Program on the Provision of
Official-Language Services
2008-2009
(POLS)

NOTE

Under the Canada/New Brunswick Agreement on the Provision of French-Language Services, the Province of New Brunswick is launching its Program on the Provision of Official-Language Services for 2008-2009.

Departments, institutions, or organizations interested in submitting a funding application under this program are advised to read the program parameters carefully and to pay special attention to the selection criteria for the proposed activities or projects.

PROGRAM

The Program on the Provision of Official-Language Services (POLS):

• Is designed first and foremost to support initiatives that allow the provincial government to improve services in French and to contribute to the equality of the two official language communities;
• Recognizes the priority role of the provincial government and its departments in the delivery of services in the official languages while calling upon community organizations and structures to support the government in its objectives.

This orientation is necessary in order to satisfy the requirements of the agreement with the Government of Canada. Among other things, it seeks to develop a more strategic approach and to provide the means with which to measure the effectiveness of the activities selected.

GOAL

The Program on the Provision of Official-Language Services (POLS) is designed to encourage the use of the two official languages in New Brunswick and to promote the development and equality of the two official language communities.

OBJECTIVES

The strategic objectives targeted by the program for the four years of the agreement are:

1. To strengthen the political, legislative, and administrative framework of the Province of New Brunswick;
2. To support the development, planning, and delivery of services in the Official Languages in priority sectors;
3. To ensure communication, formal consultation, and full participation of the community;
4. To support programming in the centres scolaires / communautaires in the province.

The Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, in consultation with the various official language stakeholders in New Brunswick, has developed an action plan for the duration of the agreement. The plan will be updated annually.

You can obtain a copy of the action plan by requesting it from the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs or by consulting the following Web site: http://www.gnb.ca/0056/promotion/actionplan-e.pdf

ELIGIBILITY

The departments and agencies of the Government of New Brunswick that wish to improve or offer a wider range of services in both official languages, and duly constituted non-profit New Brunswick organizations whose actions are in accordance with the objectives described in the POLS action plan are eligible to submit projects.

Projects must therefore be submitted by:

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Projects submitted under the POLS program will be evaluated and supported in accordance with the following criteria:

A) All project submissions and funding applications must:

1. Demonstrate how the project will effectively contribute to the implementation of the POLS action plan attached to the Canada/New Brunswick Agreement on the Provision of French-Language Services;
2. Put forward activities that will have a sustainable impact and long-term benefits;
3. Put forward innovative and promising initiatives;
4. Demonstrate the commitment of the recipients to continuing the activity after the term of funding available under the program;
5. Identify the concrete results anticipated and the performance indicators planned;
6. Demonstrate the provincial impact of the project's direct spin-offs.

B) The projects submitted by departments or one of their components or by public institutions/organizations must:

1. Put forward activities that will contribute to improving services in the official languages and that go beyond the obligations and requirements of New Brunswick's Official Languages Act;
2. Receive the backing of the senior management of the department concerned;
3. Demonstrate the commitment of provincial officials to coordinate and manage the project;
4. Be accompanied by a contribution equal to or greater than the amount awarded under the program from the department in question. This departmental contribution is conditional on participation in the program.
   

C) Projects submitted by an association, organization, or institution of civil society must:

1. Contribute effectively to improving official-language services in the community;
2. Receive the support of the organization's directors;
3. Show a desire to cooperate and form partnerships;
4. Show diversification of funding sources.

The departments or organizations may submit projects that are spread out over more than one year, without exceeding the length of the current agreement. For recurrent projects (over several years), the organization or department must show how it plans to fund the project in the long term, since financial assistance under the POLS program is available for an initial period of development, not on a permanent or ongoing basis.  

Associations, organizations, or institutions of civil society must send us a copy of their constitution and by-laws.

PROJECT PROPOSAL FORM

There are two ways to obtain a project proposal form :

1) By visiting our Web site address : http://www.gnb.ca/0056/Promotion/index-e.asp

or

2) By contacting the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs at 506-444-4948 to get a hard copy.

Completed forms are to be returned to Mr. Gilbert Losier at the following address: Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1 or by e-mail to gilbert.losier@gnb.ca or fax to 506-444-5612.

Projects must be submitted to the Department of Intergovernmental Affairs no later than April 30, 2008.

Please consult the Action plan of the Provision of Official-Language Services and ensure that your project will make a concrete contribution towards its implementation.