Deadline: 15-Aug-2024
Do you have a passion for improving your community? Are you a youth-led group (ages 15-29) with a great idea that needs funding? Apply for the Identify ‘N Impact Grant Program to help make an impact in your community.
The INI grants support a by-youth-for-youth approach and work being done to address issues outlined in the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy (TYES).
Priorities
- All funded projects must work towards advancing one or more of the following priorities to be eligible to apply:
- community safety and violence prevention
- civic engagement
- mental health and wellbeing
- skills development
- increasing access to educational attainment
- youth friendly spaces
- arts
- Note: Political activity is not eligible for funding. Civic education, leadership and volunteer training, advocacy on youth issues and policy changes are eligible activities.
- Project proposals will be given priority if they:
- Work with and/or engage MVP youth (youth most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime), or focus specifically on Indigenous, Black, and/or 2SLGBTQ+ youth
- Involve youth from/and or based in one of the 33 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs) and/or one of the 10 Emerging Neighbourhoods in the City of Toronto.
Funding Information
- INI project budget: Youth-led groups can apply for up to $17,000 for youth to lead and deliver INI projects from November 1, 2024 – September 1, 2025.
- Additional funds may be available to support deaf individuals or people with disabilities to lead and/or participate in your project, as follows:
- Your group can also apply for up to $2,000 in additional project funds to support youth leaders and/or members of your group and/or project participants who are deaf and/or living with disabilities to lead and/or participate in your INI project.
Eligibility Criteria
- INI was developed to support emerging (i.e. new, small, grassroots) youth led groups.
- Your group is eligible to apply if it:
- Is youth-led and includes at least three or more youth, ages 15 to 29 years old
- Is based in Toronto
- Is a not-for-profit proposing project activities that will run in Toronto only
- Unless specifically for Indigenous-based cultural activities outside of Toronto as per the City of Toronto Grants Policy
- For the INI grant program, a group is considered “youth-led” if the following criteria are met:
- A majority of the group’s leadership are youth between the ages of 15 to 29 years old.
- The group makes decisions about its activities independent from any other community organization.
- Youth are the leaders in the project planning/design, management and delivery.
- Youth Committees/Groups of Non-Profit Organizations:
- A youth committee or initiative of a non-profit organization can apply if it is the applicant group. Youth must write the application, plan the project and make the project happen. Adultled non-profit organizations cannot apply on behalf of a youth committee or initiative.
- Youth Committees/Groups of Religious Organizations:
- A youth committee or group of a religious organization can apply if it meets the criteria above for being youth-led and clearly shows a separation between religious activities and community activities.
- Project activities must be open and accessible to youth outside of the religious group’s participants.
- Project activities cannot include any religious content.
- Youth-led Groups that are not incorporated:
- Youth-led groups that are not incorporated and do not have audited financial statements can still apply for INI funding.
- If recommended for funding, your group will need to work with an Organizational Mentor (OM), also referred to as a trustee or administrative partner. Groups will be provided with a list of potential Organizational Mentors to choose from. Funded groups are also able to work with an existing trustee, as long as the City of Toronto’s trusteeship requirements are met.
Ineligible
- Individuals
- Projects led by youth who live outside of Toronto
- Adult-led organizations
- Foundations
- Registered businesses or other for-profit groups
For more information, visit City of Toronto.
