Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) is sponsored by Ontario Trillium Foundation. The Youth Opportunities Fund invests in community-led projects that create safe spaces, empower youth and families, support career pathways, and address issues faced by communities. YOF prioritizes grassroots groups addressing experiences of Indigenous and/or Black youth.

Youth Opportunities Fund | Empowering Grassroots Projects Investing in projects led by youth and families to improve the wellbeing of communities across Ontario. The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) invests in community-led projects that play an essential role in creating safe spaces, empowering youth and families, supporting career pathways and addressing issues faced by our communities.

YOF prioritizes grassroots groups that are looking to address the experiences of Indigenous (First Nation, Metis or Inuit) and/or Black youth who continue to face systemic barriers and oppression.

Supporting grassroots groups and community-based collaboratives led by people who share identities, lived experiences and who face the same systemic barriers as those who will benefit from their projects is integral to YOF’s funding priorities. Projects led by and for communities play a key role in developing solutions that are tailored to the needs of communities and providing appropriate support for those with similar experiences.

Investments made through YOF extend beyond project funding. Grant recipients receive capacity building support to learn and grow through specialized coaching and mentorship. Whether your group wants to pilot a new project or expand an existing one, YOF offers a range of grants that may be the right fit for your group.

Youth Innovations Test Grant This grant is for youth-led grassroots groups and youth-adult partnerships. They can pilot a new project idea, research an issue or new concept, or strategize around an issue affecting youth to improve the social and economic wellbeing of youth.

Youth Innovations Scale Grant This grant is for youth-led grassroots groups and youth-adult partnerships that have over two years of experience delivering direct programming to youth. Now, they want to strengthen and grow their work, expand their reach or enhance the impact of their existing project.

Family Innovations Test Grant Grassroots groups led by parents, guardians and caregivers can apply for funding to pilot a new project idea, research an issue or new concept, or strategize around an issue to support other parents, guardians, and caregivers. It’s an opportunity for parents, guardians and caregivers to address issues that impact their wellbeing and that of their families.

Family Innovations Scale Grant This grant is for groups led by parents, guardians and caregivers that have over two years of experience delivering direct programming to other parents, guardians and caregivers. The group is looking to expand their reach, and enhance and strengthen their impact through proven community projects.

This grant is for collaboratives who create new frameworks that challenge systemic barriers for youth and improve access to services, design new approaches and create shifts in systems. Grants support organizations, along with grassroots groups, partners and communities to come together and deeply reflect on the issues that youth face, and design approaches that will have lasting impact on systems.

Organizational Mentors provide administrative support, project mentoring and financial accountability to grassroots groups funded through the Youth Innovations and Family Innovations streams. Grassroots groups and Organizational Mentors build partnerships to support the delivery of Youth Opportunities fund grants. For more information about YOF grants and eligibility requirements, contact yof@otf.

ca or 1 800 263-2887. For each stream, get to know the tools that can help you plan your application. They include sample expression of interest applications, project plans and budgets.