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Youth Justice Fund

Objectives

The Youth Justice Fund provides grants and contributions to projects that encourage a more effective youth justice system, respond to emerging youth justice issues and enable greater citizen and community participation in the youth justice system.  Projects must meet at least one of the following objectives:

  • Establish special measures for violent young offenders;
  • Improve the system’s ability to rehabilitate and reintegrate young offenders;
  • Increase the use of measures, outside the formal court process, that are often more effective in addressing some types of less serious offending;
  • Establish a more targeted approach to the use of custody for young people; and
  • Increase the use of community-based sentences for less serious offending.

Eligible Activities

The Fund supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects that provide programming and services for youth in conflict with the law.  It supports professional development activities, such as training and conferences, for justice professionals and youth service providers. Additionally, it funds research on the youth justice system and related issues.

Projects must target youth who are between the ages of 12 and 17 and currently in conflict with the law, or justice professionals and/or service providers who work with these youth. Please note that the Fund cannot support projects focusing on youth who are “at risk of” becoming involved in the criminal justice system, but not actually involved.

For a full listing of eligible activities, see Terms and Conditions for Youth Justice Fund Grants and Terms and Conditions for Youth Justice Fund Contributions.

Funding Components

Funding flows through three components: the Youth Justice Main Fund, Drug Treatment and Guns, Gangs and Drugs. Funding priorities within the Main Fund are determined annually; priority target groups or activities may also be set within the Drug Treatment and Guns, Gangs and Drugs components.  All projects must meet one of the Fund’s identified priorities.

Further details on funding criteria for each component are available at the links below:

Application Procedures and Funding Limits

Applications for funding are normally received and evaluated on an ongoing basis.  The Fund also periodically issues Calls for Proposals for projects that address emerging issues or specific priorities.

The Fund generally supports projects for no more than $500,000, for a period of up to three years. The funding amount is determined by assessing the individual project proposal.

Youth Justice cannot provide operational costs to sustain existing programs. For further information, see Youth Justice Fund Approval Process.

Who Can Apply

Any of the following may be eligible for funding:

  • Non-profit community organizations, societies, and associations which have voluntarily associated themselves for a non-profit purpose;
  • Canadian institutions/boards of education;
  • Bands, First Nations, Tribal Councils, local, regional and national Aboriginal organizations;
  • Provincial, territorial and municipal governments and their agencies and institutions;
  • Private sector organizations as long as such organizations will not make a profit on the work performed;
  • For-profit enterprises, research/evaluation organizations and individuals are eligible for funding to conduct research and evaluation activities; and,
  • Individuals.

Additional Resources

Youth Justice Fund Feature Projects

Awards

Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award

For Further Information, Contact:

Youth Justice Policy
Department of Justice Canada
180 Elgin Street, 7th floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
Fax: (613) 954-3275
E-Mail: Youth-Jeunes@justice.gc.ca

Date Modified: 2012-11-09

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