Co-operative Education and Work-Integrated Learning (CEWIL) Canada iHub Funding

For the purposes of iHUB funding, students must meet all the following criteria:

• Registered students in PSE institutions, full time or part time (no age limit)
• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act
• Are legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with the relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations

IMPORTANT: Any work-integrated or experiential learning that students undertake as participants in this project must be unpaid.  Students who receive pay from an employer for their work in this project are not eligible to receive CEWIL iHub Funds.

IMPORTANT DATES

The CEWIL Canada iHUB’s Request for Proposals for Summer/Fall 2025 (4 to 8 month) projects opens on Tuesday, February 25, 2025!

The submission deadline is March 18, 2025. For more information or to apply, please click here.  

The CEWIL Canada iHUB’s Request for Proposals for Fall 2025 (4 month) projects opens on Thursday, May 1, 2025!

The submission deadline is May 30, 2025. For more information or to apply, please click here. 

ASK US ANYTHING: Weekly Open Office Hours Every Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday - until the RFP closes

• English: 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM ET - Click here to join the meeting 
• Français: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM ET - Click here to join the meeting

Thursday - ongoing

• English: 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM ET - Click here to join the meeting
• Français: 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM ET - Click here to join the meeting

Faculty interested in learning more about the CEWIL iHub Project funding are welcome to meet with CEWIL officials during the open online office hours below or contact the CEL to schedule an information session at CEL@viu.ca.

The following information must be used in your application to CEWIL:

Additional Contact

Tawnya Hoff
Systems Administrator, Experiential Learning
Tawnya.Hoff@viu.ca

Binding Authorities (Both must be added)

Department Binding Authority

Dean or department head of project lead's department with signing authority for the department work orders

Additional Binding Authority

Irlanda Price
AVP, Student Affairs
Irlanda.Price@viu.ca

The administration agreement contains the following terms and conditions.  Please download the document, fill required fields in full and obtain required signatures prior to upload in the Experience Hub Experiential Learning Module.

Roles and Responsibilities

Role of Project Lead

The Project Lead will:

• Create your CEWIL Canada iHub Project Funding Grant proposal to CEWIL Canada ensuring that a 10% administrative amount is included in your budget for review and approval.
• Submit your CEWIL Canada iHub Project Funding Grant proposal to CEWIL Canada for review and approval.
• Submit the iHub project information and required documents in the VIU Experience Hub Experiential Learning module.
• Carry out the CEWIL iHub Project as outlined in the approved CEWIL iHub contract.
  • Notify students of participation in CEWIL iHub Project and advise them of participants requirements and responsibilities as outlined in the CEWIL iHub contract and any VIU policies or procedures for participation in the project or for undertaking a work-integrated learning placement. 
  • Notify industry partners of participation in CEWIL iHub Project and advise them of requirements and responsibilities of host organizations as outlined in the CEWIL iHub contract and any VIU policy(s) for hosting work-integrated learning students.
  • Oversee participating students.
  • Direct grant expenditures.
  • Provide information to the Administrative Department as required for them to carry out their administrative duties as outlined in this agreement.
  • Complete the CEWIL Canada iHub final reporting documents as required to fulfill contract reporting requirements including:
    • Final Project Activity Report
    • Final Project Attestation

Role of Department Binding Authority

The Department Binding Authority will:

• Review and approve the Project Leads CEWIL iHub Project Funding Grant proposal prior to submission to CEWIL Canada for review and approval.
• Read the entirety of the CEWIL Canada Application Guide.
• Once received, read the entirety of the CEWIL Canada iHub Project Grant Funding Contract.
• Sign the CEWIL iHub Canada Contract as a binding authority.
• Ensure that the Project Lead is adhering to the CEWIL Canada iHub Contract terms and conditions.
• Initiate reimbursements to the Administrative Departments work order for expenditures not covered by CEWIL iHub Project Funding Grant.

Role of Student Affairs Binding Authority

The Student Affairs Binding Authority will:

• Read the entirety of the CEWIL Canada iHub Project Grant Funding Contract.
• Sign the CEWIL iHub Canada Contract as a binding authority.

Role of Administrative Department

The Administrative Department will:

• Oversee enrollment of student participants in the Experiential Learning module of Experience Hub for the purposes of collecting student data information required to fulfill final reporting requirements.
• Oversee collection of student demographic data required to fulfill final reporting requirements.
• Oversee tracking of budget expenditures and reporting out to the Project Lead and Department Binding Authority and appointed purchaser.
• Provide information to the Project Lead regarding student participants completion of student data forms and project information required for Project Lead to complete their final reports as required by CEWIL Canada.
• Oversee preparation of final reporting documents including:
• Budget report of actual spending and partner contribution confirmation
• Detailed work order transaction report
• Student data report
• Oversee submission of final reporting documents.

Project Administration Agreement Details

Submission of Opportunity Posting

While awaiting approval from CEWIL Canada, the Project Lead must complete and submit an opportunity posting in the Experience Hub Experiential Learning module under the iHub Experience type.

This submission must include the following required documents:

• Copy of the original project proposal submitted to CEWIL
• Copy of the original budget submitted to CEWIL
• Signed VIU CEWIL iHub Project Funding Grant Administration Agreement
• List of all industry partners (employers) with their GST numbers
• List of all student participants, if available. If not available at the time of submission, a date upon which it will be available must be provided.

Binding Authorities

Each project will require two binding authorities:

• One in the Project Leads department with WO signing authority. Referred to as the Department Binding Authority.
• One in Student Affairs. Referred to the Primary Binding Authority.

Administration Agreement Terms

The Project Lead will agree to the following administration conditions:

• The Project Lead has read the entirety of the CEWIL Canada Application Guide and has a full understanding of the funding terms and conditions.
• Once received, the Project Lead will read the entirety of the CEWIL Canada iHub Contract.
• The Project Lead will confirm that participating students meet all eligibility requirements as outlined in the CEWIL iHub Application Guide.
• The Project Lead will provide a complete list of all student participant names and student IDs within the first three weeks following receipt of the signed CEWIL Canada iHub Contract.
• Industry partners/employers meet all requirements as outlined in the CEWIL iHub Application Guide.
• The Project Lead agrees to provide a complete list of industry partners/employers, associated contact information and organization GST numbers as required to fulfill CEWIL Canada iHub final reporting requirements.
• The Project Lead agrees to allow the Administrative Department to contact participating students and industry partners/employers for grant-related reasons/communications.
• The Project Lead will adhere to project timelines and deadlines as provided by the VIU CEWIL Administrative Department.
• The Project Lead will agree that due to internal processing procedures, VIU project timelines and deadlines will supersede CEWIL Canada iHub timelines/deadlines.

Expenditures and Grant Disbursal Terms

The Department Binding Authority and the Project Lead will agree to the following expenditure and grant disbursal conditions:

• Grant money expenditures will adhere to requirements as outline in the CEWIL iHub Application Guide and submitted budget approved by CEWIL Canada.
• Grant money will be held in the Administrative Departments CEWIL iHub work order.
• All grant expenditures and grant disbursals will be undertaken by an appointed individual in the Project Lead’s department.
• All grant expenditures and grant disbursals will be reviewed and approved by the Administrative Department CEWIL iHub work order signing authority.
• All University purchasing card expenditures must have a receipt. Purchasing card expenditures without a receipt will be rejected.
• Expenditures that do not adhere to the approved CEWIL iHub Budget will not be approved.
• Expenditure overages, ineligible expenditures, or past deadline expenditures not covered by CEWIL iHub Project Grant will be reimbursed to the Administrative Departments work order by the Department Binding Authority’s work order of choice over which they have signing authority.
• Changes to budget expenditure types must be pre-approved by CEWIL Canada prior to making the expenditure.

The following information provides an abridged version of the CEWIL Application Guide.  If any of the information is conflicting, the CEWIL official Application Guide will take precedence.

The CEWIL iHub operates as a center of expertise that provides grant-based funding to enable and promote curricular* work-integrated learning (WIL) focusing primarily on four types of WIL: community and industry research & projects (formerly applied research projects), entrepreneurial WIL, field placements, and community service-learning WIL.

*Curricular WIL refers to experiences counting for academic credit or towards degree, diploma, academic certificate, or professional designation requirements.

iHub seeks to fund work-integrated learning experiences with a minimum direct benefit to each student of $200 CAD and a maximum cost of $2,000 CAD per opportunity.

iHub proposals must address one or more of the following key outcomes:

• Expanding access to WIL opportunities, particularly for under-represented and under-resourced students
• Removing barriers for students to participate in work-integrated learning
• Leveraging technology to enhance programming or extend access, including the use of technology to support virtual or remote WIL experiences
• Innovating work-integrated learning through new partnerships and/or new models for curricular WIL

iHub is separated into two (2) streams:

iHub General Project Stream: This stream is for both previously funded projects and new projects. If the project was previously funded, you will need to explain how student and/or partner feedback helped to expand or evolve the new project. Previously funded projects will be adjudicated alongside new projects. Previous funding does not guarantee the new proposal will be approved.

Bursary Program Stream: This stream is for barrier reduction bursaries for students participating in a curricular WIL experience that is typically not remunerated. This program normally supports a high percentage of students who are from equity deserving groups in order to increase access to WIL opportunities. NOTE: There are no project costs associated with the iHUB Bursary Program. If you have project costs for your iHUB project, please apply in the Innovative Stream.

Innovative Stream: New Projects: This stream is for new projects or projects that do not fit into the other two streams.

Stakeholders

Each project requires the following stakeholders:

• Project Lead – Up to 1
• Binding Authority – Minimum of 1
• Industry Partner – Minimum of 1

Optional Stakeholders:

• Additional Contact – Up to 1
• Binding Authority – Up to 1 additional

Eligibility

Institutional Eligibility to submit proposals

Canadian post-secondary institutions with degree/diploma granting status that appear in the list of designated educational institutions.

Faculty members, professionals from Career / WIL / Co-op in the PSE institution or in the research office can apply for funding.

WIL Eligibility

CEWIL Canada and the iHUB focuses on curricular WIL opportunities only. iHUB focuses primarily on four types of WIL:

• community and industry research & projects
• entrepreneurial WIL
• field placements
• community service-learning WIL.

This includes certificate, diploma, advanced diploma, post-graduate certificate, undergrad, graduate, or PhD level WIL experiences.

Other forms of WIL that highlight the key goals of the iHub grant may qualify. The goal of the funding is to support unpaid or traditionally underpaid forms of WIL. Students who receive compensation in the form of wages or salary as part of their WIL experience will typically not be eligible for iHUB funding.

WIL experiences must clearly identify three partners

(1) academic department issuing the curricular notation,

(2) community host partner

(3) student participants registered in the applicable academic area.

The iHub program seeks to promote the use of technology to support innovation in work-integrated learning, particularly in providing students opportunities to develop work-ready skills without necessarily being in a physical work location.

Eligible students

For the purposes of iHub funding, students must meet all the following criteria:

• Registered students in PSE institutions, full-time or part-time (no age limit); and

• Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or persons to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act; and

• Are legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with the relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.

*NOTE: International students with student visas or work visas are not eligible to receive iHub funding

Eligible Host / Industry / Community Partner

All project proposals require a Canadian community or industry partner providing a 20% in-kind or cash contribution. If the industry / community partner is an international organization, the partner must have a Canadian office to be eligible. The WIL experiences must take place in Canada.

• Private organizations - Includes: businesses, bodies incorporate or unincorporated, for-profit band councils.

• Not-for-profit organizations - Includes: local community, charitable, voluntary organizations, unions, not-for-profit band councils, Provincial or Territorial Non-governmental organizations. If the organization has a charitable number, even if it is mostly funded by the government, the organization is eligible as a host / industry / community partner.

Ineligible Host / Industry / Community partners

• Post-secondary institutions are not eligible with the exception of entrepreneurial WIL only.

• Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal Government

• Members of the House of Commons and the Senate;

• Organizations that engage in partisan political activities;

• Financial sector employers with 500 or more employees (includes all branches); and

• Organizations for which you are paying for a service (i.e., software or training) are typically not considered as eligible partners in a WIL experience.

Budget Information

The main goal of this funding is to provide a direct benefit to the student; however, some direct project costs incurred by the PSE may be submitted. Proposals emphasizing the direct student benefit will be given preference. The direct student benefit must be a minimum of $200 per student to qualify and at least 60% of the overall budget.

• The funding request per eligible student must be between $200 and $2,000.
• Projects with significant upfront direct project costs need to ensure they do not exceed the $2000 maximum should less students participate than expected
• All costs on the budget template must clearly indicate how they link directly to the project
• Grant funds will be subject to monitoring and/or audit
• Staff costs are no longer allowed as a separate budget line and must be included in administrative costs
• Funds must be spent during the project period
• Budget changes must meet Contract Flexibility and Amendment Policy

Direct Participant Costs

Direct Participant Costs must be at least 60% of the overall budget. Examples of eligible expenditures, which can be included in participant costs:

• Direct compensation (wages, stipend)

• Financial support to students to assist in participation in iHub experiences (e.g.: costs associated with transportation/travel to the iHub experience, childcare expenses, providing or subsidizing technology costs to allow students to participate in WIL experiences, reimbursement of program fees or fees associated with mandatory police checks, vaccinations, costs students would otherwise have to pay for, etc.)

• Materials, supplies, or resources provided directly to students to extend access to WIL for underrepresented students (e.g.: adaptive technology, disability related supports, specialized programming) or enhance their iHub experience (e.g.: PPE, software, equipment, and supplies that are either consumed by the end of the project or that the student can retain at the end of the project).

Direct Project Costs

Bursary Projects do not qualify for direct project costs.

These costs must be directly associated with the project.

• Materials, supplies, or resources to be used by students but not provided directly to students to enhance their iHub experience (e.g.: software license shared by the class to allow for virtual experiences/simulations; equipment, materials and supplies either consumed by the end of the project or retained by the institution at the end of the project)

• Program enhancement including skills training content to support students in completing their iHUB experiences

•Event costsassociated with runningiHubqualified events (e.g.:pitch competitions, projectshowcases, curricular innovation jams/hackathons,etc.) including hospitality expenseswithin

Government of Canada guidelines

•Professional feesassociated with delivering the iHubexperienceincludingappreciationfor community/industrypartners involvedinsupportingtheiHubexperience.PleasenotethatPSEstaffdo not qualify as professional fees.

Optional–Administrative Costs

•Up to 10% of the budget can be used to support administrative activities.

Ineligible Expenses

The following expenses are not eligible for funding:

•Faculty salaries.

•Staff costs other than the allowable 10% administrative costs.

•Capital asset purchases of $1,000 and more.

•Any expenses associated with the operation of an existing curricular WIL experience

•International travel.

•Top-up salaried WIL experiences are not typically funded.

•Alcohol, cannabis

•Any other expense not directly used to support iHub participants in their WIL experiences.

Host / Industry / Community Partner Contribution

All projects require partner contributions of at least 20% of the total budget as cash or in-kind.

Please note that the host / industry / community partner MUST be Canadian or have a Canadian office to qualify.  If you know the host / industry / community partner names, include them in this section, but they are not required.  It is important that you verify the host / industry / community partner’s eligibility. Include the amount, whether in-kind or cash and how you arrived at the amount (e.g.: 5 hours per week of mentorship per student for 12 weeks at $40/hr).

Note that you will be required to list the industry and community partner in the budget template.

Additional Information

• An estimated number of students is acceptable if you do not know the exact number. However, if there are more students than reflected in the approved budget, we cannot necessarily fund the additional students.

• The per student funding is tied directly to each student that receives direct compensation and who completes the required student data details. It is the responsibility of the Post-Secondary Institution to ensure that the required reporting is completed to ensure projects are fully funded. Funds can only be issued for students who have completed the required documentation.

• After the project starts, any changes to the budget or timeline must follow the Contract Flexibility & Amendments Policy. Changes to the budget that do not follow the policy will be denied.

Funding Distribution

• Successful projects of up to 4 months will normally receive 75% of funding upfront with the final 25% upon the successful completion of the final report.

• Successful projects of more than 4 months will normally receive 50% of funding upfront, 25% issued after an interim report is submitted, and the final 25% upon successful completion of the final report. Should the project be significantly underspent at the interim report, the interim payment may be held back until we can confirm the funds will be spent.

• All funding details referred to are, or equivalent to, Canadian funds.

It is important to note that iHub funding cannot be combined with any other federal funding source (e.g.: the Student Work Placement Program, Mitacs, other I-WIL funded projects). Funding can be stacked with provincial, municipal, or institutional funding up to a maximum of 100% of the total project cost.

Reporting Requirements

You will be required to submit final reports to show project outcomes and confirm spending. Reports are due 30 days after the project’s end date.

All reports below must be submitted in full to meet contractual obligations and receive the final payment.

Student Data Report: This report is essential for funding approval. Participant information must be fully completed to receive funding. This report contains information such as name, year of birth, postal code, WIL experience type, host details including HST/QST number, remuneration, degree information, and inclusion as part of an underrepresented group. Students may choose to select “prefer not to answer” with respect to gender or belonging to a particular social group facing inclusion and barriers.

Budget Report: This report outlines the spending for the project. This usually matches the budget included in your contract with the exception of changes as outlined in our Contract Flexibility & Amendments Policy. Changes that do not meet this policy will be denied.

Final Activity Report: Mostly qualitative questions related to the project impact and outcomes from the PSE’s perspective.

Project Attestation: This document verifies that all reporting documents are submitted accurately to the best of your knowledge.

Exit Surveys: There are two separate surveys that must be sent to students and industry/community partners. You are required to send the survey to participants, but we do not expect 100% compliance.

Export of transaction details: This document is required to verify all transactions that took place during the project. This report must be exported from your institution’s accounting system and indicate the date and amount of each transaction that took.