Deadline: 04-Jul-21
Do you have an idea to improve your community? If yes, then apply for Ontario Community Changemakers!
Ontario Community Changemakers (OCC) is an exciting new micro-grant program created for young Ontario residents to help spark new ideas and invigorate change in their local communities.
This program seeks innovative mindsets from all backgrounds to make a difference in their communities through creative and fresh ideas that will activate public space, enhance civic engagement, and/or foster social inclusion.
Themes
They are looking for ideas that fall under these three themes:
- Activate Public Space: Public spaces are areas or places that are open and accessible to all. They play a key role in impacting the social determinants of health and support community wellbeing. Sidewalks, streets, libraries, parks, plazas, trails, and community centers are all potential locations for project ideas that create renewed energy, life, and vibrancy to local communities.
- Enhance Civic Engagement: Bringing people and communities together to address common challenges or increase awareness of important issues is a fundamental aspect of civic engagement. OCC is looking for project ideas that spur people to take collective action and increase community participation in civic processes.
- Foster Social Inclusion: Their society has many barriers, both visible and invisible, preventing marginalized communities from accessing public spaces and participating in public life. Projects that address those barriers and seek to foster social inclusion for people regardless gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation or socio-economic status are exactly what OCC is all about.
Funding Information
- The selected Changemakers will receive $5000 in seed funding to implement one community project in one year.
- These projects must address public space, civic engagement and/or foster social inclusion.
- They are looking for projects that respond to community needs, build on local assets, and are implemented through collaboration.
- The projects must be located in the Province of Ontario or First Nations territories that are within the provincial boundary of Ontario.
Eligibility Criteria
- The program’s mission is to elevate the voices of new and emerging civic leaders in communities across Ontario to inspire and enact change. No project is too bold or daring as they believe outside-the-box thinking will propel them forward in creating equitable change.
- The Ontario Community Changemakers program is open to those residing in the Province of Ontario between the ages of 19 to 35 that have a creative solution to a challenge related to public space, civic engagement and/or social inclusion.
- Applicants may be activists, tactical urbanists, designers, artists, educators, entrepreneurs and more
- They greatly encourage applications from BIPOC and LGBT2Q+ backgrounds as well as individuals with lived experiences that are currently underrepresented in the placemaking sector.
- Must be 19-35 years old at the time of application
- Must be able to attend Virtual Studio
- Project must be located in the Province of Ontario or in a First Nations Territory within the provincial boundary of Ontario.
- Applicants must propose a community project that activates public space, enhances civic engagement, and/or fosters social inclusion.
For more information, visit https://ontariocommunitychangemakers.org/