First Nations Adult Secondary Education Program: National Guidelines 2022 to 2023
Table of contents
- 1. Program introduction
- 2. Objectives
- 3. Expected results
- 4. Eligible recipients
- 5. Eligible components and activities
- 6. Expenditures
- 7. Proposal process and assessment criteria
- 8. Managing conflicts of interest
- 9. Funding
- 10. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
- 11. Personal information
- 12. Accountability
- 13. Contact information
Introduction
The Government of Canada is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples through a renewed, nation-to-nation and government-to-government relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership as the foundation for transformative change. The implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples requires transformative change in the government's relationship with Indigenous peoples.
These efforts must be guided by Canada's obligation to respect and uphold First Nations' inherent, Indigenous and treaty rights, including those rights to education referenced in specific treaties and self-government agreements. The nation-to-nation relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations is rooted in historic treaties, the Numbered Treaties, self-government agreements, section 35, guided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and informed by the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation.
1. Program introduction
ISC through the First Nation Adult Secondary Education (FNASE) supports the implementation and expansion of secondary programming to adults on reserve as part of the Post-Secondary Education Strategy for First Nations who have identified their preference to deliver Budget 2021 adult education funding through a post-secondary education funding mechanism. These guidelines set out the program delivery requirements for funding recipients that enter into a funding agreement with ISC for the delivery of the FNASE.
The program is not intended as a source of core operational funding.
This section and the following sections of this document set out the FNASE delivery requirements for funding recipients that enter into a funding agreement with ISC.
These guidelines are effective as of April 1, 2022.
These guidelines are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement signed by the funding recipient.
2. Objectives
The FNASE program provides funding to support the implementation and expansion for secondary programming to adults on reserve as part of the Post-Secondary Education Strategy. The overall aim of the program is to increase the number of students completing their secondary education and pursuing post-secondary education and thereby contributing to closing education attainment gap. The FNASE program supports First Nations to establish community-based secondary programming tailored to adult learners in order to complete or update their secondary education and to community-based initiatives to encourage adult enrolment in secondary programming supported by the ISC Elementary and Secondary Education Program.
3. Expected results
To address a critical need and respond directly to calls by First Nations to address the closing of the secondary school attainment gap between First Nations and non-Indigenous Canadians.
Increased ability of First Nations to continue onto post-secondary education opportunities.
4. Eligible recipients
Eligible recipients under the FNASE are:
- band councils of recognized First Nations bands
- organizations designated by band councils:
- bands or settlements
- tribal councils
- education organizations
- political or treaty organizations engaged by or on behalf of First Nations
- First Nations established post-secondary education institutions offering secondary programming for adults
5. Eligible activities
The FNASE program supports key adult secondary programming implementation and expansion activities that must meet the objectives and expected results of sections 2 and 3. Some examples of activities could include:
- conducting community engagement to determine adult secondary programming needs
- entering into partnerships to develop adult secondary programming
- purchasing IT hardware and software to support program start-up
- community outreach activities to support secondary enrolment
6. Expenditures
6.1 Eligible expenditures
Eligible expenditures for the FNASE include costs associated with the implementation and expansion of adult secondary programming through post-secondary deliver models. These may include, but are not limited to:
- short-term, non-permanent funding salaries and benefits
- costs associated with the development and publication of learning or instructional materials
- costs associated with improved access to language and culture for adult education
- meeting costs
- professional services, consulting fees or Elder engagement administration costs, not to exceed 15% of total costs
Administration costs:
Administration costs must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount for funding received under the FNASE.
Further distribution of funds by ISC's funding recipients:
- when a funding recipient further transfers to a third party, funds that were received under this program, the 15% allowed for administration costs must be divided between the parties, as agreed to between the parties
The total administration costs retained by all parties must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount for funding received under the FNASE.
6.2. Ineligible expenditures
Capital and maintenance costs are ineligible under the FNASE. Other ineligible costs are:
- permanent staff salaries
- student tuition
- student books and supplies
7. Proposal process and assessment criteria
All funding for the FNASE program may be based on work plans, proposals and other agreed upon process and assessment criteria regionally-determined with First Nations partners.
Approved funding amounts will be based on the available regional allocations. Regional allocations will be reviewed annually.
Requests for FNASE program funding are reviewed by ISC regional offices and based on the eligible components and activities as outlined earlier in the guidelines. To learn more, contact your regional office.
8. Managing conflicts of interest
Recipients that manage the adjudication and administration of the funding of the program must demonstrate transparency and accountability in their policies and processes.
This includes having a:
- publicly available conflict of interest policy
- written standards, policies and procedures on the project selection process for funding
- publicly available list of successful proponents
Individuals cannot participate in the evaluation of a proposal if the individual:
- has assisted in the preparation of the proposal, is an employee of the applicant, has provided consulting services, in any capacity, to the organization submitting the proposal or may in the future
- will be a team member on the proposed project
- is a relative or close friend of any of the employees of the management team of the eligible recipient which submitted a proposal
Conflicts of interest may arise during the review of proposals. These situations need to be managed in an open and transparent manner.
Should a situation arise that presents a real or potential conflict of interest during the review process, the impacted individual must recuse themselves from the deliberations concerning the specific proposal.
9. Funding
9.1 Maximum amount payable per funding recipient
The maximum amount payable to FNASE program recipients normally will not exceed total overall amount of funding available for the FNASE program.
9.2 Funding approaches
Transfer payments to funding recipients of the FNASE may be made using fixed contribution or flexible contribution depending on the eligibility of the recipient and of the service to be delivered.
Set funding may be used if the recipient so wishes.
ISC regional officers can advise on the eligibility of these funding approaches as well as on the requirements related to the management of the funds.
The funding approach used to transfer funds to a recipient is identified in the recipient's signed funding agreement.
The following specific program directions for the management of transfer payments complement the directions provided in the recipient's signed funding agreement and are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement.
Set contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
Reallocation of funds is not allowed with transfer payments made using set contribution.
Fixed contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients can reallocate a reasonable percentage of funds among the eligible activities and expenditures of their proposal approved for the FNASE.
Recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region before reallocating funds.
Unexpended funding:
Recipients may retain unexpended funding from a fiscal year, to expend in the 1 year period immediately following the fiscal year for which it was provided, on eligible activities and expenditures outlined in these guidelines.
Flexible contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients can reallocate a reasonable percentage of funds among the eligible activities and expenditures of their proposal approved for the FNASE.
Recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region before reallocating funds.
Unexpended funding:
Recipients can retain unexpended funding remaining at the end of each fiscal year, to expend in a subsequent fiscal year, to further achieve results toward their proposal approved for the FNASE.
10. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
10.1 Reporting requirements
The reporting requirements for program and financial reports and their respective due dates are listed in the recipient's funding agreement and details on these requirements are available in the Reporting Guide.
Recipients must report on all funds received and expended, including the use of unexpended funding they were allowed to retain to use on the following fiscal year. Consult the funding approaches section of these guidelines for details on the use of unexpended funds.
Recipients are responsible for completing an annual report and submitting it to the ISC regional office by June 30 the year following receipt of the funds.
The final report should be in the Activities and expenditures report data collection instrument. Information to highlight in reporting can include:
- activities undertaken to support adult learners in accessing secondary programming
- activities undertaken to develop adult secondary programming
If the funded work has not concluded, final reporting should also include information on next steps and timeline.
All recipient reporting requirements are subject to monitoring and oversight activities to determine the accuracy of the information provided to ISC.
10.2 Monitoring and oversight
To ensure that the program or strategy outcomes and objectives are being met and opportunities for continuous improvement with a goal to improve results for Indigenous peoples are being identified, activities including audits, evaluations, as well as targeted program or strategy reviews may be conducted in collaboration with the recipient, for example desk and on-site reviews.
11. Personal information
ISC's collection and use of personal information and other records for the purposes of targeted program reviews, for example, desk and on-site reviews will be limited to what is necessary to ensure that the program delivery requirements are met.
ISC is responsible for all information and records in its possession. The confidentiality of the information will be managed by ISC in accordance with the Privacy Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. P-21 and other related policies on privacy.
Recipients are responsible for the protection of personal information as per applicable provincial privacy statutes and regulations, and the recipient's policies, up to the point that the personal information is transferred to ISC.
12. Accountability
ISC is committed to providing assistance to recipients in order to help them effectively carry out their obligations under these guidelines and their funding agreements.
Regional offices and other ISC contacts are available to answer questions and provide guidance related to ISC programs and funding.
Recipients must:
- deliver the programs and strategies in accordance with the provisions of their signed funding agreement and the delivery requirements outlined in these guidelines
- ensure that the necessary management controls are in place to manage funding and monitor activities
- exercise due diligence when approving expenditures
- ensure that such expenditures are in accordance with the eligible expenditures set out in these guidelines
ISC is accountable to provide funding to First Nations in a timely manner through contributions payments under the First Nations Post-Secondary Education Strategy.
13. Contact information
To find out more about the program, visit:
To find your regional office, visit the ISC web page.
You can also write to:
Education Branch
Indigenous Services Canada
15 Eddy St, 6th Floor, Mailstop 25E-19
Gatineau QC K1A 0H4
Email: education-education@sac-isc.gc.ca
To learn more about education programs, consult the National program guidelines or click on the View instructions button on the first page of this program's data collection instrument.