The partnership is expected to help bring justice to black communities in Ontario
The Law Foundation of Ontario has announced its partnership with the Black Opportunity Fund to support its inaugural Criminal Justice granting stream.
The Black Opportunity Fund is a community-led charitable organization that challenges anti-Black racism by responding to the long-standing underinvestment in Black communities and working nationally to strengthen collective actions by Black organizations and leaders. The Criminal Justice granting stream aim to support Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused nonprofit organizations that provide justice-related services to Black communities.
The Black Opportunity Fund recently announced the recipients of the Criminal Justice stream grants, each receiving $25,000 or $50,000. Notably, six recipients are specifically funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario. These organizations combine practical legal assistance with comprehensive support that delves into the root causes of criminal activities.
The six projects supported by the Law Foundation of Ontario cover many services. They include practical support services for Black youth and their families navigating the youth justice system, diversion programs for justice-involved Black youth, empowerment programs for Black girls and women to access services and share their experiences with sexual violence, and workshops led by Black law professionals to inform racialized youth about their legal rights and how to access information and support.
Lisa Cirillo, CEO of The Law Foundation of Ontario, expressed excitement about the partnership. “Enabling equity and justice are key priorities of our grantmaking. Our partnership allowed the Black Opportunity Fund to double the granting dollars available, increasing justice-related services and access to justice for Black communities in Ontario.”
Following TD Bank’s TD Ready Commitment’s initial $200,000 investment, the Foundation provided an additional $200,000. The Black Opportunity Fund hosted a call for applications in the spring of 2023 and led a rigorous, community-led adjudication process.
“The Law Foundation of Ontario’s support has allowed the Black Opportunity Fund to expand the reach of our 2023 granting program,” said Craig Wellington, Black Opportunity Fund’s executive director. “Through this funding, we are able to catalyze even more impact by increasing our support to Black-led, Black-serving, and Black-focused not-for-profits and charities, who are leading amazing initiatives in our priority focus area of criminal justice.”
“We congratulate all the grantees, our colleagues at the Black Opportunity Fund, and our fellow funder TD Ready Commitment. We look forward to hearing about the projects and their impact,” Cirillo added.
