First Nations Adult Secondary Education Program: National Program Guidelines 2026 to 2027
Table of contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Program Overview
- 3. Objectives
- 4. Expected results
- 5. Eligible recipients
- 6. Eligible activities
- 7. Expenditures
- 8. Proposal process and assessment criteria
- 9. Managing conflicts of interest
- 10. Funding
- 11. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
- 12. Personal information
- 13. Accountability
- 14. Contact information
1. Introduction
The Government of Canada is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. We work together through a renewed, nation-to-nation and government-to-government relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership as the foundation for transformative change, implemented through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
These efforts must be guided by Canada's obligation to respect and uphold First Nations' inherent, Indigenous and treaty rights, including those rights to education referenced in specific treaties and self-government agreements. The nation-to-nation relationship between the Government of Canada and First Nations is rooted in historic treaties, the numbered treaties, self-government agreements and section 35 of the Constitution Act. It is guided and implemented by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and is informed by the Final Reports of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
2. Program overview
Budget 2021 announced $350 million over 5 years intended to expand access for adult learners ordinarily resident on reserve in accessing, preparing for, upgrading, completing, or obtaining equivalency to secondary education.
The Assembly of First Nations' co-developed 2018 policy proposal: First Nations Post-Secondary Education, and the co-developed 2021 policy proposal: First Nations-Led, Local, Regional and Treaty-based Post-Secondary Education Models, outlined the need to include adult education as a vital stream in both elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.
The First Nations Adult Secondary Education (FNASE) is a five-year program intended to support First Nations who have identified their preference to deliver funding for adult education implementation and expansion through a post-secondary mechanism.
Alternatively, First Nations within a region may choose the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) program to deliver adult education implementation and expansion funding, or a combination of both ESE and FNASE. Funding that flows through the ESE mechanism falls under the Elementary and Secondary Education National Program Guidelines even when used for adult education.
First Nations may wish to engage in a bilateral or tripartite process with Indigenous Services Canada and develop their own regional processes for education delivery through a post-secondary education mechanism for adults ordinarily resident on reserve. Directed by First Nations, these regional processes will be prioritized to meet the unique needs of First Nations across the regions.
These guidelines are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement signed by the funding recipient.
These guidelines are effective as of April 1, 2026.
3. Objectives
FNASE provides funding for the implementation and expansion of programming supporting adults ordinarily resident on reserve in accessing, preparing for, upgrading, completing, or obtaining equivalency to secondary education.
This includes supporting community-based initiatives that encourage adult enrolment in secondary programming supported by the ISC Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) Program.
The overall aim of the program is to support the above through:
- providing resources and services that contribute to student success
- supporting First Nations' diverse visions of culturally-appropriate lifelong learning
- closing the education attainment gap
FNASE is intended for use by community-based institutions to build capacity to develop and deliver culturally relevant adult education programs under the direction of First Nations, including partnerships with non-Indigenous organizations.
Enrolment-driven student instructional funding, including where that instruction occurs at a post-secondary institution, flows through the ESE mechanism which falls under the Elementary and Secondary Education National Program Guidelines.
Note that FNASE does not support activities that fall under the University and College Entrance Preparation Program (UCEPP).
4. Expected results
The program's expected results are to:
- improve First Nations' access to opportunities that require or are augmented by secondary education completion, upgrading, or equivalency, including post-secondary education and labour market participation
- increase First Nations' secondary education completion as a key contributor to closing the education gap
- respond to calls by First Nations to increase access to secondary education preparation, upgrading, completion, or equivalency for First Nations adults
5. Eligible recipients
Eligible funding recipients include the following:
- organizations designated by First Nations, including, but not limited to:
- band councils of recognized First Nations bands
- bands or settlements
- tribal councils
- education organizations
- political or treaty organizations engaged by or on behalf of First Nations
- First Nations-established post-secondary education institutions
6. Eligible activities
FNASE supports implementation and expansion activities through post-secondary delivery mechanisms to contribute to secondary access, preparation, upgrading, completion, or equivalency for First Nations adults ordinarily resident on reserve. These must meet the program's objectives and expected results.
Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- start-up, capacity building or program planning
- measures to improve access to adult education
- pilot program development and delivery
- coordination, development and advancement of First Nations control of First Nations education
- establishment of partnerships to develop programming for adults to access, prepare for, upgrade, complete, or obtain equivalency to secondary education
- community outreach activities to support enrolment in adult education programming
FNASE funding may not be used to fund instruction (e.g. salaries for instructors, tuition, etc.), except in the case of pilot programs and program start-up activities.
Note: outside of pilot programs, funding to cover student enrolment and instruction costs flows through the ESE mechanism which falls under the Elementary and Secondary Education National Program Guidelines.
7. Expenditures
7.1 Eligible expenditures
Eligible expenditures for FNASE support implementation and expansion of programming through post-secondary delivery mechanisms that contribute to secondary access, preparation, upgrading, completion, or equivalency for First Nations adults ordinarily resident on reserve.
These may include, but are not limited to:
- short-term, non-permanent salaries and benefits
- IT hardware and software
- development and publication of learning or instructional materials, including in partnership with recognized institutions
- improving access to language and culture to support life-long learning
- rental of facilities to host secondary education activities
- incremental operational costs
- meeting costs
- professional services, consulting fees or Elder engagement
- administration costsFootnote 1
Examples of eligible activities may include, but are not limited to:
- launching partnerships for developing and/or delivering new adult education programs
- developing new or adapt existing curriculum for adult learners, including creating course resources/teaching materials
- running course pilots to trial and revise new adult education programming, or to revise existing programming*
- reaching out to potential learners to inform them of existing adult education opportunities and available supports
- recruiting teachers and course developers specializing in adult education, and ‘upskill' current educators with adult-specific teaching skills
- working with Elders to incorporate language and culture into new or existing adult education programs
- seeding or growing student supports that address the specific needs of adult learners
*Note: FNASE does not support instruction except as part of course piloting. Outside of pilot programs, funding to cover student enrolment and instruction costs flows through the ESE mechanism which falls under the Elementary and Secondary Education National Program Guidelines.
7.2 Ineligible expenditures
Capital and maintenance costs are ineligible under the FNASE program. Other ineligible costs include:
- permanent staff salaries
- student tuition*
- books and supplies*
*except in the case of pilot programs
8. Proposal process and assessment criteria
Funding for FNASE may be based on work plans, proposals and other agreed-upon process and assessment criteria as regionally-determined with First Nations partners.
Approved funding amounts will be based on the available regional allocations. Regional allocations will be reviewed annually.
Requests for FNASE program funding are reviewed by ISC regional offices, and based on the eligible components and activities as outlined earlier in the guidelines above. To learn more, contact your regional office.
9. Managing conflicts of interest
It is necessary to avoid potential, perceived and actual conflicts of interest and any situation that might cause doubt in objectivity. As such, a procedure to manage conflicts of interest must be developed and put in place.
Recipients that manage the adjudication and administration of the funding of the program must demonstrate transparency and accountability in their policies and processes.
This includes having:
- a conflict of interest policy
- written standards, policies and procedures on the project selection process for funding
- an available list of successful proponents
Individuals cannot participate in the evaluation of a proposal in the following situations:
- individual has assisted in the preparation of the proposal, is an employee of the applicant, has provided consulting services, in any capacity, to the organization submitting the proposal or may in the future
- individual will be a team member on the proposed project
- individual is a relative or close friend of any of the employees of the management team of the eligible recipient which submitted a proposal
Conflicts of interest may arise during the review of proposals. These situations must be managed in an open and transparent manner.
Should a situation arise that presents a real or potential conflict of interest during the review process, the impacted individual must withdraw themselves from the deliberations concerning the specific proposal.
10. Funding
10.1 Maximum amount payable per funding recipient
The maximum amount payable to FNASE program recipients normally will not exceed the total overall amount of funding available for the FNASE program.
10.2 Funding approaches
Transfer payments to FNASE funding recipients may be made using fixed contribution or flexible contribution, depending on the eligibility of the recipient and of the service to be delivered.
ISC regional officers can advise on the eligibility of these funding approaches, as well as on the requirements related to the management of the funds.
The funding approach used to transfer funds to a recipient is identified in the recipient's signed funding agreement.
The specific directions for the management of program transfer payments, below, complement the directions provided in the recipient's signed funding agreement and are to be read in conjunction with the funding agreement.
Fixed contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients, provided that the planned activities have been delivered, reallocate funding among functional areas within the same budget activity.
Before reallocating funds, recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region.
Unexpended funding:
Provided that activities have been started, the recipient may carry forward unexpended funding remaining at the end of the fiscal year for use in the next fiscal year, to complete initial planned activities/results. If initial planned activities/results are complete (ie. delivery requirements have been met), the recipient may carry forward the unexpended funding remaining at the end of the fiscal year for use in the next fiscal year, on an activity that is similar to or has the same purpose as the activity for which the funding was provided, or in accordance with a plan submitted to and approved by Canada to spend the unexpended funding in the next fiscal year.
Flexible contribution funding
Reallocation of funding:
During the fiscal year, recipients may reallocate funds within functional areas within the same program inventory area.
Before reallocating funds, recipients must obtain approval from the ISC officer responsible for the program in their region.
Unexpended funding:
Recipients may retain unexpended funding remaining at the end of each fiscal year, on an activity that is similar to and has the same purpose as the activity for which was originally funded or in accordance with a plan submitted and approved by ISC.
11. Reporting requirements, monitoring and oversight activities
11.1 Reporting requirements
The reporting requirements for program and financial reports, along with their respective due dates, are listed in the recipient's funding agreement. The Activities and Expenditures Report is the generic data collection instrument and is not included in the Reporting Guide for Education.
Recipients must report on all funds received and expended, including the use of unexpended funding they were approved to carry forward for use in the following fiscal year. Consult the funding approaches section of these guidelines for details on the use of unexpended funds.
Recipients are responsible for completing an annual report and submitting it to the ISC regional office by June 30 the year following receipt of the funds.
If the funded work has not concluded, final reporting should also include information on next steps and timeline.
All recipient reporting requirements are subject to monitoring and oversight activities to determine the accuracy of the information provided to ISC.
11.2 Monitoring and oversight
To ensure program or strategy outcomes and objectives and First Nations needs are being met, and that opportunities for continuous improvement are being identified, First Nations may be invited to collaborate with ISC in monitoring and oversight activities, including audits, evaluations and targeted strategy reviews.
12. Personal information
ISC's collection and use of personal information and other records for the purposes of targeted program reviews, for example, desk and on-site reviews will be limited to what is necessary to ensure that the program delivery requirements are met.
ISC is responsible for all information and records in its possession. The confidentiality of the information will be managed by ISC in accordance with the Privacy Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. p-21 and other related policies on privacy.
Recipients are responsible for the protection of personal information as per applicable provincial privacy statutes and regulations, as well as the recipient's policies, up to the point that the personal information is transferred to ISC.
13. Accountability
ISC is committed to providing assistance to recipients in order to help them effectively carry out their obligations under the FNASE National Program Guidelines and their funding agreements.
Regional offices and other ISC contacts are available to answer questions and provide guidance related to ISC programs and funding.
Recipients must:
- deliver the programs and strategies in accordance with the provisions of their signed funding agreement, along with the delivery requirements outlined in these guidelines
- ensure that the necessary management controls are in place to manage funding and monitor activities
- exercise due diligence when approving expenditures
- ensure that such expenditures are in accordance with the eligible expenditures set out in these guidelines
ISC is accountable to provide funding to First Nations in a timely manner through contributions payments under the First Nations Post-Secondary Education Strategy.
14. Contact information
To find out more about the program, visit:
Visit the Regional offices page to find your regional contact.
You can also write to:
Education Branch
Indigenous Services Canada
10 rue Wellington - Suite 1455, Mailstop 25E-19
Gatineau QC K1A 0H4
Email: education-education@sac-isc.gc.ca
To learn more about education programs, consult the National Program Guidelines or click on the View instructions button on the first page of this program's data collection instrument found in the Reporting guide.