NEWS: Funding Opportunities for Youth
I am in awe of the youth today, and have so much confidence in them becoming impactful and inspiring leaders. Our future is in good hands. To ensure we continue to provide youth access to opportunities that will allow them to reach their full potential, this fall, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will be seeking funding proposals through three programs.
Organizations—large and small—that provide youth with opportunities to practise leadership, develop skills, and grow their personal and professional networks can apply.
Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) Program
Organizations help young people, especially those facing barriers to employment, gain the skills and work experience they need for a successful transition to the labour market. New this funding cycle, there will be an emphasis on supporting projects that target youth with disabilities. A call for proposals for the YESS Program will launch in October.
Canada Service Corps (CSC)
Organizations provide volunteer opportunities for youth (ages 12 to 30) to create meaningful change in communities across the country. Some exciting changes are being made to the CSC this year, which will make it easier for organizations to participate and will increase the number of youth eligible to take part in volunteer service opportunities.
For example, under certain streams of the program, the age of eligibility for participants is being expanded to include youth as young as 12 years old. A call for proposals for the CSC will launch in October.
Canada Summer Jobs
This program helps employers create summer job opportunities that provide valuable full-time work experiences for youth between the ages of 15 and 30. The call for applications for summer 2024 is expected to launch before the end of November 2023.
How to apply to these programs:
Organizations interested in applying for funding under these programs later this fall are encouraged to create an account now through the Grants and Contributions Online Services (GCOS) portal.
GCOS allows you to:
apply for funding and track your application status;
save your application and finish it later;
submit supporting documents;
set up direct deposit; and
access your account 24/7.
Creating a GCOS account is a one-time process that allows you to apply for these and other funding opportunities with Employment and Social Development Canada in a secure web environment.
Register for a GCOS account today and be ready to apply this fall. You can also sign up for email notifications. You’ll be among the first to find out about these and other ESDC funding opportunities as they become available.
When registering your GCOS account, you will need to provide your Canada Revenue Agency business number. If your organization does not have a business number, you will be able to apply for funding by email or postal mail.
For more information or assistance with your GCOS account:
Visit: Canada.ca/esdcgrantscontributions
Call: 1-800-367-5693 (7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday)
