New Ontario Partnership Grant giving $4.1M boost to nonprofits

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 16, 2017
By Amanda Persico

There are more than 55,000 nonprofits in Ontario, contributing close to $67 billion to the annual economy.

“The scope of their work is enormous, I don’t have to tell you,” said Citizenship and Immigration Minister Laura Albanese.

“They all have something in common; they make a real difference in our lives.”

Albanese, together with Newmarket-Aurora MPP Chris Ballard, were at Blue Hills Child and Family Centre in Aurora to make an announcement.

The provincial government is giving not-for-profit organizations a boost through the new Partnership Grant Program.

Not only do not-for-profit organizations play an important role, but they also contribute close to $67 billion annually, Albanese said.

The province is providing $4.1 million over the next two years through a new grant program, the Partnership Grant Program.

The program will provide grants and funding for 21 projects that will help organizations attract, retain and maintain volunteers.

Blue Hills Child and Family Centre as well as the Community Inclusivity and Equity Council of York Region (CIECYR) were among 21 grant recipients.

Blue Hills received more than $145,000 to launch a project dealing with inclusive leadership.

CIECYR received close to $150,000 to develop an equity training module to train 25 equity facilitators across the province and to create a virtual library of resources.

The program aims to provide nonprofit organizations with training on how to hire, retain volunteers and provide services that are equitable.

The goal is to enhance fair access to social services, said CIECYR co-chair Michael Bowe.

“To eliminate the unconscionable biases, we need to critically examine isms through an equity lens,” Bowe said.

Viewing leadership, volunteers and services through an equity lens would also produce corrective measures, he added.

The program also calls for the creation of standard resources, such as training manuals, sessions and tools.

The aim is to help organizations boost their volunteer corps by including members of the LGBTQ community as well as those with intellectual disabilities.

The program also aims to help build diversity among an organization’s volunteers and leadership positions.

“Our goal is to make Ontario a caring, compassionate and welcoming society for all,” Albanese said.

For more information, visit grants.gov.on.ca.