Documentary Heritage Communities Program – Frequently Asked Questions

July 24, 2015

Eligibility

Which organizations are eligible?

The objective of the Documentary Heritage Community Program (DHCP) is to provide funding to eligible organizations that do not have a regular source of funding. If an organization is administered by, or receives regular annual operational funding from any level of government, then that organization would not be eligible. The same applies if an organization is administered by a university or college.

What does “regular source of funding” mean?

A regular source of funding is defined as organizations that appear in the annual budgets of any level of government and who receive funds without an application process. It is important to note that organizations who receive funding through grants or contributions from any level of government and who are administered independently, are still eligible under the DHCP.

If my organization is not eligible, can I partner with another eligible organization?

An ineligible applicant can participate and/or collaborate in a project submitted by an eligible applicant, by providing them with in-kind or financial assistance. However, an ineligible organization or collaborator cannot benefit financially from the contribution, nor can they be a co-applicant or named partner.

Are First Nations Governments, Band Councils or Tribal Councils, Inuit and Métis equivalent governing organizations eligible?

Archives, privately funded libraries, historical societies, genealogical organizations/societies, professional associations and museums with an archival component, who receive funding or are administered by a First Nations Governments, Band Councils or Tribal Councils, Inuit and Métis equivalent governing organizations, are eligible to apply to the DHCP.

Timelines

How long do I have to complete a project under the DHCP?

Institutions or organizations that do not apply for multi-year funding must complete their project by the end of the Government of Canada’s fiscal year (March 31, 2016) and must submit the Final Assessment and Financial no later than April 30, 2016. For the next funding cycle, successful recipients will benefit from a longer timeframe to complete their projects – however, single-year projects must always be completed by March 31.

When will DHCP funding decisions be announced?

The goal is to issue official written notification of funding decisions within 11 weeks of the program’s application deadline, which is September 4, 2015.

When is the next DHCP funding cycle?

The dates for the next DHCP funding cycle have not been determined, however, they will align themselves with the Government of Canada’s fiscal year, which begins on April 1 and ends on March 31. Library and Archives Canada invites anyone interested in learning about the next cycle to follow its website, Facebook, Twitter and blog. Additionally, a call for proposals will be published on the DHCP website.

Multi-Year Projects

Can my organization apply for multi-year funding?

Multi-year funding will be considered in 2015-16 for incorporated documentary heritage institutions and organizations that have a current relationship with LAC and that have demonstrated financial stability and the ability to meet objectives involving the implementation of longer-term plans, undertaking multi-year commitments or matching leveraged funding from the public and private sectors. The maximum level of support is $100,000 per Government of Canada fiscal year (April 1 to March 31).

For fiscal year 2016-17 and onward, all successful recipients from the previous fiscal years, who are incorporated, will be able to apply for multi-year funding.

Can you define “current relationship with LAC”?

A current relationship with LAC refers to organizations that have partnered with or have collaborated with LAC within the past five years on projects that fall outside of LAC’s regular service channels. This provides LAC with the ability to determine an organization’s capacity and ability to undertake a multi-year project.

Other Requirements

Are DHCP funded projects required to be presented in both Official Languages of Canada (French and English)?

DHCP funded projects do not need to be presented in French and English, however, recipient organizations must publicly recognize, in both official languages (French and English), the Government of Canada’s financial support in all advertising, promotional and program materials, public announcements, website, social media, etc. More information can be found by consulting the Guide on the Public Acknowledgment of Library and Archives Canada.

You will note within the “Eligible Expenditures” section of the Guidelines, costs associated with the translation of communication material produced as a result of the project, as well as for the purpose of the development of Official Languages minority communities and promotion of French and English (Section 41 of the Official Languages Act) are eligible expenditures under the DHCP.

The Guidelines mention that we should work closely with LAC when developing our proposals. What does that mean?

Program staff members are available to answer questions about the program, such as eligibility for recipients, costs, projects, etc.

The guidelines mention that eligible expenditures for general administration purposes and costs for travel on a combined basis, may not exceed 20% of the contribution provided. What does that mean?

Eligible expenditures under general administration are associated with the indirect costs incurred to undertake a DHCP funded project. These costs must fall outside of the regular day-to-day expenses. Costs can include, but is not limited to: office supplies, long-distance telephone calls, postage, messenger services, photocopies and printing services.

What does the Final Assessment and Financial Report entail?

The Final Assessment and Financial Report template will be available online shortly. These reports will ask recipients to explain the results and achievements of their projects, and will help support Library and Archives Canada’s (LAC) performance measurement strategy for the DHCP. For multi-year projects, recipients must also submit a Final Assessment and Financial Report at the end of each fiscal year, for performance measurement purposes and to receive the subsequent year’s funding, as well as any applicable holdback.

More questions?

Contact the Documentary Heritage Communities Program:
Telephone: (819) 997-0893 or 1-844-757-8035 (toll-free in Canada and the US)
Email: contributions@bac-lac.gc.ca