First Nations Adult Secondary Education Program: National Guidelines 2024 to 2025
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Program Overview
- 3. Objectives
- 4. Expected results
- 5. Eligible recipients
- 6. Eligible activities
- 7. Expenditures
- 8. Proposal process and assessment criteria
- 9. Managing conflicts of interest
- 10. Funding
- 11. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
- 12. Personal information
- 13. Accountability
- 14. Contact information
1. Introduction
The Government of Canada is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We work together through a renewed, nation-to-nation and government-to-government relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership as the foundation for transformative change, implemented through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
These efforts must be guided by Canada's obligation to respect and uphold First Nations' inherent, Indigenous, and treaty rights, including those rights to education referenced in specific treaties and self-government agreements. The nation-to-nation relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations is rooted in historic treaties, the numbered treaties, self-government agreements and section 35 of the Constitution Act. It is guided and implemented by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and is informed by the Final Reports of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
2. Program overview
Budget 2021 announced $350 million over 5 years intended to expand access for adult learners on reserve nationally to complete or upgrade their secondary education.
The Assembly of First Nations’ co-developed 2018 Policy Proposal First Nations Post-Secondary Education and the co-developed 2021 Policy Proposal: First Nations-Led, Local, Regional and Treaty-based Post-Secondary Education models outlined the need to include adult education as a vital stream in both elementary-secondary and post-secondary education.
ISC, through the First Nation Adult Secondary Education (FNASE), supports the promotion, implementation and expansion of programming through which adults on reserve can upgrade or complete their secondary education. The FNASE is a five-year program intended to support First Nations who have identified their preference to deliver funding for adult education implementation and expansion through a post-secondary mechanism. Alternatively, First Nations within a region may choose the ESE program to deliver adult education implementation and expansion funding, or a combination of both ESE and FNASE.
This document provides guidance on the FNASE delivery process for recipients that enter into a funding agreement with ISC. These guidelines are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement signed by the funding recipient.
These guidelines are effective as of April 1, 2024.
3. Objectives
The FNASE program provides funding to support the implementation and expansion of secondary programming to adults on reserve, as part of the Post-Secondary Education Strategy. The overall aim of the program is to increase the number of students completing or upgrading their secondary education and pursuing post-secondary education, thereby contributing to closing the education attainment gap.
The FNASE program supports First Nations to establish, promote or expand programming tailored to adult learners’ completion or upgrading of their secondary education, as well as supporting community-based initiatives that encourage adult enrolment in secondary programming supported by the ISC Elementary and Secondary Education Program.
This implementation and expansion funding is intended for use by community-based institutions to build capacity to develop and deliver culturally relevant adult education programs for secondary completion or upgrading, by the direction of First Nations. The program is also intended to support First Nations who wish to partner with non-Indigenous organizations to build capacity toward the delivery of First Nations-led adult education services.
Enrolment-driven student instructional funding for adult secondary upgrading and completion, including where that instruction occurs at a post-secondary institution, operates under a separate funding mechanism and so utilizes a separate set of national program guidelines.
4. Expected results
The program's expected results are to:
- address a critical need and respond directly to calls by First Nations to address the closing of the secondary school attainment gap between First Nations and non-Indigenous Canadians
- increase and facilitate First Nations access to post-secondary education opportunities
5. Eligible recipients
Eligible recipients under the FNASE are:
- band councils of recognized First Nations bands
- organizations designated by First Nations, including, but not limited to:
- band councils
- bands or settlements
- tribal councils
- education organizations
- political or treaty organizations engaged by or on behalf of First Nations
- First Nations established post-secondary education institutions offering secondary programming for adults
6. Eligible activities
The FNASE program supports key adult secondary programming implementation and expansion activities that must meet the objectives and expected results of sections 3 and 4. Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- start-up, capacity building or program planning
- measures to improve access to adult education
- costs associated with education program delivery, including pilot program delivery and refinement and its instruction
- costs associated with coordination and development and advancing First Nations control of First Nations education
- entering into partnerships to develop adult secondary programming
- community outreach activities to support adult secondary enrolment
The FNASE program is not student-targeted funding and cannot be used to support instruction except as part of program piloting.
7. Expenditures
7.1 Eligible expenditures
Eligible expenditures for the FNASE include costs associated with the implementation and expansion of adult secondary programming through post-secondary delivery mechanisms. These may include, but are not limited to:
- short-term, non-permanent funding salaries and benefits
- IT hardware and software to support adult secondary program start-up
- costs associated with the development and publication of learning or instructional materials, including in partnership with recognized institutions
- costs associated with improved access to language and culture to support life-long learning
- rental of facilities to host secondary education activities
- incremental operational costs
- meeting costs
- professional services, consulting fees or Elder engagement
- administration costs, not to exceed 15% of total costs
Administration costs:
Administration costs must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount for funding received under the FNASE program.
When funds that were received under this program are transferred to a third party by the funding recipient, the 15% allowed for administration costs must be divided between the parties, as agreed to between the parties. The total administration costs retained by all parties must not exceed 15% of the sub-total amount for funding received under the FNASE program.
7.2 Ineligible expenditures
Capital and maintenance costs are ineligible under the FNASE program. Other ineligible costs include:
- permanent staff salaries
- student tuition
- student books and supplies
8. Proposal process and assessment criteria
Funding for the FNASE program may be based on work plans, proposals and other agreed-upon process and assessment criteria as regionally-determined with First Nations partners.
Approved funding amounts will be based on the available regional allocations. Regional allocations will be reviewed annually.
Requests for FNASE program funding are reviewed by ISC regional offices, and based on the eligible components and activities as outlined earlier in the guidelines above. To learn more, contact your regional office.
First Nations may wish to engage in a bilateral or tripartite process with Indigenous Services Canada and develop their own regional processes for adult education delivery through a post-secondary education mechanism for adults on reserve. Directed by First Nations, these regional processes will be prioritized to meet the unique needs of First Nations across the regions.
9. Managing conflicts of interest
It is necessary to avoid potential, perceived and actual conflicts of interest and any situation that might cause doubt in objectivity. As such, a procedure to manage conflicts of interest needs to be developed and put in place.
Recipients that manage the adjudication and administration of the funding of the program must demonstrate transparency and accountability in their policies and processes.
This includes having:
- a conflict of interest policy
- written standards, policies and procedures on the project selection process for funding
- an available list of successful proponents
Individuals cannot participate in the evaluation of a proposal in the following situations:
- individual has assisted in the preparation of the proposal, is an employee of the applicant, has provided consulting services, in any capacity, to the organization submitting the proposal or may in the future
- individual will be a team member on the proposed project
- individual is a relative or close friend of any of the employees of the management team of the eligible recipient which submitted a proposal
Conflicts of interest may arise during the review of proposals. These situations need to be managed in an open and transparent manner.
Should a situation arise that presents a real or potential conflict of interest during the review process, the impacted individual must recuse themselves from the deliberations concerning the specific proposal.
10. Funding
10.1 Maximum amount payable per funding recipient
The maximum amount payable to FNASE program recipients normally will not exceed the total overall amount of funding available for the FNASE program.
10.2 Funding approaches
Transfer payments to funding recipients of the FNASE may be made using fixed contribution or flexible contribution, depending on the eligibility of the recipient and of the service to be delivered.
Set funding may be used if the recipient so wishes.
ISC regional officers can advise on the eligibility of these funding approaches, as well as on the requirements related to the management of the funds.
The funding approach used to transfer funds to a recipient is identified in the recipient's signed funding agreement.
The specific directions for the management of program transfer payments, below, complement the directions provided in the recipient's signed funding agreement and are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement.
Set contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
Reallocation of funds is not permitted with transfer payments made using set contribution.
Fixed contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients can reallocate a reasonable percentage of funds among the eligible activities and expenditures of their approved FNASE proposal.
Before reallocating funds, recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region.
Unexpended funding:
Recipients may retain unexpended funding from a fiscal year, to expend in the one-year period immediately following the fiscal year for which it was provided, on eligible activities and expenditures.
Flexible contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients can reallocate a reasonable percentage of funds among the eligible activities and expenditures of their approved FNASE proposal.
Before reallocating funds, recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region.
Unexpended funding:
Recipients can retain unexpended funding remaining at the end of each fiscal year, to expend in a subsequent fiscal year, to further achieve results toward their proposal approved for the FNASE program, including revised activities.
11. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
11.1 Reporting requirements
The reporting requirements for program and financial reports, along with their respective due dates, are listed in the recipient's funding agreement and details on these requirements are available in the Reporting Guide.
Recipients must report on all funds received and expended, including the use of unexpended funding they were allowed to retain to use on the following fiscal year. Consult the funding approaches section of these guidelines for details on the use of unexpended funds.
Recipients are responsible for completing an annual report and submitting it to the ISC regional office by June 30 the year following receipt of the funds.
The final report should be in the Activities and Expenditures Report data collection instrument. Information to highlight in reporting can include:
- activities undertaken to support adult learners in accessing secondary programming
- activities undertaken to develop adult secondary programming
If the funded work has not concluded, final reporting should also include information on next steps and timeline.
All recipient reporting requirements are subject to monitoring and oversight activities to determine the accuracy of the information provided to ISC (see below).
11.2 Monitoring and oversight
To ensure program or strategy outcomes and objectives are being met, and that opportunities for continuous improvement with the goal of improving results for Indigenous peoples are being identified, activities, including audits, evaluations and targeted program or strategy reviews, may be conducted in collaboration with the recipient, for example, desk and on-site reviews.
12. Personal information
ISC's collection and use of personal information and other records for the purposes of targeted program reviews, for example, desk and on-site reviews will be limited to what is necessary to ensure that the program delivery requirements are met.
ISC is responsible for all information and records in its possession. The confidentiality of the information will be managed by ISC in accordance with the Privacy Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. P-21 and other related policies on privacy.
Recipients are responsible for the protection of personal information as per applicable provincial privacy statutes and regulations, as well as the recipient's policies, up to the point that the personal information is transferred to ISC.
13. Accountability
ISC is committed to providing assistance to recipients in order to help them effectively carry out their obligations under the FNASE National Program Guidelines and their funding agreements.
Regional offices and other ISC contacts are available to answer questions and provide guidance related to ISC programs and funding.
Recipients must:
- deliver the programs and strategies in accordance with the provisions of their signed funding agreement, along with the delivery requirements outlined in these guidelines
- ensure that the necessary management controls are in place to manage funding and monitor activities
- exercise due diligence when approving expenditures
- ensure that such expenditures are in accordance with the eligible expenditures set out in these guidelines
ISC is accountable to provide funding to First Nations in a timely manner through contributions payments under the First Nations Post-Secondary Education Strategy.
14. Contact information
To find out more about the program, visit:
You may also contact your ISC regional office for more information.
You can also write to:
Education Branch
Indigenous Services Canada
10 rue Wellington - Suite 1455, Mailstop 25E-19
Gatineau QC K1A 0H4
Email: education-education@sac-isc.gc.ca
To learn more about education programs, consult the National program guidelines or click on the View instructions button on the first page of this program's data collection instrument found here Reporting guide.