Grants and Contributions

The Connection Grants support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. These events and activities represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and to engage on research issues of value to those participating.

The Connection Grants support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. These events and activities represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and to engage on research issues of value to those participating.

The project will examine how policies, protocols, and programs in the AI/tech ecosystem are excluding women entrepreneurs and what is required to make these systems inclusive and responsive; convene and collaborate with partners, allies, and stakeholders to identify barriers and influence change in policies, programs, and protocols in AI/tech ecosystems to benefit women entrepreneurs; and mobilize strategic action through knowledge dissemination about the IA/tech ecosystem findings to impact positive system change.

Through this 33-month systemic change project, the Mining Industry Human Resources Council will help advance women’s economic security and prosperity in 4 WAGE regions through systemic change. Specifically, the project will address systemic barriers within the mining sector by improving women’s participation in, contribution to, and benefit from the mining sector. The project will do this by building a more inclusive mining workplace culture to respect and value Indigenous and diverse women; changing policies and practices at mining companies to be more inclusive and responsive to women’s needs; and enhancing sector-wide awareness and capacity to better collaborate on gender inclusion and sexual harassment∕ gender-based violence challenges. The project will support the implementation by mining companies of the new Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) protocols approved by the Mining Association of Canada Board of Directors in 2023 on: 1) Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Workplaces, 2) Safe, Healthy and Respectful Workplaces, and 3) Indigenous and Community Relations. The project will work with mining companies, Equity Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) sector leaders, women’s mining organizations, Indigenous women’s groups and other sector stakeholders. The Mining Association of Canada will serve as a key partner on this project. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) will help advance women’s economic security and prosperity through systemic change. Specifically, the project will address systemic barriers within the workplace by presenting model human resources policies encouraging flexible work hours to STEM employers in Ontario. The project will 1) undertake a literature review of workplace policies, survey OSPE members and meet with employers to understand their perspectives; 2) develop a Model for Flexible Work Policies and promote it with public and private sector employers; and 3) conduct and track advocacy on implementation of the Model with a range of stakeholders. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project.

The project will help develop tools and activities to promote changes in entrepreneur support practices; train employees and management at entrepreneur support organizations and raise awareness of the reality of women entrepreneurs from an intersectional perspective; and support organizations in transforming their policies and programs to make entrepreneurship an environment that enables equality and diversity.

By promoting understanding, awareness and action, this project strives to create a more equitable and respectful work environment; thereby addressing the identified needs and advancing the principles of diversity and inclusion in addition to addressing the systemic disparities facing Indigenous women.

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Greater Trail Community Skills Centre Society (The Skills Centre) will help advance women’s and gender diverse individual’s economic security and participation in the industrial and trades sectors. Specially, the project will work with women and gender diverse individuals to identify the barriers to employment in these sectors and provide employers with a better understanding of internal and external barriers to women and gender diverse individuals participation in their workplace. The Skills Centre will support employers to change their policies, practices, and work environment. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project.

Through this 24-month project, Community Legal Assistance Society will help advance women’s economic security and prosperity through systemic change. Specifically, the project will address systemic barriers resulting from sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination by increasing networks and engaging with Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+ and racialized communities. The project also focuses on improving policies and practices in addressing harassment and violence in the workplace and developing resources and advocating for policy change to prevent the misuse of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in silencing complainants who experience sexual violence, harassment, and discrimination. Engagement with target communities will inform policy and law reform submission development. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project.

Through this 33-month systemic change project, the Columbia Institute will partner with the Feminist Campaign School to scale The Barriers for Retention of Progressive Women in Municipal Elected Offices Project to advance women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles. It will scale activities in British Columbia (BC) and Alberta (AB) to implement recommendations from the original project, including providing education and policy support to local governments. In BC, AB, Saskatchewan (SK), Prince Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia (NS), it will expand the values-based campaign school through a train-the-trainer model to help prepare women and gender minorities to run for local government offices. The project will also collect and analyze data in three new jurisdictions (SK, PEI and NS) based on learnings from the original research. The project will address the systemic barriers that women and gender minorities disproportionately face when running for, and serving in, municipally-held elected office, with a particular focus on those with intersecting identities of oppression. To do so, the project will produce a report detailing the research and evaluation of the impact of the workshops, and measure the reach of convening opportunities, and policy development sessions across these five provinces, and monitor the concrete changes to the wellbeing and safety of women and gender minorities in municipally elected government roles.

With the supplemental funds and extension provided in early 2026, the Columbia Institute, in partnership with the Feminist Campaign School, will operationalize the systemic recommendations developed under the original Barriers Project. It will do so by developing five applied governance reform toolkits, establishing a publicly accessible Municipal Gender-Equity Policy Library, delivering implementation-focused workshops, and convening structured peer support networks for women and gender minorities in municipal office. Through this we will further advance Gender Equality.