Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund

The Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund supports Black Canadians to develop more culturally focused knowledge, capacity and programs to improve mental health in their communities.

October 2025

The Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund supports Black Canadians to develop more culturally focused knowledge, capacity and programs to improve mental health in their communities.

Promoting Health Equity: Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund

Stream 1– Incubator stream

Advancing African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) Perinatal Mental Healthcare: Assessment, Advocacy and Action
Lead/Recipient: CO-CREATH Lab, University of Ottawa
Location: National Capital Region, Ontario and Quebec
Start date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The goal of this study is to strengthen perinatal mental health services for Black birthing people by developing culturally informed, evidenced based resources that translate into responsive community mental health programs and public policy. The project will generate Canadian race-based data on perinatal mental health by engaging ACB communities and multiple stakeholders, including:

• Black birthing people
• counselling professionals
• perinatal educators
• doulas
• midwives
• policy makers

This data will help increase awareness of the structural determinants impacting Black birthing people’s mental health and their access to mental healthcare. Stakeholder insights will guide the development of education modules and online webinars, which will be shared with community health clinics, fertility centres and faith-based organizations to increase their local capacity and improve the delivery of culturally-responsive perinatal mental health supports for the target population.

At the Heart of Change: Supporting the Mental Health of Black Women Facing Professional Challenges
Lead/Recipient: Bien Être Noir
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Start Date: April 2025
Duration: 11 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: This project aims to support the mental health of Black women in strategic positions or engaged in entrepreneurship by responding concretely to the professional challenges they face. It is based on a participatory approach, strategic collaborations, and practical tools. The main activities of the project include:

• setting up a working committee and recruiting the project team
• establishing partnerships with key players in the fields of mental health, employment equity, and entrepreneurship
• recruiting Black women executives, professionals, or entrepreneurs who wish to participate in the project
• organizing collaborative workshops and discussion spaces to identify needs, co-develop tailored solutions, and strengthen skills in:
  • stress management
  • self-confidence
  • resilience in the face of discrimination
  • achieving psychological balance at work

At the end of the project, 2 concrete tools will be produced:

• a guide with guidelines for creating strategic or entrepreneurial readiness programs for Black women
• a practical guide for employers wishing to integrate psychosocial risk assessment into their management practices

Black Food Insecurity
Lead/Recipient: bXposed - Diversity in Sports
Location: Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $22,700
In brief: The project is focused on food insecurity in Black communities in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and developing resources to find culturally appropriate food and food banks. The project will identify and compile local food banks, community kitchens, and food literacy programs available in Brampton and surrounding areas that specifically cater to the needs of Black families with the help of key partners. That list will be distributed in various formats and languages to at least 50 Black families in Brampton. The project will also prepare and distribute container gardening kits (with containers, soil, seeds, and other necessary tools) to participants based on interest. Finally, the project will provide support and guidance to participants through workshops and ongoing communications and sustain this support by creating a community forum or support group to connect participants and share progress.

Black Youth Empowerment and Social Inclusion for Mental Well-being (“B YES” Program)
Lead/Recipient: Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC (ACPNet)
Location: Vancouver, Surrey, West Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Delta, and White Rock, British Columbia
Start Date: March 2025
Duration:13 month
Funding amount: $99,984
In brief: The project aims to identify gaps and increase understanding of the unique barriers to mental health resources through an environmental scan, needs assessment, and literature review. It will build capacity through peer mentorship and skills development by:

• training 5 peer mentors
• providing 5 skills-building workshops for Black youth on topics like:
  • computer literacy
  • English language learning
  • soft skills
  • strategic job searching
  • resume writing.

The project will also organize 3 storytelling activities, 3 conversation circles, and 3 drama workshops to create safe spaces for Black youth to share experiences, increase mental health awareness and build community connections. These activities will promote a sense of belonging by helping Black youth to feel part of the community that supports their unique identities.

The Brotherhood Connect Mental Health Program
Lead/Recipient: Ruth's House Society
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Start Date: March 2025
Duration:13 months
Funding amount: $80,000
In brief: This project focuses on the mental health challenges faced by Black men, particularly those affected by domestic violence, in the context of key social determinants of health. This project will offer culturally relevant mental health resources, support, and education through workshops and discussions. Sessions guided by community leaders and mental health professionals will focus on:

• trauma
• mental health
• domestic violence

Youth Momentum: Rise and Shine
Lead/Recipient: Wazazi
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project aims to strengthen the mental health of Black youth in Canada, particularly those facing trauma related to systemic racism and social and economic challenges. Project activities include:

• interactive workshops on mental health and psychological well-being for young Black students
• collective healing circles in schools, community centers, and cultural spaces
• intergenerational mentoring sessions, where young people will be paired with Black mentors trained to support their resilience in the face of academic and social challenges
• parenting workshops focused on family and community support
• the creation of intergenerational support networks
• the formation of a core group of Black community leaders, mentors, and teachers to act as mental health ambassadors
• the development of bilingual (French and English) educational resources on mental health, focused on the cultural specificities and needs of Black communities
• the development of collaborations with key local organizations, with the ultimate goal of creating a network for sharing best practices among partners

Empowering Generations: Strengthening Mental Health and Social Connections for Black Seniors and Youth in Calgary
Lead/Recipient: Calgary Black Seniors Foundation
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $99,900
In brief: The project addresses the high rates of social isolation, intergenerational disconnection, and mental health challenges among Black seniors and youth in Calgary. The project will deliver tailored mental health workshops, including stress management, coping mechanisms, and basic needs support designed specifically for Black communities. The project will also focus on building community networks by fostering intergenerational connections between Black seniors and youth.

Intersectional Experiences and Mental Health: How Black LGBTQIA+ Mental Health Needs Are Met in Canada
Lead/Recipient: Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $98,658
In brief: This project addresses the unique barriers Black LGBTQIA+ immigrants and refugees face in Canada by highlighting the intersecting impacts of mental health stigma, racism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination in Vancouver. The project aims to influence educational institutions, government and community programs to address these detrimental inequities. The project will hire a Community Outreach Coordinator to collaborate with the charity Rainbow Refugee, which caters to the LGBTQIA+ immigrant and refugee people in Vancouver, to ensure interventions are developed based on population needs. The project will also partner with Health Data Research Network Canada to develop surveys, focus group rubrics, demographic questionnaires, and testimonial forms to collect valuable data to guide the interventions.

“Together for Health Equity” Project
Lead/Recipient: Chez nous média 2007 (LAKAY)
Location: Lanaudière, Quebec
Start Date: April 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project targets mental health inequalities faced by Black communities in Lanaudière, exacerbated by systemic racism, economic inequalities, and a lack of culturally appropriate services. The organization plans to organize community consultations with youth, single-parent families, and newcomers to identify their specific needs. Project activities include:

• capacity-building workshops with mental health professionals and community stakeholders on culturally appropriate practices, systemic racism, and intersectionality
• development of a practical resource guide for practitioners and the community, including recommendations and references to culturally appropriate services
• creation of an online platform to share resources, organize webinars, and disseminate knowledge to a wider audience
• organization of community events to mobilize the community and strengthen social cohesion

Promoting Mental Health Awareness Through Black Filmmaking in Manitoba
Lead/Recipient: Manitoba African Film Festival Inc.
Location: Manitoba
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project aims to increase awareness and understanding among young Black filmmakers of mental health issues affecting Black Canadians. It will focus on the creation of culturally informed short films that highlight the mental health challenges faced by Black communities in Canada, particularly Manitoba. Through co-design workshops, community consultations, and feedback sessions, the project will engage Black youth, women, immigrants, and mental health professionals to ensure the stories reflect authentic lived experiences and foster ongoing dialogue within the community.

Let's get together: Healing and wellness space for Black seniors
Lead/Recipient: Collectif Art et Mémoire
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project aims to transform access to mental health for seniors of African descent by creating a holistic support model that combines a deep understanding of cultural realities and best practices in care. A culturally appropriate space will be created to serve as a refuge for Black seniors and promote their mental well-being through:

• intergenerational workshops
• mental health awareness workshops led by psychologists and community experts
• community celebrations
• thematic discussion groups

The project will also offer:

• psychosocial support programs
• training for mental health professionals and social workers to improve the quality of care provided to Black seniors
• training for families to raise awareness about mental health among seniors
• partnership development with other key stakeholders to increase the organization's capacity

At the end of the project, educational materials such as brochures, videos, and guides will be created to disseminate relevant information on the mental health of older adults of African descent.

The Shine Project: Nurturing Black Women’s Growth in New Brunswick
Lead/Recipient: Shine Gathering for Women Foundation
Location: Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John, New Brunswick
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $70,963
In brief: The project addresses the mental health disparities faced by Black women, particularly women who migrated from the Caribbean and Africa, with various citizenship statuses. The proposed project targets mental health risk factors linked to key social determinants of health:

• income and social status
• gender
• social supports
• coping skills
• the often unspoken challenges associated with migration such as trauma, family violence, and discrimination

Outcomes of these challenges can severely impact mental health and overall well‑being. Participants will engage in a structured, bilingual curriculum designed to foster inner healing, resilience, and leadership capacity though workshops, retreat events, and awareness sessions. Sessions will address trauma, coping strategies, and personal growth, and will foster sustained well‑being and leadership readiness among Black women across New Brunswick.

Socialization and Recreational Activities for Mental Health
Lead/Recipient: Black Canadians for Cultural, Educational and Economic Progress
Location: Windsor and Kitchener, Ontario
Start Date: April 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The objective is to create culturally focused mental health programs that foster a sense of community, cultural connection, and emotional well-being for Black Canadian seniors. It aims to reduce social isolation and reconnect seniors and family with their cultural roots through the development and implementation of monthly community-based activities, including dance classes, traditional games, and movie nights. The project will promote mental well-being by creating safe spaces for seniors and family to share their experiences and challenges, fostering emotional support and resilience. It will also facilitate intergenerational programs where seniors can share cultural practices with younger generations, promoting a sense of purpose and cultural pride. Finally, the project will improve accessibility by providing transportation support and information sessions on navigating Canada’s social and health systems to enhance seniors’ engagement with available mental health resources.

Strengthening Families Initiative (SFI): Pathways to Healing (Focus on mental health)
Lead/Recipient: Centre de ressources communautaires de Côte-des-Neiges / Snowdon
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project aims to address the over-representation of English-speaking Black children and youth in Montreal’s child welfare system. It will develop and implement culturally responsive, trauma-informed practices to provide tailored support for individuals and families navigating these systems. This will involve training and upscaling staff, conducting a community needs assessment, and identifying gaps in services. The project will also establish sustainable, community-based support networks that offer resources and assistance to prevent system intervention, help families stay together, and ensure individuals receive the preventive and crisis response support they need. Key activities include:

• mapping and promoting existing trauma-informed, culturally adapted resources
• compiling tools and best practices to ensure sustainability
• creating an interdisciplinary advisory committee

Finally, the project will collect and analyze data to monitor outcomes for Black children, individuals, and families to inform effective interventions and drive long-term systemic change.

SUVAT Youth Healing and Empowerment Hub (SUVAT: Survivors of Violence and Trafficking)
Lead/Recipient: Uzima Women Relief Group International
Location: Scarborough, Durham Region, Brampton, Toronto, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The project will create a culturally relevant, trauma-informed space where Black youth can access mental health resources that speak to their unique experiences. The SUVAT Hub will offer peer support networks, self-care tools, and mental health workshops that focus on resilience, empowerment, and healing. The aim is to normalize conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and help youth build strong and supportive networks. Activities will include:

• creating an advisory committee to support the delivery of the project
• community needs assessment
• creating and distributing bilingual, trauma-informed, culturally grounded resource materials
• an upgraded, interactive SUVAT platform, offering:
  • virtual peer support groups o mental health resources
  • self-help modules tailored for Black youth and survivors
  • training and best practices resources for organization staff and volunteers on trauma-informed and culturally competent practices and development of key partnerships

Stream 2 – Scale-up Implementation stream

ArTeMo
Lead/Recipient: Council for the Advancement of African Canadians in Alberta (Africa Centre)
Location: Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, Alberta; Regina, Saskatchewan
Start Date: April 2025
Duration: 12 months
Funding amount: $100,000
In brief: The primary goal of this project is to enhance participants' understanding of mental health, its determinants, and raise awareness on available mental health resources. This project aims to enhance community engagement and build stronger social support networks within Black communities, to help address mental health challenges. Activities will include educational workshops, mentorship opportunities, and community training.

Fostering African, Caribbean, Black (ACB) Women’s Mental Health Wellness Gathering
Lead/Recipient: Women's Health in Women's Hands
Location: Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and Windsor, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $111,600
In brief: After the successful adaptation and pilot testing of the Living Life to the Full Course, a group-based interactive course based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Women's Health in Women's Hands is expanding the capacity and use of a peer-led model that improves the mental health of ACB women, through the creation of positive space for connections and collective wellness. This scale-up project offers the course to ACB women in addition to offering eLearning training to other organizations, which in turn will offer the course to ACB women within the communities that they serve.

Halumbe Wellness Project: Supporting the Mental Health of Black Youth in Ottawa
Lead/Recipient: Centre for Resilience and Social Development
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: The project aims to promote the mental health and well-being of Black youth in the Ottawa School District, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through culturally relevant mental health interventions, the project will increase knowledge of the unique mental health needs and challenges faced by Black youth in Canada among teachers, administrators, and parents. This will include raising awareness on the role that social determinants of health play in shaping barriers to access mental health services. By promoting resilience and building capacity among the Black community, the program will help to reduce stigma and improve access to mental health support services for Black youth.

Illuminate - Improving access to Mental Health healthcare services for 2SLGBTQI+ Black Youth
Lead/Recipient: Black Health Alliance
Location: Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: Illuminate is a sector strategy and research initiative designed to set the foundation for systemic change in the delivery of mental healthcare services for Black 2SLGBTQI+ youth. Grounded in an intersectional and systems-change approach, the project seeks to identify and address the barriers that Black 2SLGBTQI+ youth encounter when accessing mental health supports. By centring the lived experiences of youth and actively engaging sector partners, Illuminate aims to build a more equitable and responsive mental healthcare system structured around 3 core activities:

1. Consultations with Black 2SLGBTQI+ youth and key sector stakeholders, including Black and Queer led community organizations and healthcare providers, to understand needs, priorities, and systemic gaps
2. Strategic partnership development to foster cross-sector collaboration
3. Co-development of resources that will inform an actionable sector strategy to drive long-term improvements in access and delivery of mental health services

Justice Hoodstique
Lead/Recipient: Événement Hoodstock
Location: Montreal, Quebec
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $124,973
In brief: The project is a restorative justice initiative that heals the social structure. It offers a series of workshops specifically designed for the unique needs of young people in the Black community aged 12 to 17 and adults aged 18 and over who have been charged with a criminal offense. The main activities of the project include retreats; during which various workshops are offered on topics like Black history, self-esteem, individual rights, yoga, Kasala, and emotion management. The goal is to work on self-rebuilding and repairing harm in the community. Once the program is successfully completed, the charges against the accused are dismissed so that they do not have a criminal record. Finally, the project will organize various events such as discussions, presentations, and workshops to raise awareness about restorative justice among the general public.

The Kit for Centering Black Youth Wellbeing
Lead/Recipient: York University (YouthREX)
Location: National
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: The project aims to reach over 500 youth-serving practitioners across Canada, providing them with tools to foster safer, more inclusive environments for Black youth. Activities will include online events, webinars, and in-person workshops for youth workers. Using newsletters, online content, and media outreach, YouthREX will share Black youth mental health resources widely between diverse youth sector stakeholders (including youth, youth workers, policymakers, and academics) in formats that are accessible, timely, and relevant. The project will also offer an interactive platform for practitioners to continue engaging on learnings from the Centering Black Youth Wellbeing certificate and to take action against anti-Black racism. This scale-up project is Canada-wide, with the exception of the in-person workshops within Ontario-based institutions and youth organizations.

Mindful Health Empowerment Network
Lead/Recipient: Black Creek Community Health Centre
Location: Toronto (Jane and Finch Neighbourhood), Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $116,407
In brief: This project provides a comprehensive support system for Black youth in the Jane and Finch neighbourhood in Toronto by focusing on mental health and well-being supports. Key activities will include:

• academic and employment support where project staff will monitor progress and provide assistance with job seeking and career coaching
• life skills workshops
• field trips

The activities will increase Black youth mental health literacy through methods and strategies with which they can relate, including art-based activities. It will also provide a safe, respectful space where Black youth feel heard, valued and validated. The project will facilitate youth-adult mental health conversations, offering a platform for free discussions about mental health from both youth and adult perspectives within a cultural context. The project will bring together elders and community mentors in a safe space to share challenges, hopes, and dreams, fostering intergenerational dialogue.

Mobilizing Partnerships Project (Phase follow-up): Putting Resources into Action through Social Prescribing
Lead/Recipient: Dalhousie University
Location: Tri-County region and Halifax, Nova Scotia
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $124,834
In brief: The project aims to help those of African descent, who have received an impact of race and culture assessment report prior to conviction, build sustainable support networks that assist their reintegration into the community and to upscale the social prescribing effort of the previous phase of the project. Project activities will include:

• providing ongoing support for participants through by implementing social prescribing interventions
• establishing data tracking documents and data analysis on social prescriptions
• developing 3 Black-focused health and wellness videos based on existing training modules, to be used in institutions and community organizations
• developing 2 new Black-focused health and wellness training modules, to be used in institutions and community organizations
• publishing journal articles
• developing infographics

Our Stories, Our Voices: Mental Health Narratives and the Black LGBTQ+ Experience
Lead/Recipient: Wildseed Centre for Art & Activism (In partnership with Adornment Stories)
Location: Greater Toronto Area, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: This project delivers culturally affirming, trauma-informed interventions to support Black LGBTQ+ individuals in Canada. It builds on evidence-based initiatives by creating restorative and safe spaces through retreats and gatherings that foster healing, community connection, and resilience against the compounded impacts of anti-Black racism, gender-based violence, and intersectional oppression. The project will also center Black LGBTQ+ voices in leadership and knowledge-sharing programs. To strengthen long-term impact, the project will provide mentorship, training, and honorariums to emerging Black LGBTQ+ leaders, fostering their representation in the mental health field. The Gathering will convene 50 attendees to explore systemic barriers in mental health services for black LGBTQ+ individuals.

Theatre for Positive Mental Health
Lead/Recipient: Moyo Health and Community Services
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $124,048
In brief: This project will address significant mental health needs of the African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) communities through a series of tailored sessions and participatory theatre. Collaborative efforts with Peer Advisory Group members will inform improved practice for mental health service providers. The project will also develop case-based learning tools with a focus on social determinants of health for the target audiences. Over the course of 8 weekly sessions, ACB individuals will participate in targeted set of activities, trainings and outreach events on the unique determinants of health that impact Black people. The group sessions that include participatory theatre will provide protective factors against mental health challenges and further bolster the program's reach and ensure it remains responsive to community needs.

The Umoja project
Lead/Recipient: Abiona Centre for Infant & Early Mental Health
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: The project will develop and test a home-visiting model to promote positive mental health, resilience, and educational attainment and outcomes for Black adolescent mothers and their children. The model is based on previous successful home visiting models. Families will be supported in their own homes and schools by professionals and paraprofessionals offering them support and services they need to:

• stay in school
• find housing
• receive mental health support
• access health care and other critical resources

Upscale and Impact assessment of Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) for Africans in Diaspora
Lead/Recipient: Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario
Location: Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $124,159
In brief: The project aims to improve mental health awareness, support, and resilience within Black, African, and Caribbean communities by increasing access to culturally relevant MHFA training and resources. The organization will deliver MHFA training sessions in various provinces, reaching over 2,500 individuals. In addition, they will establish a community facilitation support network, which will include a peer mentoring program and a virtual community of practice platform to enhance the facilitation skills of trained MHFA instructors. Finally, the project will create a storytelling workshop and conduct story synthesis to capture the experiences and insights of participants.

Youth Mental Wellness Program
Lead/Recipient: Aspire for Higher Elite Basketball
Location: Brampton, Mississauga, and Ajax, Ontario
Start Date: March 2025
Duration: 13 months
Funding amount: $125,000
In brief: Based on an existing program, this project will implement a 12-week health promotion after school program to educate Black youth about mental health using an anti-Black racism lens. This intervention will engage Black youth aged 12 to 14 and train program facilitators aged 15 to 34. Evidence-based, culturally-appropriate curriculum through in-class learning sessions and on-court basketball sessions, will be implemented twice a week. The project will also continue its collaboration with YouthREX to publish program data from January 2022 to May 2023. The project plans to submit the findings to academic journals focused on youth mental health, contributing to the limited literature on Black mental health in Canada and potentially informing the development of a National Black Mental Health Strategy.

Stream 3 – Knowledge Mobilization Network

Amandla Olwazi 2.0 – Mobilizing knowledge through Roda circles
Lead/Recipient: TAIBU Community Health Centre
Location: National
Duration: 13 months, March 2025 to March 2026
Funding amount: $229,640
In brief: TAIBU will work collaboratively with the Public Health Agency of Canada, Mental Health of Black Canadians (MHBC) funded projects and the MHBC Working Group to develop a National Knowledge Mobilization Plan to help maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of MHBC-funded projects’ activities and impact. To help inform the supports needed by MHBC-funded projects, TAIBU will also conduct a needs assessment with funding recipients to identify useful products and activities. 5 capacity building knowledge products and 2 knowledge events will be developed in collaboration with new MHBC-funded projects to support community organizations’ in building sustainability and resilience. In addition, TAIBU will also conduct an assessment of the Black Wellness Network website to identify traffic, engagement opportunities, enhance user experience, and maintain and expand the Black Wellness Network.