Indigenous Skills Training Program

The Indigenous Skills Training Program supports partner-led activities to enhance skills and capacity development, aiming to improve housing outcomes on-reserve.

The program will provide $1.852 million in funding each year and is managed at a national level.

There are no regional budget allocations, however there will be a focus on regional distribution.

Eligible groups include:

• First Nations
• Tribal Councils
• Indigenous organizations
• Indigenous capacity organizations/associations
• Technical services groups

Other entities may apply, but capacity development must directly support an on-reserve community.

Some examples of ELIGIBLE capacity activities include but are not limited to:

• Housing-focused training and capacity building programs
  • Creation and facilitation of courses, training sessions, workshops, webinars, etc.
  • This can include venue fees, content creation, facilitation, and needs assessments
  • Development of trainers (i.e. train-the-trainer)
  • Development of Technical Housing Staff (inspectors, planners, etc.)
• Development of housing-focused resources
  • Content creation, needs assessments, physical media, knowledge mobilization
• Organizational capacity development
  • Process design, resource creation, training on tools and processes, strategic planning
  • Implementation of systems and processes for housing management
• Community consultations and charrettes to support housing-focused projects
  • Interviews, data collection, information synthesis to inform housing capacity needs
• Mentorships
  • Development of coaching and mentorship resources, learning sessions, etc.
• Housing conferences/events
  • Planning and executing housing conferences and events, hosting sessions, etc.
  • This can include venue fees, content creation, facilitation, physical media

Some examples of INELIGIBLE activities include but are not limited to:

• Operations
  • Salaries
  • Building operations and maintenance
  • Hardware, tools and equipment
  • Software licences
• Hospitality
  • Food
  • Travel
  • Accommodations
  • Door prizes
  • Honorariums
    NOTE: While honorariums are generally ineligible,
    • “Speaker fees” for panelists, elders, etc. are eligible
    • “Steering Committee Compensation” for providing professional expertise to a working group or project is eligible
• Other
  • Unspecified contingency funding
  • Individual participation in conferences or related travel

• Fact sheet (PDF)
• How to write a Statement of Work (PDF)
• Indigenous Skills Training Program: Quick Start Reference Application Guide (PDF)

To apply to the Indigenous Skills Training Program, you’ll need to:

• Create an account in CMHC’s Online Application Portal (PDF) (if you don’t already have one).
• Complete your application in the Online Application Portal. Note that a PDF version of the application form is available, please contact: capacityrelationships@cmhc.ca.

We will review applications and funding decisions will be communicated to applicants.

Multi-year projects are welcome to apply to the program, however only one year of funding will be approved if the project is successful. Subsequent years will require subsequent applications.

For assistance, consult the following resources:

• Indigenous Skills Training Program: Quick Start Reference Application Guide (PDF)
• How to Create a Profile and Start an Application (Coming soon)

Your proposal will be evaluated based on the following criteria using a point scoring system:

• relevance to First Nation priority areas for skills development needs
• potential for impact and sustainability of knowledge for target audience
• knowledge exchange and/or dissemination
• feasibility
• activity objectives and format

Still have questions about the Indigenous Skills Training Program?
Phone: 1-800-668-2642
Email: capacityrelationships@cmhc.ca