The Law Foundation of Ontario is pleased to again be partnering with the Black Opportunity Fund. In September 2024, the Foundation approved a grant of $460K, more than double our previous investment, to support year-two of the Black Opportunity Fund’s Justice Grant Program.
Along with additional funds from TD Bank’s TD Ready Commitment fund, the Foundation grant allows the Black Opportunity Fund to expand the number and duration of grants to Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused not-for-profits that provide justice-related services to Black communities. The grant also provides funds to cover some administrative expenses, in recognition of the resources required to manage the granting stream.
The Justice Grant Program call for applications is now open and initial grant disbursements are planned for early 2025. The Black Opportunity Fund leads a rigorous review and community-led adjudication process to select successful grantees. Projects selected for the Foundation funding will align with our mission, directly benefiting people in Ontario with knowledge and services that help them understand the law and use it to improve their lives.
In the first year of the Justice Grant Program, the Foundation’s grant of $200K supported six programs, all which coupled practical legal help with wraparound supports that explore the underlying causes of crime. The projects offered practical support services for Black youth and their families navigating the youth justice system; diversion programs for justice-involved Black youth; support to empower Black girls and women to access services and disclose their experiences with sexual violence; and workshops delivered by Black law professionals to inform racialized youth about their legal rights and how to access information and support.
