Youth Racial Equity Micro-Grants

The Racial Equity Micro-Grants program supports youth-led projects that create positive change in their communities. The program empowers young people to turn their ideas into action by funding initiatives that promote well-being, strengthen connections, and address community needs.

Projects that receive micro-grants need to be grounded in one or all the three core pillars – foster resilience, encourage healing, cultural safety. Students are encouraged to talk about racial equity in a way that reflects their own experiences and strengthens community capacity building.

Youth who:

• Are 16 to 24 years old.
• Are enrolled in school, college, or university in British Columbia.
• Live in British Columbia.
• Identify as Indigenous, racialized and/or experience racialization as a result of their faith.
• Have consent from a guardian, if below 18.
• Have an institutional sponsor – an authorized representative from a school, college, university, youth centres, or other organizations, who will guide the applicant throughout the project delivery and provide a letter of support.

Youth can receive up to $1,000 to support their project. Multiple youth can be included in a project, but funding provided is capped at $1,000 per project.

Projects should help foster community cohesion through addressing racial equity, raise awareness of community supports such as the Racist Incident Helpline, and guided by one or more of the core pillars: foster resilience, encourage healing, and cultural safety.

Proposed projects or examples include:

• TikTok videos 
• Instagram Reels 
• YouTube Shorts  
• Podcast 
• Jingle or short song 
• Poetry/Spoken word 
• Posters 
• Art show 
• Mural 
• Installation art 
• Picture poetry 
• Graphic short stories 
• School social event 
• School community speaker series
• School community cultural days calendar 
• School community newspaper project 
• Book Exchange & Book club 
• Cultural day celebrations 
• Multicultural BBQ 
• Cultural day display 
• Cultural safety discussions 

Youth are allowed to spend their funding on the following: 

• Equipment rental (e.g. lighting, sound, audio-visual equipment) 
• Project materials (e.g. pens, paper, art supplies, printing) 
• Honorariums and fees (e.g. artists, coaches, workshop facilitators) 
• Food and non-alcoholic beverages for participants and volunteers 

Expenses that are not allowed include:

• Fees not directly related to the project 
• Fundraising beyond project cost-recovery
• Major equipment purchases (e.g. furniture, printing machines, cameras, sound and audio device purchases, IT systems purchases)
• Alcoholic beverages and illegal substances

No, applicants don’t need previous experience. Applications will be judged on the strength of the idea and ability to meet the program criteria. Showing the ability to follow through with a commitment (e.g. finishing multi-month projects on time) also helps.

Yes, applicants need the support of an institutional sponsor. The sponsor may be a teacher, professor, or staff member from a school, college or university, or a program lead, manager, staff member from a registered organization.

The sponsor provides guidance, helps keep the project on track, and assists with administrative tasks. A letter of support saying that they are willing to help guide the project is required.

After an application is successful, the institutional sponsor will receive the grant funds and distribute them to the applicant in three payments or as expenses are incurred. The applicant and sponsor will agree on and sign a payment schedule which will be sent to the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch.

Projects need to be completed within 3 to 6 months of receiving funding or by May 31, 2027.

Applications are assessed based on:

• Project description and goals (What the project is about, what core pillar it is focused on, and what the applicant hopes to achieve)
• Community Impact (How the project will benefit people or improve the community)
• Equity and Inclusion Practices (How the project makes sure everyone is treated fairly and included, especially diverse or underserved groups)
• Sustainability or Legacy (How the project’s impact will continue after it ends)
• Project Plan and Budget (The steps the applicant will take to complete the project and how funding will be expensed)

As soon as applicants receive confirmation of funding, they will need to:

• Inform their sponsor and start the project
• Keep track of the project activities and spending
• Inform Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch staff of the details of the funded event, if one is planned
• Complete project by May 31, 2027
• Submit a short report, signed by the sponsor, at the end of the project

Once the project is completed, applicants will need to submit a final report which shows the following:

• A summary of what was done and who was reached, verified and signed by the institutional sponsor
• Photos, outcomes, or evidence of community engagement
• A clear explanation of how the funds were used

Youth may also be invited and provided travel allowance to participate in a Community of Practice event where they will present your work and share their experiences.

Recipients must promptly notify their sponsor and communicate their circumstances in writing to the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Branch at multiculturalism@gov.bc.ca. Include the following details in the communication:

• what happened and when
• which obligations are affected
• the expected duration and impact
• what reasonable steps are being taken to minimize effects
• what relief is being requested, such as an extension of project completion or reporting due date

If no remedy is possible, recipients will need to return the funds to the Province.

It’s a free, confidential service that supports people who experience or witness racism. It offers emotional support, information, referrals, and guidance on next steps.

Yes! This program is designed to be accessible for youth. You don’t need to be an expert, just explain your idea clearly.

Yes. People can reach out for support if they need help understanding the form, planning their project, or writing their answers. Having a mentor from their school or peers will also be helpful.

We want to make the application process easy for everyone. People who need help can contact program staff.

Yes. Youth from rural, remote, and underserved communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Yes. The program prioritizes Indigenous and racialized youth and supports projects based on their communities and experiences.