Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities - Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities?
The Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities is a funding program for organizations to assist people with disabilities integrate into the labour market.
2. What is the objective of the program?
The objective of the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities is to provide organizations with funding to support people with disabilities in preparing for, obtaining and keeping employment or becoming self-employed, thereby increasing their economic participation and independence.
3. What are the activities eligible for funding?
Funding for local and regional projects – Eligible activities may vary from region to region and change from year to year depending on the needs of local communities. Therefore, interested organizations must contact Service Canada for information specific to their region on the activities eligible for funding.
Funding for national projects – The funding for national projects is distributed by means of a Call for Proposals and each Call for Proposals has its specific requirements.
4. Who can participate in the program activities being offered by the different organizations?
Eligible participants must:
- self identify as having a permanent physical or mental disability that limits daily activity;
- be unemployed or working less than an average of 20 hours per week;
- be legally entitled to work in Canada; and
- be in need of assistance to prepare to enter the labour market, obtain a job or become self-employed.
5. Who can receive funding under the program?
Funding for local, regional, and national projects – Eligible applicants include:
- businesses;
- organizations (including not-for-profit);
- individual people with disabilities;
- public health and educational institutions;
- band or tribal councils; and
- municipal governments.
6. How can organizations apply to the program?
Funding for local and regional projects – Organizations who wish to develop a local or regional project proposal and apply for funding must contact Service Canada to find out where to apply.
Funding for national projects – Organizations are invited to apply for funding through a Call for Proposals. Information related to Calls for Proposals is available on the Service Canada Calls for Proposals for Employment Programs web page.
7. What are the application dates?
Funding for local and regional projects – Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Funding for national projects – Applications are accepted through a Call for Proposals process, which is run approximately every three years.
8. What is the maximum duration of an Opportunities Fund project?
The maximum duration of an agreement with a recipient is three years. The agreements authorizing financial assistance are negotiated and written on a year-by-year basis, with the negotiation being dependent upon successful completion of each individual year.