Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge
The Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge is a Canadian federal government funding program run by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Its purpose is to promote COVID-19 vaccines to specific sub-populations.[1]
History
On March 8, 2021, Health Minister Patricia Hadju announced the launch of the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge. The deadline for project proposals was April 9, 2021.[2]
Recipients
The following table lists the organizations who have received funding through the Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge, along with details of their projects.[3]
| Recipient organization | Project title | Target audience | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12697548 Canada Inc. (Arthur Schwimmer and Shawn Laraby) | Covid-19 & Vaccination Communication Campaign for First Nations by First Nations communities | First Nations communities youth, young adults and seniors, as well as those who have access to radio and digital networks across Canada | $10,000 |
| Abilities Centre | The Vaccine is for YOU, ME and WE | People with diverse disabilities and intersecting identities in Durham Region and across Ontario | $25,000 |
| Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary | Urban Indigenous Immunization Clinic | Indigenous people (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) across Alberta, including in urban areas | $10,000 |
| Access Alliance Multicultural Health & Community Services | Building vaccine confidence in newcomer languages through newcomer messengers: the medium is the message | Newcomers to Canada living in low-income and racialized communities in Toronto, Ontario | $10,000 |
| African Canadian Association of Ottawa | Once We Are Vaccinated | Black Canadians in the National Capital Region in Ontario and Quebec | $5,000 |
| African Communities of Manitoba Inc. (ACOMI) | ACOMI “40 Community Champions” Project | African and Black Canadian communities in Altona, Brandon and Winnipeg, Manitoba | $10,000 |
| African Society for Culture, Economic Development and Arts | Straight Talk – COVID and our People | Black and other racialized communities, immigrants and refugees, individuals with precarious living situations or with low socioeconomic status in Alberta | $25,000 |
| Afrique au Féminin | Campagne de promotion et de conception multilingue de la vaccination contre la COVID-19 des Aînés immigrants allophones | Seniors 60 years and over from immigrant communities in the Parc-Extension neighborhood, Montreal metropolitan region (Quebec) | $10,000 |
| Alberta International Medical Graduates Association | Vaccination Matters! Let’s End COVID: A Collaborative Community Response | Newcomer communities, including immigrants, refugees and temporary migrants across Alberta | $10,000 |
| Armenian Family Support Services | Promoting COVID-19 Vaccination | Armenian community in the Greater Toronto Area including Markham, Richmond Hill, as well as Hamilton, and St Catharines, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Aspire for Higher Elite Basketball | Get Back to the Game | Black and racialized youth and parents in Brampton, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Association for the Alberta Network of Immigrant Women | Community Engagement during and beyond COVID-19 | South Asian community in Calgary, Alberta | $5,000 |
| Bangladesh Centre and Community Services | COVID-19 Vaccine Promotion Campaign for Bengali and South Asian Communities in East Scarborough (Taylor Creek, Massey, Thorncliffe) | Bengali community members within the Taylor, Massey, Thorncliffe and East Scarborough (Victoria Park, Danforth) neighbourhoods in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $5,000 |
| Bangladeshi-Canadian Community Services | For You. For Them. Get Vaccinated. | Bangladeshi community in the Taylor-Massey-Oakridge neighbourhood in Toronto and Scarborough, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Between Two Worlds | Tackling Vaccine Hesitancy among Latin American Population in the Ottawa-Gatineau region | Latin American populations in Ottawa-Gatineau region, Ontario and Quebec | $10,000 |
| Brain Injury Canada | Accessibility Enabled: Providing vaccine education for individuals with acquired brain injury | Individuals living with acquired brain injury (ABI) and their caregivers across Canada | $10,000 |
| Brampton Focus Community Media | #WeGotTheShot | Residents of Brampton, Ontario | $25,000 |
| B’nai Brith National Organization of Canada | COVID-19 – Education and Vaccination | Residents of the Côte Saint-Luc and surrounding areas in the Greater Montreal region, Quebec | $5,000 |
| Calgary Animated Objects Society | Nakoda AV Club: Get Vaccinated | Residents of Stoney Nakoda First Nation, Morley, and the Bow Valley Corridor, Alberta | $5,000 |
| Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association | COVID-19 - Immune Calgary | Immigrant and newcomer communities, Calgary, Alberta | $5,000 |
| Canadian Latin Heritage Association | V Together | Spanish-speaking community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), including Peel and Halton, and in the Niagara Region (Ontario) | $10,000 |
| Canadian Lebanese Academic Forum | Let Us Bust The Myth That COVID-19 Is A Challenge | Lebanese Canadian communities across Canada | $10,000 |
| Canadian Support Workers Association | Vaccine Confidence and Information Campaign | Support workers in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador | $5,000 |
| Carrefour de ressources en interculturel | Ambassadrices 2.0 | Immigrant communities, Montreal (Quebec) | $10,000 |
| Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton-Niagara | VaccineNation, VaccineAction | Francophone populations in the regions of Hamilton and Niagara (Ontario) | $5,000 |
| Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) | Ready For My Shot | Persons with developmental disabilities, their caregivers and health professionals across Canada | $5,000 |
| Centre for New Immigrant Well-Being | Let COVID-19 Vaccine Protect Us and Our Communities | Chinese-Canadian communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $10,000 |
| Chief Sunrise Education Centre | Get Vaccinated! The future looks good! | Youth attending Chief Sunrise Education Centre and their families, in the Katlodeeche First Nations Reserve, Hay River, Northwest Territories | $10,000 |
| Coastal Research, Education and Advocacy Network Society | For Us, About Us: A Vaccine Literacy Campaign | Racialized youth aged 18 to 30 living in British Columbia | $5,000 |
| Concordia University of Edmonton | Alberta Youth COVID-19 VacciNATION Campaign | Postsecondary students from diverse communities at Concordia University of Edmonton (Alberta) | $5,000 |
| Council of Agencies Serving South Asians | Got My Teeka: Increasing Vaccine Confidence and Uptake among South Asian Communities Disproportionately Affected by COVID-19 in Canada | South Asian communities in Peel Public Health, Toronto Public Health regions of Ontario, and Fraser Health regions of British Columbia | $10,000 |
| Denesh Peramakumar/Infectious Diseases Spotlight | Youth Vaccine Advocates | High school students from the Hamilton region, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Folk Arts Council of St. Catharines | The Knowledge in You Language, The Vaccine in Your Arm | Newcomer population, including landed immigrants, refugees and international caregivers, in the Niagara region, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Fraser Health Authority | Boosting Vaccine Confidence in Fraser Health’s South Asian Community | South Asian communities in the Fraser Health Authority region, British Columbia | $5,000 |
| Fraser Northwest Division of Family Practice | Physician on a Mission | Ethnic minorities in Fraser Health Region and Vancouver Costal Health Region (British Columbia) | $125,000 |
| Frontline Community Centre | #WhyVaccinate | Tamil and South Asian communities across Canada | $5,000 |
| Global Village Centre | Staying Healthy: The Path to Community Wellness | Newcomers of all ages residing in Brooks and southeastern Alberta | $10,000 |
| Governors of the University of Calgary | Cybermentor Community Arts Collaboration COVID Communication Campaign | Youth (aged 18 to 30) from Treaty 7 and in Calgary, Alberta | $10,000 |
| Hamilton Public Library | Book your shot. We can help. | Residents of Hamilton, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Hassan Ouali | Une campagne de sensibilisation à l’importance de se vacciner contre la COVID-19 auprés de la communauté musulmane vivant dans la région de Montréal | Members of the immigrant Muslim community living in the boroughs of Saint Léonard and East of Montreal (Quebec) | $10,000 |
| Healthy Muslim Families | Saving Lives in the Newcomer Muslim Community through Vaccination | Muslim communities, including new Canadians, immigrants and refugee families in Winnipeg, Manitoba | $10,000 |
| Healthy Start, Healthy Future/Life With a Baby | Addressing New Parents Vaccine Hesitancy | Parents of young children and families across Canada | $10,000 |
| Hispanic Canadian Heritage Council | 6 reasons to get vaccinated against COVID-19 | Hispanic communities across Canada | $5,000 |
| Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia (ISANS) | Project Beacon – Communicating COVID-19 vaccines to newcomers | Immigrant and refugee claimants and migrants in Nova Scotia | $10,000 |
| Inclusion Nova Scotia Society | Inclusion NS – I did it! I’m vaccinated. | Persons with intellectual disabilities in Nova Scotia | $25,000 |
| Indian Society of Calgary | Increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake and improving adherence to public health measures in the Indian and South Asian community in Canada | East Indians and South Asians in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta and across Canada | $25,000 |
| Indigenous Friends Association | COVID-19 Indigenous Digital Community App Project | Indigenous peoples in urban centres across Ontario | $25,000 |
| Initiative accès aux soins | Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Community Outreach | Canadians and immigrants of African descent in major centres across Ontario and in Montreal (Quebec) | $5,000 |
| Iranian Canadian Teens Club | Vaccine Saves My Life | Residents of York region, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Jada Beck | Our home, Our health, Our people | Residents in communities in the lesser slave lake area, Northwest Territories | $10,000 |
| Jamaica Association of Montreal | Bridging the Gap, Safe Spaces, Putting Things into Historical Context, Community-Centre Dialogue, Advertising a Dedicated Phone and Text Number | Black communities in Montreal, Quebec | $5,000 |
| Jane Finch Community and Family Centre | WADA Vaccine Awareness Campaign | The Somali community in Rexdale, Jane/Finch and Black Creek (Ontario) | $25,000 |
| Julia Berkers | Together We Can | Residents from various communities in Ottawa, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Kairos Development Mission | VacciNation – Way to go! Rid Country of COVID-19 and Stay Safe | Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Communities, including the African Canadian community across Canada | $5,000 |
| Ken Bighetty | Chief Talks to the World About Vaccines | Indigenous communities across Canada | $5,000 |
| Latincouver Cultural & Business Society | Estamos juntos – Understanding how to overcome the pandemic with COVID-19 Vaccinations | Latin American communities across Canada | $10,000 |
| Les Volontaires de la Sensibilisation et de l’Action Humanitaire | Défi de l’innovation communautaire des vaccins | Immigrant and English-speaking communities in Estrie (Quebec) | $10,000 |
| LetsStopAIDS | HeyCOVID19 2.0 | Visible minority groups including Black, Indigenous, People of Colour (BIPOC), LGBTQ+ and immigrant/refugee populations across Canada | $10,000 |
| Linda Sullivan | One Lump Or Two: Afternoon Tea and Talk | Older adults, seniors and their caregivers residing in Parry Sound, Muskoka, Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes regions, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Living Positive Resource Centre Okanagan | Let’s Get to the Point | Persons living with, affected by or at higher risk of HIV, Hepatitis C and related conditions residing in the Interior of British Columbia, including Kelowna, Vernon and Peachland | $10,000 |
| Living Space North Against Poverty | Mobile Outreach Support Team - MOST | Persons experiencing homelessness in Timmins and Cochrane District, Ontario | $5,000 |
| MABELLEarts | Mabelle Community Heroes | Residents of Mabelle Avenue area in Central Etobicoke, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Maritime Wave Association | Know Your Vaccine | Asian and Middle Eastern communities in the 18 to 25 age range in Halifax, Nova Scotia and across Canada | $10,000 |
| Matthew McLaughlin/Bulldog Productions | It’s not roll up the rim, it’s roll up to WIN! | Queer community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $5,000 |
| McMaster University | Public Health for the Twitch Generation | Young adults residing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) including Peel and Hamilton regions, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Métis Nation of Ontario | #MetisVacciNation: Healing from Within | Members of the Métis Nation of Ontario | $10,000 |
| Michael Ondieki | Auntie wa Harrier | East African diaspora in Ontario | $5,000 |
| missINFORMED | "I Got Vaccinated” Campaign | Young women aged 18 to 30 and visible minorities, specifically Black, South Asian and Latin American communities in the Greater Toronto Area (Ontario) | $25,000 |
| Mosakahiken Cree Nation | Vaccines for MCN | Residents of the Mosakahiken Cree Nation, Manitoba | $5,000 |
| MPC Foundation | Say YES to the VAX! | Seniors and older adults residing in Calgary, Alberta | $10,000 |
| Multicultural Council of Windsor & Essex County | A World of Reasons | Newcomer, refugee, immigrant and underserved populations in the Windsor and Essex regions of Ontario | $10,000 |
| Mustafa Tahir | The “Be a Hero” Campaign | Residents of Lawrence Heights and surrounding areas north of Toronto, Ontario | $5,000 |
| National Association of Friendship Centres | In Friendship: Take Action in COVID | First Nations, Inuit and Métis in urban and related homelands | $10,000 |
| New Brunswick Multicultural Council | Newcomer Vaccine Awareness Campaign | Newcomers, refugees and established members of the multicultural community in New Brunswick | $5,000 |
| Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Family and Community Wellness Centre | Ekitapatamak Kititheminanahk: Protecting Our People | Members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Manitoba | $10,000 |
| Noah Smith | Have a Talk Campaign | Young adults attending post-secondary institutions or recent graduates in Ontario | $5,000 |
| North York General Hospital | Peers and Professionals: Vaccine Support in the Russian and FilipinX Communities in North York | Russian and Filipinx communities in North York, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Northern Native Broadcasting | Protecting Each Other Now for a Better Tomorrow | 82 communities in Central and Northern British Columbia, including 40 Indigenous communities representing Tsimshian, Nisga’a, Haida, Gitxsan, Wet’suwet’en, Haisla, Carrier Sekani, Heiltsuk, Nuxalk and Dene Thah Nations | $25,000 |
| Northwest Metis Council | #Jiggingbacktogether | Métis communities in Manitoba, with a focus on Métis youth in the Northwest Region of the Manitoba Metis Federation | $5,000 |
| Ontario College of Art and Design University (OCAD) | Solid Black! Vaccin8 for the Culture | Black community | $25,000 |
| Options Community Services Society | Every Shot Matters | Arabic, Somali and Spanish speaking communities in the Fraser Health Region, particularly Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley, British Columbia | $25,000 |
| Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre | We Can Do It: WeChat for Vaccine Confidence | Chinese-speaking community in Ottawa, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Overcomer Community Development Center | Defeat the Pandemic Campaign (DTPC) | Black Canadian communities | $5,000 |
| Pediatric Urgent Care | COVID Immunity Protects our Community #covidunity | Brampton and Peel Region, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Public Health Association of British Columbia | Kids Boost Immunity | Grades 4 to 12 teachers and students across Canada | $5,000 |
| Piapot First Nation | COVID-19 Vaccine: Educating Our People | Community members living on and off reserve, of the Piapot First Nation, Saskatchewan | $5,000 |
| Praveenah Sivabalan | Vaccines for All Initiative | Immigrants, migrants and undocumented workers residing in York Region, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Pria Nippak | Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in South Asian Adults Aged 18 and Older | South Asian communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $5,000 |
| Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society | South Asian Youth Vaccine Commitment Project | South Asian youth residing in the Metro Vancouver area, British Columbia | $10,000 |
| Regroupement de leadership et de bien-être pour Afro-Canadiens d’Alberta | Un vaccin pour une vie | Members of the Afro-Canadian community in Alberta | $10,000 |
| Renato Justin Guidolin | Choose to Protect | Residents of Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon, Ontario | $5,000 |
| REP Here In Canada | You and the Vaccine | Arabic-speaking communities across British Columbia | $10,000 |
| Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning (McGill University) | WeCanVax | Black Canadians and Persons of Colour (BPOC) aged 20 to 45 in Ontario and Quebec | $10,000 |
| Rural Development Network Society | This is My Shot | Rural youth in Alberta | $5,000 |
| Russell Sun | Youth Vaccine-Nation: A proposal for an Ontario-based vaccine education programme | Youth aged 12 to 24 in southern Ontario, including communities of Windsor, London and Toronto and environs | $5,000 |
| Ryerson University | Vax and Snax: Increasing vaccine confidence and uptake among Toronto’s underhoused communities | Community support organizations and persons living in underhoused communities in Toronto, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation | Sagamok Chooses Fun over Frustration! | Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation on the North Shore of Lake Huron (Ontario) | $25,000 |
| Scarborough Cares Community Network | Mr. VacSingh, the vaccinator! | Residents of Scarborough, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Seven Oaks School Division | Together we can do this! | Newcomer and Indigenous communities in North West Winnipeg, Manitoba | $25,000 |
| Sharon Malhi, Chirag Chopra, Rajeshwar Lally | Apni Vaccine | Second and third generation Canadians in Surrey, British Columbia | $5,000 |
| Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation | Don’t Hesitate, just VACCINATE!!! | Residents of Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation, Newfoundland and Labrador | $10,000 |
| Sikh Health Foundation | COVID-19 South Asian Vaccine Confidence Initiative | South Asian communities in the Lower Mainland, British Columbia | $10,000 |
| Six Nations of the Grand River | #Vaccinate6Nay | Members of the Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Solid State Community Society | Cookout Conversations: Vaccine Hesitancy and the Black Community | Black people and the African diaspora in Surrey and the Lower Mainland, British Columbia | $5,000 |
| Somali Canada Women and Children Association | Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy: Building Resilience in immigrant communities | Newcomers, refugees and immigrant communities across Canada | $10,000 |
| Sourav Arora | Multilingual Vaccine Awareness Movement | Punjabi-speaking population in British Columbia | $5,000 |
| South Asian Canadians Health and Social Services | Multimedium Messaging in Mother Languages for Vaccine Confidence in Canadians of South Asian Origin | South Asians across Canada | $25,000 |
| South Riverdale Community Health Centre | Vaccine Confidence Influencer Campaign | Young Black and racialized communities in Jane-Finch, Flemingdon, Throncliffe and Taylor-Massey, Ontario | $5,000 |
| St. James Town Family Literacy Services | Vaccinate St. James Town | Residents in St James Town community in Toronto, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Students Commission of Canada | #CanadaWeWant Vaccination Campaign | Black and Indigenous youth in Toronto, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Sujane Kandasamy | South Asian Youth as Vaccine Agents of Change (SAY-VAC) | South Asian community in Peel and Toronto regions of Ontario | $10,000 |
| Sumas First Nation | #CommunityNationVaccination | Indigenous youth and Elders in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia | $5,000 |
| Syrian Canadian Foundation | Syrian Newcomer Pandemic Safety Campaign | Syrian newcomers in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $5,000 |
| The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) | Be Confident, Stay Safe, Get Vaccinated | Underserved communities in Calgary’s Upper and Lower Northeast and Southeast (Alberta) | $10,000 |
| The Iscream | If you're a man, get vaccinated | Racialized men | $10,000 |
| The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) | Our community matters. Let’s protect it together! | Residents of Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, St James Town and Crescent Town in Toronto, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Tools of Empowerment for Success (TOEFS) | Let’s Give It A Shot! | Residents of Niagara Region, Ontario | $10,000 |
| Tracy Wanyama | Improving Vaccine Uptake in Marginalized Communities: Help break the chain, get your COVID-19 VACCINE | Black Canadian communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $10,000 |
| Undercurrent Youth Centre | I love my | Youth in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia | $5,000 |
| United Cultures of Canada Association (UCCA) | Safe Together Bringing Ethnic Communities Together for an Effective COVID Vaccine Promotion Strategy | Newcomer and refugee communities in Edmonton, Alberta | $10,000 |
| University of Regina | Countering Vaccine Hesitancy | Residents of Regina, Saskatchewan including Indigenous and newcomer communities, and young Canadians | $5,000 |
| University of Saskatchewan | Aunty’s Challenge | Métis residing in Saskatchewan and Indigenous persons across Canada | $5,000 |
| University of Toronto | Use of Innovative Health Design to Improve Peer to Peer Dialogue on COVID Vaccines – The Button Project | Healthcare workers within shelter settings in Toronto, Ontario | $25,000 |
| Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth | COVID Vaccine Indigenous Animated Video and AR App | Indigenous youth aged 18 to 29 in Calgary, Alberta | $10,000 |
| Uzima Women Relief Group International | Increasing Participation of Black Communities in Toronto in COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake | Residents of Black communities in Toronto Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIAs), Toronto, Ontario | $5,000 |
| Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration | South Asian Community Vaccine Confidence | South Asian residents across Canada | $10,000 |
| Vernon and District Immigrant and Community Services Society | North Okanagan Newcomer Community Vaccine Campaign | New immigrants, refugees, temporary foreign nations, naturalized and first generation Canadians across the North Okanagan (British Columbia) | $25,000 |
| Vietnamese Association Toronto | KNOCK DOWN COVID-19 | Vietnamese community in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $10,000 |
| Waveland | Looking Forward | Black Canadians across Canada | $10,000 |
| Winnipeg Metis Association | #VMAflowerchain | Métis citizens in the Manitoba Metis Federation in Winnipeg | $10,000 |
| Women of Colour Community Leadership Initiative | Women of Colour Grassroots Vaccine Campaign: Art as Our Voice | Racialized Canadians, immigrants and non-permanent residents in Winnipeg, Manitoba | $25,000 |
| Yemen Canadian Community | #YallaJab | Arab-Canadian community residing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Ontario | $10,000 |
| YMCA of Greater Toronto | What’s your Y? | Low-income households in the Greater Toronto Area (Ontario) | $25,000 |
| Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council | Protecting Yukon’s Health | Communities across the Yukon | $25,000 |
External links
Further reading
- March 23, 2021: "Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge & Immunization Partnership Fund" by Ronnie Lempert
Femia, V. (2021, August 9). Interior Health and the VDICSS created a social media video campaign to increase vaccine confidence for immigrants - Vernon News. Castanet. https://web.archive.org/web/20240701215247/https://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/342302/Interior-Health-and-the-VDICSS-created-a-social-media-video-campaign-to-increase-vaccine-confidence-for-immigrants ↩︎
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2021, March 8). Government of Canada launches Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge to support increased vaccine confidence. Government of Canada. http://archive.today/2021.03.16-162138/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/news/2021/03/government-of-canada-launches-vaccine-community-innovation-challenge-to-support-increased-vaccine-confidence.html ↩︎
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2023, June 8). Vaccine Community Innovation Challenge: Overview and funding recipients. Government of Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20240701160148/https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/funding-opportunities/grant-contribution-funding-opportunities/vaccine-community-innovation-challenge.html ↩︎