The Rising Youth program is empowering young people to lead their own community initiatives by offering micro-grants until March 2020.

The program kicked off this year and is already funding community projects across the country with $250, $750, and $1,500 grants.

It hopes provide stepping stone opportunities for creative community projects that can flourish with small investments, said coordinator Anusa Sivalingam.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want it to be open ended and for the ideas to come from youth,SA国际影视传媒� she said, adding that youth have a better pulse on what gaps exist in their communities, said Sivalingam.

Projects that come from a community are also more likely to align with their needs, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of interest, right now, from the federal government to support youth programming,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Many previous government programs focused on experiences like summer camps and other programs, but SA国际影视传媒淭aking IT global wanted to focus on bringing money back into communities and supporting youth at home,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The grant program is open to anyone aged 15 to 30 to set up a community oriented volunteer project to, SA国际影视传媒渁ddress a gap or something they think is missing,SA国际影视传媒� said Sivalingam.

The project runs until March 2020 and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

SA国际影视传媒淰olunteerism isnSA国际影视传媒檛 just what we considered it before. It could be organizing activities for youth who donSA国际影视传媒檛 have money or resources,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Some examples of trips include a hunting excursion, support for cultural programming, or even events where youth can come together to have fun - a grant request that usually would not be filled under other programs, said Sivalingam.

Over Pride weekend, one youth proposed an alcohol-free event as an alternative to the show at a liquor-licensed venue, she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 providing something thatSA国际影视传媒檚 missing in a community,SA国际影视传媒� said Sivalingam.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 meant to be grassroots and theySA国际影视传媒檙e microgrants. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a good kicking-off point for people who might not be comfortable managing a large amount of money,SA国际影视传媒� said Sivalingam.

The grants donSA国际影视传媒檛 limit partnerships with other organizations, nor do they prevent applicants from applying for additional funding elsewhere.

The funding is available to Canadian citizens, permanent residents or people granted refugee status.

Smaller grants are an opportunity for youth looking to get into community service, especially those who might not have the funds to do so, she said.

There is still a reporting component, albeit a simple one at the end, said Sivalingam.

Community buy-in and relevance is also important to the success of a grant application.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 showing that you have buy-in or knowledge so that a program isnSA国际影视传媒檛 imposed without understanding or a connection,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 making sure that the support is coming from the community itself so that weSA国际影视传媒檙e uplifting people and meeting their priorities,SA国际影视传媒� said Sivalingam.