Four Toronto community groups and the people they serve hit the jackpot last week when the Ontario government's
Trillium Foundation -- which is financed through proceeds of lotteries -- awarded them funding totaling $729,900 for some of their job creation projects. The grants, made through the foundation's Future Fund, were awarded to support projects that build skills development and create new employment opportunities through social or community development enterprises.
"These grants are a vote of confidence in communities and local
residents. They recognize that often-marginalized people and places are
in fact remarkably resilient and enterprising," Trillium Foundation Chair Helen
Burstyn
said in a release announcing the grants.
The
Access Community Capital Fund received $125,500 over the next three years to fund community micro-credit projects such as the
one it was involved in launching in the Jane-Finch Community this week.
Social Investment Organization got $90,000 to spend the next year and a half investigating ways to set up a fund for social enterprises.
Woodgreen Community Services netted $484,400 to set up a supportive housing and job-readiness program for single women over the next three years. And
Artscape will get $30,000 this year study setting up a creative sector business incubator.
The grants to Toronto organizations were among province-wide Future Fund grants totaling $2 million.
Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Ontario Trillium Fund