System Innovations Grant

Requirements for lead organizations  

Collaboratives applying for a System Innovations grant need to have one lead organization. The lead organization needs to meet the requirements below and must meet OTF’s Eligibility Policy. 

We prioritize collaboratives that are led by Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) or Black organizations.  

Any one of the following organizations may be eligible for funding as the lead: 

• A charitable organization or foundation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency 
• An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction 

Any one of the following Indigenous communities may be eligible for funding as the lead: 

• A First Nation 
• A Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario  
• Inuit 

In addition to the requirements listed above, lead organizations must: 

• Have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering programs and services with direct community benefit in Ontario. 
• Demonstrate the financial capacity to manage OTF funds, deliver and complete the proposed project as per OTF’s Financial Need and Health of Applicants Policy. 
• Demonstrate that they provide services in Ontario. 
• Be incorporated as a not for profit for a minimum of 5 years from the time of application submission. 
• Have a clear mandate and track record for serving and engaging youth between the ages of 12-29. 

Note 

• If a lead organization does not meet OTF’s requirements, their application will not be eligible for funding. 
• If a lead organization has an active System Innovations grant, it is not eligible to apply again until the current grant is closed. This includes submitting the final report and evaluation.  

Responsibilities 

The lead organization: 

• Accepts responsibility for the grant. This includes submitting the grant application, managing the payments and reporting requirements if the project is approved for funding.  
• Plays a key role in bringing stakeholders to the table for the delivery of the project and stewarding the project over the life of the grant. 
• Needs to have strong community connections, the respect of community stakeholders, and an established reputation. 
• Needs to have a strong track record for serving and engaging youth. This includes knowledge and experience in delivering work that benefits young people that are  Indigenous (First Nation, Métis, Inuit) and/or Black.  

Ineligible Lead Applicants 

• Organizations that do not have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering community-based programs and services with direct community benefit in Ontario.  
• A person applying as an individual. 
• Municipalities or their cultural or recreation agencies, including municipal libraries and museums. 
• Universities, colleges, schools and hospitals, and their affiliated agencies. 
• Religious organizations or institutions 
• Newly formed organizations (less than 5 years as a registered not for profit). 
• For profit organizations or businesses.

While these organizations may not be able to be the lead organization, they can participate as members of the collaborative.

Requirements for collaboratives  

A collaborative is a group of two or more organizations - each with specific roles and responsibilities working towards a shared goal. It can be made up of local organizations, experts, system partners, grassroots groups and more. 

We recognize that collaboratives will enter this process in different stages of readiness. If there are other organizations not currently in your collaborative that you consider essential to the work, you will have the opportunity to describe how your collaborative will secure their engagement as part of the application. 

Collaborative agreements need to be completed and signed by the grant application deadline. We may ask to review the agreement during the assessment stage. 

Learn how to create a collaborative agreement.  

Readiness: Are you prepared for this work?  

Collaboratives need to demonstrate that they are ready for the systems change project they are looking to steward. As a collaborative, the following requirements must be met:   

• The collaborative has the capacity to lead culturally responsive systems change work that is youth centered. 
• There is a common goal, shared decision making and accountability to each collaborative member. This includes having clearly defined roles, responsibilities and accountabilities for the project. 
• The collaborative and/or the members have a strong track record of serving the youth who are the intended primary beneficiaries of the project.  

Reflect communities served 

The lead organization and collaborative members need to reflect the communities and populations served. This includes in the mandate, leadership, and staff teams of all collaborative organizations. 

Organizations in the collaborative also need to come from diverse sectors and backgrounds relevant to the system they want to strengthen. This includes, but is not limited to: 

• Indigenous and Black organizations 
• Organizations led by and serving specific communities 
• Grassroots groups 
• Youth-led groups 
• System partners and/or institutions  
• Community networks and/or leaders, subject matter experts  

Project eligibility 

Your project may be eligible for funding if it meets the requirements below.  

Demonstrated youth and community engagement  

Young people need to be engaged at all stages in the project and need to be the primary beneficiaries of the project. This is demonstrated when youth: 

• Help identify challenges and issues in a system 
• Are collaboratively creating the solutions and vision for change 
• Participate in the decision-making process at the leadership level 

Organizations in the collaborative also need to engage diverse people, organizations and partners in the project.  

Ineligible project activities  

The following activities are not eligible for funding: 

• Service and/or program delivery for any of the collaborative members. 
• Pilot programs that are delivered for more than one year. 

YOF has identified specific Priority Outcomes for the System Innovations grant. All approved projects must advance one of these outcomes through project activities: 

• Supporting youth in and leaving care and/or involved in the justice system to navigate and access resources for wellbeing. 
• Addressing racism and its impacts on youth in urban, rural, and/or Northern communities. 
• Empowering girls and/or young women to lead, including women’s economic empowerment initiatives. 
• Supporting Indigenous, Black, and/or newcomer youth to enter the labour market and transition to sustainable career pathways.  
• Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and/or Black youth to build strong community and cultural connections. 

How to choose a Priority Outcome

When choosing your Priority Outcome, think through the following questions:

• What are the key issues and/or challenges your selected YOF youth face in accessing and interacting with the system you are focusing on? Issues and challenges could include those related to policy frameworks, ideologies, culture, service design, or integration of service delivery.
• What are the root causes of the issues you want to address? How can your collaborative advance change for youth through this work?
• What results are you hoping to achieve in the long run?

With your responses in mind, choose the Priority Outcome that most directly aligns with the change you hope to make as a collaborative.  

Your proposed system change project should be aligned with the youth named in your selected Priority Outcome. As you consider the system your collaborative will focus on, identify the youth that will benefit from your work and the other identities or experiences that they share. 

When selecting Indigenous youth (First Nations, Métis or Inuit), youth can be from urban, rural and on reserve communities.   

Select only those that apply to your System Innovations project:

• Indigenous youth (First Nation, Métis, or Inuit) 
• Black youth   
• Racialized youth   
• Newcomer youth   
• Francophone youth   
• Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) youth* 
• Girls and young women 
• Youth living with disabilities and/or special needs between the ages of 12 to 29*   
• Youth living with mental health needs and/or addictions between the ages of 12 to 29  
• Youth living in rural, remote and/or Northern communities   
• Youth in conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law*   
• Youth in care or leaving care*   
• Youth in low-income situations or from low-income families   
• Youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless   
• Youth at-risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school*   
• Youth who are not engaged and/or at risk of not being engaged with education, employment, and training programs (NEET)

*YOF prioritizes investing in collaborative projects that positively impact youth with these lived experiences or identities.

The term for a System Innovations grant is a minimum of two years up to a maximum of five years, depending on your project type. 

The System Innovations Grant Application funding request cannot exceed $1,250,000 over five years (or $250,000 per year).

All costs funded must be eligible and directly attributable to the project. Ensure that budget amounts align with Project Plan activities. Do not include budget amounts or requests from other funders.

Eligible Budget Categories

You can apply for funding to cover project costs across the following categories:

• Direct Personnel Cost (Full Time): All personnel costs directly attributable to the project, for the delivery of the program/service.
• Direct Personnel Cost (Part-Time): All personnel costs directly attributable to the project, for the delivery of the program/service, on a part-time basis.
• Direct Non-Personnel Costs 
  • Purchased Services: Services purchased from service providers or subject experts specifically relating to the delivery of the project.
  • Equipment Purchase or Rental: Cost to purchase or rent equipment related to the delivery of the project.
  • Meetings | Convenings (space, food, accommodations): Meeting/convening costs incurred relating to the delivery of the project.
  • Project Supplies And Materials: Items purchased to use in the delivery of the project.
  • Honorariums: To acknowledge, in a small way, the contributions of community leaders and experts in the groundwork and/or implementation stages of work  
  • Travel: Includes expenses for collaborative members, youth members, and stakeholders to travel to meetings and other project related activities.
  • Knowledge Sharing Event (space, food, accommodations): All costs related to preparing for and hosting a knowledge sharing event, including venue, facilitators, resources, accommodation, etc.
  • Learning and Evaluation (beyond supports provided by OTF): YOF grants include evaluation supports to determine progress toward the selected Priority Outcome at no cost to the grantee. If the collaborative would like to go further in the evaluation of your work, up to a maximum of 10% of the total grant request budget can be used for planning and executing an evaluation of your grant project. This amount is only for the evaluation of your grant project.
  • Other: Include any other costs that have not been included in the lines above.
• Overhead and Administration
  • OTF will support overhead and administrative costs directly associated with the funded project, to a maximum of 15% of the total grant request budget. Include all costs related to supporting the project. Do not include the direct costs to run or deliver the project - those should be accounted for in the budget lines above. Please refer to the Eligibility Policy for further details.

Please note that 10% of the awarded funding will be held back, to be paid upon satisfactory review of the final report.
 

When you are requesting OTF funds for goods and/or services (including equipment, consulting services, and non-consulting services) individually valued above $10,000:

• OTF asks your organization to show it sought the best value for money. The amount requested must be reasonable and supported by competitive bids. OTF requires two or more written quotes when purchasing such goods and/or services valued above $10,000. Multiple sub-contracts with the same organization/supplier on the same project will be considered as a cumulative total. 
• This means if the total of these goods and/or services exceeds $10,000, competitive bids of two or more written quotes are required.

The focus of a System Innovations grant is to lay the groundwork for systems change and to implement strategies to strengthen systems that affect your primary beneficiaries. If your project is mainly designed to deliver services and/or offer programming, consider other OTF grants to support your collaborative's work.

Review what is not eligible for funding

• Expenses related to programming or service delivery for an extended period.   
• Ongoing expenses of the lead organization to sustain its program offerings.  
• Expenses related to personal one-on-one professional services, such as direct therapy, counseling (health services), or other services such as legal or accounting.  
• Capital infrastructure projects (renovations to space).  
• Expenses related to political or religious activities. 
• General or ongoing operating expenses (unrelated to the project).  
• Bursaries, scholarships, sponsorships or individual requests (including regranting funds to other projects or people). 
• Fundraising campaigns.   
• Contingency costs.
• Taxes, such as the Goods and Services tax (GST) and the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), for which the recipient is eligible for a tax rebate, and all other costs eligible for rebates are not eligible OTF request items.

For a full list of ineligible expenses, review OTF’s Eligibility Policy. 

Your collaborative can spend a maximum of two years on groundwork activities that allow you to prepare for systems change work. Any Project Plans and Budgets that exceed a two-year term will not be assessed.

This project type is for collaboratives who are building the foundations for effective strategies (e.g. establishing strong partnerships and building effective processes for youth leadership).

A groundwork project is most appropriate for newly established collaboratives who clearly understand the issue they plan to address through their grant. 

As part of a groundwork project, the following deliverables need to be developed. These deliverables focus on specific issues addressed in the project:

1. Collaborative’s Governance Model: Formalize the collaborative and governance structure. Identify the infrastructure required to complete this project. This should include the collaborative's mission, goals, and values, as well as the roles of partners in the project and how these individuals will participate in decision-making.
2. Youth Governance Model: Share how you will engage and formalize the role of youth in the collaborative.
3. Summary of Research and Evidence: This summary must cover relevant research and findings on the issues and barriers within the system you want to improve. This can include other program models or personal experiences gathered from young people and the community.
4. Summary of Youth Experiences and Needs: Share how youth are experiencing the issues and barriers within the system you want to improve. This includes their needs, priorities, and interests.
5. Theory of Change: Develop a theory of change that links the activities and steps to the anticipated impact and expected results. This should be developed by engaging in conversations to help identify how deep change can be seen across all members.
6. Action Plan: Pull the above deliverables together in an action plan. Identify strategies, steps, engagement opportunities, and other activities needed to achieve results and improve outcomes for youth.

Project example with groundwork activities

The following are examples of groundwork activities for a System Innovations project focused on addressing the impacts of racism experienced by urban Indigenous youth accessing the mental health system: 

• Deepen understanding of how the mental health system is structured, accessed, and experienced by urban Indigenous youth through system or journey maps.
• Enhance the capacity, skills and knowledge of the collaborative so it is equipped to deliver on the strategy. This may include recruiting additional collaborative members with different lived experiences and identities.   
• Ensure Indigenous organizations, grassroots groups and youth are leading the work of reimagining what mental health supports look like and how they are delivered.
• Identify the structural, policy, process and behavioral changes that need to be implemented for organizations directly supporting Indigenous youth and invest in capacity building work to support the adoption of new approaches.
• Craft a theory of change for system strengthening using culturally anchored values and practices. 
• Build a strategy that identifies purpose, values, goals, objectives, and tactics for strengthening the mental health system for urban Indigenous youth.
• Draft an action plan.

Your collaborative can spend up to three years doing implementation work. 

The Implementation project type is a fit for collaboratives who have:

• Completed groundwork activities and are ready to implement their action plan.
• A well-researched and co-developed strategy for systems change (including a theory of change) 
• A long-standing history of working together to address issues in the community, beyond one organization.
• A strong governance and youth leadership model.
• A clear understanding of what effective change looks like for the system they want to improve.

If you choose only the implementation project type:

• Completed groundwork activities should be included in the groundwork table and not in the Project Plan or Budget.
• Upload all supporting documents detailing the work completed in the groundwork phase of your project as part of your application. This information helps OTF assess the readiness of your project. Documentation can include: The Collaborative Agreement, Collaborative's Governance Model, Youth Governance Model, Summary of Research and Evidence, Summary of Youth Experiences and Needs, Theory of Change; and Action Plan.   

Project example with implementation activities 

The following are examples of what implementation work can look like in a project focused on improving a system of supports for Black youth leaving care: 

• Develop and implement a set of shared policies and procedures to ensure Black youth leaving care can find and access a consistent and caring adult who will help them navigate and access housing, employment, and education supports across a number of agencies.
• Create conditions for changes in policy and practice for young people leaving care within collaborative organizations.
• Establish an advisory group composed of Black youth with experience in the child welfare system to guide policy implementation and provide regular feedback on service improvements.
• Design and implement a shared intake process that would be used by all collaborative organizations to improve system coordination and service navigation for youth leaving care.
• Ensure all parts of the system are working in a coordinated manner through strategic and time-limited testing of new ideas.
• Regularly convene service providers to develop a set of training and/or conduct an equity audit of service providers to strengthen their practices  and understanding of culturally anchored programming.

1. Prepare your application 

• Understand the eligibility requirements for lead organizations and collaborative members. This is a critical step to ensure you are eligible for funding.  
• Review the important dates and deadlines. 
• Read the System Innovations grant application questions. 
• Discover how we define Black and Indigenous groups and organizations. 
• Learn how to create a collaborative agreement. 

2. Book a required pre-application coaching call

• During this call, we discuss key eligibility requirements, the details of your project and the readiness of your collaborative.   

3. Create an OTF account  

• Lead organizations need to have an OTF account to access grant applications through OTF’s Granting Portal. 
• Once the pre-application coaching call is complete, create an account to begin the application.   
  • If the lead organization is new to OTF, create a new account. 
  • If the lead organization is already registered with OTF, reach out to yof@otf.ca. We will verify if the organization’s information is up to date.   

4. Complete the Organization Information 

• Review the application questions in the Organization Information section 
• Once you submit this information, the eligibility of the lead organization is assessed 
• Only lead organizations that meet funding requirements will be invited to complete the grant application.   

5. Complete the grant application   

Review the grant application questions. Ensure that you have answered all the questions clearly and that the application is complete.  

6. Review and application assessment   

Our experienced staff and volunteers review and assess your application against the assessment criteria for System Innovations grants.  

7. Recommendation and selection 

The Grant Review Committee makes funding recommendations. OTF’s Board of Directors reviews and approves projects for funding. 

8. Notification 

All applicants will receive news on the status of their grant application approximately four months after the grant application deadline.  

9. After approval 

• Start date: Grantees can choose project start dates as early as August 1, 2024.  
• Reporting & monitoring: In addition to scheduled touch points twice a year, grantees track activities, spending, and learning to complete the annual report and a final report. 
• Evaluation: Grantees are required to work with an external evaluation partner provided by OTF. Grantees will be given resources and further information once their projects start. The evaluation partner will measure the engagement of youth in the project and the collaborative’s work to advance the system change work and the selected YOF Priority Outcome.  
• Knowledge sharing: If your project is approved for funding, YOF requires all System Innovations grantees to host one knowledge sharing event before the end of the grant. 
• Completion: After OTF staff approve a final report, the grant hold-back funds are released and the grant is closed. 
• Grantee compliance: A random sample of grants are subject to a Grantee Compliance Audit. Grants can be audited for compliance at any point within the grant's life, or after the grant has been closed. 

Assessment criteria for the eligibility of lead organizations 

The eligibility of lead organizations is assessed using the following criteria:  

• The lead organization is based in Ontario. 
• The lead organization has been incorporated as a not for profit for at least 5 years or more.
• The lead organization and the collaborative members reflect the communities and populations served. 
• The lead organization has a clear mandate and track record for serving and engaging youth between the ages of 12-29.
• All project activities are based in Ontario. 
• The proposed strategy, groundwork deliverables and process are aligned and feasible for system change work. 
• The total requested amount does not exceed the annual total for the number of years requested. 
• Groundwork deliverables will be completed within a two-year framework. 
• The lead organization meets OTF’s Financial Need and Health of Applicants Policy.
• The collaborative is focused on improving systems for selected YOF youth through system change and not program/service delivery. 
• The lead demonstrates they have a history of bringing collaboratives together and working towards a common goal in partnership with other community organizations.

Assessment criteria for projects 

Proposed projects are first reviewed to ensure they meet eligibility requirements. This includes checking that the proposed strategy, groundwork deliverables and process are aligned and feasible for system change work. Eligible projects are reviewed and assessed against the following key areas:

People 

The right people are in place to lay the groundwork for system change and/or to implement system change that leads to the YOF Priority Outcome for YOF youth.

Scoring weight: 30% 

Key areas of your application to focus on: 

• The lead organization has the capacity and community knowledge to steward the collaborative. 
• The size and composition of the collaborative are appropriate given the stage of work, the selected system, issues identified, selected YOF youth, and proposed approach to system change.
• YOF youth affected by the system have a clear and meaningful role in the project. 
• The collaborative has the capacity and legitimacy to effectively steward the process and achieve the project deliverables.

Strategy and Impact  

The strategy is appropriate for laying the groundwork for system change and/or making system change that leads to the YOF Priority Outcome for YOF youth.

Setting the context  

Scoring weight: 20% 

Key areas of your application to focus on: 

• The collaborative understands the system, its issues, and impacts on selected YOF youth.
• There is clear alignment between the system issues identified, selected YOF youth, and selected YOF Priority Outcome.
• The collaborative understands the context, opportunities, and barriers to making system change.

Strategizing for system change 

Scoring weight: 25% 

• The collaborative has demonstrated that the groundwork has been set already or will be set through this project.
• The collaborative has clearly described the steps they will take to lay the groundwork and/or make system change.
• The proposed steps are designed to meet the needs and interests of selected YOF youth.
• The collaborative has made a coherent case for system change work given the long-term impact at individual, organizational, collaborative, and system levels.

Process 

The processes to be employed are appropriate for laying the groundwork and/or leading system change.

Scoring weight: 25% 

Key areas of your application to focus on: 

• The collaborative has described a feasible approach to achieve project deliverables, with a goal for system change.
• The collaborative has clearly defined project deliverables and are demonstrated in the project plan.
• The description of activities, project plan, and budget are aligned.
• The budget and project plan are clear and include robust details to assess feasibility and viability of the initiative.