FAQ

Applicants approved prior to March 31st 2018 

Is a grant recipient considered a civil servant?

• No. A grant recipient is not a civil servant. He or she is an employee of the regional provider of the Autism Intervention Program or the ABA-based Services and Supports provider.

I work for a publicly-funded agency providing ABA-based services and supports in Ontario, can I apply for the grant?

• Yes. The program includes employees who work for a publicly-funded agency providing ABA-based Services and Supports.

I work for a publicly-funded agency providing services in the School Support Program, can I apply for the grant?

• The purpose of the GAP is to fund approved professional development activities in return for continuous employment by a publicly-funded agency delivering the Autism Intervention Program and ABA-based Services and Supports in Ontario.
• The GAP is available to eligible applicants working in the AIP and ABA-based Services and Supports only. Individuals who work for an autism provider, but in another capacity do not qualify for the grant.

I am a private provider of Intensive Behaviour Intervention. Do I qualify for the grant?

• No. The GAP is only available to eligible applicants working in a publicly-funded agency delivering the Autism Intervention Program and ABA-based Services and Supports.

Do I have to work for a minimum period of time in the publicly funded Autism Intervention Program or ABA Program before I can apply for GAP?

• Yes. You must work in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports for at least one year (12 consecutive months) before you are eligible to apply for GAP.

What if I worked in the Autism Intervention Program for 12 consecutive months but have now transferred to an ABA-based services and supports provider, can I still apply?

• Yes. If you have been employed by a regional Autism Intervention Program but have transferred to an ABA-based Services and Supports provider, you can still apply for the grant, providing you have been employed for one year (12 consecutive months) prior to applying.

Is grant assistance available to staff who work part-time?

• Yes. Grant assistance is available to full-time and part-time employees (.05 FTE) of the Autism Intervention Program and ABA-based Services and Supports.

If I leave the Autism Intervention Program or the ABA-based services and supports while receiving grant assistance, is my grant pro-rated?

• No. If you leave the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports during the term of your agreement, the agreement is terminated and no further payments are made.

If I leave employment in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based services and supports and return at a later date, can I still claim funding under the agreement?

• If a grant recipient ceases active employment with the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports provider, but continues an employment relationship, such as a causal employee or is on parental leave, the GAP Administrator should be notified as soon as possible. Your funding agreement will be extended for the duration of any period during which the grant recipient is not actively working for the Autism Intervention Program or ABA provider. Funding agreements cannot be continued if employment is actually terminated.

How is funding awarded?

• Grant applications are collected on a quarterly basis. Grants are awarded at the end of each fiscal quarter based on applicants meeting the eligibility criteria and available funding in accordance with the priority academic courses. Funding is not guaranteed. Grant payments are issued annually for the duration of the agreement.

When do I sign my grant agreement?

• A letter is sent to you when your application for grant assistance has been approved by the GAP Administrator. The letter is accompanied by a Grant Legal Agreement and a Confirmation of Payment Instruction form. The Grant Legal Agreement outlines the binding terms and conditions of your grant. After you and your employer have signed the legal agreement, you will return all of the documents to the Program Administrator. Once the legal agreement has been signed by the GAP Administrator, a copy will be returned to you care of the regional provider.

When can I expect to receive my grant instalment?

• You will receive your grant instalment after completing each successive year of service under the agreement and presenting documented proof of successful completion of required course(s) and payment of tuition expenses, as long as you are still employed full-or part-time with the regional Autism Intervention Program or ABA provider.

How is my grant calculated?

• On your application form, you will indicate the tuition fees you expect to pay in each year of the qualifying academic program, minus any other grants or awards you may or are expecting to receive. Your grant will be calculated based on these estimates and will be subject to the maximum funding levels as identified under qualifying academic programs, available funding and minimum terms prescribed for each study level.

What if I am denied this year, can I apply next year?

• Yes. If you are denied funding you can apply again, providing you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

What if I am receiving grant assistance and get promoted within Autism Intervention Program or ABA- based services and supports?

• If you are receiving grant assistance and are promoted to another position within the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports, this does not affect the funding agreement or the grant amounts, providing you continue in the qualifying academic program.

What if I am working for one Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports provider, and move to another provider, doing the same job?

• The agreement continues to be in effect as long as you are continuing in the qualifying academic program.

What if I completed a qualifying academic program before being hired?

• You are still eligible for grant assistance, as long as you completed the program within five years prior to the date of your application and you meet the other eligibility criteria. You must produce documented proof of program completion and of total tuition paid minus other grants and awards you may have received. This amount will be provided annually (not exceeding the maximum amount permitted and based on available funding) depending on your funding level, and paid to you each year for the duration of your grant legal agreement. Calculation of the term of the agreement shall include any period of employment within one year of the application date, after factoring in the one-year eligibility requirement.

I am currently enrolled in a qualifying program. Can I receive funding?

• Yes. You can still be funded up to the full amount, as long as you remain employed with the regional provider. The funding agreement will extend beyond your actual program completion date by the amount of time you were enrolled in the qualifying program prior to application, and some of your funding will be retroactive.

I started working in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports before the Grant Assistance Program was re-launched. Do I qualify?

• Yes. Grant assistance is available to all current employees of a regional provider working in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria. Applicants can apply for retroactive assistance providing they completed the qualifying academic program within the past five years.

Are other grants and awards subtracted from my grant amount?

• Yes. You must indicate in your application form any grants or other awards received or expected to be received, unless these are already factored into your tuition payments. These amounts will be deducted from the grant received under the program.

I will pay more in tuition fees than the maximum grants indicated. Can I apply for additional funding?

• No. Grants are paid for each funding level (depending on the qualifying academic program) up to the stipulated maximum amount, regardless of actual tuition payment. All grants will be awarded based on maximum levels and amount of funding available.

What if I am receiving grant assistance and decide to take a year off from my studies?

• You will only receive payment for coursework completed after providing the GAP Administrator with proof of completion along with tuition receipts. If you interrupt your studies, you will not receive any further grant payments. If you return to your studies and continue to meet eligibility requirements, you may reapply. You will be required to work in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports for 12 consecutive months before re-applying. Funding is not guaranteed as funding is based on meeting the eligibility criteria and available funding.

What if I take a leave of absence from the Regional Provider I work for in order to pursue a Qualifying Program?

• You cannot receive funding for studies taken during a leave of absence. To qualify for funding, you have to be actively working for a regional provider either full- or part-time. However, you can apply for the grant when you return to work, provided you have completed the program, meet the eligibility criteria, including working for 1 year before applying, and there is funding available.

What happens if I take parental leave during my funding period?

• If you continue to pursue the qualifying academic program while on parental leave, you will be reimbursed for tuition payments once you return to work and after having worked for 1 year (12 consecutive months).

If I transfer from one regional provider to another, will the program consider my total employment period with the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based services and supports for the purpose of the one-year eligibility period?

• Yes. The total period of time that you have been continuously employed with the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports will be considered toward the one-year eligibility period provided that there was no break in service. If you transfer out of the provision of Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports, you will no longer qualify.

If I have more than one supervisor, who should sign my application/agreement?

• The supervisor who signs the application/agreement should be the one who you report to directly.

If I completed both an undergraduate and a master’s degree in the past five years, can I apply for retroactive assistance for both programs?

• If you completed two or more qualifying programs within the past five years, you can only apply for grant assistance towards one of your completed academic programs. If approved, you may apply for funding for the second program once the first agreement is completed. To be eligible, the second program must have been completed within five years of the second application date.
• When applying for the second program, you must provide separate tuition receipts. Joint programs, such as a combined MA/PhD, will be treated as one. All terms and conditions continue to apply.

Are faxed or scanned applications accepted or do I have to mail originals?

• Faxed, scanned or mailed applications will be accepted.

Can I include the cost of textbooks in my tuition expenses?

• No, textbooks are not considered part of your tuition expenses.

If I apply for partial retroactive assistance for a qualifying academic program and am currently on parental leave, can I receive payment for the period of time that I was employed with the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based services and supports?

• All retroactive applications will be processed according to program terms and conditions. Payments will not be made while the applicant is on leave.

Can the term of the legal agreement include half years with the last payment at the end of the half-year? For instance, when I completed a four-year program in three and a half years.

• All agreements have full-year terms, which are tied to continuous service in the Autism Intervention Program or ABA-based Services and Supports.