Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme

About Women4Climate Toronto

The Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme empowers and supports female climate leaders who are working to develop and implement innovative solutions to address the climate emergency in Toronto.

Twelve women will be selected to join Toronto’s 2021 Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme cohort. Through a combination of mentoring, training and networking opportunities, participants will be provided with the resources and supports necessary to take their climate-related project, product or business start-up to the next level.

Following the mentorship program, the City of Toronto and its partners will host a pitch competition that will recognize the top three climate-related projects with the greatest potential to contribute to a healthier, more sustainable and resilient urban future in the city of Toronto. The women with the top three projects will receive a cash award and additional support to advance their work. The winner will receive $20,000 and two runners-up will each receive $5,000.

Toronto is one of three cities in Canada and 19 cities globally participating in C40 Cities Women4Climate Mentorship Programme, which aims to support 500 women across the globe in accelerating their climate projects.

The leadership and participation of women is critical in solving the global climate crisis. Women leaders played a critical role in negotiating the Paris Agreement and continue to drive ambitious climate action in cities, businesses and NGOs around the world. Women also make up more than half the world’s population and are often disproportionately impacted by climate change.

Key Dates

Applications open: November 8, 2021

Applications close: November 28, 2021

Application screening and candidate interviews: November 29 – December 17

Mentoring, training and networking: January 2022 – May 2022

Pitch competition: June 2022

2021/2022 Women4Climate Toronto Program Participants

Learn about our 2021/2022 Women4Climate Toronto mentees below and their dedicated mentors:

Romina Kwong – Project: Eco-Friendly Events

Shabina Lafleur-Gangli — Shabina Lafleur-Gangji – Project: Seed, Soil, and Spirit School

Corina Ottnad – Project: My Grobox Modular Garden System

Kim-Chi Tran – Project: MUST: Multi-Use Storage Technologies

Emma Bartolomucci – Project: The Fourth R: reduce, reuse, recycle, revolutionize

Jen Cerullo – Project: Sustainable Athletic Events with the Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Program Details

Over the course of six months, participants will benefit from a combination of mentoring, training and networking opportunities. As a participant, you will:

Meet with leaders in the business sector, public sector, international organizations or academic institutions for three one-on-one mentoring sessions.
Participate in three Knowledge Labs to help accelerate your project plans. Topics include:
- creating your business and financial plan
- effective communications and marketing
- delivering the perfect pitch.

Schedule optional one-on-one sessions with your Knowledge Lab presenters to get feedback specific to your project.
Attend peer-to-peer monthly webinars with the global Women4Climate community. Mentees from other cities engaged in the program will share their project plans and provide feedback.
Connect and build relationships with your fellow mentees and mentors at three networking events, featuring prominent speakers and influencers.

Receive feedback to develop and pitch your project to a juried panel.

The women with the top three projects will receive a cash award and additional support to advance their work. The Winner will be awarded $20,000 and two runner-up projects will receive $5,000 each.

Eligilibity Requirements

Eligible candidates must:

Identify as women or 2-Spirit,
Live, study or work in Toronto or GTA.
Have an established climate action project or a start-up business to evolve with the support of the Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme.
Be 18 years of age or older.

Toronto’s population is made up of diverse communities and groups. The City of Toronto values the contributions made by all residents and is committed to its motto, “Diversity Our Strength”.

The City of Toronto recognizes the barriers presented by discrimination and the disadvantages faced by equity-deserving groups and vulnerable populations. In particular, the City recognizes the unique status and cultural diversity of Indigenous communities and their right to self-determination.

Women4Climate Toronto acknowledges the importance of intersectionality and encourages applications from female-identifying and two-spirited applicants of diverse cultures, races, religions and abilities.

The following individuals are not eligible to apply:

City of Toronto employees, members of Council and their immediate families.
City of Toronto agency and corporation employees, their board members and members of their immediate families.
Members of the mentee selection panel and members of pitch competition jury panel and members of their immediate families.
Mentees from a previous Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme cohort.

Selection Criteria

Your project or start-up business must:

Support the achievement of at least one of the targets or goals identified in these key City strategies*:

TransformTO: Toronto’s ambitious climate action strategy lays out a set of long-term, low-carbon goals and strategies to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions and also improve our health, grow our economy, and improve social equity.
Toronto’s Resilience Strategy sets out a vision, goals, and actions to help Toronto survive, adapt and thrive in the face of any challenge, including climate change and growing inequities.

Involve or engage the Toronto community in local climate action.

*Additional City strategies, plans and initiatives that may contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and/or improvement of Toronto’s resilience include: Biodiversity Strategy; City Asset Management; City Wide Real Estate Transformation; Electric Vehicle Strategy; Green Roof Bylaw; Long-term Waste Management Strategy; Parkland Strategy; Pollinator Protection Strategy; Ravine Strategy; Strategic Forest Management Plan; Toronto Green Standard; and Wet Weather Flow Master Plan.

Your project or start-up business must contribute to one or more of the following climate priorities:

Sustainable Waste Management
Renewable Energy
Sustainable Buildings
Sustainable Transport
Air Quality
Circular Economy
Biodiversity

All eligible applications will be reviewed by a jury panel.

Application Instructions

Please submit your application to the mentorship program via the online form on C40’s website.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 28, 2021.

Download the application guidelines.

Applying to the Women4Climate Toronto Mentorship Programme Competition (the “Competition”) constitutes your acceptance of these Competition Rules:

W4CTO_Official-Competition-Rules

Selection Process

Sunday November 28, 2021: Deadline to submit completed online application form. Applications must be submitted online. No mail, emailed, or hand-delivered applications will be accepted. Only complete applications will be considered.

November 29 – December 5, 2021: Applications will be reviewed and screened.

December 6 – 12, 2021: Interviews of shortlisted candidates.

December 17, 2021: Notification of successful candidates.

January 11, 2022: Virtual orientation meeting for the successful 12 mentees.

January 18, 2022: Official activities of the Toronto Mentorship Programme begin.

Commitment

Applicants to the Women4ClimateTO Mentorship Programme must be willing to commit to the following:

Participation in six months of activities from January 2022 to June 2022
To meet assigned mentors for a total of three 1 hour sessions
Attend the first orientation meeting scheduled for January 11, 2022
Attend at least 80% of scheduled programme activities including:
- Knowledge Labs
- Office hour sessions
- Networking sessions
- Monthly peer-to-peer webinars with global Women4Climate group
- and any other scheduled activities or events
Participate in the final pitch competition.

Events Schedule

2022 Women4ClimateTO Schedule of Events

Date & Time	Event	Attendees
Thursday March 3, 4 pm – 6:30 pm	Networking Event #1: Getting to Net Zero Case Study	Mentees & Mentors
Tuesday March 8, 4 pm – 5:30 pm	Networking Event #2: International Women’s Day: Break the Bias – Women & Entrepreneurship	Mentees & Mentors
Wednesday March 23, 4 pm – 6 pm	Knowledge Lab #1: Business & Financial Planning	Mentees only
March 21 – 25	First meeting with Climate Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
March 28 – April 1	First meeting with Business & Finance Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
Wednesday April 13 5 pm – 7 pm	Knowledge Lab #2: Marketing & Communications	Mentees only
April 4 – 10	First meeting with Marketing & Communications Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
Earth Week April 18-22 (TBC)	Networking Event #3: Women4ClimateTO Earth Day Event	Mentees & Mentors
April 25 – 29	Second meeting with Climate Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
May 2 – 6	Second meeting with Business & Finance Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
Week of May 9 (TBC)	Knowledge Lab #3: Pitch Preparation	Mentees only
May 16 – 20	Second meeting with Marketing & Communications Mentor	Mentees & Mentors
June 4 – 5	Women4ClimateTO Pitch Competition	Mentees only