ChangeX, supported by a Community Empowerment Fund award from Microsoft, has launched a fund to support registered nonprofits to start or expand impactful community projects in the City of Toronto and York Region. This is the first year of the Toronto Community Challenge. Eligible nonprofit organizations can choose from a curated portfolio of 11 proven ideas that have already had a positive impact in other communities around the world, or apply with an existing project. Local nonprofit organizations applying for funding to start one of the projects on offer will have 30 days to form a project team and develop an action plan. Once they have completed these steps, they will be eligible for start-up funding. Funding will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

The application deadline is December 15, 2023. Ideas on offer include Little Free Pantry, a grassroots, crowdsourced solution to help tackle food insecurity; FIRST LEGO League, a hands-on program that supports children aged 4 to 14 in developing STEM skills; and Eartheasy School Garden, which brings communities together by starting a school garden for education and fun. Hour of Code, another exciting initiative in the portfolio, is focused around teaching the next generation coding skills to equip them for the modern world.