Infrastructure - Japanese Canadian Legacies Fund

Infrastructure Overview

The purpose of the Infrastructure Stream is to assist Japanese Canadian Organizations and groups with Building Improvements (Category 1) or Capital Purchases (Category 2). Grants in this stream will assist with renovations, repairs, accessibility upgrades and/or large capital purchases for Japanese Canadian community centres and organizations. Grants for Capital Purchases could increase the capacity of the organization through the purchase of equipment or assets that are vital to the organization’s operations.

DATES (subject to change)
Applications open June 1, 2023
Deadline for applications November 1, 2023
Application results begin January 15, 2024
Projects must be completed by December 31, 2026

There will only be one intake for this stream.

Download Infrastructure Guidelines

GLOSSARY

Capital Purchase

Any single or multiple stand-alone, movable, tangible items or intangible assets, goods, or equipment that have a useful life beyond one year.

Descendant

A living person of Japanese Canadian descent whose family was directly impacted by BC Government actions in the 1940s and whose family experience in BC predates April 1, 1949. A Descendant can be living outside of BC.

Japanese Canadian (JC)

A Canadian citizen of Japanese ancestry, or a person of Japanese ancestry who has permanent resident or landed immigrant status in Canada. Children adopted by Japanese Canadian families as well as foster children are also considered to be Japanese Canadians for the purposes of this work.

Japanese Canadian Organization

A not-for-profit organization whose primary purpose is to develop and support the Japanese Canadian community, provide services benefiting Japanese Canadians or enhance and encourage Japanese or Japanese Canadian cultural activities. It must have an established constitution and by-laws and have been incorporated for at least two years. A Japanese Canadian Organization can also be incorporated under a provincial or federal corporations Act without the distinction of a not-for-profit designation, as long as the primary focus of the organization satisfies the above definition.

Japanese Cultural Activity

Traditional and contemporary Japanese cultural practices or activities that originated in or have roots in Japan and enhance the appreciation for and promote Japanese and/or Japanese Canadian culture. (Examples include but are not limited to: sports such as martial arts. cuisine, bonsai, calligraphy, ikebana, origami, taiko, tea ceremony, anime, manga, etc.)

Not for Profit Organization

For the purposes of this Community Fund, a not for profit corporation is incorporated federally or provincially in Canada.

Survivor

A living person of Japanese descent born prior to April 1, 1949 who was directly impacted by BC Government actions in the 1940s. Survivors include persons who were not displaced but were living in BC, and persons who, after their families left BC, were born prior to April 1, 1949, which was the day Japanese Canadians were given full voting rights and the legal restrictions used to control the movement of Japanese Canadians were removed.

WHO CAN APPLY

Only Japanese Canadian Organizations can apply.

A Japanese Canadian Organization can be either
- a not-for-profit organization, or
- an organization incorporated under a provincial or federal corporations Act without the distinction of a not-for-profit designation whose primary purpose is to develop and support the Japanese Canadian community, provide services benefiting Japanese Canadians and/or enhance and encourage Japanese or Japanese Canadian cultural activities
The organization must have an established constitution and by-laws and have been incorporated for at least two years.

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED

Category 1 – Building Improvements

Building improvement grants will assist in the construction and renovation of community facilities. Building improvements may include renovations, repairs and accessibility upgrades. Grants may also assist in creating new facilities if other funding sources are in place.
A building improvement grant can include capital purchases if they are essential to the renovation.
Japanese Canadian organizations are eligible if:
- The organization owns its building.
- The organization is a renter and has a long-term lease or management agreement. Applications in this subcategory will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Organizations will be required to provide all necessary documentation outlined in the application. This will include: long-term lease agreement; project approval documentation from the building owner; a guarantee from the Japanese Canadian Organization to return the building to its pre-renovation condition upon end of lease if required by the owner. Additional documentation may be required.

Category 2 – Capital Purchases

Capital purchase grants will assist in the replacement or addition of long-lasting equipment for community organizations.

WHAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED

Ongoing operations and capital maintenance.
New ongoing maintenance costs related to the project.
Expenses for debt management.
Projects that have received NAJC funding through the Capacity Building Program, Cultural Development Fund or Endowment Fund.
Projects that have received other funds from the JC Legacies Community Fund in the current funding period.
Projects outside of Canada.
Projects that are already complete at application date.

FUNDING REQUESTS

Category 1 – Building Improvements

Funding of up to $250,000 per application.
Each organization may apply for only one grant in the Infrastructure stream, under either Category 1 or Category 2.

Category 2 – Capital Purchases

Funding of up to $100,000 per application.
Each organization may apply for only one grant in the Infrastructure stream, under either Category 1 or Category 2.

All Applicants – Categories 1 and 2

Japanese Canadian Organizations can apply to either Category 1 or Category 2 but not both.
Funded projects should recognize and serve Japanese Canadians.
The project can commence at any time after the application has been submitted.
1. The project can commence any time after the application intake opens. However, there will be NO reimbursement for any costs incurred should the application not be successful.
The requested funds must support the development and completion of the project. If other sources of funding are required to complete the project, these sources must be confirmed at the time of the application.
Depending on the number and quality of grants, an application may receive only partial funding. Applicants should indicate in their application whether their project can be modified if a smaller grant is given.
Eligible expenses may include:
1. Renovations
2. Facility improvements
3. Construction materials, supplies, and related costs
4. Contracts and fees for tradespeople
5. Costs for surveys and architectural drawings
6. Replacement equipment and its installation
7. Delivery costs of building materials
8. Equipment purchases and/or rentals
9. Dumping and disposal fees
10. Temporary rental of another facility while renovations are being done
11. Storage space while the renovations are being done.
Projects must be completed by December 31, 2026.

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE APPLICATION

NOTE: Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application. The JCLS will NOT contact applicants to address errors or missing requirements, other than as required to determine eligibility. Eligible applications are assessed as submitted.

Categories 1 and 2

Applicants must create a user account to access the application form that will be submitted through the online application system.
Applicants must complete the following information, including longer answers as required:
1. Description of the organization, including its mission statement, a brief history of the organization and its current activities. Please highlight the services and activities that the organization hosts that serve the Japanese Canadian community. (Maximum 300 words.)
2. If applicable, description of the organization’s membership totals, including the breakdown of Japanese Canadians and their families, and an estimate of the number of Survivors and Descendants of families who lived in BC prior to April 1, 1949. (Maximum 300 words.)
3. Description of project, including the activity and its benefit to the Japanese Canadian community. (Maximum 3 pages/300 words per page.)
4. Balanced budget showing all sources of funding and projected project costs. If project costs exceed the maximum possible grant, a list of confirmed additional sources of funding must also accompany this budget.
5. List of key personnel (if known) with a short description of the expertise/experience they bring to the project.
6. Please describe the risks associated with the project (e.g., project readiness, technologies, multiple partners, land acquisition, skilled labour shortages, extreme weather, etc.) as well as corresponding mitigation measures. (Maximum 3 pages/300 words per page.)
7. Please describe the organization’s internal capacity and expertise to manage and execute the project. (Maximum 3 pages/300 words per page.)
Applicants must also provide:
1. a copy of their Certificate of Incorporation
2. the most recent financial statements from the last two years.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

All applications will be assessed according to the following criteria. This is a competitive process and not all applications will receive funding.

Feasibility – Based on the application, supporting documents and budget as presented: 60%.
Strength of Project – How the project will impact the organization’s mandate with the Japanese Canadian community: 20%.
Essential – How this project will be considered essential for the organization: 20%.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

An assessment team consisting of Japanese Canadian community members with a significant level of experience in Infrastructure will be established through the JCLS.
The following process will be used to evaluate every application:
1. The JCLS informs each applicant upon receipt of application and Community Fund program staff reviews the applications for eligibility.
2. The assessment team evaluates eligible applications to determine whether the applicants should be funded and the level of funding for successful applicants.
3. The assessment team recommends applicants to the JCLS, which makes the final approvals.
4. The JCLS informs each applicant if they are successful or unsuccessful in their application.
All decisions of the JCLS and assessment team are final.

NOTIFICATION

Decisions will be made by the JCLS and the assessment team within approximately six weeks of the application deadline. Notification will be sent via the online system to the contact linked to the online application. Results cannot be requested in advance.
Applicants should ensure the email address community@jclegacies.com is on their safe sender list and applicants should check their spam folders on a regular basis following their submission of application.

PAYMENT OF GRANTS

Awards will be paid in three instalments: 60% upon receipt of a signed grant agreement; 30% upon receipt of an interim report after having expensed the first drawdown of the project; and a final payment of 10% upon receipt of a final report detailing activities and financial outcomes.
If the applicant’s project changes, recipients must contact the JCLS office (in writing) as soon as possible to discuss impact on the project and to request permission for the changes.
The JCLS reserves the right to suspend payments if the recipient:
1. does not carry out their planned project. Should the project not proceed, the initial instalment must be refunded to the JCLS;
2. makes major changes to the planned project without the approval of the JCLS;
3. fails to comply with the terms of the grant, including submission of final report.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Recipients must submit a final report within 30 days of the end of the project to receive the final payment.
Instructions on submitting final reports will be given to successful applicants.
The requirement for an interim and a final report will be part of the grant agreement.
Future applications to the JCLS will be ineligible if reporting requirements are not met.

Grant Application

Building Improvements

Building improvement grants will assist in the construction and renovation of community facilities. Building improvements may include renovations, repairs and accessibility upgrades. Grants may also assist in creating new facilities if other funding sources are in place. A building improvement grant can include capital purchases if they are essential to the renovation.

Funding of up to $250,000 per application.

Each applicant may apply for only one grant per stream.

Grant is currently Closed for Applications

Opening Date: June 1, 2023

More Information

Grant Application

Capital Purchases

Capital purchase grants will assist in the replacement or addition of long-lasting equipment for community organizations.

Funding of up to $100,000 per application.

Each applicant may apply for only one grant per stream.

Grant is currently Closed for Applications

Opening Date: June 1, 2023

More Information

CONFIDENTIALITY

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information are subject to the privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (BC). Personal information will be shared in confidence with members of the assessment team. The names and locations of successful award recipients will be published, along with the amount of the award, in the Annual Report of the JCLS as well as in various communications and promotional vehicles thereof.

RECOGNITION OF ASSISTANCE

In recognition of funding, the support of the JCLS should be acknowledged in all promotional materials, both print and online where appropriate. Further details of recognition will be provided to successful applicants.

AMENDMENT OF GUIDELINES

These guidelines may be amended by the JCLS from time to time and applicants should ensure that their applications comply with the most recent version of the guidelines.

THIS VERSION OF THE GUIDELINES IS DATED MAY 1, 2023.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions after reading these Program Application Guidelines and the Frequently Asked Questions, please contact the Community Fund program staff JCLS: community@jclegacies.com.

Any general inquiries to the JCLS Project Office can be directed to: info@jclegacies.com.