Deadline: 23-Jan-2025
The Black Opportunity Fund (BOF) is excited to announce the launch of the Justice Grant, in collaboration with the Black Opportunity Fund (BOF), the Law Foundation of Ontario, and the TD Ready Commitment.
This grant aims to support Black-led, Black-serving organizations working to address systemic injustices and promote equity within Black communities across Canada.
Black Opportunity Fund (BOF) is a community-led registered Canadian Charitable organization, whose mandate is to dismantle anti-Black racism by establishing a sustainable pool of capital to fund Black led businesses and Black led not for profits and charities, in order to improve the social and economic well-being of Canada’s Black communities.
The fund will catalyze the cultural, socio-economic, institutional, and political change required to enable Canada’s diverse Black communities to thrive. Black Opportunity Fund will prioritize initiatives around education, health, women, criminal justice, entrepreneurship, arts & culture, and youth that impact the quality of life in Black communities across Canada.
Objectives
- The BOF Justice Grant is designed to strengthen the effectiveness, capacity, and impact of Black-led, Black-serving organizations (B3s) across Canada focused on increasing justice-related services and access to justice for Black communities.
- The broad priorities for the BOF Justice Grant Program will focus on providing needs-informed capital to support:
- Reintegration Programs: Programs or services that help individuals re-enter society after involvement in the justice system.
- Prevention and Supports: Programs or services that reduce the risk of incarceration.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports: Programs or services that provide access to the necessary tools for healing, self-advocacy, and mental health care.
- Legal System Reform & Equity: Advocacy for legal system reform and expanding access to legal services within Black communities.
- Addressing Racial Discrimination & Inequality: Initiatives that challenge racial discrimination and inequality in the justice system.
- Educational Programs & Policy Advocacy: Leading initiatives that educate the community and advocate for long-term policy change to promote justice and equality.
- Empowerment through Justice Engagement: Empowering Black individuals to fully engage and thrive in the justice system.
Funding Information
- This funding could range from $25,000 to $100,000.
- Successful applicants may receive grant funding for a single year or over two years.
Costs Covered
- Black Opportunity Fund fulfills its mandate by:
- Providing grants to Black-led not for profits and charities, who are leading initiatives that impact the quality of life in Canada’s Black communities.
- Facilitating access to capital for Black-led businesses to drive economic empowerment through the disbursement of loans, equity investments and other funding support.
Ineligible Expenses
- Purchase of real property (land or buildings).
- Depreciation of capital assets.
- Fines and penalties.
- The cost of alcoholic beverages.
- The portion of the cost of any travel, meals, and accommodation costs that exceeds the rates for public servants set out in the National Joint Council of Canada’s Travel Directive.
- The portion of hospitality costs that exceed the rates set out in the Directive on Travel, Hospitality, Conference, and Event Expenditures.
- The portion of the cost of any goods and services purchased by the Grant Recipient for which the Grant Recipient may claim a tax credit or reimbursement.
- Expenditures that are outside the submitted proposal on file, including unreasonable in Black Opportunity Fund’s, TD Ready Commitment’s, or The Law Foundation of Ontario’s opinion.
- Any expenses that are covered by another funding source, including TD Ready Commitment, and The Law Foundation of Ontario. Projects may receive funding from other sources, but those funds may not cover the same expenses as this grant.
Eligibility Criteria
- Organizations that meet the following criteria are eligible to apply:
- Black-led, Black-serving, or Black-focused (B3) organizations that are committed to advancing justice and equity for Black communities.
- Must be a registered nonprofit or charity in Canada with a focus on justice, legal empowerment, or advocacy for Black communities.
- Must have a measurable plan for using the grant to expand justice initiatives.
- Must have an existing justice-related project or a proposed project with secured initial funding.
- Must maintain an active online presence (e.g., website and/or social media).
- To be considered for annual grant funding that is $50,000 or more, organizations must submit audited financial statements for the past three fiscal years that were completed by a licensed public accountant.
Application Requirements
- Submissions must include a project budget for the initiative seeking funding.
- Up-to-date financial records from the past two years, either audited financial statements or unaudited financial statements, tax returns, and bank statements.
For more information, visit BOF.
