Why MIC Is Fundable
MIC is a rare thing: a reconciliation program that is faith-rooted, youth-led, and internationally recognized, running on a lean, transparent budget. It was selected as a successful engagement model at the 2025 Global Youth Work Conference in Malaysia (organized by the Commonwealth Secretariat) – external validation earned by a small Toronto community program, not a large institution. Self-reported outcomes from the 2025 cohort show measurable gains in youth understanding of both Islamic and Indigenous perspectives on reconciliation, and youth rate the overall experience highly.
What Funding Enables
A single MIC cohort (roughly 25 youth over a 12-week season) has run on an anticipated budget in the neighbourhood of $28,000 – covering facilitator honoraria, the panel discussion, the full-day site visit, youth micro-project grants, graduation, staffing, marketing, and logistics. Specific, fundable pieces include:
- Youth micro-project grants – small grants (historically around $200-250 per group) that let youth carry out their own reconciliation-focused projects.
- The site visit – transportation, honoraria for Indigenous guides, and site access fees for a full-day visit to a former residential school and surrounding community sites.
- Facilitator and Elder honoraria – compensating the imams, Elders, and educators who lead each session.
- Graduation – a community celebration event marking each cohort’s completion.
Growth Plan: 25 → Up to 50 Youth a Year
MIC’s 2026-2029 growth proposal would fund two simultaneous cohorts – one in GTA East, one in GTA West – reaching up to 50 youth annually and an estimated 150 youth over three years, with each cohort’s program deepening from 7-8 to 12 structured sessions.