Journey to Independence Fund (JIF)

The Employment and Income Assistance Program (EIA) provides financial assistance to Manitobans who have no other way to support themselves or their families. This includes benefits from the Rent Assist Program that helps with housing costs. For people who are able to work, EIA will help them go back to work by providing supports to employment.

For more program information, please visit: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/eia/.

Each organization can submit one application per intake. Successful proponents can reapply to upcoming JIF applications once they have submitted their final report from a previous JIF application.

The JIF will be open for applications for a 4-week period from Sept. 26 to Oct. 24, 2022.

The deadline to submit applications JIF is Oct. 24, 2022, 11:59 p.m. CST.

Eligible applicants include:

• Non-profit organizations or registered charities
• registered and in good standing with the Companies Office in Manitoba (not required for exempt organizations)
• non-profit organizations located and operating in Manitoba that deliver services to Manitobans
• organizations with an established governing board

• The application is submitted by established deadline
• The application is completed in full, including any supporting documents
• The application proposes eligible activities
• The project or initiative must begin before March 31st, 2023, and be completed a year from the start date.
• The organization must have been operational for at least a year and be able to provide the previous years audited financial statement.

The JIF is open to all eligible applicants across Manitoba that are able to provide supports and services to EIA clients.

No, grants issued from the JIF will be dispersed within the 2022/23 fiscal year and projects are expected to start in 2022/23 and be completed within one year from the start date.

For the JIF’s initial intake, funding is only available for projects that are completed within one year.

The JIF is designed as a one-time short-term grant. However, the department may consider longer-term funding for projects that yield measurable benefits for EIA clients and the EIA program.

Applications with request for capital cost must be reasonable and limited for the purpose of the project. Approval for capital cost will be assessed on its necessity for the delivery of the project

The JIF has not established a minimum amount of funding an organization can request. However, the JIF will fund projects up to $300,000 per organization

As part of the agreement with the Manitoba government, any unused funds from the grant must be returned.

• salaries or wages for staff working on the proposed project
• promotion of the project
• administrative costs
• project/program space for rental
• capital costs associated with the proposed program
• training costs for participants of the proposed program or service

Examples of eligible programs and services can include:

• financial empowerment supports such as financial literacy, access to banking, access to identification, benefits navigations as well as savings and asset building opportunities
• job coaching
• workforce integration
• job creation
• workplace mentorship
• work placements 
• programming that offers wraparound supports
• wellness supports and services 
• culturally appropriate programming
• developing unique partnerships with employers and community supports

Organizations applying for the JIF should ensure they include as much detail in how they meet the selection criteria.  Additionally, it is recommended that organizations identify how the proposed project addresses gaps in services for EIA clients and how it aligns with the purpose of the JIF.

Organizations that are selected to receive grants from the JIF will enter into an agreement with the Manitoba government and be subject to reporting requirements to ensure financial accountability and include the following:

• Clearly defined purpose, deliverables and outcomes
• Financial reporting requirements include a final financial report indicating revenue and expenses associated with the approved budget and project.
• Regular progress reports, including, narratives and updates on deliverables and outcomes.
• Successful proponents will be required to comply with reporting requirements throughout the funding period, as well as a providing a final report after project completion.

Each application submitted to JIF@gov.mb.ca by the deadline will receive a confirmation the application has been received.  Upon completion of the evaluation of all applications, applicants can expect to receive a response within four to six weeks. However, the Manitoba government reserves the right to alter the deadlines

Organizations should provide all the necessary information required for the JIF application. In addition to the application, organization may be required to provide supporting documents to confirm information provided in the application. Examples of supporting documents may include but are not limited to the following:

• Audited financial statements
• A list of Board of Directors
• The previous year’s annual report
• Work plan (required)
• Detailed budget (required)

For further questions or assistance in completing an application, please e-mail JIF@gov.mb.ca.
Information sessions:
The EIA program will be offering two information sessions to provide an opportunity for interested organizations to ask questions and seek clarification where needed.  The two information sessions will be conducted, one for rural and northern organizations and the other for urban organizations.

Rural and Northern Information Session:
Date: October 4th, 2022
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Registration: To register for this session, please use Chrome as your browser, then click on the link below to complete your registration. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Registration link: To Register in advance for this meeting please click the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApdeChrjguG9BLJzvyEHvRbmP-T5_hnqxh

 

Urban (Winnipeg and Brandon) Information Session:
Date: September 29th, 2022
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration: To register for this session, please use Chrome as your browser, then click on the link below to complete your registration. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Registration link: To Register in advance for this meeting please click the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkfuqurTIuHNXWSIRx32NVkQGTNXumk674