Funding Opportunity: Substance Use and Addictions Program

About contribution funding

Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) provides contribution funding for projects that respond to drug and substance use issues in Canada. We fund time-limited projects addressing current and emerging priorities relating to substance use through periodic calls for proposals, and occasionally through targeted calls on specific issues.

Contribution funding supports a wide range of innovative and evidence-informed projects addressing problematic substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives across the country. Projects target a range of psychoactive substances, including opioids, stimulants, cannabis, alcohol, nicotine and tobacco at the community, regional and national levels.

Eligible recipients

The following types of organizations are eligible for SUAP funding.

  • Canadian not-for-profit health organizations, including hospitals, regional health councils and community health organizations
  • Canadian not-for-profit organizations and registered not-for-profit charitable organizations
  • Canadian institutions, including universities, boards of education and other centres of education in Canada
  • Other levels of government, including Indigenous, provinces, territories and municipalities, and their agencies
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit not-for-profit organizations

Individuals, for-profit groups and federal Crown corporations are not eligible for contribution funding under SUAP.

 

Call for Proposals 2021

Overview

Through this one stage and one-time national call for proposals, SUAP is seeking applications for projects that can help to prevent, treat or reduce the harms associated with opioids, stimulants, alcohol, prescription drugs, and other potentially harmful substances.

Priority populations

Projects should reach those at greatest risk or who may face barriers accessing services, including:

  • People with needs that are often unmet by existing services, such as:
    • Indigenous Peoples
    • Racialized peoples and communities
    • 2SLGBTQIA+ peoples and communities
    • Youth
    • People living with pain
  • Regions where there may be gaps in services available, such as:
    • Rural and remote communities
    • Indigenous communities
    • Small to medium sized cities with populations up to 100,000
    • Other regions without adequate access to primary care physicians and other healthcare professionals such as psychiatrists
  • Groups at heightened risk of substance-related overdoses, such as:
    • People who use illegal and toxic drugs
    • People who work in the trades or in physically demanding professions
    • Men aged 25 to 59
    • People who use drugs alone
  • People who face multiple social impacts, such as:
    • People in poverty or experiencing economic insecurity
    • People experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness
    • People who have been in contact with various justice systems
  • People who work with and advocate on behalf of those impacted, such as:
    • People with lived and living experience of substance use as well as their families
    • People with experience of living with chronic pain
    • Frontline health, social and harm reduction workers

Core project requirements

To be eligible for funding, all project applications must:

  • Ensure that the needs of those at greatest risk or who may face barriers accessing services are addressed. Applications should reflect not only the specific group(s) that the project will aim to reach, but also demonstrate how it will meet the needs of these groups and measure progress towards achieving these specific objectives.
  • Include those with direct experience of the needs the project aims to address in the design, delivery and evaluation of the project. Peer workers should be appropriately compensated and represented in project leadership.
  • Provide a clear, evidence-informed rationale for the proposed intervention.
  • Demonstrate feasibility in a 12-15 month timeframe, and a sustainability plan for projects that will extend beyond the term of funding.
  • Use person-first language, model a person-centred approach, and strive to reduce stigma associated with substance use among stakeholders and within the community.

Funding priorities

Funding Priority 1 – Harm reduction related to substance use and the toxic illegal drug supply
Funding Priority 2 – Prevention, health promotion and early intervention
Funding Priority 3 – Treatment and Recovery
Funding Priority 4 – Strengthening the substance use workforce

Application deadline

Send your completed application by email to [email protected] before 2:00 PM EDT on September 24, 2021. Health Canada will not accept applications submitted after the official deadline.

An Information Session will take place on August 12, 2021 to walk through details such as, the Funding Priorities and how to complete an application.

For complete information on the funding application outline, the process, and what to expect, please visit the Health Canada fund information page.