Research Funding Options
Municipal workplace learning programs have received financial support from all three levels of government and through cost-shared arrangements plus some creative fundraising. The majority of programs get funded through the city’s training budget for start up costs (for example, the organizational needs assessment) and for ongoing programming. Workplace learning and literacy programs usually come under an existing budget line or sometimes get approval through negotiations for collective agreements or new initiatives such as a visioning process
For example, in 2000, the City of Winnipeg and CUPE, Local 500, agreed through a three- year Letter of Understanding (LOU) to a $3 million Human Resource Development Fund. The City provides the funds, but the education, training, and staff development for CUPE members is administered jointly. The LOU is attached to the collective agreement and expires when the agreement does. In 2003, the City and CUPE, Local 500 renewed the Letter of Agreement for another three years at $3 million. They again renewed the LOU in 2006 for two years for a total of $900,000.
What are some other funding options used by municipalities?
- Provincial funding: Some provinces contribute funds for the organizational needs assessment (ONA). Check with the ministry responsible for literacy in your province. In Quebec, municipal programs can apply for financial support for the ONA and some programming from the province’s training fund.
- Union and employer cost-shared: Sometimes the union and the municipality share initial costs and then look for other sources for maintaining the programs. For instance, in the peer-tutoring model, union members serve as volunteer tutors. Costs for peer tutoring are mostly for paid time to attend tutor training sessions.
- Partnerships agreements: Municipalities can partner with various organizations and seek funds from provincial or federal governments. The City of North Vancouver partnered with the union and Capilano College to do the ONA. Check for any conditions that partnership agreements may put on your choice of instructors.
- Community volunteers: If your municipality has personal development courses in its workplace learning program, you can consider using the Bathurst, New Brunswick model. The Bathurst joint committee enlists the help of community volunteers to put on courses of high personal interest to city workers. Think gardening, taxes, yoga, home repairs!
- Partner’s in-kind contributions: These contributions can offset various costs such as instructor fees if you are using volunteer tutors or instructors for your program.
- Creative sourcing: Charlottetown used the profits from its snack machines in the city’s offices to contribute dollars to its workplace learning program.
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| Last Reviewed: Nov. 27, 2006 | Return To Top | Content © 2006 |