Grants for Community Advocacy (Child Welfare Reform)

The SCI Youth Grant Pitch Contest is a competitive program from Social Capital Inc. that funds youth-led community improvement projects in Greater Boston. Teams of high school students in grades 9 through 12 residing in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, or Suffolk counties develop project ideas through coaching from local professionals, then pitch their proposals to a live panel of judges. Winning teams receive $1,000 to $2,000 in grant funding to execute their community-strengthening visions. The program builds career skills including public speaking, project management, and team collaboration, while cultivating cross-socioeconomic connections among peers and mentors throughout the region.

The System Innovations Grant (Youth Opportunities Fund) is a multi-year funding opportunity from the Ontario Trillium Foundation that supports collaborative projects working to understand and strengthen systems so they function better for young people. Grants of up to $1,250,000 over five years fund collaboratives of two or more Ontario-based nonprofits aiming to create lasting systemic change that expands opportunities for youth ages 12 to 29, with a particular emphasis on Indigenous, Black, and other racialized youth facing systemic barriers. Eligible applicants are not-for-profit organizations incorporated for at least five years in Ontario with a mandate to serve youth, forming a formal collaborative. Indigenous- and Black-led organizations and collaboratives are prioritized. Applications were due March 11, 2026—check the Ontario Trillium Foundation website for upcoming intake cycles.