This program is currently between intakes. No standing intake. SDPP funds through periodic, component-specific calls for proposals rather than an annual cycle — since 2016 the disability component has run periodic thematic calls for project funding, and national operating funding has been distributed through an open competitive process since 2017. Confirm on the official site ↗
Updated August 2026 · Verified against Employment and Social Development Canada guidelines
Mixed (Advance + Reimb.)
Grant Federal Between Intakes

Social Development Partnerships Program

Employment and Social Development Canada
Maximum Funding
Varies by component and call for proposals; no program-wide...
No current general intake deadline posted; Canada.ca funding portal lists SDP...
Visit Official Program →
Difficulty
Moderate
Payment
Mixed (Advance + Reimb.)
Trend
Stable
First-Timers
Co-Funding
Varies
Social Development Partnerships Program offers funding that varies by project. Employment and Social Development Canada provides grants and contributions to social not-for-profits through the Social Development Partnerships Program, across two components (children and families; disability). No current general intake deadline posted; Canada.ca funding portal lists SDPP streams as 'Not accepting applications'.
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Program Description

Employment and Social Development Canada provides grants and contributions to social not-for-profits through the Social Development Partnerships Program, across two components (children and families; disability). Per-agreement maximums are set in each call for proposals; no program-wide maximum is published.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Social not-for-profit organizations
  • Components: children and families; disability
  • Not open to for-profit businesses
  • Under the disability component, funding supports not-for-profit organizations, First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups, and volunteer sector organizations
  • Eligibility and the per-agreement funding maximum are set separately in each call for proposals — read the specific call
  • Some SDPP calls are solicited: only organizations invited by ESDC may apply, and only one application per organization is accepted
  • Individuals are not eligible recipients
  • Provincial and territorial governments are not eligible recipients
Provinces
Industries
All
Business Stage
Startup Growth Established

Quick Assessment

Difficulty
Moderate
Competition
Moderate
First-Timer
Not rated

Funding Details

Amount
Varies by component and call for proposals; no program-wide maximum is published. Per-agreement maximums are set in each call (e.g. the Disability component's Organizational Capacity Development Stream 1 sets $250,000 minimum / $500,000 maximum per agreement).
Type
Grant
Level
Federal
Deadline
No current general intake deadline posted; Canada.ca funding portal lists SDPP streams as 'Not accepting applications'

Program Scorecard

Competition, effort, and approval at a glance

Competition
Moderate
Deadline
Between Intakes
Approval
Varies
Accessibility
--/5
Competition
--/5
Approval Rate
--%
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Insider Tip

Funding flows through periodic, component-specific calls for proposals (children and families; disability), not a standing intake — watch the Canada.ca Grants and Contributions portal for a named call.

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Application Playbook

Step-by-step process, required documents, and expenses

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Application Steps

1 Identify which component fits SDPP has two components: children and families, and disability. The children and families component makes grant- and contribution-based investments in not-for-profit projects serving children, families and other vulnerable populations, and is also the source of funding for official language minority communities and the Canada Volunteer Award. The disability component (SDPP-D) funds national operating capacity, regional operating capacity through the Community Inclusion Initiative, and periodic thematic project calls.

Required Documents 4

Project proposal
Budget

Intake Periods

Deadline Notes

Ineligible Organizations

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How Social Development Partnerships Program Compares

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Program Amount Difficulty Payment Deadline
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Who can apply to the Social Development Partnerships Program?
Social not-for-profit organizations. On the disability side ESDC also funds First Nations, Inuit and Metis groups and volunteer sector organizations. For-profit businesses, individuals and provincial and territorial governments are not eligible recipients.
Is there a standing application form I can fill in today?
No. SDPP has no general intake. Funding flows through periodic, component-specific calls for proposals, which appear on ESDC's funding programs listing. ESDC offers a registration to receive alerts on future funding opportunities.
How much can one project receive?
There is no program-wide maximum — each call sets its own. Published ceilings have ranged from up to $100,000 (or $200,000 with special requirements) for a two-year National AccessAbility Week project, to up to $500,000 per year and $1 million over two years for a Disability Benefits Navigation project.
Can any eligible non-profit apply to every SDPP call?
No. Some calls are solicited rather than open. ESDC's Disability Benefits Navigation call, for instance, states that only solicited organizations can apply and publishes the list of organizations it invited. Check the specific call before starting a proposal.
What are the two components actually for?
The children and families component invests in not-for-profit projects meeting the social needs of children, families and other vulnerable populations, and also funds official language minority communities and the Canada Volunteer Award. The disability component funds national and regional operating capacity plus periodic thematic project calls on removing barriers to social inclusion.

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