Identify ‘N Impact Grant Program

Please review the grant guidelines before you apply or call to get advice on your project idea.

Program Purpose

The purpose of the Identify ‘N’ Impact Investment Funding Program (INI) is to:

• Help promote youth engagement and community safety in Toronto
• Support youth to turn IDEAS into ACTION
• Support emerging (new, small, grassroots) youth led groups
• Motivate and encourage MVP youth to become involved in their communities – MVP stands for Most Vulnerable People, and is the acronym used to describe “youth most vulnerable to involvement in serious violence and crime”

To be funded, project proposals will be given priority if they:

• Involve youth from/and or based in one of the 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas
• Work with and/or serve MVP youth

Who can Apply? What is eligible?

Eligible applicants work to advance issues outlined in the Toronto Youth Equity Strategy (TYES) including a focus on: skills development, increasing access to educational attainment, community safety, youth friendly spaces, arts and mental health.

As well, 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
• Did not receive an INI grant last year

Funds Available

• Only one Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form (application) per group is permitted
• Requests can be made for up to $10,000 per project application
• A total of $145,000 is available in funding for 2019
• INI is to help support emerging (new, small, grassroots) youth-led groups
• Download the INI 2019 flyer.

What is INI

INI is	INI is not
INI is project-based funding that provides youth, aged 15 to 29 with the opportunity to expand on their leadership goals by funding their project ideas INI funds youth-led projects that focus on community improvement, development and change; all from a youth’s perspective. Youth plan, manage and deliver the project themselves, with support from adult allies Intended for projects to start between January and December 2020	INI is not for adult-led activities or groups. Adult allies may support youth with their decision-making. Adults should not run or tell youth how to run their projects A youth group that is a program of an established agency or organization For agencies or organizations to apply on behalf of youth For individuals
INI is a grant program that helps build the ability of youth to learn leadership, organizational and networking skills by creating and implementing a project	INI is not for projects where youth are only participating and not leading
INI is for a one year project and can be funded up to a maximum of $10,000 INI is to help support emerging (new, small, grassroots) youth-led groups. Only youth-led groups that did not receive an INI grant last year will be considered for funding.	INI is not ongoing funding or multi-year funding INI is not for businesses, for-profit social enterprises or other for-profit groups Youth-led groups that received an INI grants last year are not eligible to apply for INI funding this year

 

Who Can Apply? What is eligible?

Your group is eligible to apply if it is youth-led, based in Toronto, is a not-for-profit and is proposing project activities that will run in Toronto only.

The following types of groups are eligible to apply:

• Youth-led groups of at least three or more youth, ages 15 to 29 years old
• Youth-led groups that did not receive an INI grant last year

For the INI investment 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 online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form (application), plan the project and make the project happen. Adult-led non-profit organizations cannot apply on behalf of a youth committee or initiative.

Youth Committee/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.
• The youth must have separate project management, delivery and budgets. 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 a trustee (also referred to as an administrative partner or organizational mentor) in order to receive funding. Funded groups will be able to work with a trustee that the INI program provides. If your group wishes to work with an alternative trustee, INI staff will work with your group to help you ensure the trustee your group chooses meets the grant requirements.

Use of Funds

INI funds can be used for the following types of costs:

• Staff salaries and benefits
• Volunteer honorarium and expenses
• Space rental
• Transportation to and from project activities by youth leaders, participants, staff and volunteers
• Equipment (rental or usage costs only)
• Staff / volunteer training
• Childcare costs for participants and volunteers
• Office expenses
• Promotion and publicity (brochures, posters etc.)
• Purchased services (including web design, translation, printing etc.)
• Administrative costs
• Trustee fees

What Will Not Be Funded?

INI is not intended to fund the following:

• Project and activities outside of Toronto
• Individuals or individual artists
• Ongoing multi-year program funding
• Projects led by a majority of youth who live outside of Toronto
• Political and religious activities
• Purchase of equipment (i.e. computers, tablets, e-readers, cell phones, etc.)
• Registered business or other for-profit groups (e.g. social enterprises)
• Process to become a not-for-profit, including audit costs

How to Apply:

• Youth-led groups must complete a short online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form – Due Monday, July 22, 2019 @ 12 p.m. (Noon).
• Eligible groups will be invited to complete the full application, including work plan and budget. The full application will be reviewed by a panel of youth sector leaders and they will make the INI grant recommendations for approval by winter 2019. Project activities cannot start until formal notice is given to approved groups.

Elegibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form Questions

This is the information you will need to complete your online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form (application):

• Your group’s contact information (your group’s name, mailing address, email address, postal code).
• Your groups main and back-up contact person’s information (name, phone number, email address).
• Your group’s neighbourhood, which can be found on the Neighbourhood Improvement Area Profiles page.
• Tell us about the group of youth your group will work with.
• Describe your group (the purpose of your group, what you hope to achieve or what you already do in your community).
• Describe your project idea (why is your project needed, what your project is about and what will happen during your project).
• Describe how your project works to advance the INI 2019 Toronto Youth Equity Strategy focus areas.
• Tell us about how many people and how many youth will be involved in your project.
• How much are you requesting for your INI grant.
• Do you have a trustee (administrative partner or organizational mentor).
• And other information demonstrating how your project fits with the purpose of the INI funding program.

What Is A Trustee?

(Also referred to as an administrative partner or organizational mentor.)

• A trustee is an organization that works with you to provide the financial and management support needed for the project to succeed.
• The trustee has available to funded groups coaching, training, and templates to use to strengthen your project effectiveness and project delivery
• The trustee provides financial accountability for the grant funding if a group does not have the financial systems or organizational structure to do so on their own.
• You can still apply if your group does not have a trustee.
• Funded groups will be able to work with trustee that the INI program provides. If your group wishes to work with an alternative trustee, INI staff will work with your group to help ensure the organization your group chooses meets the grants requirements.

What is the Role of Adult Allies in Supporting INI funded groups?

Adult allies (e.g. community workers, mentors, residents, agency staff, etc.) and/or community organizations led by adults can support youth-led groups and INI funded projects as advisors, mentors, coaches, partners, collaborators, or by providing in-kind support (e.g. space for meetings) or by filling the role of a trustee (administrative partner or organizational mentor). Youth-led groups are encouraged to develop relationships with other community groups, including adult-led organizations. Adult allies should not run or tell youth how to run
their projects, but can support youth leaders as they develop and strengthen planning, coordination, team building, and leadership skills.

INI Key  Dates

Tuesday, June 25	INI 2019 launches –  The online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form. Submit your INI 2019 Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form by completing the short online application!
Monday, July 22 @ Noon (12 p.m.)	Deadline to submit your online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form (application)!
August	Your group will be notified by email invitation on your eligibility to move forward to the full application. Your group will also be invited to an INI Information Session and Grant Writing Workshop planned for Thursday, July 30 or Thursday, August 8. More details will be provided to eligible groups closer to the date.
Monday, August 26	Deadline for full application; including work plan and budget.
December 2019	INI 2019 grant recommendations are made by selection committee made up of youth. A report and recommendations for funding go to the Executive Director, Social Development and Finance Administration. Letters of Understanding (LOU) will be emailed to all groups that are approved for funding! Activities should only start once your group has received notification. Project expenses cannot be charged until notice of approval is given. Recommended projects can begin between January and December 2020.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

How is INI funding decided?

A panel of youth will review all eligible online fully completed applications. The full application includes a work plan and budget. These documents will be reviewed by a panel of youth sector leaders to recommend INI projects for funding. The Executive Director of Social Development, Finance and Administration will make final grant recommendations and approvals.

What happens after we submit our online Project Idea Form?

All applicants will learn if their project idea has been eligible by email invitation to complete the full application by August 26, 2019.

What happens if our project is approved for funding?

If your project is approved for funding, you will receive a contract (Letter of Understanding/LOU) by December 2019 that explains the terms and conditions of the funding. The contract must be signed by you, and your project’s trustee (administrative partner or organizational mentor – if necessary), and returned to the City. Once the contact is received by City staff and all funding conditions are met, the funds for your project will be paid to your group or the trustee
organization. No expenses can be charged to the INI project until approval is given.

What happens if our project is not approved for funding?

All INI groups will be notified by email about the funding recommendations by December 2019. If your group is not approved for funding, you are encouraged to speak with program staff to discuss feedback about your application, as well as how your request for funding could be strengthened for next time.

Special Needs & Disclosure of Information

• Accommodation of special needs (e.g. documents in alternate formats, sign-language interpreters, off-hour meetings) is available as required to ensure that groups can fully participate in the funding process. For accommodation of special needs please contact the Supervisor, Community Funding at 416-338-2084 or by email at cgis@toronto.ca.

 

• As mandated by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chapter M. 56, s. 27 and By-Law 974-1998 all information collected on this form, including personal information may be subject to full public disclosure which may include posting to a web site.

 

• Questions about this collection can be directed to the Supervisor of Community Funding at City Hall, 15th floor, East Tower, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON M5H 2N2 or by telephone at 416-338-2084.

There is a two step process for applying.

1. First, complete the online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form. Download a sample form to preview in advance.
2. If your group is eligible you will be invited to the second step: the full application in September. Only eligible groups will be invited to complete the full application, including completion of a workplan and budget.

Approved projects can start in January 2020.

Please complete the online Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form:

Apply Now

The online application (Eligibility Self-Assessment and Project Idea Form) Form must by completed by Tuesday, July 22, 2019 at 12 p.m. (noon). Late applications will not be considered.