Grants to Canada Nonprofits, For-Profits, and Agencies
to Improve Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities

Description: Request a Grant Writer

Grants of up to $50,000 to Canada nonprofits, social enterprises, for-profits, small municipalities, territorial governments, and indigenous organizations to improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities. Funding may be requested for capital construction, renovation, or retrofitting, as well as the provision of accessible technologies in workplaces and communities across Canada.

This CFP has two funding streams: the Workplace Accessibility Stream and the Community Accessibility Stream.

Objective of the Workplace Accessibility Stream: To provide funding for small projects that improve accessibility and/or safety for people with disabilities in workplaces across Canada.

These improvements must be addressed through renovation, construction and/or retrofit activities or through the provision of accessible technologies, in facilities where people with disabilities work or could work in the future. While proposed projects can address accessibility needs that are specific to one current or future employee, the measures/features to be implemented must be usable/transferable to other current or future employees facing similar accessibility barriers, and must remain with the organization for their use (e.g. an accessible workstation with adjustable countertops and cabinets with pull-out shelves meets the objective, whereas hearing aids would not).

Objective of the Community Accessibility Stream: To provide funding for small projects that improve accessibility and/or safety for people with disabilities in communities across Canada.

These improvements must be addressed through renovation, construction and/or retrofit activities or through the provision of accessible technologies, in community spaces where programs and/or services are offered, or will be offered, to people with disabilities.

If you answer “Yes” to one or more of the following questions, you should apply under the Workplace Accessibility Stream:

-Is the intent of the project to render a workplace accessible and/or safe for the purpose of maintaining or creating job opportunities for people with disabilities?
-Does the project involve the renovation, construction and/or retrofitting of a workplace where employees with disabilities work or could work in the future?
-Does the project involve the creation of accessibility features for a new workplace where employees with disabilities will work or could work in the future?
-Does the project provide accessible information and communication technologies for work use for employees with disabilities?

If you answer “Yes” to one or more of the following questions, you should apply under the Community Accessibility Stream:

-Is the intent of the project to render a community space accessible and/or safe for the purpose of offering programs and/or services to people with disabilities?
-Is the project aimed at increasing access to programs and/or services for people with disabilities?
-Does the project involve the creation of accessibility features for a new community space where programs and/or services will be offered to people with disabilities?
-Does the project involve the renovation/construction/retrofit of an existing community space where programs and/or services are currently offered to people with disabilities?
-Does the project provide accessible information and communication technologies in a community space where programs and/or services are offered to people with disabilities?

The expected results of the EAF are:

-Accessible communities and workplaces;
-Increased access for people with disabilities to services, programs and employment opportunities; and
-Increased opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and contribute to community life and the economy.

If your application is submitted under the Workplace Accessibility Stream, it must demonstrate that the project aligns with both of the following expected results:

-Increased workplace accessibility and/or safety; and
-Increased opportunities for current or future employees with disabilities to obtain or maintain employment and participate in the economy.

If your application is submitted under the Community Accessibility Stream, it must demonstrate that the project aligns with both of the following expected results:

-Increased accessibility and/or safety for people with disabilities in community spaces where programs and/or services are offered, or will be offered, to people with disabilities; and
-Increased opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and contribute to community life.

Eligible Activities

Project activities must include renovation, construction and/or retrofit activities, or the provision of information and communication technologies that will increase accessibility and/or safety to community spaces or facilities where programs and/or services are offered (or will be offered) to people with disabilities or where people with disabilities work (or could work in the future). More specifically, to be considered eligible for funding, projects must be directly related to removing barriers and increasing accessibility and/or safety for people with disabilities in Canadian communities and workplaces. Below are examples of eligible activities for both the workplace and the community accessibility funding streams:

Examples of Workplace Accessibility Stream projects:
-Installing an elevator or lift in the main lobby of a regional tourist center in order to allow access to offices on the second floor, as well as installing automated power doors in the entrance for employees with mobility impairments;
-Widening doorways and hallways that are too narrow for employees with guide dogs and/or employees using a wheelchair, electric scooter or walker in a local clothing store;
-Installing audio-visual fire alarm systems and/or software or peripheral hardware such as screen readers, symbolic software, voice recognition software and speech synthesizers for employees with hearing or visual impairments in a public library;
-Providing information and communication technologies such as interactive speech capability software on a computer used by employees in an IT company;
-Installing enhanced lighting in a coffee shop to accommodate employees with visual impairments;
-Lowering the counters and food serving areas and cashier service desk in a cafeteria to accommodate staff with mobility impairments.

Examples of Community Accessibility Stream projects:
-Installing an access ramp and automated door openers to enable the access of people with disabilities to the main entrance of a church.
-Enhancing lighting in a recreational center, to accommodate people with low vision;
-Replacing doorknobs that are difficult to grasp and turn with accessible levered handles and installing accessible washrooms in a local tourist information office;
-Installing appropriate signage, tactile cues, and painting baseboards and door frames in a community hall with contrasting colors for individuals with visual impairments;
-Building an accessible pathway between outdoor amenities at a municipal outdoor recreation area (i.e. between tennis court, picnic area, pool, playground, and park);
-Building an interior ramp at the main gathering hall in a community summer camp for children with disabilities.

Eligible expenditures are costs considered necessary to support the purpose of the project. For this CFP, eligible expenditures include, but are not limited to:

-Professional fees, including consultants, technical expertise and/or construction contractors;
-Costs related to construction materials or supplies;
-Costs related to labour required to make the improvements to accessibility;
-Costs related to the purchase or rental of tools, equipment or machinery necessary to complete the project;
-Costs related to the purchase of accessible information and communication technologies;
-Costs related to the purchase of universally accessible/ergonomic accessories and furniture; and/or
-Other costs necessary to support the purpose of the funded project, as approved by ESDC.

Under the Workplace Accessible Stream, expenses must relate to projects taking place in facilities where people with disabilities work or could work in order to be considered eligible.

Under the Community Accessible Stream, expenses must relate to projects taking place in facilities that are open to the public and where programs and/or services are offered or will be offered to people with disabilities in order to be eligible.

Projects must demonstrate community support for their project.