Backgrounder - Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCCD)

Department for Women and Gender Equality – Women’s Program

One of the ways the Department for Women and Gender Equality advances gender equality in Canada is by providing funding to eligible organizations through the Women’s Program. Projects are selected via calls for proposals on specific themes, as well as through a continuous intake process that allows the Women’s Program to address emerging issues as they arise.                                                  

The Women’s Program funds projects that address systemic barriers to women’s equality in three priority areas: ending violence against women and girls; improving the economic security and prosperity of women and girls; and encouraging women and girls in leadership roles.

Capacity-building Call for Proposals

In October 2018, Minister Monsef announced a Call for Proposals under the Capacity-building Fund of the Women’s Program. Projects at the local, provincial, and national level were eligible for different amounts of funding, based on their specific need and reach.

On March 8, 2019, International Women’s Day, Minister Monsef announced that over 250 women’s organizations across the country would receive funding from the Capacity-building Fund.

The objective is to fund proposals that will increase the capacity of eligible women’s organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women, whose initiatives contribute to a viable women’s movement in Canada that advances gender equality. Funding will increase the ability of organizations to grow, meet the increasing demands for their services, and continue to work collectively to address gender equality issues. The fund stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to help support a viable and sustainable women’s movement across Canada.

Today’s announcement in Ajax, Ontario, profiled the following project selected for federal funding through the Capacity-building Fund:

Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCCD)

Project title: Digital Age after 25 Years of Service

Funding amount: $136,637

The WMRCCD will upgrade their online presence and create a digital platform that can serve the needs of women from diverse languages, cultures, customs, religions, and ethnicities. The four main objectives for restructuring and expansion are to develop a general strategy, prepare for a new digital presence, renew fundraising strategies, and develop a new partnership and communications plan.

The WMRCCD is a multicultural organization serving immigrant women and youth from all corners of the world. WMRCCD was founded in 1993 to provide services and increase public awareness of the rising incidences of violence against women in the community. They work from an integrated perspective of feminism, anti-racism, and anti-oppression to eradicate violence against immigrant women, newcomers, children and youth.