Cando (the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) are accepting applications for one partnership through the First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI). CEDI supports First Nations and adjacent municipalities in the development and implementation of joint community economic development or land use initiatives while building a resilient, sustainable partnership.  

Previous and current First Nation-Municipal partnerships across Canada have collaborated on many successful joint community economic development initiatives. These include the development of a Regional Growth Plan, the development and implementation of a joint tourism strategy, the creation of joint land use plans, the hiring of joint economic development and tourism staff, successful joint investor attraction initiatives, and the development of an industrial park that provides benefits to both the municipality and the First Nation. 

Program Information

Who should apply?

  • First Nation and municipal governments – jointly.

What is joint community economic development? 

  • Joint Community Economic Development is a process by which community partners initiate and generate their own innovative solutions to their common economic challenges, thereby building mutual long-term community capacity. This approach integrates economic, social, and environmental objectives that benefit members of both of communities, building stronger and more sustainable communities. 

What are the benefits to joint community economic development?

There are many potential benefits, including:

  • A stronger, united voice for engaging with businesses and other levels of government.
  • Increased ability to access funding from other levels of government.
  • Cost savings and more efficient program and/or service delivery. 
  • More opportunities for local business development and jobs.
  • Ability to leverage the unique financial, human and physical resources of each partner.
  • Coordinated planning efforts to improve land use, land management and environmental/resource protection.

What level of commitment is required?

Joint applicants are committing to an initiative that runs from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021. During that time they will:

  • Assign joint working group champions (minimum of one elected official and one staff member from each community) to lead participation in the CEDI program and attend monthly joint working group meetings.
  • Through the joint working group, contribute to the design and development of two workshops for staff and elected officials per year that include objectives pertaining to relationship development and joint community economic development initiatives. 

How much does participation cost?

There are no direct costs associated with participation. CEDI provides technical support through third-party facilitation, using the Stronger Together approach, for working group meetings and workshops, administrative support, along with financial support by covering workshop costs. Three grants are also available jointly to the participating communities (details below). 

Is there available funding to support a joint community economic development initiative?

There are three grants available to support the selected partnership in the development and implementation of their joint community economic development initiative:

  1. Peer Mentoring Grant – $3,600 that can be used for travel and accommodations for a peer mentor.
  2. Study Tour / Learning Grant – $7,200 that can be used for learning activities locally or further afield.
  3. Capacity Building Grant – $35,000 that can be used to support the implementation of the joint community economic development initiative.

Important Dates

  • Deadline for applications: Friday, March 15th (midnight, MST).
  • Short-listed applicants must be available for an interview between Monday, March 25th & Friday, March 29th. 
  • Successful applicants will be notified at the end of March and should be available during the first 2 weeks of April for an orientation meeting with the CEDI team.

Selection criteria

If you are a pair of a First Nation and a municipal government interested in participating in CEDI, please jointly complete and submit the application form. CEDI will only consider joint applications from First Nations and municipal governments, based on the following criteria: 

  1. Candidates should have clear need for support in the area of joint community economic development.  
  2. Candidates should have political leadership of both the First Nation and municipality able to demonstrate: 
    1. interest and leadership in supporting and participating in intergovernmental relationship building;
    2. interest and leadership in exploring regional planning processes; &
    3. time and capacity to commit to the CEDI process.
  3. Candidates should have the capacity to dedicate staff resources (estimated 12 hours/month) to CEDI work.  
  4. Candidates should understand the goals, objectives and expectations of CEDI program and the nature of the support to be provided.
  5. Candidates should be prepared to begin in April 2019 and have the capacity to commit to an accelerated process (completing March 31, 2021).

Learn more about CEDI 

Download the application form

Please Note: All three sections (Joint, First Nation,& Municipal) must be completed and submitted by email to CEDI@edo.ca; applicants are asked to submit one joint application, with all sections completed. Deadline is March 15th. Please email CEDI@edo.ca or call 1-613-277-2684 if you have any questions.

Instructions to completing the application:

  1. Determine which community representative will begin the application.
  2. Select the English or French version of the application.
  3. Save the application* to your computer using both communities' names (First Nation & Municipality) (i.e. Enoch Edmonton CEDI Application)
  4. Complete your section of the application and start thinking about how to answer the joint section.
  5. Save the application and send to the co-applicant to complete their section.
  6. Once both have completed their sections, meet to discuss and complete the joint section.
  7. Submit completed application CEDI@edo.ca by March 15th.

*Saved applications can be edited as many times as needed. As well, individual answers can be edited.

Community Economic Development Initiative
First Nations Programs
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