$1M invested through the Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund

College students e-learning with their teacher during a class.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is pleased to announce the five grant recipients of the Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund – a $1 million program that invests in projects that support Black children and youth in achieving social and economic success.

On behalf of the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism, the Youth Opportunities Fund delivered the one-time Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund to invest in locally developed projects that support Black children, youth and young adults at different stages in their lives and careers.  

In alignment with the vision of Ontario’s Black Youth Action Plan, the selected projects will help create the conditions where youth beneficiaries thrive in high-opportunity careers and build individual pathways to success. 

 

“OTF is pleased to deliver the Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund grants on behalf of the Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism as a unique opportunity to improve opportunities for Black children and youth outside of the Greater Toronto Area. By creating the conditions for success in education and in the workplace, these grantees will ensure youth can fully engage in meaningful work, improve their economic stability and realize their full potential,” said Katharine Bambrick, CEO of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. 

 

The Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund supports two-year projects that advance one of the following outcomes: 

  • Ensure that Black children and youth have the skills, knowledge, and supports they need to succeed in education and the job market of today and in the future. 
  • Ensure that Black youth and young adults are supported to find and keep meaningful, safe, and dignified work in line with their skills, potential, and career aspirations. 
  • Ensure that Black youth and young adults in Ontario are supported to succeed in entrepreneurship/business building and create jobs. 

 

Grants Awarded 

  • Somali Centre for Family Services will receive a $238,100 grant to provide employment preparation, career counselling and skills development training for economically disadvantaged Black youth in Ottawa to enhance their success in education and the job market. 
  • With a $44,000 grant, the Guelph Black Heritage Society will deliver a web development and computer coding program for Black youth in Guelph-Wellington. The program will break down barriers to the technology industry by teaching web development, coding languages, entrepreneurship and other soft skills like confidence, self-actualization, resilience, and critical thinking.        
  • Urban Rez Solutions will receive a $250,000 grant to deliver the Reality Education Applied Life Skills (REAL) School Program at two youth facilities, in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. The REAL School Program is a learning and life skills development program for Black incarcerated youth, focusing on participant engagement, experiential learning and empowered decision-making.  
  • Future Black Female (FBF) will receive a $249,400 grant to deliver the FBF Marketplace Bootcamp, an entrepreneurship program for Black young women ages 18-25 in the Niagara Region. With the support of a business coach and mentorship from Black businesswomen in the Region, the project will provide experiential learning as aspiring entrepreneurs learn to run their own businesses. 
  • With a $197,800 grant, Black History Ottawa will deliver personal development and academic mentoring program for Black youth ages 15-19 in Ottawa. Participants will gain confidence through the program by improving academic performance, enhancing their skills and building stronger network connections, leading to greater success in their education and the job market access. 

 

Quick Facts 

  • The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario. OTF administers the Youth Opportunities Fund on behalf of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. 
  • Since 2013, the Youth Opportunities Fund has awarded close to $95M to 315 projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of youth, and families facing barriers across Ontario. 
  • The Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund is part of the Black Youth Action Plan, announced in the government of Ontario’s 2020 Budget, Ontario's Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover, to support Black children and youth in achieving social and economic success.