Apply for funding to support workers and employers – Building UP

The Building UP program supports projects that help strengthen the Yukon’s labour market. We provide funding to organizations for activities that support:

• employability;
• workforce participation;
• skills development; or
• career exploration in the Yukon.

Eligibility

Who can apply

Only organizations can apply for Building UP funding.

Your organization must:

• provide services to employers or individuals to improve their participation in the Yukon’s labour market;
• be able to work with other labour market service providers;
• have the capacity to deliver the proposed activities;
• support Yukon businesses and people who can legally work in Canada; and
• be in good standing with the applicable corporate registry or regulatory authority.

Your organization is not eligible if it's a:

• federal, provincial or territorial government; or  
• government corporation.

Project participants

People participating in projects must:

• be at least 16 years old;
• be legally allowed to work in Canada and reasonably expect to remain so; and
• not be participating in secondary school.

Employers participating in projects must not be:

• federal, provincial or territorial governments; or 
• government corporations.

Eligible activities

Projects must start on or after April 1, 2027. They can run for up to 3 years.

The following activities are eligible: 

• Employment assistance services for individuals
  • Counselling and case management
  • Job search assistance
  • Resource centres
• Skills development
  • Foundational skills
  • Formative skills
  • Occupational skills training
• Work experience
  • Wage subsidies
  • Job creation partnerships
  • Self-employment assistance
  • Work placements
• Employer support services
  • Human resource development
  • Employee growth and succession planning
  • Recruitment and retention
• Labour market information
  • Research

Funding

Organizations can apply for up to 100 per cent of eligible costs to deliver the proposed activity or service.

The following are eligible expense categories:

• Staffing costs for:
  • employees hired for the project; or 
  • current employees assigned specifically to the project.
• Participant costs, including: 
  • payments to project participants; or 
  • costs for items provided to participants as part of the project.
• Operating costs required for the project that are not directly tied to individual participants

Costs incurred before we approve your project will not be considered for funding. 

How to apply

Step 1: Submit a project concept proposal

1. Read the Building UP program guidelines.
2. Use the link below to submit your project concept proposal by November 13, 2026, at 4:30 pm. Your proposal should list the activities you want funding for.  

Submit a project concept proposal

Step 2: Complete the online application form

1. If we determine your organization is eligible, we’ll send you an application package. You’ll be assigned a Labour Market Development officer to help you prepare your application.
2. Complete the online application form and upload all required supporting documents by 4:30 pm on December 7, 2026.

After you apply

1. We’ll review applications for project eligibility. We’ll notify applicants whose proposed projects are ineligible. 
2. We’ll group projects by parts and review them against similar applications. We’ll group project components by:
   • identified labour market priorities;
   • project activities; and
   • targeted demographics for equity-deserving groups.
3. We’ll make funding decisions for each activity within a project. We may approve an application for some activities but not others.

Step 3: Sign your Transfer Payment Agreement

If approved, we’ll negotiate and sign a Transfer Payment Agreement with your organization.

Step 4: Complete your project

Approved projects can begin as of April 1, 2027. Organizations must meet the program’s reporting requirements.

Important dates

• November 13, 2026, at 4:30 pm: Deadline to submit a project concept proposal for the activities you want funded.
• November 20, 2026: We’ll send eligible organizations an application package.
• December 7, 2026, at 4:30 pm: Deadline to submit the complete application package and all supporting documents.
• February 12, 2027: We’ll notify all applicants of the funding decision.
• March 19, 2027: Transfer Payment Agreements for approved projects must be fully signed.
• April 1, 2027: New projects may begin.