CEOP FAQ
1. What is CEOP?
The Community Economic Opportunities Program provides project-based support to those First Nation and Inuit communities that have the best economic opportunities.
CEOP is expected to lead to community economic benefits including:
• Increased employment of community members
• Business development and entrepreneurship
• Development of community land and resources
• Increased community investment from external entities
• Partnerships with private-sector businesses
2. Who can apply?
• Band/Tribal Councils
• First Nation economic development corporations, associations, co-operatives and institutions
• Other First Nation/Aboriginal organizations that plan to provide economic development services for the benefit of First Nation communities
• Non-Aboriginal corporations other than Federal Crown corporations, associations, co-operatives and institutions that provide or are planning to provide research and advocacy services for the benefit of First nation communities.
3. Is our project eligible? It is if it addresses one of the following:
• Employment of Community Members – ie: HR Planning, skills inventories, employment advisory services, work experience initiatives
• Business Development – ie: opportunity identification, entrepreneurship initiatives, business advisory services (business plan, feasibility study. environmental scan), seed capital initiatives
• Development of Land & Resources under Community Control – ie: resource inventories, land & resource valuations, opportunity identification, development of land & resource usage plans, promotion of community land & resources to potential partners/acquirers
• Access to Opportunities originating with Land & Resources beyond Community Control – ie: opportunity identification on neighboring lands, negotiations to access or benefit from land & resource development
• Promote the Community as a Place to Invest – ie: business relocation opportunity identification, development/implementation of promotional strategies
• Development of Land & Resources under Community Control – ie: identification and removal of barriers to First Nation community economic development, emerging and strategic opportunities research.
4. How do we apply?
Complete a CEOP application, and include the following information:
o Project design (description, objectives, scope and deliverables)
o Project budget (estimates for uses of funds, sources of funds)
o Project Management team (experience, credentials, capacity)
o Project timelines (start and end date for project activities/deliverables)
o Proposed performance indicators and community economic benefits
o Band Council Resolution (BCR) or letter of support
o Relevant supporting documentation (partnerships, financial support)
SUBMIT your completed CEOP application and documentation to:
CEOP
Economic Development Unit
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Room 200, 1 First Nations Way
Regina, SK S4S 7K5
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Upon receipt of your application, INAC will screen your application to ensure that it meets the eligibility requirements for the CEOP. Applications that meet the screening criteria will then be forwarded to analysts for review. Applicants whose projects do not meet eligibility requirements will be advised of the decision.
5. What are the funding limits?
INAC’s funding is directly related to the community economic benefits and the need for funding that has been demonstrated in the application. INAC funding will not exceed $3,000,000. In addition, INAC funding will not exceed 2/3 (66.6%) of the total eligible project cost for implementing economic infrastructure projects or 80% of the total cost for all other types of eligible projects. Applicants must contribute 20% of the “eligible project expenditures”.
6. How is the program delivered?
Applications are submitted to INAC regional office. Projects are reviewed and presented to the Project Review Committee (PRC) for their review and recommendation. Where projects are approved, INAC issues a project approval letter and amendment annex to the applicant. The project approval letter and amendment annex will identify the terms and conditions of the funding contribution. This date shall be deemed as the official project approval date.
After a project has been approved by INAC and the applicant has accepted the terms and conditions of the amendment, they may begin to incur supported eligible expenses to undertake activities outlined in the project. Expenses incurred prior to the official project approval date will not be reimbursed by INAC, unless permission has been received to do so otherwise. This permission can be obtained through submission of a waiver letter request, which grants the applicant permission to initiate the project prior to project approval. INAC will reimburse supported eligible project costs upon receipt of project cost claim forms.
Recipients will be expected to report through the format in the First Nation National Reporting Guide on performance measures based on the INAC Economic Development Activity and Performance Measures Guide.