About

The High Commission of Canada in Malaysia is pleased to launch its annual call for proposals for the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries, which align with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priority areas for engagement.

The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian embassy or high commission. The CFLI also serves to support positive bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies, by deepening contacts and supporting local endeavours.

Thematic Priorities

• All projects must align with at least 1 of the following CFLI thematic priorities:

  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

  • Inclusive governance, democracy, and the rule of law.

  • Human rights (including of vulnerable communities), diversity, and inclusion.

  • Environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

Funding Information

• The average CFLI contribution is $10,000 to $30,000 Canadian dollars (CAD$100,000 is the maximum allocation amount for a project eligible under CFLI).

Eligible Costs

• The following project costs are eligible for CFLI funding:

  • accounting costs

  • administrative and overhead costs related to the project (overhead should not exceed 15% of total CFLI contribution)

  • advocacy and lobbying related costs

  • capital and/or operating expenditures related to the lease and/or purchase and/or building of infrastructure

  • civic education costs

  • conference and event expenditures

  • costs of services received by recipients

  • domestic travel expenses, using lowest fares possible but not exceeding full fare economy class

  • environmental assessment costs

  • facilities charges

  • equipment rental, and/or purchase (only when the purchase is required to meet project objectives, reflects good value for money, and the recipient has a strong care-and-maintenance plan in place for equipment sustainability)

  • hospitality costs, excluding alcoholic beverages

  • installation, maintenance, shipping and/or transportation costs, including fuel

  • computers and communication devices

  • lease or rental of vehicles

  • legal costs

  • medical costs

• The following costs are not eligible for CFLI funding:

  • nuclear technologies and facilities

  • assistance to military or paramilitary organizations

  • gifts

  • luxury goods

  • direct fiscal support to a government

  • seed funding and/or microfinance

  • core funding or recurrent costs of an organization

  • expenses incurred prior to the signing of the contribution agreement, or after it expires

Eligibility

• Eligible recipients include:

  • Local non-governmental, community and not-for-profit organizations

  • Local academic institutions working on local projects

  • International non-governmental organizations working on local development activities

  • Intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities

  • Municipal, regional or national government institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects

  • Canadian non-governmental and not-for-profit organizations that are working on local development activities

• The majority of CFLI funding is to be directed toward local civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations) and other institutions working at the local level. Other entities, such as international, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional organizations may be eligible for funding, provided they are working with local partners and on local projects that are consistent with the objectives of the CFLI. Similarly, municipal, regional and national government institutions may receive funding, provided that their projects are essentially local in nature. The CFLI is always looking to fund innovative projects that deliver measurable results.

Post Date: February 12, 2025