I've been really dependent on other folks coming forward to support us and fill these gaps.
For example, I mentioned that I do have an operations manager now, which has been critical in doing things like preparing to manage the facility, leading strategic initiatives and freeing up my time, allowing me to do advocacy and fundraising. The only reason I have an operations manager is that I made a proposal to the United Way in Toronto and articulated why I need an operations person for the next two years to get us into the building and ensure that the building is realized.
As one of the original supporters of the Youth Challenge Fund and the Nia Centre, they gave us the money for two years for an operations manager. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to do it, because the municipal, federal and provincial funding that I received—we received quite a bit of funding—has a restriction on how much money can go to operations: only 20%. I'm signing a grant agreement now for $400,000 over two years, but only 20% of it can go towards the kind of staffing that allows me to do my job and allows an operations manager to ensure there's a facility for these young people to come into and for artists to be able to work in.
It means that we have to juggle all these programs and all these funders in order to get the resources we need for core staffing and organizational operations. I've spoken to officials at Canadian Heritage to say the same thing.
We're receiving support to do important work. For example, we're working on a research project now to look at experiences in anti-Black racism and online hate, but only 7% of that funding agreement is going towards operations. I'm leading the project. More than 7% of my time is being invested in the project, but the federal government has capped the funding that supports my efforts.
It's a structural problem that hinders organizations in doing the long-term work and focusing our time on service delivery and serving our community rather than chasing a number of project funds.
Thank you for that question.