Service Delivery Network Development Fund
Application Package (Concept Paper)
effective January 2014
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
1. INTRODUCTION
The SDNDF is an investment by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to
support the capacity of Employment Ontario (EO) third party service providers. These service
providers are responsive to communities’ needs, and coordinate quality employment and training
services providing Ontarians with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the evolving labour market
and build a prosperous Ontario.
The SDNDF combines the Literacy and Basic Skills program (LBS) Research and Development
(R&D) fund, and the Employment Ontario Network Development Fund (EONDF). Integration of these
two funds aligns with the transformation of EO programs to an outcomes-based and a performance
managed system. As the performance management system for both the Employment Service (ES)
and LBS are now conceptually aligned, the ES and LBS service delivery networks now have similar
development needs to effectively manage in an outcomes-based environment.
2. FUND OBJECTIVES
The Ministry provides financial support through the SDNDF to eligible organizations to support
annual business priorities (see Section 2.1 Annual Business Priorities).
The objectives of the fund are to:

Conduct research and development projects that enhance Employment Ontario service
delivery;

Develop resources and materials that enhance literacy, employability and labour mobility;

Support development of competency-based curricula that aligns with the Ontario Adult
Literacy Curriculum Framework (OALCF);

Improve service coordination by ensuring seamless navigation of EO programs and services
focussing on LBS and ES;

Enhance service provision to LBS and ES clients with significant barriers to participation in
EO;

Support consistent network wide service quality ensuring that Ontarians have access to
similar products and services across the province;

Enhance service providers’ capacity to understand and use the EO performance
management framework to improve results;

Support development of innovative approaches to integrating EO programming focussing on
LBS and ES;

Enhance the EO service providers’ knowledge of quality and effective service focussing on
LBS and ES;

Support professional development opportunities for EO service provider administrators,
counsellors and practitioners; and,

Promote the use of technology to deliver EO programs and services across Ontario focussing
on LBS and ES.
2.1 Annual Business Priorities
The SDNDF priorities for 2014-15 are:
1. Targeted initiatives to improve service providers’ capacity to assist vulnerable populations and
groups underrepresented in the labour market to:

complete and progress in the employment goal path; and/or,

prepare for, obtain and maintain employment.
Vulnerable populations may include:

individuals on social assistance;

at-risk youth;

Francophones;

Aboriginals;

visible minorities;

recent immigrants;

persons with a disability;

those with a poor educational attainment history, including literacy and language skills;

people with a poor employment history; and,

individuals living in communities or geographic areas with high unemployment.
2. Targeted initiatives to improve services providers’ capacity to assist apprentices or individuals
interested in apprenticeship to:

acquire the LBS training needed to access, maintain, and complete apprenticeship training;
and/or,

prepare for apprenticeship, find an employer, complete apprenticeship and find related
employment.
3. The development of literacy and essential skills materials that support and enhance the LBS
program. Learning materials include:

OALCF related curriculum;

assessment tools that inform learner gains; and

resources that address Programme for the International Assessment of Adult
Competencies (PIAAC) results for Ontarians
4. The development of resources, tools and best practices to build service providers’
capacity to improve local workforces to:

provide outreach and deliver LBS training to employed Ontarians who need to
improve their literacy and basic skills to maintain or upgrade their employment;
and,

engage and partner with employers to assist them in meeting their skilled labour
needs through the ES.
5. The development of resources, tools and best practices that enhance connections
and referral pathways between MTCU’s Employment Ontario programs and through
the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, the Ministry of Community and Social
Services, the Ministry of Children and Youth Services and the Ministry of Education.
3. ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS
To be eligible for funding, an organization must be incorporated and in operation for at least
12 months. The following organizations are eligible to apply:
Literacy and Basic Skills Support Organizations (LBS)
Organizations that collectively support LBS service providers to deliver LBS. LBS is delivered
to culturally and linguistically diverse adult learners in different instructional settings using a
variety of instructional materials and delivery modes and in distinct geographic settings.
Organizations previously funded through the Employment Ontario Network
Development Fund (EONDF)
Organizations previously funded through the Employment Ontario Network Development
Fund (EONDF) that have demonstrated expertise in supporting Employment Ontario (EO)
Employment Services (ES) providers to achieve outcomes. In addition, these organizations
are required to have been recipients of MTCU funding within the last five years. ES service
providers bridge the gap between employers seeking workplace skills to meet their business
needs and individuals seeking employment.
Organizations currently funded as Local Boards
Organizations currently funded as Local Boards that have demonstrated expertise in
supporting Employment Ontario (EO) service providers to achieve outcomes. These
organizations are required to have been recipients of MTCU funding during the 2013-14
fiscal year. Local Boards are community-based groups whose primary role is to assess local
labour market conditions and work with community stakeholders to address local labour
market issues.
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Organizations in partnership with an LBS support organization, an EONDF funded
organization or a Local Board
Partnerships between two or more organizations, one of which must be either an LBS
support organization, a previously funded EONDF organization or a local board can be
considered for funding. In these partnerships, the project lead must be the LBS support
organization, previously EONDF funded organization or a Local Board.
Letters of Commitment
Letters of Commitment must be submitted if the project proponent is partnering with another
organization. Letters must include the following information and be signed by individuals with
signing authority for the partnering organization:

a statement of agreement with the partnership’s objectives and outcomes;

the list of the partner’s specific commitments to the project and roles; and,

the partner’s commitment to fulfilling its specific obligations in the project
proposal.
Organizations eligible for partnerships
The following types of organizations are eligible for partnership with an LBS support
organization, previously EONDF funded organization or local boards:

non-profit or social service organizations;

industry associations/employer organizations;

employee organizations;

MTCU funded employment and training providers (LBS Service Providers, ES
Service Providers);

First Nations organizations;

Métis organizations;

Inuit organizations;

municipalities;

private consultants; and,

local planning groups/ community action groups.
Partnership(s) between LBS support organizations, previously EONDF funded
organizations and Local Boards
Partnerships between LBS support organizations, previously EONDF funded organizations
and Local Boards will be considered provided that one of them is the project lead.
Ineligible Organizations
The following organizations are not eligible for partnership:

other Provincial government ministries or agencies; and,
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
federal government departments or agencies.
4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Proponents

The concept paper and detailed project proposal must be submitted electronically by the
project proponent. A Call for Proposal Application Package will be distributed to
applicants whose concept papers are approved.

The project proponent is the signatory to the agreement,

The project proponent has complete accountability to MTCU for all funding and project
requirements. Without limitation, the project proponent is responsible for the protection
of privacy if the project involves the collection, use or disclosure of personal information,

The project proponent has responsibility for all financial reporting and reporting on the
project.
Project proponents in Partnerships
In addition to the roles and responsibilities of project proponents outlined above, the following
apply to project proponents who are the project lead in partnerships:
 for accountability and agreement management, the project proponent must apply
for the project and be solely responsible for the project and for meeting reporting
requirements;
 the project proponent has complete accountability to MTCU for all funding and
project requirements and will be the decision-making authority for the partnership
in all matters related to the agreement;
 the project proponent has responsibility for receiving, administering, and
allocating funds to any partner organizations;
 the project proponent may develop formal agreements and/or memorandums of
understanding with their partners to whom funding may be flowed, and for the
purposes of clarifying the project; and,
 for the detailed project proposal to be considered, the project proponent must
submit a Letter of Commitment from each of the partnering organizations,
including one from the project proponent, named in the project proposal.
Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities
The Ministry will:

Review and approve proposed projects based on the SDNDF Guidelines;

Confirm SDNDF projects through a letter from the Director of the Service
Delivery Branch; and,

Release SDNDF funding to approved organizations upon signing of the
agreement by both parties.
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5. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS
To be considered eligible for the SDNDF, proposals must:

address the annual SDNDF business priorities;

meet a demonstrated need of the EO network;

be project-based and not dependent upon future funding;

have defined start and end dates and must be completed by March 31st of the contract’s
fiscal year;

include a plan of how products or services are accessible to the EO network;

demonstrate how the project does not duplicate current or previously funded projects;

develop a project (products/services) that meet clear writing and design principles; and,

consider cultural and linguistic factors in the development of the deliverable(s).
Projects may include:

research papers focusing on best practices and innovative approaches for service
delivery;

training workshops including “Train the Trainer” events;

assessments, tools and resources supporting practitioners and service providers to
enhance service delivery and capacity;

adaptation of existing OALCF products and materials for online learning and/or
American Sign Language (ASL);

development and implementation of learner gains tools ;

competency-based curricula that aligns with the OALCF; and,

resources that address Ontario Programme for the International Assessment of Adult
Competencies (PIAAC) results.
All OALCF projects must support LBS eChannel service delivery and be accessible to all
streams.
Ineligible Projects
SDNDF funding will not be approved for:

projects better suited to other government programs or funds;

annual activities, such as conferences, except where it is clearly demonstrated
that the outcome(s) will improve the capacity of EO service providers;

projects that are national in scope unless funding from the federal or other
provincial governments is also approved and there is a demonstrable benefit to
Ontario; and,
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
projects of a political or sectarian nature.
6. DURATION
Under the SDNDF fund, all eligible organizations must be able to complete projects within 10
months.
7. FUND PRINCIPLES AND CONSIDERATIONS
The SDNDF is a project-based fund to support specific development initiatives. It will cover
the direct operating costs of developing and delivering approved projects.
The project amount contributed to each project will vary depending on the project. Projects
can be funded up to a maximum period of one fiscal year. There is no prescribed maximum
and minimum funding amount for eligible proposals.
Within the funding available, MTCU will approve proposals that demonstrate the most impact
and value for money and directly support the development of the EO’s third party service
provider network.
The SDNDF provides funding that is:

based on the business priorities; and,

discretionary and allocated on an annual competitive basis.
8. APPLICATION PROCESS
MTCU will administer the application process by:

posting the SDNDF Guidelines and Call for Proposal Application Package on the
Employment Ontario Partners’ Gateway (EOPG) website to invite eligible
organizations to apply;

receiving Concept Papers, described in the Application Package;

reviewing and evaluating Concept Papers and selecting Papers that best support
SDNDF priorities;

advising all organizations on the status of their Concept Papers;

requesting organizations whose Concept Papers have been selected to submit
detailed project proposals

reviewing and evaluating detailed project proposals, making a decision regarding
funding allocations, and informing all successful organizations.
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Note: Acceptance of a Concept Paper and the submission of a detailed project proposal do
not guarantee the project will receive funding.
8.1. Concept Paper Criteria
Organizations must submit a Concept Paper as part of the application process. APPENDIX A:
Concept Paper Template must be completed by applicants.
9. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The Ministry seeks to avoid conflicts of interest, both real and perceived, during the
submission of the Concept Paper and Project Proposal.
Conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to:

situations or circumstances that could give a project applicant an unfair
advantage during the process; and/or,

the offer or giving of a benefit of any kind, by or on behalf of a project applicant to
anyone employed by, or otherwise connected with, the Ministry.
During the call for proposals and review period the Ministry will not accept phone calls on the
proposal and process. To eliminate an unfair advantage, the Ministry will direct project
applicants to forward questions by email to SDNDFProject@ontario.ca by a set deadline
date. The Ministry will post all questions and answers to the EOPG for all project applicants
to access.
10. MONITORING PROCESS
A key mechanism for ensuring accountability is monitoring agreement activities. Projects are
monitored by Ministry staff on a regular basis to ensure project activities and timelines are
met in accordance with the terms in the SDNDF agreement. The Ministry monitors projects to
obtain updates on project progress in meeting its objectives and outcomes.
Some of the activities conducted by the Ministry may be include:

monthly and/or quarterly activity and financial reporting;

discussions via telephone; and,

correspondence by mail or e-mail.
11. PROJECT COMPLETION PROCESS
A project is considered complete once Ministry staff receives:

the reports outlined in Section 4.4 Reporting and Audit of the SDNDF Guidelines;
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
electronic copies of products and/or materials developed during the project (e.g.
research paper, survey questions and results, presentation and/or training
materials, etc.); and,

the final project report.
Ministry staff reviews the final report and determines if the project achieved its deliverables
and objectives.
The remaining 25% of funds are released upon project completion.
Projects must be completed within the fiscal year April 1st – March 31st of the following year.
Extensions to project completion are not allowed beyond March 31st of the fiscal year in
which the project was approved.
12. EVALUATION REPORT
An evaluation report must be conducted by an independent reviewer that attests to the
quality and relevance of the final product. The Ministry requires organizations to submit their
evaluation report no later than 90 days following project completion. The Evaluation Report
Template will be included in the Call for Proposal Application Package.
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APPENDIX A: CONCEPT PAPER TEMPLATE
Before submitting a proposal, all eligible organizations must first submit a Concept Paper using this
template. If the Concept Paper is approved, the organization will be invited to submit a proposal.
INSTRUCTIONS

All sections of this template must be completed.

Concept Papers must be submitted by January 31, 2014. Late submissions will not be
accepted.
Contact Information
Legal name of organization:
Type of organization (refer to section 3 of the SDNDF Application Package):
Project contact name:
Mailing Address
Telephone:
Street:
Fax:
City:
Email:
Province:
ON
Postal code:
Proposal Information
Name of Proposal:
Name of partnering organization(s) if applicable:
Project start date:
A. Total Cost of Project
Project end date:
B. Partner and proponent
contribution
$
$
C. Amount requested from
MTCU (Subtract B from A)
$
Indicate the business priority(s) addressed:
Targeted initiatives to improve service providers’ capacity to assist vulnerable population and groups
underrepresented in the labour market to:
 Complete and progress in the employment goal path; and/or,
 Prepare for, obtain and maintain employment.
Targeted initiatives to improve service providers’ capacity to assist apprentices or individuals
interested in apprenticeship to:
 Acquire the LBS training needed to access, maintain, and complete apprenticeship training;
and/or,
 Prepare for apprenticeship, find an employer, complete apprenticeship and find related
employment.
The development of literacy and essential skills materials that support and enhance the LBS
program. Learning materials include:
 OALCF related curriculum;
 assessment tools that inform learner gains; and
 resources that address Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
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(PIAAC) results for Ontarians
The development of resources, tools and best practices to build service providers’ capacity to
improve local workforces to:
 Provide outreach and deliver LBS training to employed Ontarians who need to improve their
literacy and basic skills to maintain or upgrade their employment; and,
 Engage and partner with employers to assist them in meeting their skilled labour needs
through the ES.
The development of resources, tools and best practices that enhance connections and referral
pathways between MTCU’s Employment Ontario programs and through the Ministry of Citizenship
and Immigration, the Ministry of Community and Social Services, the Ministry of Children and Youth
Services and the Ministry of Education.
Project Summary
Provide a brief synopsis of the project including how the project addresses the following:
Need within the network (150 words max):
The target audience(s) (100 words max):
Activities to be undertaken (e.g. products, deliverables, etc.) (150 words max):
Indicate what language(s) to be used for any products or services (10 words max):
Benefit to the Employment Ontario Network
Briefly elaborate on how the proposed project addresses the following:
Annual Business Priorities (150 words max):
Scope of Impact (how the project will benefit the network) (100 words max):
How you propose to measure the impact of the project (100 words max):
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APPENDIX B: Organizations previously funded by Employment Ontario
Network Development Fund (EONDF)
A Commitment to Training and Employment for Women (ACTEW)
Adult Basic Education Association (ABEA) of Hamilton-Wentworth
Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario
(ACAATO)
CESBA (Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School
Board Administrators)
College Sector Employment Services (CSES)
Colleges Ontario
Community Literacy of Ontario (CLO)
Consortium of Agencies Serving Internationally-Trained Persons (CASIP)
CS Vanier
Durham Region Employment Network (DREN)
Eastern Regional Working Group (ERG)
Employment Assistance Resource Network Hamilton
Employment Sector Council London Middlesex (ESCLM)
Essential Skills Ontario
First Work
La Cité Collégiale
Laubach Literacy Ontario (LLO)
Literacy Link Eastern Ontario (LLEO)
Literacy Network Northeast Inc.
Literacy Ontario Central South
Lutherwood
Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy (MTML)
Mid North Network for the Development And Coordination of Adult Learning
Northern Regional Group
Ontario Association of Youth Employment Centres (OAYEC)
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Ontario Network of Employment Services Training Projects (ONESTEP)
Ontario Network of Employment Skills Training Projects
Peel-Halton-Dufferin Adult Learning Network
Project Read Literacy Network (Waterloo-Wellington)
Sault Community Career Centre
Simcoe/Muskoka Literacy Network
St. Lawrence College
Tri-County Literacy Network
WIL Counselling and Training for Employment
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APPENDIX C: List of LBS support organizations
Adult Basic Education Association of Hamilton-Wentworth
AlphaPlus Centre / Centre AlphaPlus
Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario
Centre Franco-Ontarien des Ressources en Alphabétisation (Sudbury) Inc.
CESBA (The Ontario Association of Adult and Continuing Education School Board
Administrators)
Coalition Ontarienne de Formation des Adultes
Community Literacy of Ontario Inc.
Contact North/Contact Nord
Deaf Literacy Initiative
Essential Skills Ontario
Laubach Literacy Ontario
Literacy Link Eastern Ontario Inc.
Literacy Link Niagara Inc.
Literacy Link South Central
Literacy Network Northeast Inc.
Literacy Network of Durham Region
Literacy Ontario Central South
Metro Toronto Movement for Literacy
Ningwakwe Learning Press
Northwestern Ontario Literacy Network
Ontario Native Literacy Coalition
Ottawa-Carleton Coalition for Literacy / Regroupement d'Ottawa-Carleton Pour
L'alphabétisation
Peel-Halton-Dufferin Adult Learning Network
Project Read Literacy Network (Waterloo-Wellington)
Quality in Lifelong Learning Network Inc.
Simcoe/Muskoka Literacy Network
The Mid-North Network for the Coordination and Development of Adult Learning
Tri-County Literacy Network
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APPENDIX D: Organizations currently funded as Local Boards
Durham Workforce Authority
Workforce Planning Board of York Region & Bradford West Gwillmbury
Toronto Workforce Innovation Group
Peel-Halton Workforce Development Group
Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board
Eastern Ontario Training Board
Workforce and Personal Development (Ottawa)
The Labour Market Group of Renfrew & Lanark
1000 Islands Region Workforce Development Board
East Central Ontario Training Board
Workforce Development Board
Elgin Middlesex Oxford Workforce Planning & Development Board
Four County Labour Market Planning Board
Niagara Workforce Planning Board
Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board
Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie
Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin
Workforce Planning Hamilton / Planification de main d'oevre de Hamilton
Workforce Development Board Windsor Essex
Chatham-Kent Workforce Planning Board
The Labour Market Group (North Bay)
Sudbury & Manitoulin Workforce Partnership Board
Algoma Workforce Investment Committee
Far Northeast Training Board
North Superior Workforce Planning Board
Northwest Training and Adjustment Board
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