Eligibility Criteria

Who Do We Fund?

Applicants must be Canadian small and medium-sized organizations (SMOs) who want to test innovative solutions to specific development challenges in partnership with local organizations.

Projects should have a focus on advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls in the Global South.

Applicants may seek funding of between $150K to $175K to implement projects over a 6-12 month period (lower amounts may be considered, but not over $175K).

What is an SMO?

FIT’s definition of an SMO is based on two inclusive criteria:

  1. Consolidated revenue in the organization’s financial statements is equal to or less than $10 million (this limitation does not apply to post-secondary institutions*), and
  2. The organization does not have annual overseas expenditures exceeding $2 million in development assistance (i.e. projects administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as their main objective).

SMOs can be civil society organizations, post-secondary institutions, private sector or social enterprises.

Organizations must legally be incorporated in Canada, and provide proof of legal status (e.g. a letter of incorporation), and a Canada Revenue Agency business number or registered charity number.

*Post-secondary institutions can be SMOs as long as their annual overseas expenditures in development assistance do not exceed $2 million. They are not required to respect the $10 million revenue limit.

Other Criteria

  • Applicants must be at the testing phase of their innovative solution. (General development projects do not qualify).
  • Applicants must be willing to share/license intellectual property with the Government of Canada.
  • Proposed projects must be implemented in a country that is eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA).
    See OECD list of eligible countries (PDF).
  • Proposed projects must not involve any construction (e.g. building a new structure or rehabilitating an existing structure).

Self Assessment