Apply for Funding

What we fund

Programs/projects focused on career development and career counselling for young people (ages 12-30) in Canada. As part of our strategic plan, we’re prioritizing support for initiatives that also have an emphasis on one or more of newcomers, Indigenous communities, and rural and remote communities.
Registered Canadian charities or nonprofits or other qualified donees as defined by the CRA.
Early-stage initiatives
Organizations/institutions that have a demonstrated capacity to carry out the work including strong leadership and a suggested minimum organization/department budget of $300,000.

Before applying, read our Funding FAQs.

Submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI)

For 2026, we anticipate having 2-3 submission deadlines. The first submission deadline will be January 23, 2026. Successful LOIs that move on to the Application stage will be considered for potential funding by the Foundation’s Board of Directors in March. For more information on our process, see the sections below.

Click here to submit your letter of intent

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your ideas, contact Ben Liadsky at 416-923-8953 ext. 121 or ben[at]counselling.net. Oral submission of LOIs can also be done by request.

What we look for in a funding request

Mission fit. Does the program/project strongly align with the Foundation’s goals and priorities? Is it clear what demographics are being served?
Reach. Can this program/project benefit multiple communities, either now or in the future?
Community voice/Inclusion. Are the people affected by the project/program helping to shape it? For example, if working with an Indigenous community, who is leading this work?
Partnerships. Are there formal collaborations in place that strengthen this work?
Opportunity. Does the program/project introduce a new approach or expand an existing one? We fund early-stage initiatives that address challenges in fresh ways, such as testing a new model, using emerging technology, or applying traditional knowledge in new contexts.
Budget. Is the funding used wisely, and is it clear how the money will be spent?
Leadership. Who is leading this work? One of our guiding principles is to support existing and emerging leaders.
Sustainability. How likely is this project/program to continue after our funding ends?

The Foundation has a two-stage funding request process:

1. Letter of Intent (LOI)

The LOI outlines your program or project and can be submitted online or, if requested, through a phone or virtual conversation.

You may request funding for up to three years. Multi-year funding requires annual review and reporting.
You may include a short supporting document (less than 5 pages) of your choice with your LOI.
You can save your progress or use our LOI Template to draft your submission before copying it into the online form.
Once submitted, you’ll receive a copy of your LOI.
You will receive notification from our staff of our decision once your LOI has been reviewed.
Depending on fit and our capacity, you may be invited to submit a formal Funding Application.

Estimated completion time: 1 hour

2. Application

If you’re invited to submit a formal Application, our staff will provide a template and a submission deadline (usually one month before the next Board meeting).

Staff will review your application and may ask for clarifications or changes before presenting it to the Board.
We will also get confidential feedback from external reviewers on your application and a summary of responses will be shared back with you.
Along with your application, you’ll need to submit a cover letter, budget, and audited financial statements. A letter of support is optional.
The Board reviews applications four times a year, and you’ll typically receive a decision within 48 hours.

Estimated completion time: 2–3 hours

Decision-making

Foundation staff are responsible for submitting Funding Applications to the Board of Directors. External reviewers provide confidential and anonymous feedback on the application to the staff and Board. The decision to award funding is made by the Directors of the Foundation. Submitting a formal funding application or providing additional information does not guarantee approval by the Board of Directors or signify preferred status for an application. The Foundation’s resources are limited so we cannot say yes to everything. Decisions made by the Board of Directors are considered final and not subject to appeal. Also, it remains the Foundation’s prerogative to cancel funding based upon an unsatisfactory project review.