after participation ends.
  2. Innovation – the project/service addresses an unmet need, offers a new approach to delivering a needed benefit, or finds a new way to reach Veterans and their families.
  3. Equity deserving – the project/service supports the needs of equity-deserving groups, including women, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans.
  4. Risk – the project/service is cost-effective, has sufficient resources to administer and deliver the project/service and is adequately prepared for the complexity and duration of the project. The program must meet regulatory standards and the organizations providing the service must have sufficient expertise and work within accepted scopes of practice.

This call includes a focus on projects and initiatives that support women, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQI+ Veterans.

Q15. How do you determine the success of the program?

Organizations receiving funding are required to provide both interim and final reports as outlined in individual agreements. These reports provide information on how successful the Fund is at enabling organizations to address the well-being of Veterans and their families.

Q16. Will Veterans Affairs continue to provide funding to these projects/organizations beyond what is committed in the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund?

Funding agreements range from one year to three years. Once all the funding has been received as defined in the agreement, VAC does not continue to provide funding.

Q17. What else is new about the Fund?

As part of enhanced governance of the Veteran and Family Well-being Fund, funding recipients must be able to demonstrate and provide a safe and secure environment for Veterans and their families.

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