Deadline: 16-Sep-20
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has launched a call for applications for the System Innovations Stream for supporting collaboratives that are strengthening the quality and responsiveness of systems, so they work better for youth facing systemic barriers
In this stream, collaboratives will deepen their understanding of how specific systems work and will implement strategies that lead to system-wide changes that go beyond any single organization or isolated program.
The System Innovations Stream invests in the work of collaboratives who are designing and/or implementing systems change strategies to address the most pressing issues facing young people today.
Priorities/ Outcomes
- Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and/or Black youth to build strong community and cultural connections
- Addressing racism and its impacts on youth in urban, rural and/or Northern communities
- Supporting Indigenous, Black, and/or newcomer youth to enter the labour market and transition to sustainable career pathways
- Supporting youth who are not connected to education programs, employment programs, and training programs (i.e. NEET) to exit poverty and social assistance
- Empowering girls and young women to lead, including women’s economic empowerment initiatives
- Providing mentorship opportunities for youth in and leaving care and/or youth involved in the justice system
The System Innovations Stream invests in systems change work that is led by collaboratives. YOF believes that grassroots leadership is critical to ensuring that the redesign of systems will result in sustainable benefits for those most impacted by the system in focus. Changing a system to better serve youth facing barriers requires the strategic and active participation from many stakeholders, including young people with lived experience.
Benefits
- The system change work, led by collaboratives will ultimately benefit youth, aged 12 to 25 years, who face barriers to full participation in community life. While each Priority Outcome specifies a primary beneficiary population, YOF recognizes the broad diversity that exists within each of these communities. YOF understands that a person’s identity has many dimensions. As different parts of one’s identity come together in everyday life, oppressions can intersect, and barriers can grow.
- Recognizing that many youth are underserved or not served by existing systems and services, the System Innovations Stream is an opportunity to redesign these systems, so they work better for those living on the margins, including:
- Indigenous youth (i.e., First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit)
- Black youth
- Racialized youth
- Newcomer youth
- Francophone youth
- Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (2SLGBTQ+) youth
- Youth living with disabilities or special needs between the ages of 12 to 29
- Youth living in rural, remote and/or Northern communities
- Youth in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law
- Youth in care or leaving care
- Youth in low-income situations or from low-income families
- Youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless
- Youth at-risk of dropping out or have dropped out
Funding Information
- Grant Amount: Up to $250,000 per year
- Grant Term: 2 to 6 years
Collaboratives can use the System Innovations grant for both groundwork and implementation work.
- A maximum of two years can be spent on groundwork activities that allow the collaborative to prepare for systems change work. Groundwork activities can include, but are not limited to:
- Solidifying collaborative partners and meaningful inclusion of youth leaders
- Building a governance model
- Mapping the system with Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) priority populations
- Designing a theory of change
- Building a strategic framework and plan for doing systems change work
- Implementation involves putting research, theories of change, and plans into action with collaborative members and other key stakeholders.
Eligibility Criteria
Changing a system to better serve youth facing systemic barriers requires the strategic and active participation from many stakeholders, including young people with lived experience. The System Innovations Stream invests in systems change work that is led by collaboratives.
- Collaboratives eligible to apply to the System Innovations Stream:
- Reflect the communities and populations served (required)
- Are newly formed or have been working together for some time
- Include partners from diverse sectors and backgrounds
- Have the capacity to lead culturally responsive youth-centred systems change
- Have defined roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities
- Collaboratives should include partners from diverse sectors and backgrounds including, but not limited to:
- Youth leaders and change-makers
- Indigenous-led and Black-led organizations and groups
- Organizations led by and serving specific communities
- Grassroots groups, including youth-led groups
- System partners (education, child welfare, justice etc.)
- Band councils
- Community councils/networks
- Municipalities
- Universities and colleges
Who can Act as the Collaborative Lead?
- Each collaborative will select one organization to be the lead. The lead organization accepts responsibility for the funded project and plays a key role in bringing key stakeholders to the collaborative table.
- The lead must bring community connections, a strong reputation, and the respect of community stakeholders as prerequisites to implementing system changes that are strategic, community focused, and culturally anchored. They invite Indigenous and Black organizations that meet Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) eligibility criteria to assume the role of lead in the collaboratives that are working to improve systems for Indigenous and Black youth in Ontario.
- An eligible lead organization can be:
- A charitable organization or foundation registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue Agency
- An oganization incorporated as a non-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction
- A First Nation
- A Métis, Inuit or other Indigenous community
- Lead organizations must be eligible to receive funds directly from OTF and must be based in Ontario.
For more information, visit https://otf.ca/yof/system-innovations-stream