We're so excited to announce the funding recipients and grassroots pilot participants!
The Black and Indigenous Futures Fund is designed to support Black and Indigenous leaders, organizations, and grassroots groups who are best equipped to identify and advance solutions for their communities and push for an equitable and just recovery from the challenges of COVID-19. These communities have historically not had a say when it comes to shaping and accessing philanthropy’s funding opportunities. The creation of this new program is an important step in our commitment to addressing systemic and institutional challenges as we build for an equitable recovery in our city.
From 2021-2023, we are supporting 16 qualified donees. From 2021-2022, we supported eight grassroots groups. Supporting non-qualified donees is key to advancing equity and racial justice, as on-the-ground initiatives are often best positioned to identify and advance solutions for their own communities. Moving beyond our historical grants to trustee organizations, we set up service contracts directly with the groups in 2021 providing them with more flexibility and autonomy.
2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations
2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations provides prevention education and support for 2-Spirit, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit people living with or at risk for HIV and related co-infections in the Greater Toronto Area. Their work is based on Indigenous philosophies of holistic health and wellness.
"We would love to use the growth and momentum of our membership and agency to meet the specific needs that other organizations can't. This includes 2-Spirit housing, 2-Spirit child and family programming, a dedicated space for members, access to ceremony, traditions, language, elders and medicines and a 2-Spirits youth camp to name a few." —Keith McCrady, Executive Director, 2-Spirited People of the 1st Nations
Anishnawbe Health Foundation works with donors and partners to support improved health and wellbeing for the Indigenous community in Toronto. They inspire philanthropy to support an environment where the urban Indigenous community can heal, by enhancing funding for Anishnawbe Health Toronto (AHT), an accredited Community Health Centre; and by reclaiming traditional healing methods.
"AHT and the Foundation are moving to the next major goal for the organization: supporting the reclamation of traditional healing. As a first step, AHT will focus on developing a training program to support knowledge sharing among ceremonialists, medicine people, traditional helpers with the goal of increasing the number of Traditional Healers to support the health of the community."
The Centre for Indigenous Theatre encourages exposure to diverse Indigenous art forms by offering programming and training informed by traditional Indigenous arts, teachings and values. The Centre offers performances and educational programs that are mindful and financially accessible, aiming to create a culturally engaging space between Indigenous communities.
"By honouring and strengthening Indigenous performance through deepening the transfer of Indigenous Knowledge as it relates to performance, we continue to, not only, build and grow the arts sector but very specifically the Indigenous arts sector."
ENAGB began eight years ago, and since incorporating and re-building as an organization in 2018, it has grown significantly. They run Toronto’s only Indigenous youth-led program for those that need to connect with peers, and need support with additions and/or mental health challenges. It provides cultural, employment, life skills, holistic wellness, and recreational opportunities that work to build self-esteem, confidence, skills, and self-determination.
"Our programming will prepare our youth to become responsible, participating citizens while leading our Indigenous community."
Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes (Metro Toronto) Inc.
Gabriel Dumont Non-Profit Homes addresses poverty and discrimination faced by many Toronto Indigenous people by offering subsidized rental accommodations in Scarborough to First Nations, Métis and Inuit families, following a rent-geared-to-income model. They also provide Indigenous communities with the necessary resources to thrive in an urban setting while preserving their cultural integrity.
"We want to upgrade the community gathering space to keep building community capacity and this grant will help us do that."
imagineNATIVE showcases, promotes and celebrates national and international Indigenous filmmakers and media artists through various curated programs and community screenings, including the world’s largest Indigenous f ilm festival. They are committed to creating a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples and cultures through the presentation of contemporary Indigenous-made media art.
"Through our Institute and Festival Industry Days, we work to invest in film, media and digital storytellers to ensure self-determined representation of our stories and cultures. The Institute offers year-round labs and masterclasses for writers, directors and producers."
Miziwe Biik Aboriginal Employment and Training
Miziwe Biik meets the unique training and employment needs of Indigenous people living in the GTA. They provide programming in a supportive environment where people can affirm their Indigenous identity, develop to their fullest potential and obtain a better quality of life.
"Of the 1,200 clients Miziwe Biik serves each year, over 40% go back to school and over 50% of clients secure employment. And the pandemic is increasing the demand for our services."
Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society
Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society provides trauma-informed, culturally appropriate services for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis 2SLGBTQIA+ women exiting the justice system. It was founded out of concern of the urgent need to break the cycle of Indigenous women’s overrepresentation in Canada’s prisons.
"We are preparing to provide Indigenous women with a work-integration social enterprise experience at our permanent facility. Employment is one of the single most effective ways to reintegrate into and stay in our communities." —Patti Pettigrew, Founder + Executive Director, Thunder Woman Healing Lodge Society
The selection committee determined what Indigenous-led/serving meant and it embraces a broad leadership group. “Led” in this context reflects a collection of decision-makers and influencers that spans the executive leadership, senior and program staff as well as volunteers, including the board.
ASE Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities
ASE Community Foundation for Black Canadians with Disabilities focuses on the advancement, wellbeing and economic flourishment of Black communities across Canada. They contribute to and analyze critical research, policies and research to address accessibility and anti-Black racism within community organizations.
"ASE seeks to disrupt the mainstream imagination of people with disability where a “normal disabled body” is constructed as a “white, straight, middle-class, wheelchair-using, mentally and emotionally normative man with citizenship” and shift to include a Black feminist understanding that includes Black disabled bodies."
Black Creek Community Farm serves and enriches the Black Creek and Jane and Finch communities through urban farming, sustainable food and hands-on training and learning experiences to combat food insecurity. They provide leadership in food justice and offer programming, resources and connections through a public space accessible to their local community
"With many racialized community members facing higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure amongst other health conditions, the farm enhances the social support for the community by providing healthy food options and a community hub."
BrAIDS for AIDS addresses the lack of HIV/ AIDS specific programs geared towards Black communities by promoting access to culturally appropriate resources and practices. They offer safe spaces for Black communities to engage in open dialogue with intent to reduce the stigma and spread of HIV/AIDS by following a non-discriminatory and anti-oppressive framework.
"We have been able to create safe online spaces where African, Caribbean and Black women can have candid and transparent conversations on sexual health, self-esteem, identity, COVID, and COVID-related sex topics."
Lady Ballers Camp develops girl-centred programs which encourage non-competitive physical, emotional, and educational development. They create equitable access to recreational and sporting programs for all, regardless of their socioeconomic background, and actively engage in removing gender, social and economic barriers so that every girl can rise above stereotypes and reach their full potential.
"Never before have our Black youth felt so disconnected and uncertain about their futures. Now it’s critical to keep our youth engaged in learning and motivated to stay on track in school. To achieve this, mental and emotional supports must be integrated into educational programming, such as our sports + STEM camps and future mentorship and employment training initiatives."
Maggie’s Toronto Sex Worker Action Project
Maggie’s Toronto Sex Worker Action Project is run for and by local sex workers, providing a range of supports including legal help, harm reduction supplies, emergency food boxes and counselling. Their mission is to assist sex workers in their efforts to live and work with safety and dignity by focusing on support programs, outreach, advocacy, and increasing access to social services.
"We want to develop programs that will allow us to reach more indoor and online-based sex workers."
The Ontario Black History Society is dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of Black History and heritage. The Society aims to encourage public interest in Black History through recognition and documentation, educational initiatives, and the inclusion of Black history in school curricula.
"Our long-term goal is to build a Black History museum, the first one in the Greater Toronto Area. This will expand on the exhibits, exhibitions and showcases that we have provided over many years."
Led by and for Black youth, R.I.S.E. (Reaching Intelligent Souls Everywhere) encourages program participants to express themselves by creating meaningful art rooted in self-knowledge, including spoken-word, dance, poetry, singing and more. RISE is based in Scarborough, but attracts youth from across the city. They empower youth with safe platforms that help them learn and develop leadership skills, and hold performances within a respectful and supportive space.
"We help create a safe and welcoming platform for self-expression and healing through performance arts."
Toronto Community Benefits Network
Toronto Community Benefits Network is a Black-led organization that works with low-income, marginalized and newcomer communities, as well as people with disabilities, to establish equitable economic opportunities and neighbourhood improvements as part of new infrastructure and development projects across Toronto. The Network encourages the participation of local communities to ensure that their needs are being prioritized and addressed in development processes.
"The Network is well positioned to support community planning research that can help inform community conversations about upcoming developments and build local capacity so that residents can shape the decisions that will impact their neighbourhood for years to come."
The selection committee determined what Black-led/serving meant and it embraces a broad leadership group. “Led” in this context reflects a collection of decision-makers and influencers that spans the executive leadership, senior and program staff as well as volunteers, including the board.
Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle
Indigenous Land Stewardship Circle is a collective of Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers, and community members, joined by allied artists, academics, and activists working to restore land in the High Park area. Through artmaking, ceremony and earthwork, the collective aims to restore the practices that were historically held at the park.
Turtle Island Journal of Indigenous Health
The Turtle Island Journal of Indigenous Health fosters a home for graduate students and community-based research alike, prioritizing Indigenous ways of knowing and methodologies in the feld of Indigenous health. With a Community of Practice, they aim to privilege Indigenous authors and creators in its editorial and community building processes.
Seed, Soil and Spirit School focuses on creating access to culturally congruent herbal medicine, healing knowledge and land stewardship practice, prioritizing community care for Black, Indigenous and people of colour. They currently offer a program on plant medicine and health justice to ensure that their legacies of medicine are accessible to all communities.
The selection committee determined what Indigenous-led/serving meant and it embraces a broad leadership group. “Led” in this context reflects a collection of decision-makers and influencers that spans the executive leadership, senior and program staff as well as volunteers, including the board.
Areej Artists Centre works primarily with Black newcomer and refugee artists to make the arts accessible to all, particularly within Toronto’s east end. Areej offers free arts education workshops aimed at building community connection and providing cultural opportunities to support Black and newcomer artists in confidently navigating the Toronto arts scene.
Rise in STEM is dedicated to breaking down the unique barriers to higher education and STEM career pathways that Black youth face by increasing access to STEM learning and leadership opportunities across the Greater Toronto Area. They provide necessary skill development workshops, mentorship programs and events to empower Black youth to navigate and thrive in STEM spaces.
Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective
The Collective includes urban farmers, growers, small scale cultural food entrepreneurs, an Afro-Caribbean Farmers Market, artisans, food insecure and food poor people. Operating out of a greenhouse in Downsview Park, Country Heritage Park in Milton and Cavaleiro Farm in Schomberg, members grow tropical, equatorial and seasonal food for food insecure and food poor people and further food justice and food sovereignty.
"Good, clean food is not a privilege but a human right! Strategically sharing resources, funding and planning for food together, we can dismantle food poverty in our lifetime."
Ubuntu Community Collective supports Black single mothers and their children in Toronto through facilitated programs and creative spaces shaped to help mothers connect, build trust and heal from trauma and conflict experienced in family settings. Their objective is to reduce the barriers Black mothers face when seeking professional mental health resources.
Young and Potential Fathers Initiative
Young and Potential Fathers Initiative is home to Canada’s only father-focused parenting centre, offering culturally conscious programming that holistically supports young men and fathers. The initiative is dedicated to improving the health of African Canadian children by creating a cohort of fathers who are committed and involved in their children’s lives.
The selection committee determined what Black-led/serving meant and it embraces a broad leadership group. “Led” in this context reflects a collection of decision-makers and influencers that spans the executive leadership, senior and program staff as well as volunteers, including the board.
What you’ll find in the Good to Give Guide
The 2021-2022 Good to Give Guide covers the impetus for the Black and Indigenous Futures Fund, our approach and the sector leaders who shaped it, and of course, spotlights the organizations you must get to know — including runners up in both categories.
When our organization wants to make the biggest impact, we’ve learned to let the community identify its own needs and design its own solutions. Sector leaders shaped the program, identified funding criteria and recommended sector members to select the funding recipients. In our latest blog post, Phylicia Davis-Wesseling and Sara Krynitzki of our Community Impact team reflect on the inequities in philanthropy, how the program tried to address those and where there’s still room to grow.
Over 200 groups applied for the $400,000 funding available (we were able to support just 16 qualified donees and eight non-qualified donees). We received 96 applications from qualified donees and 118 from non-qualified donees.
This is the criteria the committee used to make their decisions:
- local need for services and addressing gaps that are often overlooked
- issue areas and priorities during the pandemic
- project scope and sustainability
- intersectionality related to race, gender, income, ability, etc.
- neighbourhood and geographical distribution across Toronto
The selection committee determined what Black-led/serving and Indigenous-led/serving meant and it embraces a broad leadership group. “Led” in this context reflects a collection of decision-makers and influencers that spans the executive leadership, senior and program staff as well as volunteers, including the board.
Find a list of selection committee members, funding recipients and the runners up in this year’s Good to Give Guide.