Youth Innovations Test Grant - Expression of Interest

If your Expression of Interest is shortlisted, your group will be invited to submit the Grant Application with an Organizational Mentor. You will be able to update certain questions at the grant application stage – and those questions are noted below.

On this page

• Tab 1: Type of Grant
• Tab 2: Group Profile
• Tab 3: Project Leaders
• Tab 4: Project Idea
• Tab 5: Project Impact
• Tab 6: Process
• Tab 7: Organizational Mentor (OM) Information
• Tab 8: Group Acknowledgements

Tab 1: Type of Grant

If your Expression of Interest is shortlisted, you will not be able to change or update your responses in this section of the grant application.

Question 1. The Youth Innovations Stream has two different types of grants. Each grant type has a different purpose and eligibility criteria.  Which grant type are you interested in?

• Youth Innovations Test grant
• Youth Innovations Scale grant

Project Type

Question 2. Funding for Youth Innovations Test grants is for specific purposes. Will your project: (Check all that apply) 

• Pilot a new idea
• Research an issue or new concept
• Strategize around an issue affecting youth

Tab 2: Group Profile

If your Expression of Interest is shortlisted, you will not be able to change or update your responses in this section of the grant application.

Group Name and Contact Information

Question 3.  Enter the contact information for your group:

• Group name, city, province, postal code, phone and email

Question 4.  Enter the contact information for your primary contact:

• Contact name, phone number and email

Question 5.  Enter the contact information for your secondary contact:

• Contact name, phone number and email

Question 6. Is the primary contact for the group and writer of this Expression of Interest between the ages of 12-29 years? Yes/No

If "No" is selected:

• As an adult (30+ years), describe your role in the application process and proposed project.
• Describe the role of young people in the application process and proposed project.
• If an adult is currently playing a more active role, describe how leadership for the project will transition over time.

Online Presence

Question 7. If your group is active on social media, provide the social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Instagram etc.) and handles you operate under.

Group Structure

Question 8. Select the organization type that best describes your organization/group. (Check only one)  

• Grassroots group that is not registered as a charity or as an incorporated not-for-profit.
• An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction (this includes a Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario, or Inuit communities that are registered as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Canada)
• A First Nation

If "unincorporated grassroots group" is selected:

• What year did your group form? 

If "incorporated" is selected:

• Provide your Incorporation number. 
• Provide your year of Incorporation.
• As an incorporated not-for-profit, have you independently managed funds with no administrative support from an Organizational Mentor, platform, trustee and/or charitable organization? Yes/No

If "incorporated" and "managed own funds" are selected:

• How much funding did you manage in total in the last fiscal year?
• How much funding did you manage independently, without administrative oversight of a trustee or organizational mentor in the last fiscal year?
• How much funding did you manage independently in the fiscal year before last?

If "incorporated" and "managed own funds" are selected:

Board of Directors

• Provide your complete current board list including their name, term start and end date, position and arm’s length information. The term end dates for board members must be on or after the grant application deadline date. Ensure that your complete list of board members are included in your core group table.

Group Experience

Question 9. Tell us about how and why your group was formed, and your connections to community. (300 words max.)

Tab 3: Project Leaders

Question 10. Your core group members are or have experience with: (Check all that apply)

• Indigenous
  • First Nations
  • Métis
  • Inuit
• Black
• Racialized
• Newcomer
• Francophone
• Girls and/or women
• Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+)
• Living with disabilities and/or special needs
• Living with mental health needs and/or addictions
• The justice system (have been in conflict with the law or are vulnerable to being in conflict with the law)
• Child welfare (in care, leaving care, or transitioned out)
• Not having enough money to meet basic needs (low-income)
• Homeless or at risk of being homeless
• The education system (dropped out of school or vulnerable to dropping out)
• Living in rural or remote communities
• Not being engaged with education, employment and training programs (NEET)
• None of the above

If "Black" is selected: Is your group Black-led? Yes/No

Core Group Table

Question 11. Complete the Core Group Table.

A core group member is someone who is playing or will play an active role in decision-making and planning for your group, including delivery of project activities, project administration, etc.

Complete every column for every member of your core group.

• Describe the different roles and responsibilities people play
• List the knowledge, lived experience, and skills they bring
• If your group is an incorporated not-for-profit, you must include all your board members in the core group table.

Arm’s length

To be eligible for funding, at least 50% of your core group members must maintain an arm’s length relationship to each other. If you are registered as a not-for-profit, this includes your board members.

An ‘arm's length’ relationship means core group members and organization executives are not married or related to each other, do not work as business partners or are otherwise in a relationship where interests may be compromised.

For each core group member, you will be asked the following questions:

• Name
• Email
• Select the age category that best aligns with this person:
  • 29 and under
  • 30 to 35
  • 36 and older
• Are they at arm’s-length to all core group members? Yes/No
  • If "No" is selected: Define the relationship between members.
• How long has this person been part of the grassroots group and what is their role? If your group is new, what role do you expect them to play in the group? 200 words max.
  • For example: This person first became involved with the group in 2022 as the Volunteer Relations and Member Services staff. They will oversee and coordinate the volunteers who will be part of the support circles and training workshops. They will recruit volunteers to be mentors and workshop facilitators. They will also guide them to our group and project. This person will work part-time (7 hours per week on average)
• To the degree that you are comfortable and able, share lived experiences and knowledge that they bring that are relevant to this project.
  • For example: They are the founding member of the organization and have focused on recruiting and orienting our new members. This person lived in the community their whole life and is a mentor to other young Black women starting high school. This was something they didn’t have growing up and wished they did. That's why they created this group for Black young women.
• Share professional/ volunteer experience and skills that are relevant to this project.
  • For Example: Leading our group and organizing the support circles and training workshops helped this person stay organized and learn how to network. They grew the membership of our group to 5 people in the first 3 months. They recruit and train volunteers through their volunteer work at their local community centre (past 4 years). They have strong administrative skills through their day job (use Excel to manage program data and office budget).

Tab 4: Project Idea

Describing the issue and idea

Question 12. Provide a brief overview and purpose of your group’s idea. (350 words max.)

Question 13. Describe and list all major activities that your group will deliver for young people. Share key elements of your program design, and considerations. (400 words max.)

Question 14. What issues is your group trying to address through this project? How are the communities you are trying to reach impacted by the issues?  (350 words max.)

Project Location

Question 15. Where will project activities take place?

• In the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
• Outside the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
• In both the GTA and outside of the GTA

Question 16.  In which OTF catchment area will your project have the greatest impact? (Check all that apply)

Question 18. Select the community size that is the primary focus of your project. (Select one)

• Rural or Small Communities (20,000 or less)
• Mid-size Communities (20,001 - 100,000)
• Urban Centres and Metropolitan Suburbs (over 100,000)

Upload Supporting Documents

Question 19. Upload supporting documents (optional).

Tab 5: Project Impact

Describing the Outcome and Beneficiaries

Question 20. Select the YOF outcome that most aligns with the change you want to make through this project. (Check only one)

• Empowering girls and 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.
• Supporting youth in and/or 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.
• Creating safe spaces for Indigenous and/or Black youth to build strong community and cultural connections.

• Indigenous youth
  • First Nations youth
  • Métis youth
  • Inuit youth
• Black youth
• Racialized youth
• Newcomer youth
• Francophone youth
• Girls and/or young women
• Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or questioning, intersex, asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) youth
• Youth living with disabilities or special needs 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
• Youth living with mental health needs and/or addictions between the ages of 12 to 29
• Youth who are not engaged and/or at risk of not being engaged with education, employment and training programs

Question 22. Select the age range of youth who will participate in your project activities. (Check at least one)

• 12 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 25 years
• 12 to 29 years for youth living with special needs
• 12 to 29 years for youth living with mental health needs and/or addictions

Question 23. Tell us more about the young people your group will engage through this project. What are their lived experiences? What are they navigating in their communities and lives? (300 words max.)

Describing the Impact

Question 24. What are the most important changes you expect to see in your selected primary beneficiaries? Focus on sharing changes that can be achieved through your project activities. Identify a minimum of three changes, up to a maximum of six. (50 words max. for each change)

Question 25. How many youth do you expect to directly impact through the life of your grant?

Tab 6: Process

Request Term

Question 26. What is the request term? (Check only one)

• 1 year
• 2 years
• 3 years

Project Plan and Budget

Please build your Project Plan and Budget with the following start date in mind: November 1, 2025

Question 27. Complete the Project Plan.

Question 28. Complete the Budget.

Based on your completed Budget, you are requesting xx. This number auto-populates based on the information submitted in the Budget.

Tab 7: Organizational Mentor (OM) Information

Question 29. Has your group identified an Organizational Mentor for this project? Yes/No

If "No" is selected: Do you need information or support to find an Organizational Mentor? Yes/No

If "Yes" is selected: What is the name and contact information of the organization that has agreed to be your Organizational Mentor? 

• Organization Name
• Contact Name and Position
• Telephone
• Email

Tab 8: Group Acknowledgements

• We acknowledge that the majority of our core group members share identities and experiences with the youth we want to engage through this project.
• We acknowledge that our core group has at least three core members.
• We acknowledge that more than 50% of our core group members, including our board if our group is incorporated as a not-for-profit, are at an arm’s length relationship to each other.
• We acknowledge that all project activities will take place in Ontario.
• If our project is approved for funding, our group agrees to participate in YOF-led capacity building activities.
• If our project is approved for funding, our group agrees to participate in an evaluation process.
• If our project is approved for funding, our group agrees to work with the Organizational Mentor named in the Organizational Mentor-Grassroots Group Collaborative Agreement submitted with this application.
• The information contained in this application and the accompanying documents is true, accurate and complete.