Sisters Impact Fund – ACES & Resilience Stream

Understanding ACEs

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are negative, stressful, traumatizing events that a person experiences before the age of 18 and are associated with life-long physical and mental health risks. The landmark ACE study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization between 1995 and 1997 identified 10 specific areas of childhood adversity that affect future health. These included:

The list of ACEs is evolving, and other types of childhood trauma have been added including:

• Bullying
• Community violence
• Lack of neighbourhood safety
• Racism
• Living in foster care

The higher the person’s score, the greater the risks of future health and behavioural issues. Analysis of Canadian data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey – Mental Health confirms the findings of the landmark ACEs study.

The negative effects on health and wellbeing associated with ACEs are predictable; if they are predictable, they are preventable.

Understanding Resilience

Resilience is built over time in individuals and communities as positive experiences (protective factors) counter negative experiences (risk factors). Healthy relationships with adults help to build resilience in children, and positive experiences can help mitigate the effects of early toxic stress. The presence of at least one safe, stable, nurturing adult can dramatically reduce long-term health and emotional effects of ACEs on children. Parents, caregivers and community members who are well-supported and able to access the services and resources they need are better equipped to create healthy relationships with the children in their lives and to build resiliency themselves. As a community, we can focus on supporting families to build on their capabilities and foster protective factors in order to increase positive outcomes for children and youth.

ACEs & Resilience Funding Priorities

The Sisters of Providence Care of St. Vincent de Paul Community Impact fund prioritizes high-impact, local initiatives comprising programs to achieve transformative, sustainable, systems-level change.
Systems-level change involves improving structures, policies, and practices to better meet the needs of children, youth, and families in the KFL&A region. Funding from the Sisters Impact Fund will support innovation by bringing together interested parties committed to preventing and mitigating ACEs and building resiliency in in our community to achieve lasting impact.

Successful proposals will address gaps in community infrastructure that make it difficult to access and navigate existing programs, services, and supports. Through a collaborative approach, proposals will address the need for improved interactions with and between agencies and sectors. In some cases infrastructure may not exist, and new programming integrated within an existing system may be prioritized.

Preference will be given to proposals that:

• Improve access, navigability, and equity in program and service delivery
• Engage multiple partners with shared goals for lasting improvements to local systems and ongoing collaboration
• Demonstrate significant reach in terms of the number of individuals engaged and level of impact
• Identify systemic barriers and forms of discrimination in current practices and use this knowledge to guide proposal planning

Applications that address ACEs, focus on prevention and look to embed ‘resiliency’ in in our community are encouraged. Applications should demonstrate a commitment to a consultative, collaborative, and inclusive process from program planning through to implementation, engaging diverse individuals and sectors for maximum community impact, and be developed in the spirit of reconciliation.

The following examples of strategies and approaches to help prevent and mitigate the effects of ACEs and build resilience were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Geographic Area

All projects must support communities in KFL&A:

• City of Kingston
• Townships of Central Frontenac, North Frontenac, South Frontenac, and Frontenac Islands
• Town of Greater Napanee
• Townships of Addington Highlands, Loyalist, and Stone Mills 

Specific Eligibility Criteria 

All projects must:

• Have a well-defined purpose
• Clearly explain and demonstrate financial need
• Meet the eligibility criteria that applies to all CFKA’s granting programs
• Even if the applicant organization is presently carrying out a project funded by CFKA, they are still eligible to apply for the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul Community Impact Fund. Applicant organizations must have submitted a final report for completed projects within 30 days and cannot have any outstanding final reports.

Grants for the following will not be considered:

• to cover deficits or retire debts;
• to provide endowment funds;
• for sectarian, religious, or political purposes;
• for any political campaign or attempts to influence legislation by any government body;
• to individuals;
• to respond to annual fund drives for sustaining support;
• to contribute to major renovation or capital construction costs;
• to provide money for fundraising activities.

Application Process

Step 1: All applicants must submit an Expression of Intent. Please contact arcpm@cfka.org to discuss your proposal, and to request the Expression of Intent template. Before reaching out, we strongly encourage you to review the Grant Applicant Guide.

Step 2: The Expression of Intent is the next required step in the funding application process and will be followed by a meeting with staff of the Community Foundation for Kingston & Area. The Foundation aims to work with applicants in a partnership for success, and staff may have suggestions to strengthen your Expression of Intent. Your Expression of Intent will then be reviewed by the ACEs & Resilience Coalition of KFL&A (ARC)’s Steering Committee, who will provide feedback that can be incorporated in your proposal before you submit your application. We look forward to collaborating on this important work.

Step 3: Once you have received feedback on your Expression of Intent, and are invited to proceed, you will then be able complete the application through our online application portal. Instructions on how to log in, create an account, and register your organization will be sent to you.

Step 4: Once you submit your application on our application portal, it is reviewed for completeness and eligibility by CFKA staff. If all is in order, the application is reviewed by our experienced and knowledgeable Review Committee who make a recommendation to the Foundation’s Board of Directors.

Step 5: The CFKA Board makes the final approval.

Step 6: Applicants will be notified of the results of their application.

Ready to submit an Expression of Intent? Contact us and we will send you a template: arcpm@cfka.org 613-546-9696×107

Grant Agreements & Final Reporting

If you are awarded a grant, you will be required to sign a Grant Agreement Form outlining the Terms and Conditions of the grant before you receive your cheque.

You are required to complete a Final Report within 30 days after completion of your project. The Final Report is intended to help you evaluate the initiative and help us evaluate the effectiveness and impact of our grants on enhancing and strengthening the quality of life in our community.

Contact Us

If you have questions, please contact Bridget Glassco, Project Manager, Adverse Childhood Experiences & Resilience Coalition of KFL&A at arcpm@cfka.org or 613.546.9696, Ext 107.

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