Competition

* Unless explicitly noted, all times indicated for deadlines are for the appropriate NL timezone (NST or NDT)

The Workplace Opportunities: Removing Barriers to Equity (WORBE) program is an Employment and Social Development Canada initiative that support employers subject to the Employment Equity Act (the Act) in advancing equity for designated groups through sector-specific strategies and collaborative partnerships.

WORBE is testing a program model focused on measurable progress. While previous funding rounds focused on building awareness through projects that developed training, toolkits, and resources, this pilot 2026 Call will shift the focus to applied solutions.

In partnership with the Government of Canada’s Impact Canada initiative this Call for Proposals and subsequent funding round is focused on achieving a milestone in advancing equity.

With foundational efforts already underway, the 2026 Call aims to increase representation of the designated groups per the Act, in areas of persistent underrepresentation through bold, data-driven solutions.

Successful applicants will work directly with federally regulated employers to:

• Implement applied solutions.

• Establish systems to track progress.

• Develop tools to measure impact.

• Create strategies to scale equity outcomes.

Whether you're a business, non-profit, academic institution, or a coalition of changemakers, this 2026 WORBE Call offers a platform to test innovative ideas, build inclusive partnerships, and scale what works.

With up to $500,000 per year for up to three years, this round of WORBE funding will use a pay-for-performance model that rewards progress and impact.

In addition to the external funding agency’s submission procedures, this opportunity must also be submitted for Departmental, HSS Faculty, and Research Initiatives and Services (RIS) institutional reviews and approvals via Memorial's Researcher Portal (RP). In order to facilitate the HSS Faculty’s administrative review, please ensure "Heather C. O'Brien (Grants Facilitator)" and “Matthew Milner (Grants Facilitator)” are added as "Team Members" on your RP file. 

In accordance with University-wide approval protocols, all tabs of the RP file must be completed, the completed application must be uploaded to the “Attachments” tab, all supporting documentation including support for cash and in-kind commitments and/or letters of support must also be uploaded, and “Submit” must be pressed prior to the HSS internal deadline listed below. HSS cannot guarantee completion of an administrative review for application files that are incomplete and/or are submitted after the HSS deadline. For more detailed submission instructions and information, please consult the HSS Research Support Services website.

If you plan to apply to this competition or other research funding opportunities (as either PI or CI), e-mail an HSS Grants Facilitator, Heather C. O’Brien (HSSResearchAdmin@mun.ca or 864-8603) or Matthew Milner (HSSResearchGrants@mun.ca or 864-8050), to notify the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of your intent to apply. E-mailing the intent to apply as early as possible will help to facilitate an efficient review. A Grants Facilitator can answer any questions you may have about internal or external submission procedures and may also be able to help with proposal development.