ISSP handbook.pdf - FNESC

What is the Purpose of 

the ISSP Handbook? 

This handbook is intended to provide information related to the Indian Studies 

Support Program and its activities. It includes: 

Part One: a description of the ISSP Committee; 

Part Two: a description of the ISSP program and its funding guidelines; 

Part Three: information related to Established Programs, including 

proposal guidelines, a proposal template, a description of 

interim and annual report requirements, and an annual report 

template; 

Part Four: information related to Developmental Programs, including 

proposal, interim and annual report requirements; and 

Part Five: information related to External Program Evaluations. 

Established and Developmental Programs are defined in section 2.4, page 6. 

If you require further information about the ISSP and its activities, please feel 

free to contact the ISSP office by phone (604) 925-6087, toll-free 1-877-422- 

3672, or fax (604) 925-6097. Names and contact information for all ISSP 

Committee members are available upon request. 

Part One: 

What is the ISSP Committee? 

Part One: 

Introductory Information 

The Indian Studies Support Program (ISSP) Committee works cooperatively 

to: design and distribute ISSP Funding Guidelines; establish a fair and equitable 

funding proposal process; review funding proposals received; recommend 

annual funding allocations; review interim, annual reports, program evaluations, 

and ISSP audited financial statements; and maintain accountability 

through the establishment of a reporting and evaluation framework. DIAND 

enters into funding arrangements with the recommended recipients in accordance 

with the terms and conditions of the agreements and the ISSP policy. 

ISSP Handbook -- Revised August, 2001 ... page 1

The ISSP Committee is housed with the First Nations Education Steering Committee. 

The Committee also works closely with other First Nations organizations 

and institutes, and is committed to sharing information and resources 

whenever possible. Terms of Reference for the ISSP Committee are available 

upon request. 

1.1 ISSP Committee Mission Statement 

The ISSP Committee will promote, support and enhance the development and 

implementation of post-secondary education programs which are socially and 

culturally sensitive in meeting the needs of First Nations people. 

1.2 ISSP Committee Objectives 

The ISSP Committee is committed to the following objectives: 

Part One: 

Introductory Information 

1 To promote access to quality First Nations Post-Secondary learning 

programs. 

2 To encourage the preservation and maintenance of First Nations languages 

and cultures. 

3 To support and encourage the development of accredited First Nations 

post-secondary programs. 

4 To encourage First Nations people in the development of economic and 

social self-reliance through education and capacity building. 

5 To secure consistent funding for external evaluations of programs funded 

by ISSP. 

6 To promote First Nations institutional and community capacity. 


Part Two 

Guidelines for Proposals 

2 . 1 Objectives of ISSP Funded Projects 

Programs funded by the ISSP Committee will: 

• be controlled and administered by a First Nations Governance Authority; 

• support First Nations post-secondary education; 

• increase opportunities for First Nations students to complete post-secondary 

programs of study; 

• emphasize disciplines relevant to self-reliance and self-government; and 

• enhance First Nations languages. 

Note: ISSP funding is not to be used for curriculum development. 

2.2 Eligibility for ISSP Funding 

Part Two: 

General Guidelines 

Any First Nations Band, Tribal Council, organization, or First Nations Post- 

Secondary Institute located in British Columbia may apply for ISSP funding. 

To be considered eligible, an applicant for renewed funding must have had 

their Annual Report from the previous year approved. 

ISSP funding is available for accredited post-secondary programs. Accredited 

programs lead to a certificate, diploma, or degree that is recognized by a public 

institute, college or university. The credits leading to the certificate, diploma, 

or degree should be transferable to other academic institutes. Eligible programs 

include those that are administered through an affiliation or brokering 

agreement (please see definitions on page 6). 

ISSP funding may also be used for University and College Preparation (UCEP) 

Programs. Those programs require that students enrolled have previously 

attained a minimum of five (5) one-year courses at the Grade 11 level (or 

equivalent). UCEP Programs must provide students with the academic level 

required for entrance into regular university or college programs within a tenmonth 

period. 


Students accessing a UCEP program must not be eligible for DIAND nominal 

roll funding. Students accessing a UCEP program must be 19 years of age or 

older. UCEP programs must include English 11/12, academic math 11/12, and 

sciences, i.e. biology 11/12, physics 11/12, or chemistry 11/12. 

2.2.1 Proposal Reviews 

Part Two: 


Proposals must meet the criteria described in this handbook. Incomplete 

proposals will not be considered. 

Due to limited ISSP funding, not all proposals will 

necessarily receive funding. Programs that have 

received ISSP funding in the past are not guaranteed 

continued funding. 


2.3 Application Procedures 

Proposals between 10 and 15 pages in length should be submitted. 

Appendices supporting the proposal may be included, but do not 

make up a part of the project description. 

Proposals must be received on or before the proposal deadline of 

4:30 p.m. January 25th, 2002. 

Proposals must be mailed or sent by courier. Faxed proposals will 

not be accepted under any circumstances. 

Upon receipt, all proposals will be logged in and dated. 

A copy of all proposals will be sent to the ISSP Committee members 

for review. 

The Committee will meet in February to assess each proposal in 

terms of its fulfillment of the program criteria, and the Committee will 

make funding allocation recommendations. 

The recommendations of the ISSP Committee will be submitted to 

the Director of Funding Services, DIAND, who will announce the 

decisions of the Committee. 

DIAND will manage the funding contribution through the established 

funding agreement as per DIAND’s criteria. 

Note: for societies, DIAND may flow ISSP funding 

through a Band or Tribal Council. Therefore, please 

indicate the Band or Tribal Council of your preference. 

If this is not indicated, DIAND may arbitrarily choose a 

flow-through Band or Tribal Council. 

DIAND may request an original signed copy of a flowthrough 

delegation agreement between the parties. 

Submit proposals to: Chair, Indian Studies Support Program 

Suite 113 - 100 Park Royal South 

West Vancouver, BC 

V7T 1A2 

Part Two: 



2.4 Definitions and Program Criteria 

Part Two: 


Accreditation: an eligible program leads to a certificate, diploma or degree 

that is recognized by a public institute, college or university. The credits leading 

to the certificate, diploma or degree must be transferable to other academic 

institutes. 

Affiliation: to be eligible for funding, a First Nations institute may be affiliated 

with a public post-secondary institute such that credits earned can be transferred 

to comparable programs in other institutes. 

Brokered: to be eligible for funding, a First Nation or First Nations institute 

may pay a public post-secondary institute a fee for the delivery of an accredited 

program. 

Core Funding: is an institute’s regular funding that pays for its day-to-day 

operations. The ISSP cannot contribute core funding. Please see page 19 

for budget items that are funded. 

Developmental Projects: require more planning or design to ensure completion 

to the point of accredited implementation. Examples of developmental 

activities include the following: developing affiliation or brokering agreements, 

surveying community post-secondary education needs, establishing First Nations 

governance authorities, society incorporation, private post-secondary 

licensing (please refer to Part 4 of this Handbook for more information related 

to development projects). 

Established Projects: have been fully developed, are accredited, and have a 

functioning Board or Governance Authority. 

First Nations Governance Authority: a board elected or selected by and 

accountable to the First Nations community(ies) it serves. 


Part Two: 


First Nations Post-Secondary Institutes: are established and operated by 

First Nations organizations, such as Tribal Councils, Band Councils, education 

committees/school boards, and First Nations organizations, specifically for the 

purpose of providing post-secondary education to First Nations post-secondary 

students. 

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE): is one seat per week times four courses in a 

program of at least two-semester duration. Specifically, the instructional hours 

(including practice) per FTE equals three to four hours per course for a minimum 

of 13 weeks per semester times four courses times two semesters. For 

example, one student taking four courses, with each course being three hours 

long, is a total of 12 credit hours per semester. This student must be enrolled 

in two semesters with a total of 24 credit hours to be qualified as one FTE. 

Institute Credibility: the proposal should describe the history of the institute, 

making particular reference to the institute’s standing -- i.e. First Nations governance 

authority, society incorporation, post-secondary license, etc. 

ISSP Projects: promote economic self-reliance, teach First Nations language 

or culture courses, and/or promote First Nations self-government and/or selfreliance. 

Reporting: Interim, Annual and External Program Evaluation Reports, if 

applicable, must be submitted to the ISSP Committee in accordance with 

the deadline dates established. No exceptions, no extensions will be considered. 

For reporting details, please refer to sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Handbook. 

Transfer Credit: those courses for which transfer credit may be granted to 

the bearer from one institute to another within or out of BC, (eg. Saskatchewan 

Indian Federated College, Gonzaga, Simon Fraser University, etc.). 


2.5 Proposal Format 

Due to the volume of proposals received by the ISSP Committee, it is mandatory 

that the ISSP proposal format be followed. Failure to follow the ISSP 

format will result in funding ineligibility. 

The following sections outline the format for proposals. Please note that the 

requirements for Established Programs and for Developmental Projects 

differ. The level of detail and amount of information required for proposals 

for Established Programs is greater than that required for Developmental 

Projects. 

Note: submissions for more than one program from the same 

institute/organization require a separate proposal for each 

program and must be prioritized by the institute/organization. 

The remainder of this handbook is divided into three sections: 

Section Three: Established Programs 

Section Four: Developmental Projects 

Section Five: External Program Evaluations 

Part Two: 



Part Three: 

Information for 

Established Programs 

3.1 Proposal Information 

The following information outlines a format for proposals for Established 

Programs. All proposals must follow that format. 

Note: Incomplete proposals will not be considered. Please 

ensure that all of the information outlined in the format is 

included in your proposal. 

Also available from the ISSP Committee is a Guide to Proposal Writing. 

That Guide includes suggestions and tips for proposal writing in general. 

Some of the ideas included in the Handbook will directly relate to the writing of 

an ISSP Committee proposal; other suggestions are intended to assist individuals 

who are writing proposals for other sources of funding. We hope that 

you find the Guide useful. 

3.1.1 Proposal Components 

Your proposal must include four components. 

3.1.2 Covering Letter 

Part Three: 


A cover letter must be written on letterhead and must be signed by the appropriate 

authority(ies). If your organization is submitting more than one 

proposal, please indicate in your covering letter which proposal should be 

given priority. 


3.1.3 Proposal Summary Form 

The proposal summary form (please see proposal template attached) must 

include the following information: 

Name of your organization. 

Concise summary of the project (to be described more fully in your written 

proposal). 

Organizational status and affiliations. 

Student statistics. 

Signature of authorized representative. 

3.1.4 Written Submission 

See section 3.2 for a description of the written submission. 

3.1.5 Budget 

Part Three: 


The proposal budget should include all sources of funding, identifying each 

source as either confirmed or unconfirmed. If any unconfirmed funding 

sources are verified after the proposal has been submitted, please forward a 

letter to the ISSP Committee stating that the funding has been confirmed. 

The ISSP does not fund facilities, equipment, program coordination, or curriculum 

develpoment. ISSP does provide administration fees to a maximum 

of 15% of the total project funding. 

Note: the ISSP Committee cannot provide core funding to 

any organization or institute. 


3 . 2 Written Proposal Submission 

3.2.1 Proposal Title Page 

Your title page should include: 

Title of the project. 

Name and correct address of your organization. 

Start and end dates of the project. 

Total funds requested. 

Name, address, and phone number of a contact person. 

Date of submission of your proposal. 

3.2.2 ExecutiveSummary 

Please include a one-page Executive Summary. That Summary should outline 

the project, highlighting the key ideas and objectives. 

3.2.3 Table of Contents 

Following the Executive Summary, please include a Table of Contents. 

3.2.4 Introduction 

What is the proposed project about? 

Part Three: 


In the proposal introduction, briefly indicate the purpose of the project being 

proposed, why the project is worthwhile, who it will benefit, and why your 

organization is qualified to undertake the project. You may indicate how the 

proposed project relates to the ISSP funding guidelines and objectives. Also 

outline the arrangement of the information to follow, including the proposal 

sections. 


3.2.5 Statement of Need 

Why is the project needed? 

In this section, explain the importance of the project being proposed and the need to 

which you are responding. Indicate why the need exists, and who it is affecting. Include, 

where possible, any available statistics or published information to support your 

assertions. 

In outlining the reasons for the proposed project, it may be useful to indicate how 

long the need has existed, any other attempts to address it, the resources used in 

doing so, and the results of those efforts. 

3.2.6 Project Goals and Objectives 

What will the project achieve? 

Clearly indicate the project goals and objectives. 

In outlining the project goals, in one or two sentences describe the overall 

outcome expected from the project. 

In outlining the project objectives, indicate the specific outcomes which are 

expected to result from the project. 

3.2.7 Methodology 

How will the project be implemented? 

Describe in detail the activities to take place, how and when the activities will 

be carried out, and by whom. This section may include the following subsections: 

Introduction 

In this section, summarize the proposed approach, emphasizing any of its 

innovative or unique aspects. 

Program Activities 

Part Three: 


Explain in some detail the specific activities to be undertaken, as well as why 

the activities described are necessary and appropriate. 


Supporting Organizations 

Identify any groups or organizations which will be participating in the project 

implementation, and describe the nature of their participation. Letters to verify 

that participation should be attached to the proposal. 

Also identify any organizations which support your proposal, and attach to the 

proposal supporting letters and documents, such as Band Council Resolutions, 

letters from language authorities, etc. 

Staffing and Administration 

Outline the proposed plan for project administration. This outline should indicate 

how many staff members will be directly involved in the administration of 

the proposed project, whether those staff members are already employed or 

will be hired by your organization to administer the project, and whether they 

will be employed on a full-time or part-time basis. Note: funding is provided 

only for instruction and support which is directly related to the program. 

Funding is not available for project coordination. 

Work Plan / Timetable 

Include a workplan outlining when each aspect of the project will be 

undertaken. 

Project Evaluation 

Describe your plan for assessing the extent to which the project objectives are 

accomplished, including who will be responsible for the project evaluation, 

when it will be conducted, and any plans for reporting and using the results of 

the evaluation. You may also indicate what kinds of information and data will 

be gathered in the evaluation process. An evaluation of your project is required 

by the ISSP Committee in the form of an Annual Report, described in 

detail in this handbook. 

Outcomes 

Indicate the anticipated outcomes of the proposed project. 

Part Three: 



3.2.8 Organizational Status and 

Affiliations with Other Institutions 

Describe all existing or pending agreements between your organization and any 

other Public or Private Institutions, including: 

Accreditation Agreements; 

Letters of Agreement; 

Affiliation/Brokering Agreements; and/or 

Certificate of Incorporation. 

Signed copies of those agreements must be attached as appendices to the 

proposal. 

In addition, attach all documents demonstrating that your organization is in 

good standing, such as current licences and/or registration certificates. 

3.2.9 Budget Explanation 

As described in section 3.1.4, a budget should be attached to the proposal. If 

any explanation of the budget is required, include information explaining 

budget items and their necessity. 

** funding is not available for: 

Part Three: 


student tuition, student books and supplies, student travel, 

student daycare, core funding, curriculum development, 

program coordinator/administrator salaries, governance authority 

stipends or per diems. 


Section 3.3 

Proposal Template for 

EstablishedPrograms 

Part Three: 



ISSP Proposal Template 

Project Title 

A Proposal Submitted by: 

Your Organization’s Name 

Address 

Phone and Fax Number 

Contact Name 

Project to Begin: __________ 

Project to End: __________ 

Total Funds Requested: __________ 

Submitted to: 

The Indian Studies Support Program 

Chair 


West Vancouver, BC 

V7T 1A2 

Date of Submission 

Part Three: 




ISSP Proposal Summary Form 

Proposal Title: ________________________________________________ 

Type of Program: New _____ Continuing _____ 

Institution Name: ________________________________________________ 

Brief Description of Proposal: 

Note: the following section of the proposal summary form 

applies to continuing programs only. 

Current Status of Applicant: 

First Nations Controlled: Society ____ Band ____ Tribal Council ____ 

First Nations Post-Secondary Institute _____ 

Current Status of Program: 

Brokered ____ Accredited ____ Affiliated ____ 

Part Three: 


Current Accreditation: 

Institutional affiliation (name) ________________________________________ 

Course transferability (how and where) ____________________________________ 

Certificate __________________________________________________________ 

Diploma ___________________________________________________________ 

University Transfer Credit ______________________________________________ 

Degree ____________________________________________________________ 

Masters Degree _____________________________________________________ 

Other (specify) _____________________________________________________ 



ISSP Proposal Summary Form continued 

Length of Time Program Has Been in Operation: _______________________ 

Program Enrolment: 

# of full-time students __________ # of part-time students __________ 

Institutional FTEs __________ 

Program start and end dates Start ___________ End __________ 

Student Status: From B.C. Out-of- Out-of 

Province Country 

# of First Nations Students ________ __________ __________ 

# of Metis / Non-Status Students ________ __________ __________ 

# of Non First Nations Students ________ __________ __________ 

Past Student Success Rates: 

program graduation rate * __________ 

program retention rate ** __________ 

course completion rate *** __________ 

Signature of Authorized Representative: ___________________________________ 

Definitions 

Part Three: 


* program graduation rate: the graduation rate refers to the number of students who successfully 

complete a program, leaving with the appropriate degree, diploma or certificate. 

** program retention rate: retention rate refers to the number of students still in progress. 

*** course completion rate: course completion rate refers to the number of students who 

have completed courses. 



Summary of Funding Request 

Amount Required for Program: $ _________________________ 

Amount Requested from ISSP $ _________________________ 

Cost per FTE $ _________________________ 

Budget Item 

Salaries 

- instructors 

- Elders/guest speakers 

Instructor Travel 

Instructor Materials 

Instructor Books 

and Supplies 

Counselling 

Tutoring 

Overhead 

(15% maximum) 

Total 

Total Amount 

Required 

Amount Requested 

from ISSP 

Part Three: 


Amount Funded by 

Other Source(s) 

* include estimated 

tuition fees 

Note: all budget items must be directly related to the proposed project delivery. 



Executive Summary 

* summarize your proposal in one page. 

Part Three: 




Table of Contents 

* list proposal sections and sub-sections. 

Part Three: 




Introduction 

Statement of Need 

* describe the project purpose and benefits. 

Part Three: 


* describe the project’s importance and the need it addresses. 



Program Goals and Objectives 

* describe the project’s general and specific outcomes. 

Part Three: 




Program Methodology 

* describe the program implementation and 

approach to be taken. 

Part Three: 




Program Activities 

* describe the activities to be undertaken. 

Part Three: 




Supporting Organizations 

* describe supporting organizations. 

Staffing and Administration 

* describe plans for administering the project. 

Part Three: 




Plans for Program Evaluation 

Outcomes 

* describe the plans for and timing of the program’s evaluation 

* describe the expected outcomes. 

Part Three: 




Affiliations with Other Institutions 

* describe affiliation or brokering agreements and licences and certificates; 

attach signed copies. 

Budget Explanation 

* if applicable, explain budget items. 

Part Three: 




Program Workplan 

Part Three: 




Proposal 

Appendix One: 

Letters of Support 

and 

Copies of Current 

Licences and 

Registrations 

Part Three: 




Proposal 

Appendix Two: 

Part Three: 


Copies of 

Signed Affiliation/Brokering 

Agreements 


3.4 Interim Reports for Established Programs 

Interim Reports for all 2001/2002 fiscal year Established Programs are due by 

December 7, 2001. Interim reports for all 2002/2003 fiscal year programs are 

due by December 6, 2002. Failure to submit your interim report will effect 

your future funding eligibility. The interim report should consist of approximately 

one to two pages outlining the following: 

• title of the funded program; 

• a one paragraph summary of the program; 

• a list of courses completed to date; 

• September course enrollment; and 

• December course enrollment. 

Part Three: 


The Interim Report must also include an interim financial statement. That 

statement does not have to be audited. 

A separate interim report is required for each ISSP funded program. 

3.5 Annual Reports for Established Programs 

Annual Reports for all 2000/2001 fiscal year Established Programs are due by 

November 16, 2001. Annual Reports for all 2001/2002 fiscal year Established 

Programs are due by November 15th, 2002. That date is not flexible. 

Failure to submit your annual report by the deadline will effect your 

future funding eligibility. Annual Reports received by fax before the deadline 

will be accepted, with originals to follow. 

A separate annual report is required for each ISSP funded program. 

3.5.1 Introduction 

The purpose of the ISSP Annual Reporting Guidelines is to ensure that the 

objectives of the ISSP have been fulfilled. An Annual Report format is 

included below. Ensure that all of the information listed is included. 


3.5.2 Annual Report Format 


Include a one-page Executive Summary of the Annual Report, outlining the 

activities undertaken, as well as a description of the information to follow in the 

report. 

Purpose of the Funding 

Include a description of the funded project, its objectives, and any relevant 

background information. Also indicate whether your program met the objectives 

stated in your proposal, and any successes, challenges and solutions 

encountered in the implementation of your program. 

Statistical Data 

Include data demonstrating student enrolment, retention, completion and 

graduation rates. Please do not include any student names or personal 

student information. 

Financial Schedule 

Include a financial statement for the ISSP funded program, showing revenue 

and expenditures for the funding provided to your organization by the ISSP. 

The financial statement must clearly demonstrate the use of the ISSP funding 

contribution. 

Each year, all Annual Reports will be collected and summarized in an 

ISSP Final Report. That report will be distributed to all First Nations in 

an effort to share the successes of the ISSP program, and to share information 

about the programs funded through the ISSP program. 

Note: 

Part Three: 


Proposals are reviewed and approved on an annual basis. 

There is no guarantee of continued funding. 


Section 3.6 

Part Three: 


Annual Report 

Template for 



ISSP Annual Report Template 

Annual Report of 

Project Title 

Submitted by: 

Your Organization’s Name 

Address 

Phone and Fax Number 

Contact Name 

Submitted to: 

The Indian Studies Support Program 

Chair 


West Vancouver B.C. 

V7T 1A2 

Date of Submission 

Part Three: 





* summarize your annual report in one page. 

Part Three: 




Purpose of Funding 

Part Three: 




Statistical Data 

Program Enrolment Rate ___________________________ 

Program Retention Rate ___________________________ 

Student Completion Rate ___________________________ 

Program Graduation Rate ___________________________ 

# of students who left the program for: 

employment: _______________________ 

skills training: _______________________ 

post-secondary education: _______________ 

unemployment: ______________________ 

Part Three: 


Note: please do not include any identifyingand/ 

or personal student information or data. 



Financial Statement 

Part Three: 



Part Four: 


Developmental Projects 

4.1 Proposal Information 

Part Four: 


Funding is available for organizations interested in undertaking preliminary 

work which is necessary in order to establish a program. For example, the 

ISSP may fund organizations for work required to establish affiliation agreements, 

to achieve non-profit society status, or to set up a First Nations governing 

authority. All Developmental activities must be directly tied to post-secondary 

programming. 

Proposals for Developmental Projects should include two to three pages describing 

the proposed activities and their purposes, as well as a budget for the 

proposed project. Proposals should also include letters of support, particularly 

from supporting Aboriginal organizations. 

The funding allocated for Developmental proposals is normally less than that 

allocated for full proposals. Developmental proposals are funded to a maximum 

of $20,000.00, depending upon funding availability. 

Developmental funding is intended to be for one year only. 

Note: developmental funding is to be utilized for activities 

related to the submission of a proposal that meets 

ISSP funding requirements. 


4.2 Interim Reports 

For 2001/2002 fiscal year Developmental Projects, interim reports are due 

December 7, 2001. Failure to submit an interim report to the ISSP Committee by 

the deadline will effect future funding eligibility. The interim report is limited to one 

page outlining the following: 

• title of the project funded; 

• a one page summary of work completed to date; 

The Interim Report should also include an interim financial statement. That 

statement does not have to be audited. 

4.3 Annual Reports 

Part Four: 


For 2000/2001 fiscal year Developmental Projects, an Annual Report must be 

submitted by November 16, 2001. For 2001/2002 fiscal year Developmental 

Projects, an Annual Report must be submitted by November 15th, 2002. 

That date is not flexible. Failure to submit your Annual Report by the deadline 

will effect your future funding eligibility. Annual Reports received by fax before 

the deadline will be accepted, with originals to follow. 

Annual Reports for Developmental Projects should include only an Executive 

Summary outlining the activities undertaken, as well as a financial statement 

accounting for the use of the ISSP funding. That report should be limited to 

three pages maximum. 


Part Five: 


External Program Evaluation 

5.1 External Program Evaluation Information 

In order to track best practices, and depending upon availability of funding, 

ISSP will provide funds to conduct an external evaluation of established programs 

that have received ISSP funding. If funding is available, up to four 

institutes will be notified that they will be provided funding to undertake an 

evaluation. 

The evaluation process is intended to allow First Nations institutes to strengthen and 

give value to programs which are funded by the ISSP. The evaluations should provide 

an opportunity for First Nations institutes to paint a picture of their own programs, and 

demonstrate to other people what is being done for First Nations students. Established 

programs will be notified of a strict deadline date to complete this process. 

Failure to adhere to the deadline will result in ineligibility for subsequent 

funding from ISSP until this process is complete. 

Note: funding for external program evaluations, when available, 

is allocated on an annual basis. 

5.1.1 External Program Evaluation Guidelines 

Part Five: 

Program Evaluations 

The program evaluations are intended to provide program evidence in the following 

areas: 

• students • governance • staff 

• curricula • community 

The evaluation process will include two components: an internal and an external 

evaluation. In the internal evaluation, institutes will amalgamate and verify past annual 

reports, and collect relevant evidence and additional information at their discretion. 


The external evaluation will involve two or more individuals verifying the annual reports 

and reviewing the collected evidence through such things as surveys/interviews 

with staff, past and current students, instructors, and members of the community(ies) 

the program serves. The external evaluators will prepare a written report with recommendations. 

That report will identify other financial contributions to the program, as 

well as the interaction of the program with other institutes (such as affiliation agreements, 

working relationships with other organization(s) to implement the program, 

etc.). The written report must be made available to the Institute and the ISSP Committee. 

The Institute will be consulted in the preparation and review of the report and 

recommendations. 

Note: the individuals on the external evaluation team must not be 

connected to your Institute in any way. For example, they must not be 

on your Board of Governors, or in any situation which would imply a 

conflict of interest. 

Evaluation Questions 

Program Description 

Students 

Part Five: 


What is the program purpose? 

Is this program accredited, and are the courses transferable? If so, to which 

other post-secondary institutes can they be transferred? 

How would you describe the First Nations community/communities and students 

you serve? 

How is your program curricula approved, and how is it made relevant to the First 

Nations your program serves? 

How does your program offer student support? 

How does your program provide access to the First Nations students you serve? 

How many students have participated in your program? Where have those students 

been from? If this program was offered at a provincial institute, would 

those students have participated? If so, why? If not, why not? 


What are some former program students doing now? (Please provide examples.) 

Have the students generally had a positive learning experience in this program? 

How has the program effected the lives of the students who participated in it? 

Program Resources and Instructors 

What kinds of human resources are available to support your program? 

How many of your instructors are First Nations people? How many of your 

instructors are from the First Nations you serve? What constraints effect your 

hiring of instructors? How do you attempt to address those constraints? 

What process is used to determine that an instructor is qualified, and who is 

responsible for that process? 

How do you ensure that instructors are available to their students for adequate 

time and support? 

How does your program deal with instructor effectiveness? 

How is professional development encouraged for your instructors and staff? 

How do your instructors contribute to the community/communities they serve? 

Program Governance 

How is your program governed (for example, a Board of Governors ...)? Who 

makes up the governing body? Where are those individuals from? 

Community Support/Interaction 

How does the community contribute to and support your program? 

Part Five: 


If you require any assistance in terms of the evaluation process, 

please contact the ISSP office at (604) 925-6087. 


ISSP Committee Terms of Reference 

are available upon request.

ISSP handbook.pdf - FNESC

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