A $1.5 million investment to support children and youth connected to child protection systems to thrive.
Applications are now closed.
How can we enable more children and youth in contact
with child protection systems to connect with kin* to build strong and empowering relationships?
*Kin are individuals who have a relationship with a child or youth and may include both biologically related individuals as well as those without a biological connection who share a significant emotional bond and social connection.
TO APPLY
There are two stages to the application process. Review the guidelines and FAQs below before submitting an application.
Round 1: Open call for applications.
The deadline for applications is March 8, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.
Round 2: A shortlist of applicants from Round 1 will be invited to complete further diligence in April 2024.
Decisions and announcements will be made in July 2024. There are two webinars to learn more if you have any questions - see the FAQ below.
About the Challenge
The Reconnect Impact Challenge is a $1.5M fund to support children and youth connected to the child protection system to connect with kin*. Research and initiatives highlight the importance of reunification efforts, kinship and customary care, and support systems that enable children and youth to maintain meaningful relationships with their relatives or other close supportive adults. However, there is no national approach or standard for supporting and enabling kinship and customary care in Canada. We believe that supporting efforts to connect kin will enable better long-term outcomes for children, families, communities and for Canada.
The fund will provide multi-year grants ranging from $100k to $300k per organization over two or three years to groups across Canada. This is a one-time funding program that we hope will stimulate further investment into supporting children, youth, and families connected to the child protection system across the Canadian funding landscape. In addition to funding, selected grantees will receive capacity building coaching and support.
CHALLENGE QUESTION
How can we enable more children and youth engaged with the child protection system to
connect with kin* and build strong and empowering relationships?
*Kin are individuals who have a relationship with a child or youth and may include biologically related kin or individuals without a biological connection but with a significant social connection and an emotional bond.
Why now?
Many children and youth, due to varied circumstances, find themselves separated from their biological families and placed in foster care or alternative arrangements. Across Canada, approximately 59,000 children and youth are living in permanent government care with foster families, extended family, or in institutional settings - disproportionately impacting Indigenous and Black families. More than half of children under age 15 in foster care in Canada are Indigenous, even though they only account for 7.7% of the child population. While Canadian data on Black children is far more limited, the proportion of Black children admitted into care in Ontario was 2.2 times higher than their proportion in the child population.
Young people raised in government care face significant barriers that can severely impact their success and wellbeing. Typical outcomes for youth who age out of care include low academic achievement, unemployment or underemployment, homelessness and housing insecurity, criminal justice system involvement, early parenthood, poor physical and mental health, and loneliness. These outcomes have a ripple effect across Canadian society and the economy.
Research and initiatives highlight the importance of reunification efforts, kinship and customary care, and support systems that enable children and youth to maintain meaningful relationships with their relatives or other close supportive adults. Supporting and enhancing kinship bonds not only preserves a sense of identity and belonging within their extended families and communities but also improves the overall well-being and outcomes of children and youth. Kinship care describes a situation where a child is not living with their parent(s) and is instead cared for by an extended family member, a person with whom they have a significant relationship, or a member of their cultural community. Customary care refers to the care and supervision of a First Nations, Inuk or Métis child by a person who is not the child’s parent, according to the custom of the child’s band or First Nations, Inuit or Métis community.
Kinship and customary care offer several advantages for children compared to non-kinship and customary care. However, there is no national approach or standard for supporting and enabling kinship and customary care in Canada. This was a key learning through our first Impact Challenge launched in 2021 and focused on finding programs and interventions that enable families and children to live prosperous lives through stronger parenting and supports for children and youth connected to the child protection system. This learning has been reinforced through conversations and studies that have highlighted an approach that focuses on creating belonging to help improve emotional well-being, reduce risks of abuse and lead to shorter lengths of stay in care.
Each province and territory develops its own approach to kinship and customary care and as a result supports for these caregivers vary across the country — including across Indigenous jurisdictions. Further, there is a pattern of child protection agencies providing less financial support, supervision, training and respite to kin caregivers compared to non-kin caregivers.
This is an underfunded area based on the need and the critical opportunity to shift a child or youth’s trajectory. We believe that helping children and youth in the child protection system to connect with kin* will enable better long-term outcomes for children, youth, families, communities and for Canada. Through the Reconnect Impact Challenge, the Sonor Foundation is investing $1.5M across Canada to support children and youth connected to the child protection system to thrive.
* Kin are individuals who have a relationship with a child or youth and may include biologically related kin or individuals without a biological connection but with a significant social connection and an emotional bond.
Eligibility
Who can apply?
We welcome applications from charities and nonprofits in Canada working on supporting children and youth in contact with child protection systems to connect with kin. Organizations may also submit an application in partnership with another organization (e.g. in the case of fiscal sponsorship, joint partnerships etc.). The Sonor Foundations is seeking to fund organizations across Canada.
Please contact us directly at sadia@sonorfoundation.ca if you have questions about the eligibility of your organization.
Can my organization submit a joint application with another organization?
Only one organization may be the applicant of record, but we welcome and encourage collaboration. The application allows you to specify partners who will be critical to your work. If your application is selected to receive funding, the applicant organization will be the sole recipient of the funding, but it may sub-fund or subcontract with other organizations to complete the proposed project/program as long as all organizations comply with the terms of the funding agreement.
What kinds of projects/programs are you seeking to fund?
We are looking to fund any project/program that addresses the challenge question: How can we enable more children and youth in contact with child protection systems to connect with kin* to build strong and empowering relationships? Examples of projects that would be eligible for funding may include, but is not limited to:
Expanding initiatives and supports to identify and locate kin of children within child protection systems in order to establish or strengthen connections
Improving access to counseling and therapeutic support to children and youth in kinship and customary care, helping them process their experiences, build resilience, and maintain healthy relationships with their kin
Enhancing opportunities for children and youth in contact with child protection systems to connect with their kinship roots through cultural events, classes, or activities that promote their heritage and identity
Improving access to practical assistance and resources for kinship and customary caregivers, such as training, support groups, respite care, and/or financial assistance
Promoting and expanding networks or online platforms where kinship and customary caregivers can connect with and seek advice from other caregivers facing similar challenges and experiences
Improving access to legal assistance to kinship and customary caregivers to help guide them through the legal processes involved in establishing guardianship, custody, or adoption
Promoting family preservation policies focused on keeping children and youth in child protection systems connected to their communities and cultural heritage
Training professionals working in child protection systems to understand the importance of kinship connections and to effectively support and engage with kin in decision-making processes related to children and youth in child protection systems
Developing and/or disseminating best practices and standards for recruitment, assessment and support of kinship and customary caregivers
We take into consideration the many ways that children and youth in contact with child protection systems are affected by systemic barriers and discrimination (e.g. race, class, ability, etc.) and prioritize our support towards the most underserved and overlooked communities.
Please contact us directly at sadia@sonorfoundation.ca if you have questions about the eligibility of your project/program.
Do projects/programs have to take place in Canada?
Yes, we are currently focusing our granting efforts on domestic programming.
How much funding can I apply for?
We encourage you to keep your request within the target range of $100k to $300k total over 2 to 3 years; however, there is not a minimum or maximum restriction to the amount you may request.
Can the funding be used to fund overhead and staffing costs?
Yes. Organizations will be requested to share a budget in their application, but we do not place restrictions on where funds can be spent or limit the amount that can be spent on administration. We ask for project/program information in the application to better understand an organization’s work, but the intention of our funding is to support the overall health and success of the organization.
When must the funds be spent?
We expect that funds will be spent according to the proposed project/program timeline and budget.
Application Process
How do I apply?
You can submit an application form here. Applications can be submitted in English or French. The application includes an option to upload a video (max 5 min) as an alternative, or in addition, to the written application. If you have any questions or require assistance along the way, please connect with us at sadia@sonorfoundation.ca.
Can I get a copy of the application questions before I fill out the application?
Yes, you can find a copy of the application questions here. We encourage you to prepare your application offline before entering and submitting it into the online form.
Can we include appendices or additional information to the application?
There are two stages to the application process.
In Round 1 (open call), to keep the application process as easy as possible for applicants, we will not require additional information or appendices.
In Round 2, shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete further diligence, which will include providing additional information.
Can I save a draft of my application on the site if I want to edit it later?
No. Applications can't be saved for later completion, so we recommend drafting your responses in a separate document first and only completing the application form when the entire application is ready for submission.
How do I make sure my application is successfully submitted?
Make sure all required fields are populated and within the given word limits, then click the “Submit” button. If the application has been successfully submitted, you will see a screen with a message confirming that we received your application, and you will also receive a confirmation email sent to the email address you provided.
I've submitted my application. What do I do now?
That's great news - thank you for applying. No further action is required on your part.
Our team will review all applications received and will shortlist a select group for further diligence. All applicants will be informed of the status of their applications eight weeks following the close of applications. Shortlisted applicants will enter the second stage of the process, where they will work closely with the The Sonor Foundation team.
Selection Process
How will my application be evaluated?
We evaluate organizations using the following criteria:
Mission fit:
Applicant organization’s work aligns with impact areas of the Reconnect Impact Challenge.
Impact and innovation
Applicant organization has proven ability to generate and showcase social impact, and there is potential for long term impact.
Strong leadership team
Applicant organization’s leadership team and Board of Directors reflect the identities and experience of the communities served, and demonstrates openness, honesty, trustworthiness, and competence.
Applicant organization’s leadership team and Board of Directors demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership approach with focus on learning and applying new ideas and evidence-informed approaches.
Organizational health
Applicant organization is well managed and has the necessary skills, resources, and financial capacity to execute on the engagement/project; or
Applicant organization is well supported by volunteers and, with Reconnect Impact Challenge funding, could build the necessary skills, resources, and financial capacity to execute on the engagement/project within the project timeline.
The Sonor Foundation’s approach to grantmaking is guided by:
Impact: We fund areas and communities that face the greatest need and experience underinvestment to change the trajectory of underserved and overlooked populations. We prioritize funding organizations that are led by and serving these communities.
Leaders: We fund smart and entrepreneurial minded leaders.
Participation: We ensure those with lived experience are informing and included in the design and decision making of our funding programs.
Trust: We approach philanthropy as a partnership, and we provide capacity building supports in addition to long-term funding and by working alongside the organizations we fund. We keep any applications and reporting requirements simple, streamlined, and transparent.
Flexible funding: We fund organizational operations in addition to program funding, and we trust organizations to know best where they need to direct their funds.
Transformation: We seek to invest in areas and organizations where we can have a transformative impact.
Partnership: We seek a strong fit between the qualities of the charitable organization and the assets that The Sonor Foundation can bring to bear. We engage with all applicants and grantees in collaborative, open, and respectful relationships.
The Sonor Foundations is seeking to fund organizations across Canada, and where possible, will prioritize organizations that are led by, focused on, and serving individuals who identify with underrepresented groups.
How will you select which organizations to fund?
Round 1 applications will be reviewed by The Sonor Foundation staff and the Advisory Committee. A shortlist of applicants will be invited for further diligence. During the diligence phase, we will meet with shortlisted organizations and gather additional information. An Advisory Committee made up of individuals with expertise in the challenge area and those with lived experience from across Canada will review all diligence materials and put forward recommendations for funding. All applicants will be informed of the status of their applications eight weeks following the close of applications.
How many investments do you anticipate to make?
The final number of investments will depend on the available pool of funding and the total amounts requested by the grantees. We anticipate selecting approximately 4-8 organizations to support, with each organization receiving funding over 2 or 3 years.
Disbursement Process
When will grantees receive the funds?
Grantees can expect to receive the first tranche of funds by summer 2024.
What are the reporting requirements?
We ask grantees to share a brief reflective report on an annual basis and meet periodically to connect and offer support where we can.
What are expectations for grantees around acknowledging or recognition of The Sonor Foundation and funding partners?
While you are welcome to, we do not expect grantees to acknowledge or recognize The Sonor Foundation or its partners in its materials or in the delivery of its programs.
FAQ
Why is The Sonor Foundation launching this Impact Challenge?
We are launching this challenge to address a critical and unmet need to support children and youth in contact with child protection systems across Canada to connect with kin. This issue disproportionately impacts Indigenous, Black, People of Colour and 2SLGBTQI+ children and youth.
What do you mean when you say ‘kin’ or ‘kinship’?
Kin are individuals who have a relationship with a child or youth and may include biologically related kin or individuals without a biological connection but with a significant social connection and an emotional bond. Examples include a stepparent, godparent, friend, teacher, coach and neighbour.
What do you mean when you say ‘kinship care’?
Kinship care describes a situation where a child is not living with their parent(s) and is instead cared for by an extended family member, a person with whom they have a significant relationship, or a member of their cultural community. Terms used to describe kinship care vary. “Kinship foster care,” “extended family foster home” or “provisional foster home” can refer to the formal placement of a child with relatives or others within the family support network as caregivers, while the agency retains temporary or full custody. “Informal kinship care,” “kinship service” or “kinship out of care” may refer to arrangements within a family or community, made with, or in some cases, without local child protection authority involvement. Our meaning of ‘kinship care’ includes these formal and informal arrangements.
What do you mean when you say ‘customary care’?
Customary care refers to the care and supervision of a First Nations, Inuk or Métis child by a person who is not the child’s parent, according to the custom of the child’s band or First Nations, Inuit or Métis community. Customary care arrangements are intended to reflect First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples’ unique practices of caring for your children and youth.
What if I still have questions after reading the FAQs?
We recommend that interested organizations attend our webinar on Friday February 23 at 12:30-1:30pm PST / 3:30-4:30pm EST - Register here. and Wednesday February 28 at 11am-noon PST / 2-3pm EST. Register here. For other questions, please reach out to sadia@sonorfoundation.ca.