Family Innovations Test Grant Program in Canada

Deadline: 23-Aug-23

Eligible groups can apply for a Family Innovations Test grant to support a project designed to help other parents, guardians and caregivers in your community in one of three areas:

• Try out a new idea that has the potential to make a positive impact on the wellbeing of parents, guardians and caregivers,
• Research, learn and understand more about a specific topic or issue, or
• Bring parents, guardians and caregivers together to discuss an issue and explore new approaches collectively.

Family Innovations Test grants support parent-, guardian- or caregiver-led grassroots groups to research important issues, explore different approaches, or test new ideas.

Priority Outcomes

• Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and/or Black parents, guardians, and caregivers to strengthen relationships, build strong community and cultural connections, and heal from trauma
• Supporting parents, guardians, and caregivers to navigate and access resources for economic stability
• Supporting parents, guardians and caregivers to effectively navigate, access, and influence systems that affect family well-being

Funding Information

• Maximum $100,000
• Minimum 1 year, Maximum 3 years.

Eligibility Criteria

• Primary Beneficiaries
  • Indigenous parents, guardians, and caregivers (i.e., First Nations, Métis, Inuit)
    • When selecting Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit), beneficiaries can be from urban, rural and on reserve communities.
  • Black parents, guardians, and caregivers
  • Racialized parents, guardians, and caregivers
  • Newcomer parents, guardians, and caregivers
  • Francophone parents, guardians, and caregivers
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children who are two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+)
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children living with disabilities or special needs
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers living in rural, remote and/or Northern communities
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers at risk of contact or in contact with child welfare services
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers in low income situations
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers who are homeless or at risk of being homeless
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers whose children are at-risk of dropping out of school or have dropped out of school.
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers and/or their children living with mental health needs and/or addictions
  • Parents, guardians, and caregivers whose children are not engaged and/or are at risk of not being engaged with education, employment, or training programs

• Group Requirements
  • Groups that apply for a Family Innovations grant need to meet the following requirements:
    • The group is led by parents, guardians and caregivers.
    • The group has at least three core group members.
    • More than 50% of core group members are at arm’s length relationship to each other.
    • Core group members (including board members, where applicable) reflect the identities and experiences of the parents, guardians and caregivers they are working with and for.
    • The group demonstrates that collectively they have the right mix of knowledge, skills and experience to deliver this project.
    • The group is based in Ontario.
    • The group exists independently of a larger organization (other not-for-profit), charitable organization or municipality, university, school, religious institution and/or hospital.
    • The group agrees to work with an Organizational Mentor and has autonomy to choose their Organizational Mentor, design the project, identify group members, and plan for the future.
  • They prioritize projects led by and for Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) and Black parents, guardians and caregivers.
• Note
  • Groups can only apply for one Youth Opportunities Fund grant at a time.
  • If your group has an active Youth Opportunities Fund grant, you can only apply for funding if you are in the last year of your active grant.
• Eligible Groups
  • The work of a parents, guardian and caregiver-led grassroots group is community-led and community-inspired. Grassroots group means that core group members share identities and lived experiences with the parents, guardians and caregivers who will benefit from the project.
  • Applicants that meet the group requirements must also be one of the following:
    • A grassroots group that is not registered as a charity or as an incorporated not-for-profit
      • If you are a grassroots group from a First Nation, you are eligible to apply. Your group cannot have more than 50% of its members as part of the band office or band council.
    • An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction
      • This includes a Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario, or Inuit communities that are registered as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Canada.
      • The organization is required to have independently managed revenues of $50,000 or less in either of the last two years.
      • Board members and day-to-day management must also be parents, guardians and caregivers.

Ineligible groups

• The following are not eligible to apply:
  • Registered charities
  • Religious entities established for the observation of religious beliefs, including, but not limited to, churches, temples, mosques and synagogues.
  • Municipalities
  • Groups/projects based at an existing organization (not-for-profit or for profit)
  • Groups specifically designed to serve parents, guardians, and caregivers through committees or clubs of institutions, including municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals
  • Groups looking to design programming for children
  • For-profit businesses
  • Individuals.

For more information, visit Family Innovations Test Grant Program.