System Innovations Grant

The System Innovations Grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation's Youth Opportunities Fund supports collaboratives aiming to enhance systems to better serve youth, particularly Indigenous and Black youth facing systemic barriers

Ontario Trillium Foundation

Overview of the System Innovations Grant program:

This grant focuses on sectors such as education, justice, child welfare, language and culture, social services, and employment, which are crucial to the social and economic well-being of youth. It prioritizes systems change work that improves the experiences of Indigenous and Black youth who continue to face systemic barriers and oppression. The grant supports collaboratives in understanding and strengthening systems to work better for youth, involving youth in the creation of new processes and approaches to better meet their needs.

Benefits of the System Innovations Grant program:

Financial Support: Substantial funding to implement systems change projects.
Collaborative Engagement: Encourages partnerships among organizations, grassroots groups, and communities.
Youth Involvement: Emphasizes active participation of youth in designing and implementing solutions.
Long-Term Impact: Aims for sustainable improvements in systems affecting youth.

Eligibility criteria of the System Innovations Grant program:

Lead Organization Requirements:
Must be a charitable organization or foundation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency, or an organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction.
Must have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering programs and services with direct community benefit in Ontario.
Must demonstrate financial capacity to manage OTF funds and deliver the proposed project.
Must have been incorporated as a not-for-profit for a minimum of five years.
Must have a clear mandate and track record for serving and engaging youth between the ages of 12-29.
Collaborative Requirements:
Must consist of two or more organizations with specific roles and responsibilities working towards a shared goal.
Must demonstrate capacity to lead culturally responsive systems change work that is youth-centered.
Must have a common goal, shared decision-making, and accountability among members.
Must reflect the communities and populations served in their mandate, leadership, and staff teams.