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Application Deadlines: September 15, 2025 (4pm EST)
Program Summary:
Youth Forums Canada is a component of the Exchanges Canada Program. It provides funding to organizations in Canada that offer workshops and conferences to youth — generally aged 14 to 25 — that may cover topics such as history and society, arts, culture and communities, official languages, geography, industry, institutions, and democracy in Canada.
The Program ultimately aims to provide participants with experiences that contribute to the development of their sense of belonging to Canada, based on 3 key objectives :
- Participants create meaningful connections with youth from other backgrounds in Canada
- Participants have a better understanding of the shared aspects of the Canadian experience that unite the people living in Canada
- Participants have a better understanding of diversity in Canada
What It Funds:
Eligible projects for funding must include activities designed to achieve measurable objectives and positive outcomes. Activities must take place between April 1 of the year immediately following the application date and be completed by March 31 of the following year or by March 31 of a subsequent year if funding is requested for more than 12 months.
To be eligible for funding from Youth Forums Canada, your project must meet all of the following requirements:
- be a national or interprovincial/interterritorial forum for young people, for example workshops, conferences, thematic exchanges or other experiences that meet the objectives of Youth Forums Canada
- last at least 3 full days (excluding travel time) and include a total program length of a minimum of 18 hours of workshops and activities
- include participants who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada who are generally between the ages of 14 and 25 (except adult supervisors)
- contribute to the achievement of the objectives of Youth Forums Canada
An organization’s annual general assembly, projects that support the regular and ongoing operations of an organization, and projects whose primary purpose is competition (for example, a sport tournament) are not eligible for funding.
Projects cannot receive financial support from both the Exchanges Canada and the Youth Take Charge programs.
Grant Amount:
The Program can fund up to 100% of eligible expenses or up to $20,000 per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) in the case of grants, and 100% of eligible expenses up to $10,000,000 per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) in the case of contributions. However, please note that the average amount awarded by Youth Forums Canada ranges generally from $20,000 to $200,000.
Eligible Applicants:
The following organizations are eligible for funding:
- a non-profit organization legally constituted under relevant federal or provincial law
- a provincial or territorial government
- a public or private school
- a school board or other educational institution, such as a college or university
All applicant organizations must have at least 3 years of experience delivering youth programs with appropriate and adequate security and safety policies and procedures in place for the delivery of a youth project.
