Organizations should apply for a NARF Event and Youth Initiative Grant if they plan to host initiatives aligned with one or more of the key themes and objectives listed below and designed to achieve one or more of the expected results. 

Please read through these guidelines for a clear understanding of the Events and Youth Initiative Program: 

Events are community-based, planned public, social, and/or learning occasions and activities relating to the themes and objectives of the National Anti-Racism Fund. Formats include conferences, summits, workshops, galas, festivals, exhibits, and reconciliation or intercultural activities. 

Youth Initiatives are projects that are youth-led or focused on youth. Youth are defined as persons under the age of 30. Formats include conferences, summits, workshops, galas, festivals, exhibits, and reconciliation or intercultural activities. 

Events and Youth Initiatives must align with one or more of the following themes and objectives:

  • Systemic racial barriers: Reducing barriers to inclusion by addressing systemic racism in education, healthcare, the justice system, public services, employment and public life.
  • Research and education: Promoting and increasing availability and accessibility of data, evidence and community insights on race relations in Canada.
  • Public awareness: Informing public policies by highlighting systemic and institutional barriers.
  • Cultural and intercultural community-building: Creating cross-cultural opportunities through discussions and dialogue on race and religion, building awareness and collaborations.

Events and Youth Initiatives must achieve one or more of the following results:

  • Increase public awareness of public policy issues related to race relations, anti-racism, or anti-hate nationally, regionally, or in local communities.
  • Increase public awareness of Canada’s cultural diversity.
  • Increase awareness of factors such as race, culture, ethnicity, or religion that may be hindering full participation of the entire Canadian population in society and the economy.
  • Increase knowledge and capacity within communities to address racism and discrimination.

Eligibility

This funding is available to:

  • Canadian registered charities (as recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency) and Canadian non-profit organizations and associations,
  • First Nations, Inuit and Metis organizations,
  • Canadian non-Federal public institutions such as municipalities, provincial institutions, boards of education, schools, colleges and universities,
  • Grassroot groups or grassroot organizations defined as community-based collectives addressing issues at the local, regional or national level,
  • Student groups as recognized by their affiliated University or College,
  • Labour organizations.

This funding is not available to:

  • For-profit organizations,
  • Federal institutions,
  • Individuals,
  • Organizations whose purpose is solely related to political activity, as defined by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Available Funding and Flow of Funds

Available funding for any proposed Event or Youth Initiative is up to a maximum of $10,000. Applicants will only be eligible for funding under the Event and Youth Initiative for one application.  

The CRRF will work with successful applicants to establish the flow of funds according to deliverables. The CRRF will provide 80% of funds upon contract signing. The remaining 20% of funds will be released after the final report is submitted on the CRRF’s SurveyMonkey Apply platform. Final reports must be submitted within 60 days following project completion and approved by the CRRF monitoring team.

Applications for initiatives currently receiving funding through either the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (formerly known as Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives or CSMARI) or the Anti-Racism Action Program (ARAP) – administered by the Department of Canadian Heritage – will only be considered if the application is to extend or expand the existing initiative.

Three Black women dressed in yellow, dancing in a circle on stage at an event

Expenses

Eligible expenses

Expenses for Events and Youth Initiatives can include:

  • Personnel and staffing costs,
  • Program costs such as speaker honoraria, venue related expenses, equipment, marketing and communications, catering, transportation, etc,
  • Overhead and administrative costs directly associated with Events or Youth Initiatives can be requested to a maximum of 15% of the total budget. Overhead and administrative costs include: supervision, bookkeeping/accounting, audit expenses, telephone/internet, etc.

Ineligible expenses

Expenses for Events and Youth Initiatives cannot include:

  • Costs (e.g., loans, grants, or scholarships) that are related to direct financial assistance in the form of payments to individuals or families,
  • Partisan political activity that directly or indirectly promotes a political candidate or party,
  • Ongoing occupancy costs,
  • Services covered by provincial health authorities,
  • Services provided by medical professionals or regulated health professionals other than social workers or social service workers,
  • Support of operating deficit,
  • Purchase of investment in real property (real estate, land, building, etc.),
  • Cost of alcoholic beverages,
  • Basic shelter beds or transitional housing beds.

Submitting Your Application

  1. Go to our application portal, create a profile or use an existing profile and complete the online application form.
  2. Attach all the required supporting documents, including:
    • Itemized budget table

      Budget template available for download below.
      (Please note only first “Budget” column needs to be filled in)
    • Annual financial statements or a financial letter of explanation for grassroots and/or newly incorporated organizations.

      If you are a newly incorporated organization (i.e. less than two years old) or a grassroots organization and you cannot produce any financial statements, you must submit a written statement instead attesting to your financial management capabilities and organizational capacity. 
    • Sponsorship package (optional).
    • Letters of support (optional).
  3. Submit your application through our online portal

Applicants will have one opportunity to submit their Event and Youth Initiative applications.

  • The funding cycle will run from June 6 to July 31, 2024, for Events or Youth Initiatives that will take place between September 15, 2024, and June 30, 2025. 

The portal will remain open for Events and Youth Initiatives until 11:59 pm (EST) on July 31, 2024. Late applications will not be accepted. 

Note that applications for Events and Youth Initiatives happening within 45 days of the application deadline will not be reviewed. All Events or Youth Initiatives proposals must include a detailed schedule with a completion date no later than June 30, 2025

Applications will only be accepted through the CRRF’s SurveyMonkey Apply platform. The applicant/user must be a staff or board member of the organization, with authority to submit an application.  

For reference purposes, the full application is available in PDF for download. Organizations are encouraged to download the PDF file to review the application questions and prepare all required information and attachments before submitting their application through the online portal.  

It is imperative that all applicants click “mark as complete” and “submit” to finalize their submission. All completed applications will be followed by a confirmation email indicating that the application was successfully received by the CRRF.

Financial Letter of Explanation 

In lieu of a financial statement, we are providing grassroots and newly incorporated (two years or less) organizations the opportunity to explain how they have handled finances to date and how they will handle finances should they be successful in their grant application. This explanation will help us assess the capacity and experience of the applicant in managing financial resources.  

Please answer the questions below clearly and concisely. The overall explanation should be 300 words or less.

  1. Please tell us why you could not submit a financial statement:  
  1. What were your main sources of income (i.e. money that you receive) and expenses (i.e. money that you pay out) over the past year? Please describe them.  
  1. How do you track/manage your income and expenses?  
  1. Does your organization have a bank account for its operations? If yes, please indicate the person’s name and title that manages the account. 
  1. Does your organization have a designated person who prepares, reviews, and approves financial reports or is responsible for overseeing the financials? If yes, please indicate their name and title. 
  1. Does your organization have a deficit? If yes, what is the deficit amount? 
  1. Should the organization be successful in securing CRRF funding, what financial challenges/risks might exist and how might those challenges/risks be mitigated?  

Application Processing Time

Event and Youth Initiative applications will be assessed as follows:

  • Applications submitted by 11:59 pm (EST) on July 31, 2024, will have decisions made in mid-September 2024.

How Do We Choose Successful Applications?

We fund Events and Youth Initiatives that have clear objectives and measurable results. Once screened for eligibility, your application will be evaluated based on the criteria below:  

  • The application demonstrates how the Event or Youth Initiative contributes to one or more of the program themes and achieves one or more of the expected results.
  • The applicant has the experience, human and financial resources, governance structure and capacity to successfully carry out the event based on past experience.
  • The applicant has demonstrated the need within their community and how it will be addressed.
  • The applicant has the required resources to successfully deliver the Event or Youth Initiative on time and on budget.
  • The Event or Youth Initiative activities are clearly described and are linked to their goals.
  • The Event or Youth Initiative is designed to effectively reach its target audience, beneficiaries and participants.
  • The proposed budget is detailed, reasonable and balanced and takes into consideration the efficient and effective use of funds and must indicate if the event or youth initiative can continue even if the CRRF was only able to allocate partial funding.
  • The applicant agrees to fulfill the CRRF recognition requirements.

Fund Awardee Recognition Plan

All successful applicants must publicly acknowledge the financial support received from the CRRF through NARF, in all communications materials and promotional activities. Public acknowledgment text should state the following: 

“The [TITLE OF YOUR EVENT or YOUTH INITIATIVE] was made possible through the financial support of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation’s National Anti-Racism Fund.” 

Additionally, successful applicants funded by the National Anti-Racism Fund are required to: 

  • Invite a CRRF representative to provide remarks at public Events or Youth Initiatives or, if more appropriate, deliver an e-message or video about the CRRF and its support for the Event or Youth Initiative. 
  • Provide the CRRF with a notice of the Event and Youth Initiative date, Month/Day of Observance (if applicable) and registration links (if applicable), at least four weeks in advance of the event date. 

Questions and Contact

For further information, please contact us at grants@crrf-fcrr.ca. Be sure to write “National Anti-Racism Fund Application” in the subject line of your email.  

View our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

You can also watch the recording of our information session:

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