CYEI Request for Proposals

The CYEI 2024 request for proposals is focused on improving employment outcomes by supporting bridging initiatives within the youth employment system in Calgary. Initiatives will enhance (not duplicate) existing services in the community, connecting programs (e.g. pre-employment to workforce development) or sectors (e.g. nonprofit employment service provider to employer). Initiatives can be focused on building capacity, relationships, or collaborations to increase effectiveness and improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults aged 18-29 facing barriers to employment.

Grant Priorities

Funding will support projects that contribute to improving employment outcomes for youth and young adults facing barriers to employment, a group which includes:

• Indigenous individuals;
• Black and other racialized individuals;
• 2SLGBTQI+ individuals;
• Individuals with disabilities;
• Newcomers;
• Individuals who are early leavers from high school;
• Individuals living in low-income households;
• Individuals experiencing unstable housing;
• Individuals transitioning out of or formerly in the care of Children’s Services; and
• Individuals having past experiences with the justice system.

For these youth and young adults, barriers often intersect making them more likely to be “Opportunity Youth” – people aged between 18 and 29 who are not in school, training or currently employed.

Projects that focus on any of the following will be prioritized:

• Initiatives aimed at addressing the specific employment needs and challenges faced by youth and young adults from the above groups.
• Bridging: Initiatives aimed at facilitating transitions between pre-employment programming, workforce development programming and employment.
• Collaboration: Initiatives aimed at fostering collaboration between youth-serving agencies and/or facilitating partnerships between youth-serving agencies and employers with the goal of working together to reduce barriers to young people seeking employment.

We anticipate that funded initiatives will align with one or more of the following outcomes:

• Improved access to employment supports/services for youth and young adults facing barriers to employment.
• Increased employment among youth and young adults facing barriers to employment.
• Enhanced partnerships between employers and youth-serving agencies.
• Improved collaboration among service providers offering employment programming to youth and young adults facing barriers to employment.
• Increased collaboration among service providers engaging with youth and young adults facing barriers to employment and those offering employment programming.

Eligibility and Funding Details

To be eligible for the grant, organizations must be:

• Non-profit or charitable organizations registered to operate in Alberta and currently operating in Calgary.
• Experienced in working to support youth and young adult transitions to employment in Calgary.
• Willing and able to engage with the CFT partners and other CYEI funded organizations to advance the field of knowledge around youth employment in Calgary.

The Calgary Youth Employment Initiative is now CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS for its 2024 funding program.