programs > Youth Organizing Guidelines

Youth Organizing Guidelines

Rational
Young people have ideas and strategies for addressing issues and solving problems in their own lives, their communities and broader society. Through the process of organizing, the Foundation believes young people can learn about themselves and society, take on responsibilities as community members and citizens, hold institutions accountable, and spark social change.

Purpose:
Our aim is to support youth organizing in the arts, environment and community. We are committed to supporting young people as they organize to effect change because we believe:

• When you organize around something that concerns and/or inspires you, you are directly engaged in building a healthier society.
• We learn, challenge assumptions and effect change through the process of trying and doing.
• Engaged young people are a cornerstone of a healthy and inclusive society.

Funding:
The Foundation will fund youth-led initiatives through two different streams:

• Catalyst Grants- up to $5000
  Small ‘seed’ grants to develop partnerships, collaborations and consultations; to do research; to pilot a strategy and/or to respond to a time sensitive situation.
  
• Project Grants- up to $50 000
  To support projects where young people have identified something they want to take action on, and have articulated some clear strategies for moving forward. Project grants typically run between 12 and 18 months.

Deadlines
There are no deadlines for Catalyst Grants however you should allow 6 to 8 weeks for the process from start to finish.

Project grants are adjudicated twice a year. The deadline for fall 2008 project applications is August 25th, 2008.  Please contact Ana Skinner at 416-964-3614 or askinner@laidlawfdn.org to discuss eligibility and to receive an application package.  We try to respond within a few days. If you do not receive a response within a reasonable amount of time, please follow-up with us.

Who can apply:
Groups of young people aged 14–25

• Generally located within the Greater Golden Horseshoe (click here for a description).
• With charitable status or partnering with an organization that has charitable status and whose purposes are consistent with your work. If you want to apply, but you are not a registered charity, please contact the Foundation.

Regardless of the type of group applying, young people must write the application, plan the project and make the project happen.

What we fund:
We will support projects that have the following characteristics:

• Youth-led. 
• Generally located in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (click here for a description). 
• Grounded in young people identifying and getting involved in an issue that affects them and their community and that they are passionate about. 
• Identify barriers to and/or opportunities for meaningful participation. 
• Enhance leadership, organizing skills and knowledge so that youth can have more impact on decision-making at various levels of governance. 
• Articulate a long-term vision for having impact on structures, communities, and/or organizations/agencies.
• Articulate clear strategies for moving towards this vision.
• Connects to partnerships and networks.
• Address some or all of the Foundations areas of interest: arts, environment and community change.

Areas of interest:
Issues that affect the community affect young people in deep ways. We will fund young people affecting change through the arts, environment and/or community.

Click here for examples of funded projects

Role of adults and partners:
Young people live in diverse communities and situations that shape their lives and identities. They do not live in isolation. For this reason, adults and partners have an important role in supporting youth-led work.

For example: 

• An established organization might incubate a youth-led project offering some planning and administrative support;
• A youth-led initiative might have some adults on the planning team;
• The initiative could be intergenerational in scope where young people are playing a key planning role.

The important thing is that young people identify the role they want these partners to play in supporting their work and that the partners respect young people’s ability to plan and govern their own actions.

What we do not fund
As a rule, grants are NOT MADE toward the following:

• Projects outside of Canada.
• Local projects outside of Ontario.
• Fundraising campaigns, dinners, benefits, endowments, sponsorships, emergency funding or other special events.
• Building/capital campaigns, renovations, furnishings, vehicles or other acquisitions.
• Deficit reduction programs.
• Non-secular and faith-based activities.
• Scholarships or bursaries (other than those initiated by the Foundation).
• Personal appeals for financial support.
• Retroactive requests (for projects already completed).

Assessment Criteria
The Advisory Committee uses the following criteria when reviewing applications.

• youth-led
• grounded in young people identifying and getting involved in an issue that affects them and their community and that they are passionate about (social change)

• Identify barriers to and/or opportunities for meaningful participation of young people in society
• Enhance leadership, organizing skills and knowledge so that young people can have more impact on decision-making at various levels of governance.
• Articulate a long-term vision for having impact on structures, communities, and/or organizations and clear strategies for moving towards this vision.
• Connect to partnerships and networks, that are diverse and include people with different points of view
• Encompass Foundation areas of interest: arts, environment and/or community

• Clearly articulate the problem that young people are trying solve and/or the issues they are trying to address (goals and objectives)
• Provide a clear and realistic workplan that relates to achieving their objectives
• Explain how it will measure, document and share project findings
• Provide a reasonable budget that relates to project activities

How to Apply:

Step 1: Contact Foundation Staff
Contact Ana Skinner, at askinner@laidlawfdn.org, 416-964-3614 ext 307 to discuss your project idea. She will be able to help determine if your project is eligible, provide you with an application package and help you through the application process.

Step 2: Submitting an Application
If your project idea meets the basic criteria, you will be asked to submit a proposal. You can ask staff for help in developing your proposal.

• For Catalyst Applications:
Please send one (1) electronic copy of your application to the Foundation.

• For Project Applications:
Please send fifteen (15) hard copies (double-sided, no staples please) of your final application and one (1) electronic copy to the Foundation.

Step 3: Proposal Review
Staff will review the application and may call you if information is missing. We may contact community partners listed in your application, request a site visit, or use external advisors to review your application.

All completed application packages are reviewed by an Advisory Committee made up of young people, Laidlaw Board members and community people who work with youth.

Step 3: Decision-Making
The Advisory Committee makes the final decisions on all applications. You will receive a letter with the Advisory Committee's comments and decision within two weeks of their meeting.

Step 4: Evaluation & Reporting
The Foundation takes a continuous learning approach to evaluation. All grantees will be required to participate in our evaluation process. Grantees will be provided with an evaluation toolkit, orientation and ongoing support to help with the evaluation process.

All grantees must submit a final report upon completion of the project.

Contact Information:
For more information, please contact:

Ana Skinner
Program Manager, youth organizing strategic investments
email: askinner@laidlawfdn.org  
phone: 416.964.3614 ext. 307
fax: 416.975.1428

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