MCoS: Multicultural Education Initiatives (MEI) Grant

The Multicultural Education Initiative (MEI) Grant, offered by the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan, provides funding ranging from $200 to $400 for educational projects that promote anti-racism, reconciliation, and cultural appreciation in Saskatchewan schools. Targeting projects that foster diversity and respect, MEI aims to support 25 to 50 initiatives annually, focusing on cultural continuity, celebration of diversity, anti-racism efforts, intercultural connections, and community integration.

Multicultural Education Initiative (MEI)
MCoS offers $200 – $400 Multicultural Education Initiative (MEI) grants to schools and school boards in Saskatchewan to benefit students through classroom and professional development projects that support anti-racism, reconciliation, diversity and cultural education outcomes and promote the understanding, respect, appreciation, acceptance and celebration of all people as equally valuable in our society. We support 25 to 50 educational projects each year.
Five Streams of Multicultural Work
These streams flow from the values and represent the main multicultural areas of activity.
Cultural Continuity empowers ethnocultural organizations, individuals and communities to retain, maintain and evolve distinctive cultural practices and traditions in the Canadian context. MCoS supports members and schools to share deeply.Celebration of Diversity includes education and festivals that showcase differences and similarities, most often through performance, cuisine and other arts. It includes an awareness that groups that welcome many perspectives, especially from different cultural world views, lead to greater creativity and innovation. Funding and sponsorship opportunities encourage meaningful exchange and connection.Anti-Racism work looks at issues of power and privilege and how they impact individual and systemic discrimination; it usually includes active dialogue to build equity and justice in our institutions and communities. MCoS coordinates an annual March 21 campaign, facilitates Arrêt/Stop Racism Youth Leadership Workshops and invests in member and school activities that recognize and reject racism and discrimination.Intercultural Connections entails different cultural groups coming together over time to build bridges i.e. exchanges, pen pals, cooperative work, creating safe spaces, dialogue, creative projects, etc. BRIDGES (Building Relationships through Intercultural Dialogue and Education in Saskatchewan) use a model by which local members take the lead to bring Indigenous, newcomer and other community members together.Integration in contrast to assimilation, is achieved when all members of a community are reflected, are seen and see themselves as belonging for all aspects of their identities, are valued for their contributions, and are able to appropriately access services. The WIC Toolkit provides excellent resources, and INVOLVE offers training for new volunteer leaders and organizations.
MEI project resources can be found here.

Eligibility

Who can apply?Applicant must be schools/school divisions serving Pre-K to 12 in Saskatchewan.