We support social justice work in the communities within and surrounding York University, through funding, programming, and advocacy.

We are made up of York faculty members. Any YUFA member is welcome to join us. YUFA-CP is led by 2 rotating co-chairs, who are nominated and elected by YUFA-CP members for a 2 year term. Click the button above to see a list of all members.

From 2009 to 2016 we were funded in part by YUFA, and in part by a levy voted on by members each year (i.e., members voted to each contribute $2 a year to help support us). We were subsequently moved to the YUFA Trust/Foundation budget for a 3 year term, from 2017 to 2020. Currently, YUFA Trust/Foundation has committed to funding YUFA-CP until the year 2024/2025, but we are in the process of seeking a renewal of this funding. YUFA-CP receives no financial support from York University itself. Because the amount we receive is not guaranteed, and can change from year to year, the amount we have to fund projects also varies.

Approximately $22,000 is used to pay for a course-release for the two co-chairs. The remaining $78,000 is used to support community groups who apply for our funds. You can find the history of who we have funded in the past, and for how much, under the Partners tab. Roughly 50% of our budget is dedicated to support Ongoing Programs. The Programs will typically be well established with a long history of success and past funding from YUFA-CP, in addition to funding from other sources. These requests are often for more than $5,000. Approximately 45% of our budget is earmarked for Seed Projects. These Seed Projects are new initiatives that are not fully established, and will often not have access to or qualify for other sources of funding, aside from that provided by YUFA-CP. Requests for Seed Projects are typically less than $5,000.

For both Ongoing Programs and Seed Projects, please see the Apply tab to access our application forms. The remaining 5% of our budget supports Summer Emergency funds. This money is used to support unplanned, newly emerging and immediate needs that occur over the summer months (June to August). Requests for emergency summer funds are made via a simple e-mail describing the situation to YUFA-CP, with amounts below $500. But please note that these funds can only be distributed at the end of each month, currently.

Unused Summer Emergency funds are returned in equal proportion to the budgets for Ongoing Programs and Seed Projects. Similarly, unused funds for either Ongoing Programs or Seed Projects are directed toward the other category to ensure that all funds are distributed to the community in some form or another.

YUFA-CP prioritizes applications that support small, innovative grassroots initiatives rooted in the community that would not otherwise have access to funding, applications from organizations we have not had contact from before, and organizations that have not received funding recently.

We rely on the following guiding questions when making decisions, including funding decisions, within YUFA-CP:

1. Is this decision community-centred?

2. Does this decision disrupt the status quo?

3. Does this decision increase access and opportunity for study at York for members of the social, political, and geographic communities surrounding York?

4. Does this decision support the conditions of self-advocacy among members of the community?

5. In what ways might this decision create unintentional social injustices or exclusions?

6. How are we diving into challenges, tensions and contradictions of this decision and making space for dissenting opinions?

7. Are there conflicts of interest that we need to address in this decision?