Youth-led and youth-serving organizations can apply to receive between $45,000 to $55,000 of funding for three consecutive years to support growth and capacity-building. Applications will be reviewed by a peer advisory panel. Funding is contingent upon completing interim and final reports.
To help align program outcomes with proposed goals, successful applicants will be provided with Method Collective’s Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative: Shifting from Resiliency to Sustainability report and Executive Summary. The report was developed after a series of focused workshops with the initial cohort of YCISI organizations.
Eligible Organizations
Organizations must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration as a mentee:
- Be a not-for-profit organization or group
- Are youth-led or youth-serving, meaning their primary focus of organization is youth engagement, youth programming, or youth skill-building with a focus on providing programming or services to equity-deserving young people
- Be based in Toronto and provide programming and/or services to local residents
- Have been in operation for three to 10 years, or be able to demonstrate why the funding is needed at this time in the organization’s trajectory
- Have an annual operating budget in a range of $100,000 to $800,000
- Have demonstrated ability to take on a three-year commitment to building capacity in a range of areas that may include: Board development and leadership, strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, HR systems and processes, succession planning, evaluation, etc.
- Have the capacity to engage in a three consecutive year mentorship with an assigned mentor
- Have an organizational mandate that helps move forward the City of Toronto’s Economic Development & Culture’s strategic directions
- Must have a bank account in the organization’s name
- Must be in good standing with the City of Toronto
- Must not already receive operating funding from the City of Toronto
- Must not be a past recipient of YCISI funding
Submitting a Budget
Interested applicants must submit a budget outlining how the YCISI funding will support their capacity-building and sustainability goals. Please refer to the eligible and ineligible expenses lists below.
Eligible Expenses
- Hiring external consultants or coaches to provide expertise on capacity-building or mentorship initiatives including organizational/administrative development, revenue development, strategic planning, Board development, evaluation methodologies, etc.
- Professional development fees to attend workshops or training sessions
- Staff time related to capacity-building and/or mentorship activities and initiatives
- Public consultations related to programs and services
- Software to enhance sustainability (i.e., accounting programs, evaluation, database software, etc.)
Ineligible Expenses
- Capital costs (i.e., computers, printers and technology equipment, office equipment and furniture and facility and technical equipment, and site upgrades)
- Office space rent
- Support for ongoing programming
How to Apply
Interested organizations may apply to become a 2024 to 2026 YCISI mentee organization by creating a budget and completing the online application below. The deadline to apply is by 3:00 p.m. on September 26, 2023.
Apply Online
Youth-serving organizations can apply to receive between $10,000 to $12,000 of funding for three consecutive years to support the mentorship role. Applications will be reviewed by a peer advisory panel. Funding is contingent upon completing interim and final reports and delivering on objectives that are set out annually.
To help align mentorship outcomes with proposed program goals, successful applicants will be provided with Method Collective’s Youth Cultural Incubators Stabilization Initiative: Shifting from Resiliency to Sustainability report and Executive Summary. The report was developed after a series of focused workshops with the initial cohort of YCISI organizations.
Eligible Organizations
Organizations must meet the following requirements to be eligible for consideration as a mentor:
- Be not-for-profit arts and culture organization or group
- Are youth-led and/or youth-serving, meaning their primary focus of organization is youth engagement, youth programming, or youth skill-building with a focus on providing programming or services to equity-deserving young people
- Have been in operation for a minimum of seven years
- Be based in Toronto and provide programming and/or services to local residents
- Have demonstrated a track record and capacity to provide mentorship for three consecutive years to mentee organizations in areas that may include: Board development and leadership, strategic planning, fundraising, grant writing, HR systems and processes, succession planning, evaluation, etc.
- Must be in good standing with the City of Toronto
Previous YCISI funding recipients may apply for the Mentor Organization Stream.
Submitting a Budget
Interested applicants are required to submit a budget outlining how the YCISI Funding will support their mentorship role. Please refer to the eligible and ineligible expenses lists below:
Eligible Expenses
- Hiring external consultants and/or coaches to provide expertise on capacity-building or mentorship initiatives including organizational or administrative development, revenue development, strategic planning, Board development, evaluation methodologies, etc.
- Professional development fees to attend workshops or training sessions
- Staff time related to capacity-building and/or mentorship activities and initiatives
- Public consultations related to programs and services
- Software to enhance sustainability (i.e., accounting programs, evaluation, database software, etc.)
Ineligible Expenses
- Capital costs (i.e., computers, printers and technology equipment, office equipment and furniture and facility and technical equipment, and site upgrades)
- Office space rent
- Support for ongoing programming
How to Apply
Interested organizations may apply to become a 2024 to 2026 YCISI mentor organization by creating a budget and completing the online application below. The deadline to apply is by 3:00 p.m. on September 26, 2023.
Apply Online
