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Our engagement grants are helping build our sector’s capacity to support meaningful engagement at organizational and system levels across Ontario. 

Our path

With quality standards as a guide or an engagement grant for support, agencies can strengthen their efforts to drive meaningful engagement at the organizational or system level.

Where we started

Quality standards need to be implemented to be effective. That’s why we developed resources to support organizations and communities through their engagement journeys. An evaluation in 2022 revealed that the standards, the coaching program and the engagement community of practice that followed were all highly valued and appreciated as collective spaces to connect, learn and solve problems. Still, agencies said they faced several implementation challenges, including a lack of dedicated funding and resources. We took this feedback to heart and created our engagement grants.

Where we are now

Our second engagement grant cycle is currently underway. The first cycle, which concluded in 2024, provided funding and coaching supports to nine agencies: 

  • Algoma Family Services 

  • Children's Centre Thunder Bay 

  • Compass 

  • Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare 

  • North Eastern Ontario Family and Children's Services 

  • Pathstone Mental Health 

  • Valoris pour enfants et adultes de Prescott-Russell  

  • Vanier Children's Mental Wellness 

  • Woodview Mental Health and Autism Services   

Where we are headed

The second grant cycle is underway. Our engagement team is working with eight agencies to remove barriers to engagement within their organizations or communities: 

  • Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington 

  • Central Toronto Youth Services 

  • Children’s Centre Thunder Bay 

  • Compass 

  • FIREFLY 

  • Merrymount 

  • Strides 

  • Valoris pour enfants et adultes de Prescott-Russell

Stay tuned for project updates! 

What agencies are saying

Hear from the organizations supported in the first engagement grant cycle, as they explain why engagement matters for child and youth mental health and substance use services.