Mandate
To support emergency assistance projects which meet the needs of disaster victims in developing countries by providing matching grants, up to the limit of the provincial appropriation
for this purpose, to funds raised by non-governmental organizations in Saskatchewan for such emergency assistance projects.
Objectives
a) To support appropriate emergency assistance projects which respond to the physical, social and/or psychological needs of disaster victims in developing countries.
b) To provide a vehicle whereby Saskatchewan people can respond quickly, effectively and generously to the immediate needs of disaster victims.
c) To support emergency assistance projects which integrate longer term reconstruction and development goals/components into emergency relief and/or which ensure that the emergency
relief does not undermine longer term development aims.
d) To support emergency assistance projects which strengthen the local society's capacity to
cope with the emergency situation and potential future disasters by:
ensuring that local communities have input into decision-making involved in the emergency
response; ensuring that, wherever possible, local resources(human and physical) will be used in the project; providing, wherever possible, for opportunities to learn from the experience and
strengthen disaster preparedness.
Criteria
a) Eligible projects will take place in developing countries and will respond to the immediate
after-effects of natural and/or other disasters including civil war; the end result of which is severe hardship to significant numbers of people . Such disasters include but are not limited to,
earthquakes, violent storms floods, drought and civil conflict.
b) The emergency response should aim, within resources available, to bring the greatest good to greatest number of people.
c) To be eligible for funding, agencies must have direct experience in the region where the emergency has happened and good working relationships with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
d) There should be evidence of local community support and input into the planning and implementation of the project.
e) Projects should, wherever possible, make use of local food materials, physical and human resources. Where local resources are not adequate, preference should be given to resources
from the same and neighbouring countries.
f) Preference will be given to projects which incorporate a longer term development perspective
into the emergency response and/or facilitate improved disaster preparedness. Projects will not be funded which seem likely to foster dependency and/or undermine longer term development
prospects for the communities affected.
g) Preference will be given to projects which have some form of direct Saskatchewan connection
(education, active fundraising, Saskatchewan group connected to the community affected, etc.)
h) Projects should present clear, realistic and attainable objectives within the constraints of the
situation and the resources available.
i) In the case of projects taking place in a conflict zone, there should be attention paid to the issue of security for personnel involved.
Procedures
a) To be eligible for funds through the Saskatchewan Emergency Aid Program, agencies must:
determine in person, or where appropriate, with a competent and trusted organization working in the vicinity of the emergency, the nature and scope of the emergency and the most practical and
appropriate support that could be provided. having determined that an effective response could be made by the agency, and being satisfied that such additional work can be handled effectively and
accountably by existing agency resources in the country, the agency will contact SCIC by telephone or in writing. The agency will provide details of the nature of the disaster, the amount
and type of support proposed, and the process by which that support will be brought directly to the people who are suffering from the effects of the disaster.
b) The SCIC Overseas Program Officer will contact the SCIC Overseas Projects Review Committee (PRC). At least two of the committee members must respond in order for a request to
be approved. At regular PRC meetings, decisions on emergency aid will be reviewed.
c) Agencies which receive Saskatchewan Emergency Aid Program funds will be expected to file
detailed reporting, including a breakdown of how the funds were spent, within a reasonable amount of time. Agencies will be encouraged to submit photographs and other visual material
with the reports. Copies of reports and other documentation will be filed with the government.
d) Government funds will be available up to a 1:1 match agency fundraising in Saskatchewan.
Actual funding may be less due to the limited funds available. Project submissions must provide a budget and clearly identify revenue for the project source (ie., Saskatchewan fundraising, other
fundraising if any, matching SEAP grants requested of particular governments).
e) To ensure expeditious disbursement of funds to agencies working with emergencies, the total
government funds for the Emergency Aid Program will be deposited with SCIC at the beginning of each fiscal year.
f) If any of the funds available are unexpended at the end of the fiscal year, such funds will be carried over into the Saskatchewan Emergency Aid Program for the next fiscal year.
For more information contact:
Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation
2138 McIntyre Street
Regina, Saskatchewan
S4P 2R7
Phone: (306) 757-4669
Fax: (306) 757-3226
E-mail:
