The City offers a variety of grants and funding opportunities to help Regent Park residents, service agencies, and grassroots groups implement their social and economic goals. These grants and funding opportunities are available on a time-limited basis to support new and emerging groups, support sector resilience, as well as encourage resident engagement and leadership development.
The Neighbourhood Grants program makes available grants of $1,000-$3,000 to resident-led groups to help them inspire their neighbourhoods with events or activities. Funded Neighbourhood Grants events/activities help to promote the Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy 2020 (TSNS 2020).
Visit the Neighbourhood Grants web page to learn more.
‘Karate in the Park’ was a one-day event. It included fun, active and engaging lessons. The karate sessions were led by two former Karate Canada National Championships competitors. The skills participants learned included: basic self-defence techniques, spatial awareness and martial ethics. There was also a nutrition seminar led by two Biology Majors before and after the training sessions. In these seminars, participants learn how to fuel their bodies with the right foods and beverages. We will provide light snacks before and after the Karate-training sessions.
Amount Invested: $1,000
An Olympics for all ages in Regent Park. This event promoted physical wellness and raised awareness about improving the environment through educating people about recycling by hosting intramural events, interactive team games and an art exhibition. Recycling methods (reduce, reuse and recycle) were demonstrated on-site to ensure people are aware of using it to create positive environmental impacts. Local people were also engaged to submit artworks made from reused materials such as plastic bottles, newspapers, cans and clothing. This encouraged people to express their creativity while promoting positive environmental change.
Amount Invested: $1,000
Anti-bullying workshops will be organized with three different Bengali groups, women leaders, school children and parents. The workshop will be followed by a Community Safety Fair for organizations working on safety issues. The event will increase youth confidence and communication with parents and their ability to resist peer pressure.
Amount Invested: $2,000
A “Democracy Fair” held inside the Taste of Regent Park. Activities included a pop-up voting area that focused on core values related to democracy.
Amount Invested: $2,514
Community Bazaar for the community and grassroots members in Regent Park, Moss Park and St. James Town.
Amount Invested: $2,350
Community members learned the ins and outs of sewing patterns, dressmaking, shirts, top, boubou and many more styles. Participants can become trained for a second career, a new hobby or to develop new skills.
Amount Invested: $2,305
Inter-cultural community BBQ with sports activities for youth and the selling of Regent Park Sewing Collective products.
Amount Invested: $2,695
Facilitated a career fair for residents with agencies and Regent Park businesses by demographic (youth, senior, disability, gender) that linked these demographics by job category (arts, business, trade, non-profit, technical). This was one of the activities that were part of a larger two-year employment strategy.
Amount Invested: $2,000
Project activities included a youth workshop that worked on introducing young individuals to the Write2Right. The program discovers and works on reading and writing skills like poetry, songwriting, personal essays, fiction, etc. Certain techniques were introduced, such as character and plot development, emotional appeal, imaginative language, and more. The main purpose of Write2Right is to keep youth in a safe space and engage to work on an artistic level.
Amount Invested: $3,000
In August 2019, City Council accept a donation of $250,000 from a Toronto resident and long-time City of Toronto staff to fund programs, services, initiatives and events in Regent Park. In summer 2021, the Community Funding Unit will develop grant guidelines and related processes to oversee the distribution of funds to not-for-profit organizations and/or grassroots resident groups within the Regent Park community in line with the goals of the donation outlined by the donor.
In May 2014, City Council approved the creation of a trust fund called the Regent Park Legacy Trust Fund to support community development, capacity building in the community and to sponsor special events for residents of Regent Park. In 2016, a community process was developed and piloted to allocate these resources. In 2021, a planned refresh of the implementation and engagement processes used to access the Legacy Fund is underway.
In addition, program investments have been activated by the United Way of Greater Toronto’s Social Infrastructure Investment Fund (SIIF) and Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC). These grants complement those offered by the City, and further support Regent Park residents, service agencies, and grassroots groups to implement their social and economic goals.