Deadline: April 14, 2025
Applications are open for the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security Leadership Fund 2025. The Leadership Fund is a new grant program the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security piloted in 2024. Based on feedback from the 2024 grantees, they have made small changes and are offering the grant again in 2025.
The Leadership Fund is for emerging and experienced people leaders working for small-to-medium non-profits that work in food insecurity. The Fund is intended to support these leaders on their journey to gain the skills or practices they need to unlock the next level of impact in their career. The purpose of the Fund directly aligns with the Centre’s commitment to build capacity within the non-profit sector to address food insecurity and to alleviate the disproportionate impact of food insecurity among Black and Indigenous communities.
Grant
- Grants of $1,500 or $3,000 will be available to individual applicants to cover costs associated with self-directed learning opportunities – including attending workshops, knowledge-sharing gatherings, gaining certification, completion of courses, or fees associated with professional coaching or mentoring.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants must be:
- Canadian citizens;
- Paid staff of charities, non-profits, or grassroots organizations with an annual budget up to $2 million in the 2024 tax year;
- Working for organizations with a mission or vision aligned with the Centre’s focus on food insecurity;
- Able to spend the funds by July 2026.
Criteria
- The applicant demonstrates a high degree of self-awareness of the skills, competencies, or practices they need to grow in their career.
- The applicant can clearly connect the skill, competency, or practice to the next step(s) in their career journey or their career goals.
- Applicant has a plan for how they might start gaining this skill, competency, or practice with the help of the Leadership Fund.
Application
They ask you to submit the following written information on the form:
- Name
- Email address
- Role and organizational affiliation
- Organizational support for this application (yes/no)
- Organization annual budget in 2024 was $2 million or less (yes/no)
- Amount requested from the Leadership Fund ($1,500 or $3,000)
You will need to answer three questions, either in writing or by video. You can respond in English or French. If you choose to write your answers, use the space on the form (up to 750 words). If you prefer to record a video, upload your video file to the form. (up to 3 mins in length and max 1 GB, total).
- What skill, competency, or practice could the Leadership Fund help you achieve?
- How would having this skill, competency or practice help you overcome a challenge you have encountered and unlock the next level of your career? Provide an example or anecdote.
- What specific expenses are you hoping the Leadership Fund will help to cover?
For more information, visit Leadership Fund.
