Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government is investing $75 million of new funding over two years to establish the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund (ASTSIF).

The fund will support short-term, focused initiatives designed to help Aboriginal people get the specific skills they require to benefit from economic opportunities, including those generated by the federal stimulus package.

About the Program

ASTSIF will strengthen partnerships between Aboriginal organizations and employers to help Aboriginal people gain the skills they need for the labour market today and for the long term. It will also support greater investments in training for individuals who face barriers to employment, such as low literacy and a lack of essential skills.

The ASTSIF will focus on three main objectives:

• concrete, guaranteed job opportunities by establishing partnerships with small and medium-size employers;
• supporting projects to assist Aboriginal people with barriers to employment, including literacy and essential skills challenges; and
• supporting projects to test innovative approaches to Aboriginal labour market programming, as well as projects that are national in scope.

Aboriginal Canadians can learn more about skills and training opportunities by contacting an AHRDA in their area.

Update on Regional Component

The first round of applications for the regional component of ASTSIF has now been completed. You may visit the Economic Action Plan (EAP) Web site to find the list of all approved ASTSIF projects. By clicking on each individual project on the map, you will be able to view a short description of the project’s objectives and expected results.

ASTSIF funding has been fully committed in all regions after the first round of applications, with the exceptions of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan. As a result, a second round of applications was accepted in those two regions, and closed on October 9, 2009. Results from this second round will also be published on the EAP Web site as soon as they are available.

Update on National Component

Concept papers for the national component of the Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund (ASTSIF) are no longer being accepted at this time. The last call for applications closed on July 10, 2009. Should funding not be fully committed following this first round of applications, a second call for applications may be launched. Stakeholders will be advised as soon as a decision has been made in this regard. Information will also be posted on this Web site.

The application for the national ASTSIF component is a two-stage process. Applicants are requested to submit a 7-10 page concept paper for the first phase of the assessment process. Applicants whose concept papers are successful through the first phase of the assessment process will then be invited to submit a full proposal. Additional information on full proposal requirements and the second phase assessment will be provided to applicants at that time. When the concept paper submitted by an organization has merit but requires further development, the organization may be encouraged to re-submit their proposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact us

Contact: Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategic Investment Fund