Deadline: 19-Feb-25
The System Innovations grants support collaboratives as they aim to understand and strengthen systems so they work better for youth.
Sectors such as education, justice, child welfare, language and culture, social services and employment play a critical role in the social and economic wellbeing of youth. When there are gaps in the infrastructure and interactions within and between these sectors, communities and organizations work together to create meaningful change. This is what they define as systems change.
Systems change work examines how policies, practices and procedures can be improved to better reflect the needs of youth impacted by systemic issues. In this grant stream, YOF prioritizes systems change work that improves the experiences of Indigenous and Black youth who continue to face system barriers and oppression.
YOF recognizes that systems change takes time, trust and a deep understanding of how systems function. Youth must be included in the process along with youth-serving organizations and other key stakeholders who directly support policy, design and grassroots work. This collaboration ensures real change goes beyond any single organization and/or isolated program.
In the System Innovations grant stream, they invest in collaborative work that strengthens systems to:
- Improve how young people navigate and experience services.
- Reimagine more unique and equitable access to supports, resources and programs.
- Involve youth in the creation of new processes and approaches to better meet their needs.
- Reduce the impact of systemic barriers and oppression as a result of historical and current-day realities of Indigenous (First Nation, Métis and Inuit) and Black youth.
Funding Information
- Amount awarded (per year): Maximum $250,000
- Term length: Minimum 2 years, Maximum 5 years
Project Eligibility
- Your project may be eligible for funding if it meets the requirements below.
- Demonstrated youth and community engagement
- Young people need to be engaged at all stages in the project and need to be the primary beneficiaries of the project. This is demonstrated when youth:
- Help identify challenges and issues in a system
- Are collaboratively creating the solutions and vision for change
- Participate in the decision-making process at the leadership level
- Organizations in the collaborative also need to engage diverse people, organizations and partners in the project.
Ineligible Project Activities
- The following activities are not eligible for funding:
- Service and/or program delivery for any of the collaborative members.
- Pilot programs that are delivered for more than one year.
Who is eligible to apply?
- Collaboratives interested in applying for a System Innovations grant need to be focused on identifying opportunities for improvement within a specific system and creating thoughtful strategies for change. Projects need to help create improved experiences for the following young people:
- Youth between the ages of 12-25 with diverse identities and lived experiences who are facing systemic barriers
- Youth between the ages of 12-29 living with special needs and/or disabilities
- Youth between the ages of 12-29 living with mental health needs and/or addictions
- Requirements for lead organizations:
- Collaboratives applying for a System Innovations grant need to have one lead organization.
- Any one of the following organizations may be eligible for funding as the lead:
- A charitable organization or foundation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency
- An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction
- Any one of the following Indigenous communities may be eligible for funding as the lead:
- A First Nation
- A Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario
- Inuit
- In addition to the requirements listed above, lead organizations must:
- Have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering programs and services with direct community benefit in Ontario.
- Demonstrate the financial capacity to manage OTF funds, deliver and complete the proposed project as per OTF’s Financial Need and Health of Applicants Policy.
- Demonstrate that they provide services in Ontario.
- Be incorporated as a not for profit for a minimum of 5 years from the time of application submission.
- Have a clear mandate and track record for serving and engaging youth between the ages of 12-29.
Ineligible Lead Applicants
- Organizations that do not have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering community-based programs and services with direct community benefit in Ontario.
- A person applying as an individual.
- Municipalities or their cultural or recreation agencies, including municipal libraries and museums.
- Universities, colleges, schools and hospitals, and their affiliated agencies.
- Religious organizations or institutions
- Newly formed organizations (less than 5 years as a registered not for profit).
- For profit organizations or businesses.
For more information, visit OTF.