Anti-Racism Impact Grant – Canada

Deadline: 25-Jul-24

Applications are now open for the Anti-Racism Impact Grant (ARIG) that aims to strengthen vital connections and cultivate a healthy, caring, and inclusive community.

In collaboration with the Province of BC, Ministry of Attorney General, and the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch, United Way British Columbia (UWBC) is responding to the escalating instances of racism across the province. This initiative is the community support component of the Racist Incident Helpline. It will provide vital community supports for individuals and families impacted by hate and racism by fostering connections, offering mental health supports, building resiliency and empowerment.

United Way BC will invest funding and collaborate with community agencies to bolster local responses and anti-racism programs. This initiative will support the sector in developing the necessary skills and tools to effectively assist British Columbians impacted by racism. The goal is to ensure that individuals in the community can access support from reliable sources, emphasizing proactive, preventative, and responsive programming that meets the unique needs and circumstances of each individual.

Funding Goals

• The funding goal is to address and counteract racism and hate by providing comprehensive support for individuals experiencing racist incidents residing in British Columbia. This initiative will support those who have encountered racism, fostering resilience, delivering trauma informed counselling, building empowerment, and a sense of community connection. Through targeted programs and resources, they aspire to create an environment where every individual is safe, regardless of their background, and can thrive and contribute positively to their communities.

Focus Areas for Anti-Racism Impact Grant

• Mental Health Initiatives 
  • 1:1 Counseling or support services are tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of each individual who has experienced racism or discrimination
  • Supportive groups & peer programs that foster a sense of belonging, understanding, and mutual support among participants. These programs emphasize active listening, shared lived experiences, and respectful communication to create a safe and inclusive space for all.
  • Intended outcomes 
    • Improved mental health for those who have experienced racism
    • Reduction of stigma for those who have experienced racism
    • Increased accessibility and awareness of local mental health supports
• Resilience building workshops & activities
  • Offering a variety of resilience-building workshops, activities, and resources designed to enhance individuals’ ability to cope with discrimination, stress & adversity.
  • Workshops cover topics such as stress management, mindfulness, self-care practices, and building healthy coping strategies.
  • Creative Expression Workshops: Offering creative expression workshops such as art therapy, music therapy, or journaling to help individuals explore their emotions, express themselves, and develop coping mechanisms
  • Intended outcomes 
    • Increased holistic opportunities to building resiliency
    • Increased positive coping strategies
    • Increased ability to use cognitive reframing – changing negative thought patterns into more positive, constructive ones.
• Anti-hate & diversity initiatives 
  • Spearheading anti-hate initiatives and diversity education programs aimed at challenging discriminatory attitudes, behaviors, and systemic barriers within the community. These initiatives may involve educational workshops, cultural competency training, and collaborative efforts with local advocacy groups to promote inclusivity, tolerance, and social justice
  • Creation and dissemination of local collateral. Resource materials, and multimedia content to raise awareness, provide information, and offer learning for anti-racist spaces. These materials may include informational pamphlets, educational videos, online resources, and self-help guides tailored to the needs of the local community, in languages reflective of the community.
  • Intended outcomes 
    • Reduction of discriminatory attitudes and behaviors
    • Dismantling of local systemic barriers within community
    • Increase spaces for inclusion
    • Increased knowledge and tools to challenge prejudice and discrimination
• Empowerment programs
  • Building skills and individual/group capacity to cope, heal, support others who have directly been impacted by racism and discrimination
  • Community Celebration and Awareness Events: Organizing community-wide events, celebrations, and awareness campaigns to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma, and foster a culture of support and understanding. These events may include mental health fairs, art exhibitions, guest speakers, and community forums to encourage open dialogue and education.
  • Intended outcomes
    • Increased individual and group capacity to cope, heal, and support those impacted by racism and discrimination
    • Improved mental health awareness for those who have experienced racism
    • Increased culture of support and understanding fostered within community
• Supporting & enhancing existing anti-racism programs: 
  • Existing direct service delivery programs targeting the priority populations &/or languages specifically addressing anti-racism and anti-hate initiatives
  • Intended outcomes 
    • Support and/or enhance existing hyper local work addressing racism in BC communities
    • Strengthen local capacity and local knowledge

Guiding Principles 

• Do no harm
• Anti-oppressive
• Anti-racist

Funding Information

• Grant amount available: Up to $50,000 per organization.
• Funding Period: September 2024 to March 31, 2025

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible groups 
  • Qualified Donees
    • Registered Charities: Charitable organizations, public foundations, or private foundations that are registered with the CRA
  • Non-qualified donees are eligible
    • does not have the status of a qualified donee, meaning it cannot issue official donation receipts for gifts received. This category includes non-profit organizations, both incorporated and unincorporated, that are not registered charities and operate for various purposes excluding profit.
  • Indigenous Governing bodies
    • First Nations bands, governments or associations
• Parameters 
  • Priority populations
    • Racialized folks who have experienced racism
      • Specifically Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, anti-Black sentiments, discrimination against Indigenous communities, and anti-Asian biases
    • Youth
    • Indigenous organizations, Nations & Bands
    • Rural and remote communities across BC
• Priority Languages
  • Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, French, Hindi, Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, Swahili.
• Geography 
  • Provincial
    • Each organization will be able to apply based on the region they serve or a program with provincial reach
  • Funding Parameters & Streams
    • Indigenous-led organizations and Land Based Nation
    • Community Organizations (including registered and non-registered charitable agencies, non-profits, societies)
      • $25,000 to $50,000

For more information, visit United Way British Columbia.