Potential Organizational Mentors

All grassroots groups applying for a Youth Opportunities Fund grant through the Youth Innovations and Family Innovations Streams must partner with an Organizational Mentor (OM) and sign a collaborative agreement together. 

On this page is a list of organizations that are pre-approved to be Organizational Mentors for the 2025-2026 round of Youth Opportunities Fund grants. 

Connect with an organization

As you identify potential Organizational Mentors and prepare to approach them, review the conversation guide that contains questions your group can ask the organization.  

Organizations will have their own selection process when choosing to partner with a grassroots group and may require a meeting to determine if your group and project align with their mission and mandate.

Submit a grant application with a collaborative agreement

Grassroots groups applying to the Youth Innovations and Family Innovations Streams with shortlisted Expressions of Interest from the most recent deadline are invited to complete the grant application that includes a signed collaborative agreement with an Organizational Mentor.

Download the OM – Grassroots Group Collaborative Agreement template.    

Take time to review the agreement 
Make sure that your group agrees with the terms and conditions 
Consider how the agreement will help build your relationship with the Organizational Mentor throughout the project

OMs approved as of May 26, 2025

This list may be updated over time. If you require support finding an Organizational Mentor, connect with us at yof@otf.ca.

Organization and OTF Catchment served	Areas of Focus	Lead Contact Information
Agincourt Community Services Association Toronto Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Youth justice Systems navigation Housing and social supports	Laura Harper Program Director 416-321-6912, ext. 301 hlaura@acsa.ca
Ampere Association Durham, Haliburton, Kawartha & Pine Ridge Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous youth and families Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Systems navigation Improving access to resources for economic stability Increasing access to mentors	Nicolas Polito Chief Sustainable Funding Officer 705-878-8980 development@amp.ca
Art Windsor-Essex Windsor Grassroots group capacity: 1	Arts and culture	Jennifer Matotek Executive Director 519 977-0013 jmatotek@artwindsoressex.ca
The Arab Community Centre of Toronto Etobicoke Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families Employment and training Youth justice Housing and social supports Systems navigation  Improving access to resources for economic stability  Arts and culture   Increasing access to mentors	Dima Amad Executive Director 416 231-7746 ext. 229 dima@acctonline.ca
Aspire For Higher Brampton Grassroots group capacity: 2	Employment and training Youth justice Housing and social supports	Eldon Holder VP. of Social Impact & Stakeholder 819 209-5104 eldon@aspireforhigher.ca
BGC East Scarborough Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Systems navigation Improving access to resources for economic stability Arts and culture	Georgele Weller Director, Programs & Community Services 416 282-7284 gweller@esbgc.ca
Boys & Girls Club of London Essex, Kent, Lambton, Grey, Bruce, Huron & Perth, Thames Valley Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Improving access to resources for economic stability Arts and culture Increasing access to mentors	Hilda Cristales Manager of Finance 519-434-9115 ext. 224 hcristales@bgclondon.ca
Delta Family Resource Centre Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families  Education and training  Employment and training  Youth justice  Systems navigation   Improving access to resources for economic stability   Housing and social supports Arts and culture    Increasing access to mentors	Gillian Dennis Manager, Capacity Building 647 459-8925 gdennis@dfrc.ca
Immigrant Women Services Ottawa Champlain Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families Employment and training Improving access to resources for economic stability	Mercy Lawluvi Executive Director 613 729-3145 mercy@iwso.ca
Impact ON Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2 *Francophone organization	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Housing and social supports	Julien Geremie Executive Director 416 364-4545 ext. 113 julien.geremie@cco.coop
Keystone Child, Youth & Family Services Grey, Bruce, Huron & Perth Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous youth and families Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Housing and social supports Systems navigation	David Willis President and CEO 226 668-4745 davidwillis@keystonebrucegrey.com
KIP Canada Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous youth and families Youth justice	Derek Reid Co-founder and director of operations 416 505-5333 dreid.kipcanada@gmail.com
Lady Ballers Camp Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families  Education and training  Employment and training  Youth justice  Systems navigation   Improving access to resources for economic stability   Housing and social supports Arts and culture    Increasing access to mentors	Toyo Ajibolade Executive Director 647 236-8696 executivedirector@ladyballerscamp.org
Midaynta Community Services Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families  Education and training  Employment and training  Youth justice  Systems navigation   Improving access to resources for economic stability   Arts and culture    Increasing access to mentors	Amina Noor Program Manager 416 544-1992 anoor@midaynta.com
Nigerian Canadians for Cultural, Educational and Economic Progress Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families  Youth justice Systems navigation  Improving access to resources for economic stability  Arts and culture	Celine Madjoufang Senior administrator 519 966-2767 c.carelle@ncceep.com
Operation Come Home Champlain Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Education and training Employment and training Systems navigation Housing and social supports Improving access to resources for economic stability Increasing access to mentors	John Heckbert Executive Director 343-996-5874 jheckbert@operationcomehome.ca
Parents partenaires en éducation Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin & Sudbury, Champlain, Hamilton, Niagara, Toronto Grassroot group capacity: 2 *Francophone organization	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families Education and training	Balguissa Ouedraogo Director of inclusion projects 613 890-5424 balguissa.ouedraogo@ppeontario.ca
Preston Heights Community Group Waterloo, Wellington & Dufferin Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families Arts and culture	Justin West Executive Director 226 988-6016 justinw@prestonheights.ca
Project READ Literacy Network Waterloo, Wellington & Dufferin Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Improving access to resources for economic stability Systems navigation	Robin Crank Executive Director 519-570-3054 info@projectread.ca
Restoration and Empowerment for Social Transition Centres (R.E.S.T.) Halton Peel, Toronto Grassroot group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families  Education and training  Employment and training  Youth justice  Systems navigation   Improving access to resources for economic stability   Arts and culture    Increasing access to mentors	Dagma Koyi Executive Director 905 863-1118 dagma.koyi@restcentres.org
Rise Up Youth Program Essex, Kent, Lambton Grassroot group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families  Education and training  Employment and training  Increasing access to mentors	Richard Wells Founder 226 344-2182 rjwells32@gmail.com
Routes Connecting Communities Inc. Simcoe York Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Education and training  Employment and training Systems navigation Housing and social supports Improving access to resources for economic stability Arts and culture Increasing access to mentors Social Enterprise Community development Health promotion	Jordan Prosper Executive Director 905-722-4616 jordan@routescc.org
SAVAC-South Asian Visual Arts Centre  Toronto Grassroot group capacity: 1	Education and training  Employment and training  Improving access to resources for economic stability   Arts and culture    Increasing access to mentors	Indu Vashist Executive Director 416 542-1661 indu@savac.net
SAW Video Media Art Centre Champlain Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families Arts and culture	Emily Ramsay Director 613 238-7648 director@digitalartsresourcecentre.ca
Social Enterprise for Canada Halton Peel, Simcoe York Grassroots groups capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families  Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Housing and social supports Systems navigation  Improving access to resources for economic stability  Arts and culture   Increasing access to mentors	Darcy MacCallum CEO 289 470-5329 darcy.maccallum@socialenterprise.ca
Social Planning Council of Ottawa Champlain Grassroots group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families  Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Housing and social supports Systems navigation  Improving access to resources for economic stability  Arts and culture	Reuben M. Nashali Executive Director 613 291-9528 reuben@spcottawa.on.ca
Somali Canadian Association of Etobicoke Halton Peel, Toronto Grassroot group capacity: 1	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families Education and training, Housing and social supports Improving access to resources for economic stability Increasing access to mentors	Barlin Nur Ali Director of Programs 4167424601 somcan925@gmail.com
The Teresa Group Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black and Indigenous youth and families Education and training Employment and training Youth justice Systems navigation  Housing and social supports Arts and culture   Increasing access to mentors	Rajesh Pisharody Executive Director 416 564-5985 rpisharody@teresagroup.ca
L'union Culturelle des Franco-Ontariennes Champlain Grassroot group capacity: 1 *Francophone organization	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Improving access to resources for economic stability Arts and culture	Janie-Renee Myner Executive Director 613-679-1334 directrice@franco-ontariennes.ca
University Settlement Toronto Grassroot group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and Black youth and families Education and training Employment and training Systems navigation Improving access to resources for economic stability Arts and culture	Raymond White Executive Director 416 598-3444 raymond.white@universitysettlement.ca
Windsor Family Homes & Community Partnerships Essex, Kent, Lambton Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Indigenous youth and families Housing and social supports Arts and culture   Systems navigation	Angela Yakonich Executive Director 519 258-4501 angela@wfhcp.com
Women's Health in Women's Hands Community Health Centre Toronto Grassroots group capacity: 2	Creating safe spaces for Black youth and families,  Youth justice Systems navigation  Improving access to resources for economic stability	Tomilola John Determinants of Health Program Manager 416 593-7655 tomilola@whiwh.com

Potential Organizational Mentors

Connect with an organization

Submit a grant application with a collaborative agreement

OMs approved as of May 26, 2025

Discover More YOF resources