Yukon Heritage Training Fund

Description





The Yukon Heritage Training Fund (HTF) was designed to give Yukon residents the opportunity to increase their skills and knowledge in the heritage sector. All training approved through this fund must be directly related to increasing the employability of Yukon’s heritage workers and providing Yukon employers with a better-trained workforce. The Yukon Heritage Training Fund reviews applications on a quarterly basis. The annual intake deadlines are January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15th. Under extraordinary circumstances, applications may be evaluated between regular quarterly assessments, at the discretion of the Adjudication Committee.


HTF is operated by the Yukon Historical & Museums Association (YHMA) with funding provided by the Department of Economic Development, Labour Market Development. Applications are reviewed by a committee of up to five members representing heritage sectors and are assessed based on eligibility, merit, fund priorities, and an ability to meet fund criteria.


Applicants are strongly encouraged to download and review the Fund Policy and all relevant documents thoroughly and to contact the HTF Fund Administrator before applying. Application forms are now available in two versions: Individual (for individuals) and Group (for all other applicant types, e.g. non-profit organizations, First Nation governments, businesses). For the full list of forms, please visit our website here.


What are the purpose and expected outcomes of the Fund?


The purpose of the Yukon Heritage Training Fund (HTF) is to:



  • Fund short-term training that will advance and enhance Yukon independent heritage sector workers, groups, and collectives of workers’ capacities to obtain or create employment.

  • Provide Yukon heritage sector employers with a better-trained labour force and enable them to reduce staff turnover.


Expected outcomes are:



  • To increase the number of people with the skills necessary to obtain work in heritage sectors;

  • To attract and retain heritage workers by providing them with funding assistance in order to access training opportunities critical for job satisfaction and labour market competitiveness;

  • To provide human resources that enable the Yukon to develop its heritage resources professionally and at a world-class level; 

  • To support training that increases opportunities for Yukon heritage workers to obtain employment and diversify their income in heritage sectors whether locally, nationally, or internationally;

  • To develop capacity and long-term sustainability in heritage sectors, providing Yukon heritage employers with an employable workforce trained to meet their needs.


Who can apply?


Both individuals and groups may apply.


Individual applicants may be any of the following:


  • Individuals aspiring to be engaged or already engaged in the work of a heritage sector, including full- and part-time employees, self-employed individuals, temporary or on-call workers, and students.

Individual applicants must:



  • Be Yukon residents who are Canadian citizens or landed immigrants/permanent residents.

  • Be prepared and able to invest a minimum of 10% financial equity of the total eligible cash expenses.

  • Have received funding through the HTF for no more than one other application in the same fiscal year (April 1st to March 31st), including both individual and group applications.

  • Have no overdue reports or debts owing to the HTF.


Group applicants may be any of the following:


  • Businesses, groups of businesses, collectives, First Nation governments, not-for-profit associations, or organisations currently engaged in the work of a heritage sector or wishing to supply training relevant to a heritage sector.

Group applicants must:



  • Be registered in the Yukon.

  • Be prepared and able to invest a minimum of 10% financial equity of the total eligible cash expenses.

  • Have received funding through the HTF for no more than one other application in the same fiscal year (April 1st to March 31st).

  • Have no overdue reports or debts owing to the HTF.


What training is eligible?


To be considered eligible, the proposed training must:



  • Support the purpose and expected outcomes of the HTF

  • Relate to a heritage sector, including but not limited to:

    • Archives, museums, and interpretative/cultural centres, both physical and virtual

    • Oral history, traditional knowledge, and other intangible heritage

    • Heritage sites and built heritage

    • Archaeology and palaeontology

    • Conservation

    • Scientific research

    • Toponymy



  • Build upon the applicant’s existing skills and experiences or, in the case of group applicants, upon the applicant’s existing programs, services, and/or mandate, which relate to a heritage sector

  • Be offered by a qualified training provider (qualifications are not required to be formal or academic in nature)


Eligible forms of training include but may not be limited to:



  • Short, formal courses and workshops, whether delivered by distance or in person

  • Job-shadowing

  • Mentoring

  • Informal apprenticeships and internships

  • Attendance at conferences

  • Combinations of the above


The HTF will fund courses that are part of a diploma or degree program, but will not fund an individual to complete an entire degree or diploma.


If you have an idea for training but are not sure if it is eligible, contact the Fund Administrator for assistance.


What training is ineligible?


Ineligible training includes but may not be limited to:



  • Training that takes place prior to the beginning of the month following the relevant intake deadline (i.e. May 1, August 1, November 1, or February 1), unless approved for early evaluation (see “How will applications be evaluated?” below)

  • Training that takes place outside the Yukon, where equal opportunities exist locally

  • Orientation to employer procedures and practices or other training usually conducted in the course of an employer’s business

  • Attendance at annual general meetings

  • Courses for the sole purpose of obtaining a diploma and/or degree (i.e. academic as opposed to vocational)

  • Casual or recreational training courses


What types of expenses are eligible for funding?


Professional Fees: Payments made to third party professionals providing a service to the project directly to project participants, e.g. guest instructors.


Registration/Tuition Fees: Payments made to or for an individual participant for the purpose of procuring formal training provided by a training institution.


Honoraria: Payments made to third-party professionals or non-professionals providing a service to the project but with whom there is no service contract, e.g. mentoring.


Transportation: Personal vehicle mileage and commuting costs (public transit, taxi, etc.).


Travel: Planned travel costs provided to the participant as part of the project. Includes flights, per diems, accommodations, etc.


Facility Expenses: Payments for expenditures associated with the physical or digital space in which the training is held that are specific to the project, such as venue and equipment rental fees, video conferencing fees, etc.


Consumable Materials: Payments for project-specific supports that are consumed during or discarded after the project activity has concluded, such as printing/photocopying, refreshments, etc.


Durable Supplies and Materials: Payments for required, project-specific supports that are not consumed by or discarded after the project activity has concluded, such as books, safety clothing, etc. Durable supplies and materials can only be funded for unemployed individuals.


Dependent Care: Payments for professional child care services provided by a certified child care provider, paid either to the participant or directly to the child care provider. Dependent care can only be funded for unemployed individuals.


Disability-Related Expenses: Payments to support expenditures associated with a disability, whether the payment is made to the participant for the purpose or paid directly to the disability-related support provider, e.g. note takers, sign interpreters.


Related definitions:




  • Disability: A physical or mental condition or health problem that restricts the performance of a person’s significant life activities for an extended period of time or on a recurring or intermittent basis.


  • Unemployed: Individuals who:

    • are not working at all (i.e. not in an employer/employee relationship and not self-employed); or

    • are working less than an average of 20 hours per week and are seeking full-time employment; or (in the case of persons with disabilities)

    • are unable to work full-time and are seeking to increase employment; or are in receipt of notice of imminent lay-off or must leave their current occupation




What expenses are ineligible?


Ineligible expenses include but may not be limited to:



  • Professional fees, registration/tuition fees, or honoraria requested through an individual application for training supported through a group application

  • Registration/tuition fees, transportation, or travel costs requested through a group application for unconfirmed trainees or trainees who would not be eligible as individual applicants

  • Professional fees, honoraria, transportation, or travel expenses paid to trainers from outside the Yukon, unless demonstrated as necessary to the project

  • Costs already supported by an employer or other revenue source(s), including grants and in-kind revenue

  • Supplies and materials that are not specific to the project

  • Purchase of equipment or software

  • Advertising costs

  • Student union fees or dues

  • Employee wages

  • Undefined budget items such as incidentals or contingency funds


How much funding might I receive?


The HTF will fund up to 90% of total eligible cash expenses. If your application is successful, the approved funding represents the maximum payable based on the budget you submitted. However, your final funding amount will depend on your actual expenses and other revenues.


Individual applications may be funded up to $3000 CAD, while group applications may be funded up to $7500 CAD. Exceptions may be considered under extraordinary circumstances and pending funding availability.


Applicants may receive funding for a maximum of two training projects per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31), only one of which may be conference attendance. If you are an individual applicant, please note this includes training projects funded through group applications in which you participated, if the project included registration/tuition fees, transportation, and/or travel expenses for you specifically.


If your project involves transportation and/or travel, you must provide a specific, dated travel plan in your application. Only the most practical and economic route and mode of travel will be considered when determining the funding your project is eligible to receive. Maximum eligible mileage expenses will be calculated based on current Government of Yukon rates and the approved distances included in Appendix A of the Fund Policy, while maximum eligible per diem expenses will be calculated based on a rate of $75/day. You may use higher rates, but will be responsible for covering the additional costs.


Funding committed for approved applications may be less than requested.


How can I apply?


To apply, submit the following:



  • A completed application form

  • A complete budget for the training project, using the Project Budget Template

  • For individual applicants, a minimum of one letter of support from a current or future heritage sector employer, or a heritage sector representative, outlining the applicant’s suitability to undertake the proposed training project. Government employees of any type must provide a letter from their supervisor confirming that the requested funding is not available through that government. This may be incorporated into a letter of support.

  • For group applicants, a minimum of one letter of support from a heritage sector employer, or a heritage sector representative, demonstrating demand for the proposed training project.


How will applications be evaluated?


Applications will be accepted at any time, with intake deadlines of April, July, October, and January 15 for quarterly assessments by the HTF Adjudication Committee.


Under extraordinary circumstances, applications may be evaluated between regular quarterly assessments, at the discretion of the Adjudication Committee, if the applicant provides a satisfactory written explanation of why this special consideration is necessary.


Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:



  • The eligibility of the applicant and training project

  • The significance of the training project to the trainee(s) and Yukon heritage sector(s)

  • The ability of the applicant to realise the objectives of the proposed training

  • Evidence of the applicant’s high degree of commitment to one or more heritage sectors

  • Reasonableness of budget, including applicant’s contribution

  • Completeness of application


With reference to the above criteria, funding priority will be given to projects that will benefit:



  • First-time, self-employed, and unemployed applicants

  • Non-profit organizations

  • More than one individual or group

  • Underrepresented groups, heritage sectors, and/or communities


Current Status:
Accepting applications
What is the deadline:
How much can I apply for:
Up to $3000 per individual applicant or $7500 per group applicant. For larger funding requests, please contact the Fund Administrator before applying.
Who can apply:
Individuals, businesses, collectives, First Nation governments, and not-for-profit organisations are eligible to apply.
Eligible activities:
Training/courses/workshops, Travel & Accommodations, Honoraria, Program Supplies / Equipment & Materials, Instructor / Professional Fees, Disability-related Supports, and Child Care Costs
Who can I contact for help:
Lianne Maitland, Fund Administrator
867-667-4704 | info@heritageyukon.ca
Contact HTF Fund Administrator c/o Yukon Historical & Museums Association 3126 Third Avenue Whitehorse, YT Y1A 1E7 (867) 667-4704 info@heritageyukon.ca
How do I apply:
Visit Funding