Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG)

If you’re a registered post-secondary student or a recent graduate and you volunteer with a local charity or non-for-profit organization, in recognition for your service, you could be eligible to receive a Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) of between $1,000 and $5,000.

Am I eligible?

All Canadian students and recent graduates who meet the eligibility criteria can receive the grant for volunteering between June 25th and October 31st, 2020.

To apply, you must:

• be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, refugee, First Nations, Metis or Inuit aged 30 years old or younger (as of December 31st, 2020), AND
• be enrolled part time or full time in a *recognized post-secondary education program in Spring/Summer 2020 or Fall 2020, or have completed your post-secondary studies in December 2019 or later

*Recognized post-secondary education programs include courses taken at a university or college level at a designated or certified educational institution in Canada, including recognized Indigenous institutions. Courses taken at a secondary-level vocational training institution in Québec are also included.

Students who study abroad are also eligible, but they must be currently living in Canada.

• To accumulate hours, you can volunteer with more than one charity or not-for-profit organization.
• The grant is only offered in increments of $1,000 for every hundred volunteer hours completed (ex. You can't receive $1,500 for 150 completed hours).

How do I apply?

Visit the I Want to Help online portal.

• You will need to create an account to apply.
• You will have to answer a few questions and provide some personal information.
• After you apply, you will be asked to provide documentation proving that you’re eligible:
  - A piece of identification such as a valid driver’s license, provincial or territorial identification, or a valid passport, AND
  - Proof of registration from a recognized post-secondary institution for Spring/Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 OR proof of graduation from no earlier than December 2019.

You must apply before August 21, 2020.

Where can I find the volunteer positions?

Charities and not-for-profit organizations are advertised on the I Want to Help platform. 

Each opportunity has been verified to make sure it complies with all of the appropriate requirements:

• takes place in Canada
• supports Canada's response to COVD-19
• complies with public health guidelines
• provides meaningful experience for the volunteer
• requires a minimum of 2 hours per week for at least 4 weeks

The opportunities can be in-person or virtual, which means you can also volunteer remotely from home.

What if I am already volunteering?

If you would like your hours to count towards the Canada Student Service Grant, the organization you’re volunteering with can submit the opportunity for approval before August 21st, 2020 (as long as it meets all requirements).

What if I am receiving the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)?

Application is open to students and recent graduates who are employed, and those who are receiving the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) or a microgrant from the Canada Service Corps program.

What it I am receiving the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)?

If you are receiving, or have received, the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), you are not eligible for this grant.

How do I register my organization to be eligible to recruit volunteers?

1) Click HERE to register at the I Want To Help - Organizations Platform

2) Create your first posting, which must:
• take place in Canada
• support Canada's response to COVID-19
• comply with public health guidelines
• provide a meaningful experience for the volunteer
• be a minimum of 2 hours a week for 4 weeks between June 25 and October 31st, 2020

The service opportunity cannot:
• be used for lobbying or advocacy that provides financial benefits to an organization or its members
• be used as a way to replace a position where a person was previously paid or would reasonably expect to be paid

3) Train and mobilize volunteers
• Once your opportunity is posted on the site, you will start receiving applications from potential volunteers
• Interview the best candidates for the role, and choose the ones you wish to engage in your organization’s activities this s ummer
• Your organization will be responsible for onboarding and training student volunteers, while respecting public health regulations
• During their time with you, students will track the hours they spend volunteering and when fall comes, they will use them to apply for the Canada Student Service Grant

Questions?

If you have any questions about the Canada Student Service Grant (CSSG) or any other services that we offer, please complete the contact form below.

For a complete list of our COVID-19 resources for individuals and businesses, please visit availcpa.com/resources