Closed
Canada Service Corps Program - Micro-grants Diversity stream
Last Update: March 14, 2026
Canada
Funding for youth-led community service projects supporting diversity
Grant and Funding
Overview
The Canada Service Corps Program – Micro-grants Diversity stream provides up to $5,000 per participant to support youth-led, short-term community service projects that promote diversity, reconciliation, inclusion, and youth engagement. Eligible activities include project implementation, knowledge sharing, capacity-building, and fostering innovative participation among Indigenous and under-served youth.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increasing community impact
- Strengthening governance
- Reduce the ecological footprint
Eligible Funding
- No Condition
Timeline
- Closing date : March 22, 2022
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Educational services
- Health care and social assistance
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
- Other services (except public administration)
- Public administration
Location
- Canada
Legal structures
- Non-profit
- Public or Parapublic institution
- For-profit business
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
- Persons with Disabilities
- Language Minorities
- Newcomers to Canada
- Other Racialized Persons
- Black Canadians
- Rural or Northern Residents
- 2SLGBTQI+
- Canadians
- Youth (<40)
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Primary and Secondary Education
- Higher Education
- Other Education
- Research
- Social Services
- Environment
- Economic, Social and Community Development
- Civic and Advocacy Organizations
- Other Philanthropic Intermediaries and Voluntarism Promotion
- Children and Youth Organizations
- Diversity and Inclusion
Target groups
- Children & youth
- Young adults
- Indigenous peoples
- New immigrants & refugees
- People with disabilities
- LGBTQ+ community
- Rural / Remote communities
- Low-income individuals / families
- Minority groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Local
- Municipal
- Regional
- Provincial
- National
Activities funded
- Supporting youth in identifying and validating issues and priorities for community action.
- Implementing strategies or actions to address specific community needs.
- Developing and testing innovative solutions and methodologies for community engagement.
- Facilitating youth access and participation in local volunteer service opportunities.
- Promoting civic engagement and building inclusive, resilient communities through youth-led projects.
Examples of admissible projects:
$ 4,710
Developing peer mentorship networks for LGBTQ2S+ youth engagement
$ 4,800
Organizing youth-led workshops on Indigenous reconciliation strategies
$ 4,950
Creating accessible art exhibits on diversity with youth curators
$ 4,620
Launching a youth inclusion podcast series on newcomer issues
$ 4,990
Delivering digital skills bootcamps for rural Indigenous youth
$ 4,985
Hosting leadership bootcamps for Black and racialized youth
Eligibility
- The applicant must be a not-for-profit organization, for-profit organization (with non-commercial, non-profit activities), research organization or institute, Indigenous organization, or a municipal, provincial, or territorial entity, including public health and educational institutions.
- The organization's leadership and/or governance must be at least 50% representative of Indigenous and under-served populations it serves.
- The organization must have recent experience (at least two years within the past five years) working with youth (aged 15-30) or Indigenous and under-served populations.
- The organization must have experience in managing application intakes and disbursing funds to participants or clients.
- The project must take place in Canada and target 50% participation of Indigenous and under-served youth.
Who is eligible?
- Not-for-profit organizations
- For-profit organizations (for non-commercial, non-profit activities that support program priorities)
- Research organizations and institutes
- Indigenous organizations, including band councils, tribal councils, and self-government entities
- Municipal, provincial, and territorial entities, including institutions, agencies, Crown corporations, and public health and educational institutions (universities, colleges, CÉGEPs, school boards/districts)
Who is not eligible
- Organizations that do not meet the mandatory requirement of having at least 50% of their leadership and 50% of their governance comprised of Indigenous and under-served populations as defined by the program.
- Organizations that do not wish to answer or for whom the diversity-related eligibility questions do not apply.
Eligible expenses
- Overhead costs (up to 10%), including shared administrative expenses such as postage, telephones, IT maintenance, and head office support.
- Materials and supplies required for the project.
- Wages and mandatory employment-related costs for project staff.
- Training and professional development costs for project staff.
- Honoraria (excluding participants).
- Printing and communication costs.
- Professional fees such as consultants, technical expertise, or facilitators.
- Domestic travel costs, within approved government rates.
- Participant costs and supports (e.g., living expenses, equipment or services for virtual opportunities, mentorship, dependent care, transportation, accommodation, specialized services, or disability-related equipment/arrangements).
- Recognition or completion certificates for participants.
- Financial payments to participants for eligible project-related expenditures under youth-led projects.
- Reimbursements to third-party organizations for the above-listed eligible expenditures incurred.
Eligible geographic areas
- Organizations and businesses operating in Canada.
- Organizations located and operating in Quebec (with respect to the specific conditions of the Act respecting the Executive Council (M-30)).
Selection criteria
- Demonstration that project proposals provide youth with the knowledge and tools to engage in service.
- Quality of the approach to promote and deliver micro-grants to youth.
- Effectiveness of the strategy to reach, enrol, and support Indigenous and under-served youth, aiming to meet the 50% target per project.
- Capacity to support youth in developing and delivering youth-led projects.
- Strength of the plan to collect data, report on results, and manage the distribution of funds to youth for project costs.
How to apply
1
Verify eligibility requirements
- Review the eligibility criteria for organizations and participants
- Ensure your organization meets the diversity-related eligibility requirements
- Confirm organizational experience with youth or underserved populations
2
Prepare your project proposal
- Prepare details about your proposed youth-led service projects
- Detail how you plan to reach and support Indigenous and underserved youth
- Organize supporting documentation on organizational governance and leadership
3
Complete application forms
- Complete all sections of the application form for the Micro-grants Diversity stream
- Answer the Program Specific Questions regarding diversity representation
- Ensure your application package includes all required documents
4
Submit your application
- Submit the complete application package before the stated deadline
- Use the appropriate channels and follow submission instructions
- Ensure the funding request does not exceed program limits
5
Await funding decision
- Wait for notification of funding decision from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
- Project must not commence before receiving approval and signing the contribution agreement
Additional information
- Project proposals must clearly outline plans for collecting data and reporting on results as part of their implementation.
- If the applicant organization is based in Quebec, it should ensure compliance with the Act respecting the Ministère du Conseil exécutif (M-30) prior to signing any agreement with the federal government.
- Decisions regarding funding are final; there is no appeal process for unsuccessful applications.
- Organizations are required to provide a safe, inclusive environment for all CSC participants, free from racism, harassment, and discrimination.
Contacts
NC-DGOP-POB-CSC-SJC-GD@SERVICECANADA.GC.CA
