The Racialized and Indigenous Supports for Equity (RISE) Fund is a community grant that provides support for community-led organizations, programs, initiatives or events meant to decrease inequities and increase opportunities and well-being for Black, Indigenous and racialized communities in Kitchener.

On this page:

  1. Categories and grant amounts
  2. Eligibility
  3. Apply for the RISE Fund
  4. Staff contacts
  5. Assessment process
  6. Grant agreements
  7. Accessibility and translation
  8. RISE Fund recipients

Categories and grant amounts

The RISE Fund has an annual budget of $150,000, with these maximums and minimums:

  • maximum annual grant amount for groups: $10,000
  • minimum annual grant amount for groups: $1,000
  • maximum for events: $5,000

Groups are eligible for funding within these categories:

  • capacity building: groups and organizations can use this funding to provide resources to build and develop internal capacity before launching projects or events
  • core operational costs: groups and organizations with core operational costs essential to their work
  • event funding: an event organized by the group or organization, or a series of small events over time (maximum $5,000)
  • project funding: projects organized by the group or organization
  • other: we'll consider other requests as long as they still fall within the broader criteria of the grant

Eligibility

This grant is open to formal and informal organizations or community groups in Kitchener. The group can be newly formed for the purpose of a specific project or is a pre-existing group undertaking a project.

Applicants must meet the following application criteria:

  • the organization or group is led by and for Black, Indigenous and/or racialized individuals or groups in Kitchener
  • can demonstrate through a budget how groups or organizations propose to use funds, and agree to report back upon completion of the project, including accountability of all revenues, expenses and proof of purchases
  • the project, initiative or event will contribute to one or several of the following:
    • decrease inequities
    • increase opportunities
    • increase well-being for Black, Indigenous or other racialized community members in Kitchener

We will not provide grant funding, financial support or any other financial or in-kind contribution to any person, including any individual, body, business, or entity, that hosts, arranges, contributes to or promotes Conversion Practices. Learn more about this policy on LaserFiche.

Apply for the RISE Fund

Application for the fall cycle of the RISE fund will be open on September 30, 2024. 

Staff contacts

If you have questions about the grant criteria, eligibility, or potential alignment of your project, group or event with the objectives of the RISE Fund, please email Rea Parchment.

If you have questions about the grant process or completing the application form, please email Amanda Drumond or call 519-741-2200, ext. 7591.

Assessment process

Our Equity & Anti-Racism Advisory Committee is the selection committee for this grant. This committee includes 12 community members representing voices who have been historically underrepresented or excluded, specifically those who are Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQ+ identified, people with disabilities, religious minorities, and the intersections of these identities.

Staff provide facilitative and administrative support. City staff do not have voting privileges in the grant selection.

Grant agreements

All recipients of the RISE Fund will be expected to sign a contract with the City of Kitchener outlining the terms of the agreement in accordance with regulations provided by the City Solicitor.

Final financial reports must be submitted within 8 months of receiving your city-issued cheque unless otherwise discussed and agreed upon. Within the 8-month timeframe, we may request a status update from the recipient(s).

Accessibility and translation

We are committed to helping with all accessibility requests, including language translation. Applications may be submitted in languages other than English, and translation or interpretation services will be provided upon request. Paper versions of the application are also available upon request for pick-up at any of our community centres or City Hall. If you have any accessibility requirements, please email Amanda Drumond or call 519-741-2200, ext. 7591.

RISE Fund recipients

Open the accordions below to learn about previous RISE Fund recipients.

Anjuman-e-Fakhri

The RISE Fund will support Anjuman-e-Fakhri by helping with costs to install a chair lift, indoor and outdoor lighting, and an outdoor ramp to increase accessibility to the newly established mosque in Kitchener.
Bring On The Sunshine

The RISE Fund will support the launch of a Knowledge Hub pilot program which will engage youth, educators, parents/guardians, and the wider community.
Building Brilliance KW

The RISE Fund will support the Building Brilliance STEAM Summer Intensive Program.
Canadian Arab Women's Association

The RISE Fund will support the Strong Families Together project, a platform for workshops where Arab women come together to address various topics including parenting advice, housing issues, family law, domestic violence, community programs and accessing local resources.
Crow Shield Lodge

The RISE Fund will support two Indigenous youth culture camps.
Eritrean Islamic Community of Waterloo Region

The RISE Fund will support music and dance therapy sessions that use traditional Eritrean music and dance forms to promote emotional release, stress reduction, and cultural preservation.
Inner Compass Therapy

The RISE Fund will support the Unmasking Wellness and Prioritizing Self-Care event, a 5-part workshop series focused on de-stigmatizing mental health in the Black community through culturally appropriate and sensitive tools and resources.
Kingsdale Community Garden

The RISE Fund will support a gardening plot preparation event for the new gardening season that includes 2 garden workdays in May 2024 and a community connection day in July 2024.
KW Urban Native Wigwam Project

The RISE Fund will support the fortification and expansion of programming in the areas of cultural enrichment and life skills development.
Nigerians in the Region of Waterloo

The RISE Fund will support the A Taste of Motherland project – an Afrocentric cooking class adapting traditional African cuisines to locally available ingredients.
Sporas

The RISE Fund will support wages for workshop facilitators, maintaining essential subscriptions, securing inclusive venues, and covering internal costs for events and logistics.