Program Guidelines – Community Engagement Funding

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is committed to honouring those who served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace, and to keeping the memory of their achievements and sacrifices alive for all Canadians. The objective of the Commemorative Partnership Program (CPP) is to provide funding to organizations undertaking remembrance initiatives. These program guidelines are to be used by organizations that  wish to apply for funding related to community engagement projects such as commemorative activities (e.g. events) and commemorative resources (e.g. learning materials). Separate guidelines are available for community war memorial projects.

Eligible recipients

Eligible recipients are non-profit and for-profit organizations, in Canada or abroad, as well as Canadian provinces, territories and municipalities. Individuals and federal organizations are not eligible for funding.

Eligible projects

To be eligible, the project must commemorate the achievements and sacrifices of those who served Canada post-Confederation (1867). It must also be of a finite duration, with clear start and end dates.

Eligible projects may be assessed against the following criteria:

• The applicant has the capacity to deliver the project.
• The project objectives are specific and realistic and clearly support the objective of the CPP.
• The project will engage youth, Veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and/or the general public in recognizing all those who served in Canada's efforts during war, military conflict and peace.
• The project will have noticeable impact and reach.
• Where agreements for collaboration are required to ensure the successful delivery of the project, contributors have confirmed their participation.
• The proposed budget is reasonable and sufficiently detailed.

Ineligible projects

A project is not eligible if:

• it establishes a requirement for operational (core) funding to the organization;
• it duplicates VAC commemorative initiatives;
• it creates a financial dependency;
• it is of a commercial nature and allows the organization to generate profits or increase its economic value;
• it is completed before the application is submitted;
• its revenues cover or exceed expenditures; or
• it is dedicated solely to an individual.

Eligible expenditures

IMPORTANT: Eligible expenditures must be directly related to the project. Only expenditures incurred from the date of receipt of an application to the end of the agreement period may be considered for reimbursement. Priority will be given to expenditures related to the commemorative elements of the project, rather than expenditures associated with hospitality. 

Examples of eligible expenditures may include:

• professional fees;
• administrative expenditures (e.g. printing, photocopying, fax, mail);
• equipment and machinery rental expenditures;
• facility rental expenditures (e.g. meeting rooms);
• reasonable hospitality expenditures;
• travel expenditures inherent to the success of the project;
• material development and distribution expenditures (e.g. print, translation, mail);
• salaries or wages, consistent with activities undertaken;
• design or assessment fees related to permanent exhibits; and
• construction expenditures related to the development of permanent exhibits.

Ineligible expenditures

Ineligible expenditures include, but are not limited to:

• international air travel;
• expenditures related to the purchase of land or a building;
• design or assessment fees for projects other than permanent exhibits;
• construction expenditures for projects other than permanent exhibits;
• operational expenditures;
• fundraising expenditures;
• book publishing expenditures;
• expenditures related to the production of documentaries and film; and
• insurance expenditures.

Funding

Funding may be approved in part or in entirety and is subject to the availability of resources in any given fiscal year. Funding decisions may be based on the number and quality of applications received.

The form of payment (grant or contribution) will be determined based on such elements as the amount of funding provided, the risk associated with the project, the project’s complexity and the applicant’s management capacity.

Although all eligible expenditures may be reimbursed in exceptional circumstances, organizations are strongly encouraged to secure funding from other sources.

Recipients must adhere to these guidelines and the conditions set out in the funding agreement, including the submission of a final report that demonstrates the results achieved.

For more information on application deadlines and funding limits, please consult our web page or contact CPP staff at cpp-ppc@veterans.gc.ca.

Application

Please review the guidelines and apply through the virtual portal. You can submit your funding application and supporting documents through the portal.

Please note that we no longer accept applications by mail or email.

To speak to CPP staff, call toll free:

• 1-866-522-2122 (English)
• 1-866-522-2022 (French)

Veterans Affairs Canada aims to notify applicants in writing of its funding decision within 12 weeks, provided that an application is deemed complete.

For more information on application deadlines and funding limits, please contact CPP staff by email.

Final report

A final report must be submitted at the conclusion of the project. The report will enable the organization to fulfill its obligation of accountability to VAC. The report will serve to measure the results and accomplishments of the initiative.