Multi-Year Grantees

Arts Etobicoke, After School Arts Progams, $7,500

After School Arts program provides free arts education for children and youth in underserved communities in North and Central Etobicoke, meeting a community demand for arts programming in culturally diverse neighbourhoods. The children who attend these classes not only learn culturally enriching skills from professional artists, but they do so in an environment where they feel empowered to ask questions, learn, and grow.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph, Ignite! $7,500

Ignite! is a dynamic school-based mentoring program that empowers marginalized children and youth to build resilience, develop leadership skills, and foster positive relationships. Designed for students facing social, emotional, or academic challenges, Ignite! provides structured group mentoring in local schools, helping participants gain confidence, improve their well-being, and strengthen their sense of belonging.

Eagle’s Nest Association of Waterdown, Eagles Nest Youth Therapy, $7,500

The program provides accessible, professional counselling to marginalized youth facing mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and family conflict. Many participants come from low-income families and cannot afford private therapy. By offering fully and partially subsidized therapy, Eagles Nest ensures that youth receive the mental health support they need, regardless of financial barriers.

Elora Centre for the Arts, Community Connections Youth with (dis)Abilities, $7,500

Providing visual arts programming for students with (dis)abilities in three rural Centre Wellington schools, the program offers a safe space for self-discovery, encourages critical thinking, and helps build resilience through creative problem-solving. The projects teach students about prominent historical and contemporary artists, then derive artistic techniques and themes to help students feel closer to their broader community and improve wellbeing.

Focus Forward for Indigenous Youth, Traditional Skills & Entrepreneurship Program, $7,500

Through the program, Focus Forward partners with Indigenous community organizations, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers to provide programming for Indigenous youth to explore pathways to sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families grounded in Traditional Knowledge and land-based learning. The goal of the program is that Indigenous youth gain new cultural skills, knowledge, tools and networks to feel connected with their heritage while also learning how to use these newfound skills to take the next steps in their education and employment journeys.

Life*Spin, Low Income Family Empowerment Sole-Support Parents Info Network, $7,000

The program empowers low-income families with children, through the provision of home-based food garden kits, craft & literacy kits, as well as youth leaders. In addition, we added two garden spaces in disenfranchised neighbourhoods, to provide demonstration food gardens. This is an opportunity for us to increase residential food gardens at a time when the food economy has reached a critical peak for families struggling in poverty.

MakeWay Charitable Society, Summerlunch+, $7,500

Summerlunch+ is a comprehensive cooking and nutrition education program designed to address food insecurity among marginalized children and youth during the critical summer months. When school-based meal programs are on break, we ensure consistent access to nutritious meals, culturally relevant ingredients, and hands-on learning experiences. Through interactive cooking workshops, children and youth gain valuable food literacy skills, develop confidence in the kitchen, and learn about sustainable agriculture practices.

MIKI'SIW Métis Association, Education Support and Tutoring Program, $7,500

The program provides tutoring support to children and youth that are struggling in school and academically. We provide local tutoring referrals and help families find suitable tutors based on the unique individual needs of the student. We also provide funding for students to offset the costs of tutoring and reduce financial barriers. This funding is paid directly to tutors to lessen the financial burden on families/caregivers.

New Brunswick Social Pediatrics Inc., Brighter Horizons Program, $7,500

The program provides financial support for children facing adversity to access Positive Childhood Experiences. By removing financial barriers, Brighter Horizons helps dismantle structural inequalities preventing marginalized children from fully participating in society. Marginalized children can access essential developmental, social, and emotional opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.

Paws for Hope Animal Foundation, Better Together, $7,500

People enrolled in the program receive emotional, financial, and practical support. This includes veterinary care, pet food and supplies, pet foster care, municipal licensing support, and help making end-of-life decisions. They are also linked to human social services, health services, pet-friendly housing, mental health supports, and victim's services. We do this because pets are family, and no one should have to choose between caring for their pet and a place to call home, food to eat, or living safely.

Project: Humanity, The Shelter Youth Initiative, $7,500

Using artistic programming as a critical tool to support youth-on-the-margins, specifically those in youth shelters, the Initiative introduces positive adult role models, fosters community, and supports wellbeing through adaptable artistic expression. It consists of two programs: Drama Drop-In that brings free weekly drama workshops directly to shelters, and the PH 1:1 Arts Mentorship Program that pairs youth with a professional artist in the medium of their choosing for 12 weeks of mentorship.

Sweetgrass Youth Alliance, Sik Ooh Kotoki Youth Peacemaking Circle, $7,500

Peacemaking program for youth works with young, Indigenous people who have become involved in the justice system. Through a culturally appropriate process, if the youth completes the circle and follows the direction of the outcome, they will not end up with a criminal record.

The Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts Inc, Music Equals Program, $7,500

Music Equals provides artistic endeavours for children wishing to participate but lacking access to do so. We use music and art as tools to support individual wellness, create shared experiences, foster community and build bridges. Working closely with each partner, we develop programs based on the individual circumstances and goals of their community. It tries to make sure that the transformative power of the arts is an equitable resource for all youth in this province.

The Primitive Integrated Naturalist Education (P.I.N.E.) Project, Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre Partnership, $7,500

The program delivers weekly outdoor education programming for 40 children (ages 5-12) in partnership with Eastview Neighbourhood Community Centre’s Afterschool BGC each school year, from October 2025 to June 2028. Pine instructors facilitate outdoor activities, including nature-based games, learning about local fauna and flora, and practicing basic survival skills, on-site at Eastview’s Centre and in the adjacent park.

Theatre of the Beat Inc., Drama-Based Mental Health & Consent Workshops for Youth, $7,500

The program leverages the power of drama to help youth develop practical skills, knowledge, and confidence to navigate complex challenges in their lives. It provides free workshops, Safe Hands - Consent & Healthy Boundaries, and Got Your Back - Mental Health Peer Support, for marginalized youth across Ontario. Participants explore topics of consent, boundaries and awareness of power imbalances that contribute to gender violence and sexual abuse, and learn skills in trauma-informed care, crisis response, mindfulness & burnout prevention.

Trips for Kids Ottawa, Youth Biking & Sustainability Programs, $7,500

The programs not only offer fundamental recreational experiences, providing equipment such as bikes, helmets and skates at no cost, but also provide nourishing food to participants, ensuring that those from food-insecure homes have the energy to fully engage in our activities. We build a community that supports their physical, social and mental well-being, cultivating resilience and skills they will use for the rest of their lives.

Fire and Flower-United Girls of the World Society, Summer Empowerment Camps, $7,500

Empowerment camps focus on self-identified girls and gender-diverse youth who often face unique challenges related to gender oppression. These camps offer a supportive space for youth who may be marginalized, providing them with resources that allow them to deal with societal challenges, mental health challenges as well as teaching them to believe in themselves, and advocate for themselves and others. Through creative exercises, nature experiences, and group discussions, youth gain the skills to strengthen their self-efficacy, and build a supportive community.

Watersheds Canada, Nature Discovery for Students with Development Disabilities & Sensory Needs, $7,500

A 2-year program to increase capacity for low-income children and youth with disabilities to participate in environmental learning and stewardship efforts. Co-created and co-delivered with North Hastings Community Integration Association, this project will make connecting with local species and protecting water quality more accessible for students with disabilities.