THE YOUTH HARBOUR

ASSEMBLY GRANTS

Responsive, in-person event funds for young climate activists to mobilize and convene on pressing issues.

Applications are closed


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Deadline

Applications open on October 8th at 12:00pm (noon) Pacific Time. Applications close on October 30th, 12:00pm (noon) Pacific Time.⁠


Application Deadline
Evaluation period
October 30 at 12:00 pm (Pacific Time).
We will notify all applicants within 10 business days (2 weeks) after the application deadline.

Term Length

6 - 12 months

 

Amount Rewarded

$500 – $5,000 per 12-month period

 

ELIGIBILITY →

The Purpose of Assembly Grants

Youth often need to respond rapidly to emerging issues to capitalize on key advocacy moments. However, the current philanthropic system fails to meet this need due to bureaucracy and delayed funding disbursements, leaving young people under-resourced and unable to mobilize quickly. By the time they receive funding, the critical moment has often passed.

We recognize that the power of youth organizing lies in our ability to change societal attitudes and political will, much of which is catalyzed through in-person connections. The disruption caused by the global pandemic has hindered these vital connections, and we aim to revitalize in-person interactions and provide youth with the resources to reinvigorate their communities.

    Assembly Grants are rapid response grants designed to address this problem. They offer young people secure, easy-to-access funds, allowing them to focus on responding to urgent issues instead of navigating complicated grant requirements. These grants provide the rapid and flexible funding needed for effective mobilization and convenings on pressing issues.

    Application Process

    Step 1: Review eligibility guidelines

    eligibility guidelines →

    Step 2: Review helpful materials

    OUR PRINCIPLES →
    BUDGET TEMPLATE →
    RESOURCES →

    Step 3: Review your application with a coach (optional)

    • Clarify the application questions or requirements
    • Support you in the development of your application answers, project development, budget, impact measurement, etc.
    • Recommend where in your application you may need more detail
    EMAIL TO RECEIVE COACHING →

    Step 4: Submit your application

    Submit your written application in English, French, or a mixture of both. 

    Applications are open!

    Overall communication and support is available in English and French.

    Eligibility

    Organization or project

    The organization or project must:

    • Have a project or initiative that will reduce the impacts of the climate crisis in what is currently referred to as Canada.
    • Be grassroots in nature and/or conduct not-for-profit activities. The Youth Harbour cannot support for-profit activities.
    • Be an in-person, urgent gathering that is related to climate action and is driving systemic change.

    Age

    The organization or project must be led by:

    • Youth (aged 30 or under)

    AND/OR

    • Indigenous folks from Turtle Island (what is currently North America) can apply aged 35 or under.

    HOWEVER

    Organizations can apply that are not entirely youth-led, but a specific project must be led by someone aged 30 or under. However, priority in assessment is given to entirely youth-led organizations or projects.

    Citizenship

    Canadian citizenship, permanent residency, refugee status or a visa.

    Language

    Applicants can communicate to us in English, French, or a mixture of both.

    Applying multiple times

    An organization or individual can receive one Assembly Grant during a 12-month period.

    Applicants may also simultaneously apply to other granting opportunities that The Youth Harbour offers; this does not help or hinder any of their applications in any other granting streams.

    HOWEVER

    Core staff or volunteers who are recipients of the Assembly Grant cannot apply for an Access Grant in order to attend the same event that is being funded through Assembly Grants.

    Applicants who are selected will receive a 6 or 12 month contract, and are not able to reapply to Assembly Grants until 12 months after the submission of their final report.

    Funding areas

    There are three key areas that The Youth Harbour seeks to support youth through Assembly Grants. Applicants must fall generally under at least one of of these three:

      1. Advocacy & Mobilization

      e.g. the applicant is seeking funding in order to urgently mobilize their community; change a policy; shift the cultures and attitudes of their community, etc.

      2. Community Building & Care

      e.g. the applicant is seeking funding in order to convene to build or maintain culture; connect and share common challenges and successes; rest in order to be resilient, etc.

      3. Trainings & Workshops

      e.g. the applicant is seeking funding in order to organize an event that trains youth to take action on an urgent climate justice issue.

      Application Review Process

      Initial assessment of applications to ensure that the applicant meets all requirements and to determine final amounts granted per applicant. 

      ASSESSORS: The Youth Harbour’s assessors (comprised of FES staff members).

      Final Decisions and Next Steps

      All applicants will be notified by email when a decision has been made regarding their application.

      If your application is successful, grantees of the Youth Harbour can expect to review contracts for signature, disbursement timelines, and general expectations. A final reporting template will be provided and completed on the agreed upon date between FES and the Youth Harbour grantee.

        If your application is unsuccessful, there is no process for reapplication as the pool of funds has likely been completely disbursed. Please check the website or social media for any updates on applications re-opening. 

        Ethical Engagement and Granting Guidelines

        FES does not support, partner with, affiliate itself with, or provide grants to groups that:

         

        1. Perpetuate systemic biases and discrimination based on ethnicity, race, religion, colour, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, or veteran or disability status.
        2. Promote or support violence, aggression, prejudice, or oppression or any infringement on human rights, with a strong emphasis on the infringement of Indigenous rights.
        3. Force, coerce, or exclude others based on religious or spiritual beliefs.
        4. Are connected to political parties, political rallies, or otherwise partisan work.
        5. Promote or partake in unsustainable practices and/or do not have an adequate climate plan in place to address the climate crisis in response to its unsustainable practices.
        6. Has a track record of tokenizing youth or disrespecting the voices of youth.


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        Applications are closed


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        "Working with FES has been a deeply supportive and empowering experience! Their trust-based approach and flexibility allowed us to lead the Housing Justice Convergence in a way that stayed true to our values and communities. Their encouragement helped us take bold, collaborative steps that would not have been possible otherwise!"

        Olivia Champagne, Solidarity Economy Incubation for Zero Emissions, Cycle 2 grantee

        “My experience with FES and The Youth Harbour has been incredibly rewarding. The support I received allowed me to attend a transformative event where I gained valuable skills, networks, and insights to drive my climate work forward.”

        Jeremiah Nkwabe, Sudbury, ON

        "It's when we access these spaces,[...] that we create change and make these spaces more accessible to other young people and also to others from disadvantaged groups.”

        Sasha Emery, Whitehorse, YT

        "We're so grateful for [The Harbour's] support towards YCIL and for modelling awesome trust-based, accessible granting. [The team is] doing such thoughtful work and modelling how it should be done for bigger/older philanthropic foundations and organizations!"

        CityHive


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        We’d like to thank all of our supporters that have contributed to the efforts at The Youth Harbour.