Funding Guidelines and Application Form

AFUES grants are intended to fund costs associated with scholarships, studying Ukrainian in Ukraine, developing Ukrainian learning resources, conducting research, or other projects related to the development and innovation of Ukrainian language education in Alberta. Also, AFUES grants are provided for the promotion and sustainability of Ukrainian language use in Canada, and for the development of a positive social and cultural identity within Canada’s diverse mosaic.

Application Guidelines

1. Deadlines

To be considered by the AFUES Board in any given round of funding, applications must be emailed to admin@afues.ca by 11:59:59 pm (Mountain time) on the following dates: September 15, November 15, February 15, or, May 15. Any applications received following each deadline will automatically be forwarded to the next application period.

If your funding application falls outside of these submission dates, please consult the AFUES website or contact AFUES directly for the most up-to-date application form.

The AFUES Board of Directors strives to advise applicants on the outcome of their application within 4-8 weeks of the submission deadline. It does, however, reserve the right to pose follow-up questions, request additional information or materials, or ask for revisions, where warranted. In cases of large or complex initiatives, AFUES may need to discuss the request directly with the applicant, or have the applicant present their request in person or via Skype.

In exceptional circumstances the AFUES board may review and approve applications outside the regular application schedule. However, this will only take place in true emergencies to a given program or project, and at the discretion of the Board.

2. How to Apply

Applicants must identify the correct application form appropriate to their initiative, read the guidelines in full, complete the application, complete the application checklist, and submit a full application package with all supporting materials via the AFUES on-line application submission form or email them to admin@afues.ca by one of the deadlines.

Hard copy applications will not be accepted. However, large or sample materials which cannot be scanned may be submitted directly to AFUES. In such cases, please contact us in advance at admin@afues.ca.

3. Who Can Apply?

AFUES grants are intended to fund costs associated with the development and innovation of Ukrainian language teaching, learning and research in Canada, for the development of a positive social and cultural Ukrainian identity within Canada’s diverse mosaic.

For example, initiatives may take the form of scholarships, student study travel to Ukraine, developing Ukrainian learning resources, publishing of learning resources, conducting research or needs analyses, or other projects related to the promotion and sustainability of Ukrainian language learning in Canada. Teachers, instructors, students, schools, researchers, community organizations and other relevant bodies can submit proposals that adhere to the AFUES vision. Repeat applications are welcome, but must be for different projects or initiatives.

As a provincial funding body, please note that priority must be given to projects which have a direct impact on Ukrainian language teaching, learning and research in Alberta. However, projects that provide a pan-Canadian advantage and impact will also be given higher consideration.

Finally, in order to be eligible for funding, the recipient must meet the requirements of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC) as listed in the “Charitable Gaming Policies Handbook” (aglc.ca/pdf/charitable_gaming/charitable_gaming_policies_handbook.pdf). Please review these eligibility guidelines, particularly section 2.1, before submitting your request.

4. How are applications selected?

The AFUES Board of Directors adjudicates all applications.

In allocating funds, AFUES will attempt to achieve a reasonable distribution of opportunity across the following areas of Ukrainian Language Education (ULE)-related program development, teaching and learning:
• Ukrainian Bilingual Program
• Pre-school and Kindergarten
Kursy (Saturday. Heritage school: Gr. 7-11)
Ridna Shkola (Saturday. Heritage school: Pre-school – Gr. 6)
• Post-secondary
• ULE related research and scholarly publishing
• ULE related lectures and outreach
• ULE policy making

4.1 Criteria
Proposals for funds will be assessed on the following basis:
• the use of innovation by the initiative and its impact on Ukrainian language education (ULE) in Alberta and Canada;
• the promotion and sustainability of the Ukrainian language and educational value of the project;
• how the project develops a positive social and cultural Ukrainian identity within Canada’s diverse mosaic;
• how the project will enhance the image of ULE in the broader education system or general public;
• the experience, background and/or expertise of the applicant(s) to complete the proposed project; and,
• the appropriateness of the budget.

Normally, AFUES project funding will not exceed CDN $5,000 per application. However, larger requests will be considered, and awarded where warranted. An Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission “Recipient Agreement” may be required, particularly where total funding exceeds $5,000 to any given organization, or where questions of applicant eligibility exist, in order to receive approval from the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission (AGLC). This process takes at least two to three months, and its outcome is not guaranteed. No funds can be dispersed prior to AGLC approval.

To encourage collaboration on their projects, applicants should consider additional funding sources and partners. These are not required to gain AFUES funding, but should be noted in your application (Section B, question 2).

4.2 Activities Funded
The principal activities supported by AFUES are (in alphabetical order):
i. Development of Ukrainian language learning resources in digital or print form;
ii. Educator professional development and conference participation;
iii. Promotion of Ukrainian language courses or programs from preschool to post-secondary levels;
iv. Scholarships for studying Ukrainian in Canada or abroad;
v. Study travel to Ukraine;
vi. Teaching equipment for schools; vii. ULE related research and scholarly publishing; and,
viii. ULE related lectures, outreach and policy making.

Note: When applying, please be sure to use the appropriate application form.

5. Guidelines and Conditions

In order to fund as many meritorious projects as possible AFUES may recommend changes to the scope of a project or its budget.

Repeated requests from individuals or organizations for sustainability of the same project will be given low priority. Please note on your application if this is a repeat or follow-up request, and explain why AFUES should again support the initiative. Preference will be given to initiatives which:
• are of high quality;
• use innovative approaches;
• have a sustainable, positive impact on ULE;
• make use of contemporary techniques/technology;
• integrate contemporary Ukrainian language; and,
• meet critical needs or strategic direction.

Consideration may be given to projects that fall outside the “4.2 Activities Funded” list above, or which are not tied specifically to Ukrainian Language Education, but which are in keeping with the spirit of AFUES Values, Beliefs and Guiding principles. A very strong case of the project’s positive impact would have to be made to secure funding for such initiatives.

Applications for funding should not be made retroactively, i.e., costs should not have been incurred prior to the date when a decision is made on the funding request. Only in priority cases will retroactive expenses be eligible for AFUES funding.

Note: The submission of an application to AFUES is not a guarantee of funding. Applicants must receive formal written approval from AFUES before incurring costs meant to be covered by the AFUES award. AFUES does not bear any liability for projects it has not approved for funding. Additionally, funding approval of a given application in no way binds AFUES to support future activities related to the project or recipient.

6. Final Report

Recipients of AFUES funding must submit to AFUES a final report in electronic form when the project has been completed or terminated. Reports should be no longer than 500 words and include the following information:
1. Context and purpose of the project;
2. Results and implications of the project;
3. List of outcomes (scholarships, travel, publications, presentations, workshops, materials, etc.);
4. Feedback from participants (if applicable);
5. Budget and copies of all receipts (expenditures incurred on the project should be consistent with the approved budget); and,
6. A hard copy of any materials produced.

The final report is due within 6 months of the scheduled completion of the AFUES funded part of your project. If an extension on a project is needed, please contact AFUES to receive approval. The same process is to be followed if significant cost overruns occur or under other extenuating circumstances.

In cases of larger projects, AFUES may divide payment into stages and require an interim report before releasing the next tranche of funding.

If neither a final report nor a request for extension is received by AFUES during the period of 6 months after scheduled completion of the project, this project will be considered incomplete and all money remaining in the account will have to be returned to AFUES. The recipient(s) of any incomplete project will not be eligible for future funding from AFUES.

Where appropriate, AFUES will require a copy of an approved Research Ethics Review, or similar such document, appropriate to their project or institution.

7. Acknowledgements

Publications or publicity associated with the project are to acknowledge the Alberta Foundation for Ukrainian Education Society (AFUES) both in name and by displaying the AFUES logo.

AFUES may publicize the initiatives it supports in order to share funded successes with its members, stakeholders and the public. The personal information requested on this form is collected under the authority of Section 33(c) of the Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be protected under Part 2 of that Act. The information will be used for the purpose of adjudication and administration of the funds granted via this application. All copyright permissions are the sole responsibility of the recipient.

8. Other

Although AFUES supports endowment funds in principal, priority is given to active projects with more immediate outcomes. Hence, all endowment requests will be deferred to the end of our current casino funding cycle (approximately every 2 years). Should any funds remain unused at the end of the funding cycle, the AFUES board will at that time decide upon supporting endowment requests.

Application Form

Please use this application form for the following areas:
• Learning resource development (non-curriculum)
• Technology integration & equipment
• Educational projects
• Research, Lectures, Scholarly Publishing, Policy Making
• Promotional & Outreach Campaigns
• Other similar Ukrainian language education-related initiatives (please check with AFUES)

Please submit this form and all supporting documents by September 15, November 15, February 15, or May 15. Incomplete application forms and packages will not be reviewed, and will be returned to the applicant.

AFUES General Application Form

Questions?

Have a question about the grant application process? Contact us at:

admin@afues.ca