News Releases

News Release - Manitoba

September 26, 2022

Manitoba Government Invites Non-Profit Organizations and Charities to Apply for Grants Under the Journey to Independence Fund

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Support for Innovative Programming to Help Employment and Income Assistance Clients Find Employment and Regain Independence: Squires

The Manitoba government is calling on non-profit organizations and registered charities to apply for short-term grants of up to $300,000 under the Journey to Independence Fund, Families Minister Rochelle Squires announced today.

“When a job seeker obtains employment, they have the chance to achieve greater financial stability, independence and a sense of accomplishment,” said Squires. “These grants will provide funding to organizations to develop innovative and supportive programming designed to meet Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) clients where they are and assist them with their unique journeys to independence.”

In 2021, the Manitoba government established a $20-million endowment fund with The Winnipeg Foundation. Annual revenue from the fund is used to award grants to organizations across Manitoba that improve access to community participation, create greater economic stability, and support meaningful transitions into the labour market for target populations within the EIA program, the minister noted.

For the 2022/23 fiscal year, $1 million in revenue will be allocated to the fund.

“SEED Winnipeg is pleased to see this investment to build the financial stability of Manitobans living on low levels of income,” said Carinna D’Abramo Rosales, co-director, SEED Winnipeg. “We applaud the province’s commitment to community engagement in the creation and implementation of this innovative fund.”

For the fund’s initial intake, proposals should aim to provide opportunities that:

  • improve access to community participation and labour market attachment for target populations within provincial social assistance programs; and
  • support the reduction of enrolment in government programs and long-term adherence to social assistance.

Eligible programs and services can include:

  • financial empowerment supports, such as financial literacy, access to identification, benefits navigations, as well as savings and asset building opportunities;
  • job coaching;
  • workforce integration;
  • job creation;
  • workplace mentorship;
  • work placements;
  • programming that offers wraparound supports;
  • wellness supports and services;
  • culturally appropriate programming; and
  • developing unique partnerships with employers and community supports.

Intake for applications opens Sept. 26 and closes Oct. 24.

For more information on the Journey to Independence Fund, visit https://gov.mb.ca/fs/eia/jif.html.

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