Innovation Grants
TELUS Friendly Future Foundation
Canadian registered charities and qualified donees seeking funding to solve some of the most pressing problems facing youth in Canada are invited to apply for an Innovation Grant.
Multi-year funding up to $200,000
Breakthrough ideas in youth mental health or environmental education and climate action programs for youth
Maximum one application per calendar year
- If also applying for Community Board grants, the Innovation Grant application must be for a different program
Funding areas of interest
Youth mental health support
The percentage of children and youth experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety increased exponentially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Charities offering innovative solutions to promote youth mental health and build community will help to meet the needs facing young people today and strengthen their capacity to thrive in the future.
Environmental education or climate action programs for youth
Today’s youth have come of age during a time of rapid climate change, and they have the most at stake in how society responds to it. Charities offering creative approaches to climate education and action will help youth to build skills and knowledge, and be inspired to address the urgency of the climate crisis.
We are very pleased to announce that in 2023, Desjardins Foundation will be partnering with us to co-fund projects focused on environmental education.
Desjardins Foundation is particularly interested in national projects and projects serving youth in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta or Atlantic Canada where the acquisition of skills and knowledge is clearly defined.
Who can apply
To qualify for funding, your organization must meet the following criteria:
Be a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) registered charity or qualified donee with a stated focus on serving youth
Have not received an Innovation Grant in the last 12 months
Have not received a grant from any TELUS Canadian Community Board in the last 12 months for the same program
Program eligibility
Your program must address one of the funding areas of interest and meet the following criteria:
Must serve youth up to age 29 who face obstacles to reaching their full potential. This may include youth from marginalized or under-served communities and members of equity-deserving groups.
Will offer a new approach or a significant change to an existing model intended to improve outcomes. Funds can be used to explore, test or launch innovative ideas or initiatives or to scale a program to serve a new region or audience.
Must demonstrate impact and have clearly defined and measurable outcomes.
Expected to share your lessons learned, successes, failures and things that changed through your project.
Priority will be given to programs that use technology in innovative ways to meet the needs of participants and your community.
Charities can also apply for a TELUS Canadian Community Board grant as long as the application is for a different program than what is being submitted to the Innovation Grants stream for consideration.