Racialized Youth Innovation (RAYI) is Offering to Turn Your Vision Into Action with Up to $5 000 in Micro-Grants

Introduction

The Canadian Center for Community Advancement (3CA), in partnership with the Government of Canada through the Canada Service Corps, is pleased to announce the Racialized Youth Innovation (RAYI) Micro-Grants program for the 2025–2026 cycle. This initiative aims to empower youth from racialized and underserved communities in Toronto and its surrounding areas by providing financial support and mentorship to implement community-driven projects.

Program Objectives

The RAYI Micro-Grants program seeks to:

1. Empower Youth Leadership: Provide youth participants with access to professional training and mentorship to incubate their innovative ideas within three key focus areas:
   • Preserving the environment
   • Promoting civic and democratic engagement
   • Strengthening youth resilience
2. Provide Financial Support: Offer 14 micro-grants, each valued between $2,000 and $5,000, to fund youth-led projects that address community needs aligned with the aforementioned focus areas.
3. Document and Share Experiences: Capture and document the journey of youth participants from ideation to implementation, highlighting lessons learned and the impact of their projects on the community.

Acceptable Project Proposals

Eligible projects must fall under at least one of the following streams:

1. Preserving the Environment: Initiatives that contribute to environmental sustainability, such as community gardens, waste reduction programs, or awareness campaigns on climate change.
2. Promoting Civic and Democratic Engagement: Activities that encourage youth participation in civic processes, including voter education, youth forums, or advocacy for policy changes.
3. Strengthening Youth Resilience: Programs aimed at enhancing the well-being and resilience of youth, particularly those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, through activities like sports, mentorship, or mental health support initiatives.

Project Eligibility for Funding

To be eligible for funding, a project must:

• Be led by youth aged 15–30 at the time the project begins.
• Be youth-led, with at least 50% of the leadership and governance being youth.
• Serve a minimum of 10 youth beneficiaries.
• Be located and implemented within Toronto and its surrounding areas.
• Align with one or more of the RAYI focus areas.
• Be non-partisan and non-commercial in nature.
• Not have commenced prior to formal approval and funding.

Project Application Timelines

• Application Period: May 1, 2025 – December 19, 2025
• Application Review and Approval: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with decisions communicated by the second week of the following month.
• Project Completion Deadline: All funded projects must be completed by March 16, 2026.
• Application Limit: Each youth-led group is permitted to submit only one application per cycle.

Project Expenses

Eligible Expenses:

• Venue rental for project activities.
• Honoraria for facilitators or speakers.
• Training and capacity-building costs for participants.
• Promotional materials and communication costs.
• Transportation expenses, such as TTC tokens.
• Refreshments and meals during project activities.
• Equipment or services enabling virtual participation.

Ineligible Expenses:

• Alcohol or cannabis-related costs.
• Vehicle rental unless directly related to project implementation.
• Partisan political activities or expenses.
• Expenses incurred before formal approval.
• Capital expenses unrelated to the project.

Note: Any reallocation of budget items exceeding 20% of the approved amount requires prior written approval from the RAYI Project Coordinator.

RAYI Project Contacts

For more information or assistance with the application process please vist RAYI project page here

Bi-monthly webinars are held to answer any questions regarding the project and application process. To register for an upcoming session, please visit the project page.

Empower your community. Lead with innovation. Apply for the RAYI Micro-Grants today.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the hiring company. For any inquiries, please contact the hiring organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.