Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Muslims Implementing Zakat Associated Network Inc. (MIZAN)

MIZAN – Muslims Implementing Zakat Associated Network Inc. is a registered Canadian charity created to provide an Islamic, community-based mechanism for the collection and distribution of zakat. Founded in 2002, the organization focuses on relieving poverty and hunger among Muslims and other vulnerable residents in the Greater Toronto Area, in Ontario and across Canada. It channels zakat contributions from donors into direct assistance for individuals and families who meet needs-based criteria, aligning all activities with Islamic guidance and applicable Canadian law.

MIZAN’s funding model is centered on zakat: the organization receives donations from the Muslim community and redistributes these funds as temporary support such as food vouchers and assistance with essential living expenses. The website highlights stories of beneficiaries, including refugees, single parents, newcomers and people with health challenges, illustrating the concrete impact of its financial support.

The charity operates as a centralized system for managing zakat within Canada. It aims to maintain a fully accountable, transparent and balanced approach to receiving and distributing charitable contributions. Its objectives include working in partnership with other registered Canadian charities, providing essentials and other forms of support to the needy, and ensuring that every distribution respects Islamic principles as well as sound operating and accounting practices.

MIZAN’s assistance is explicitly temporary and subject to periodic reassessment, usually every six months. This allows the organization to adapt support to changing circumstances while ensuring that limited funds can reach the greatest number of eligible recipients.

Individuals who feel they are in need can apply for help through a structured application process. Applicants download and complete a Zakat Application Form that gathers detailed information on household composition, income sources, government benefits and essential expenses. They must attach recent supporting documents such as bank statements, social assistance or disability receipts, rent contracts and utility bills.

Once the application and documents are received, MIZAN reviews the case to determine eligibility for zakat according to Islamic criteria and financial need. Applicants are informed of the decision, and for approved cases, a local field worker contacts the beneficiary to arrange the delivery and use of food vouchers or other forms of assistance.

MIZAN primarily supports low-income individuals and families within the Muslim community, including a high proportion of single mothers, refugees from conflict zones, new immigrants and people with disabilities or chronic health conditions. By focusing on practical essentials such as food and basic living costs, its zakat programs help stabilize vulnerable households and preserve dignity while they navigate broader settlement, health or employment challenges.

Through its funding activities and volunteer network, MIZAN contributes to the wider Canadian charitable ecosystem as a specialized Islamic zakat institution, ensuring that religiously mandated alms are managed responsibly and directed to those most in need across Canada.