Young Leaders Fund

The Young Leaders Committee of the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) is proud to manage the Young Leaders Fund to support youth across Canada, giving Japanese Canadian youth the opportunity to help realize projects and initiatives. Successful applicants can receive up to $2,000 for their projects or initiatives. Please see the Information for Applicants form below for more details.

Deadline for Applications: October 31, 2023 at 11:59 pm PDT.  

Click on the downloads below for more details: 
Step 1: Grant Information 2023 - PDF
Step 2: Application form 2023 - PDF
Step 3: Summary Report 2022 (Will be updated soon)

BACKGROUND

The Young Leaders Committee (YLC) of the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) was established in 2014 as a core group of engaged young leaders from Japanese Canadian communities nationwide.  The YLC seeks to engage, connect, mentor, and advocate for young people in Japanese Canadian communities, and to support the development of the next generation of Japanese Canadian leaders.

In accordance with its mandate, the YLC has established the Young Leaders Fund (YLF) to help support the work of young leaders in Japanese Canadian communities across Canada.


PURPOSE OF NAJC YOUNG LEADERS FUND

The purpose of the YLF is to provide financial assistance to young Japanese Canadian individuals and organizations for projects and initiatives directed toward young people in Japanese Canadian communities.  Such projects and initiatives should clearly promote or develop Japanese Canadian community and/or culture.


APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

The YLC encourages applications from young people of all backgrounds.  Preference will be given to first-time applicants.

Individuals

  • Must be a young person in a Japanese Canadian community (up to 35 years of age)
  • Preference will be given to a Canadian citizen/resident who is a member of a Japanese Canadian community

Organizations

  • Must be an organization comprised of young people in Japanese Canadian communities

PROJECT OR INITIATIVE ELIGIBILITY

**Please note that projects or initiatives that are either currently being considered for or have already been funded through the NAJC’s National Endowment Fund are not eligible for funding through the YLF.

Examples of projects or initiatives that may be funded

  • Start-up costs, pilot projects, or project costs on a one-time only or short term basis
  • Workshops, competitions, or festivals
  • Commercial or for-profit projects, where funds do not comprise profits

Examples of what will not be funded

  • Core budgets of established organizations or costs to maintain ongoing operations
  • Repayment of debt
  • Projects or initiatives completed prior to application deadline
  • Purchase of prizes or awards

SELECTION CRITERIA

To ensure that proposals are evaluated on an equitable and adequate basis, applicants must provide complete information in their applications. Incomplete applications will not be evaluated.

The following general criteria may be used to evaluate funding proposals:

  • Project or initiative’s proposed contribution to a Japanese Canadian community, and its impact on young people in this community;
  • Applicant’s preparation and qualifications for completing the project or initiative;
  • Applicant’s demonstrated commitment to and investment in a Japanese Canadian community and its young people;
  • Distinctiveness of the proposal (should not duplicate an existing or similar project or initiative); and
  • Reference letter from an NAJC member, affiliate organization (click HERE for member organizations’ contact information) or a leader in your community.

ALLOCATION OF FUNDING

  • Funding will supplement financial support from local community and other sources—100% funding for a project or initiative may not necessarily be awarded.
  • 75% of the funds will be allocated once an application is approved and awarded, and the remainder of funds will be disbursed upon completion of the proposed project/initiative along with the submission of the completed final report (see “Expectations of Award Recipients”).
  • In the event that substantial budgetary changes, including procurement of additional funding sources, are made after an application is approved and awarded, the YLC reserves the right to revise its funding decision and/or to recall funds.
  • The maximum amount of funding available per proposed project or initiative is $2,000.

EVALUATION PROCESS

  • Applications will be reviewed by the YLC;
  • Only complete and self-contained applications will be reviewed—the YLC will not refer to past applications;
  • YLC members may contact applicants to review or clarify the details of an application (no other personal representation will be required by the applicant organization or individual);
  • YLC members may consult other individuals or organizations in order to obtain information and a better understanding of the project or initiative proposed by the applicant;
  • Past award recipients will be ineligible for additional funding until the funded project or initiative is completed and the final report is received by the YLC (see “Expectations of Award Recipients”);
  • The YLC will assess all applications and recommend successful applicants to the NAJC’s National Executive Board for final approval;
  • Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their applications up to 8 weeks from the submission deadline; and
  • There is no appeal process—final decisions on awards rest with the YLC and the NAJC Executive Board.

BUDGETARY GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Revenue: total income
Cash contribution: external person(s) monetary donation to project
Non-cash contribution: external person(s) non-monetary donation to project (e.g., equipment, consumables, services)
Earned income: income projected/made from proposed project or initiative
Grant: Any other institutional moentary support/rewards
Subsidy: offset a cost
Expense: cost required/money spent
Salary: fixed pay for services
Fee: cost of any service required for the project or initiative
Facility cost: rental/lease cost for event/meeting location
Consumable material/equipment: non-reusable rental/lease/purchase cost for equipment
Non-consumable material/equipment: reusable rental/lease/purchase cost for equipment
Travel and transportation: transportation costs (e.g., bus, transit fare, gas, etc.)


APPLICATION FORM

  • Applications must be submitted on the form provided by the YLC.
  • Application forms must be completed and submitted, with accompanying attachments, by email to: national@najc.ca
  • Application emails should be addressed to the Young Leaders Committee with the subject line: APPLICATION - NAJC Young Leaders Fund.
  • Application deadline is October 31st 2023 11:59pm PDT.

EXPECTATIONS OF AWARD RECIPIENTS

If funding is awarded, the Applicant agrees:

  • To use funds solely for the purposes specified in the application;
  • To return any funds not used for these purposes, including excess funds, to the NAJC, payable to: NAJC Young Leaders Fund;
  • To advise the YLC of any substantial changes to the proposed project or initiative, including budgetary changes, and to obtain approval for such changes before they are implemented;
  • To acknowledge the contribution of the YLF in any published or promotional materials concerning the project or initiative;
  • To submit a final report, which includes a final budget (including copies of receipts) and a brief overview and photo(s) or video(s) of the funded project or initiative (for publication purposes) to the YLC, within 3 months of expending the grant and/or completing the project/initiative described in the application (NOTE: If a final report is not received, the YLC reserves the right to request the return of the funds. The YLC also reserves the right to audit grant projects/initiatives.); and
  • To forward to the YLC copies of any news release, report, or publication that refers either to the project/initiative described in the application or to the grant received.

QUESTIONS?

If there are any questions regarding the application process, please contact the NAJC Young Leaders Committee by email: youngleaders@najc.ca with subject line: INQUIRY - NAJC Young Leaders Fund.