Grants and Contributions

This 20-month project, expanding the “Providing Culturally Relevant and Responsive Career Pathways for Black Women in Ontario” regional initiative, aims to enhance the economic participation, security, and prosperity of Black girls and women in Ontario’s education system and labor force. Specifically, Future Black Female (FBF) will tackle systemic barriers that impede Black women aged 16 to 22 from succeeding in high school, entering post-secondary education, and securing prosperous employment. FBF will mobilize community partners, businesses, and enterprises to address these barriers and improve economic security. By facilitating knowledge exchange and translation, FBF will advocate for significant change through stakeholder and employer-focused workshops in sectors where Black women are under-represented. Additionally, FBF will provide tools, resources, and spaces for Black girls and women to drive systemic change as community advocates. Black-focused Affinity Groups and Clubs in educational institutions will set goals to promote culturally relevant care and leadership opportunities. FBF will also foster ongoing collaborations with community and corporate organizations to mitigate barriers to the economic security and prosperity of Black women in Ontario.

Through this 21-month project, the London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) will build its capacity to advance gender equality. It will address the need to fulfill the organizational mission and effectively support staff while increasing in size through the addition of a residential facility to support young women who have been sexually exploited and/or trafficked. The project will include 1) the development and implementation of a strategic plan to guide the organization throughout its expansion over the next five fiscal years; and 2) the focus on staff well-being, development and retention by building organizational capacity and related in-house resources through professional development and trainings.

Through this 20-month project, Un toit pour elles will build its capacity to advance women’s equality, particularly for women wanting to leave prostitution. The project will address the organization’s need to develop stronger governance tools and a suitable strategy for action, ensure its sustainability by diversifying its funding, and improve its visibility. The project will include developing a strategic plan as well as revenue diversification and communications strategies. The project will also enable the organization to expand its partnerships to fill gaps in shelter services and ensure the consistency and continuity of services.

Through this 21-month project, Asian Women for Equality Society will build its capacity to advance gender-equality. It will address the need to ensure that leadership and insight from Asian women are included in making changes to the social, economic, political and cultural conditions that prevent Asian women from full and meaningful participation in Canadian society. This project will include the development of enduring relationships with other women’s organizations, the creation and deployment of a volunteer recruitment strategy and a long-term financial development plan.

Through this 21-month project, Women’s Studies Online (WMST) will build capacity by addressing the over-representation of Indigenous women as victims of poverty and violence, and the under-representation of autonomous Indigenous women’s organizations.

This project will enhance organizational capacity by evaluating and advancing its mission, values, and principles to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. This includes establishing a teaching and learning center to enhance learning, teaching, and evaluation efforts. Additionally, the project will expand collaborative efforts within Canada’s provinces and territories by establishing volunteers in each region. Lastly, it will enhance infrastructural capacity by transitioning to a hybrid online/offline model to reach women in rural, remote, and on-reserve communities with limited internet access.

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCC) will help advance women’s economic security and prosperity through systemic change. Specifically, the project will increase leadership and economic advancement opportunities for women living with disabilities by improving employers’ understanding and implementation of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies and practices. The project will 1) conduct needs assessments and gather data on the barriers faced by women with disabilities in Durham and the GTA; 2) implement a networking and mentorship program designed to advance leadership opportunities for women with disabilities; 3) establish a network of male allies through community dialogues and consultations; and 4) deliver DEI training informed by a feminist disability perspective to organizations in Durham and the GTA. An external evaluator will measure and assess the impact of the systemic change project.

Through this 33-month systemic change project, the Northwest Métis Council will use the Métis Life Promotion Framework to advance women’s economic security, prosperity and representation in leadership and decision-making roles. To do so, the Empowering Women to Create Change project will tailor the focus of the framework to give a voice to marginalized Red River Métis women, support positive engagement and advocate for department level policy change addressing educational barriers by establishing a Women’s Council; facilitating needs assessments, surveys and consultation sessions with 16 Northwest Métis communities; and by developing a mentor and referral program to provide leadership skill-building opportunities for women within the Northwest region.

Through this 33-month project, Ethnocultural Council of MB (ECCM) will help advance women’s representation in leadership and decision-making roles through systemic change. Specifically, the project will address systemic barriers within women’s representation and strive to develop an equity audit framework that will ensure fair representation of women and gender diverse peoples in leadership roles.

This will be achieved by conducting a literature review/environmental scan of the community at large in MB, by organizing community consultations with ECCM’s member organizations and women in the community and data analysis to understand the barriers in representation and identify themes emerging from community feedback. As such, the organization will hire a consultant to develop an Equity Audit Framework and Operational Standards and a guide to be used by the community members, implement a soft launch of the framework with 5 identified organizations, and develop the final document to implement with the wider community of Ethnocultural organizations.

An external evaluator will monitor and assess the project’s impact and effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of the project.

Through this 20-month project, Vancouver Women’s Health Collective will build its capacity to advance gender equality. It will address the need to empower and support a community advisory committee to drive internal systemic change by reviewing and updating their strategic plan. The project will include developing an action plan to update and implement a new strategic plan.

Supplemental funding in March 2025 will be used to increase the rate and hours for the Strategic Peer Coordinator, acquire equipment to help with data collection, increase Peer Leads training and outreach hours, and provide security coverage.

Through this 21-month project, BIPOC Women’s Network of Newfoundland (BIWON NL) will build its capacity to advance gender equality. BIWON NL will create and implement inclusive internal policies and a strategic plan. They will also provide training around governance, inclusive HR policy development, cultural sensitivity, gender equality and, systemic change to their members, volunteers, and leadership.