Champions Communitaires Project
Incubating Community Projects in Quebec
Created by RÉZO
What is the Champions Communitaires Project?
Projet Champions Communautaires (Community Champions Project) is a Montreal-based micro-grant program for gay or bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (MSM), whether cis or trans.
The initiative aims to empower people to respond to needs in their own communities - with the financial and material resources to support their work. Successful applicants have received as much as $6,600 to develop and implement projects that improve quality of life within MSM communities.
Incubating Community-led Projects in Montreal
To date, Champions Communautaires has funded the work of eight individuals and collaborations:
ReactHIVIH par Jordan Arseneault
A discussion-workshop project for MSM who are newly diagnosed with HIV or co-infected with hepatitis C.
Le sexe et les gars bi+ par Hugo Vaillancourt
Translation and online publication of the Sex Ed for Bi Guys series in French.
Ça prends un Village par Alexandre Fafard et Jean-Sébastien Rousseau
An original series of video content that explores recovery from crystal meth consumption. By presenting perspects “for and by” marginalized MSM, they allow individuals to recognize themselves and identify with the content.
Tu veux explorer le kink? par Gabriel-le Beauregard
Creating educational and awareness content addressing BDSM and kink among health professionals.
Apprendre et agir par Léo-Frédérik Leroux
A guide for health professionals seeking to make their services inclusive for trans and non-binary individuals.
Article sexo-éducatifs par David Simard
Research, writing and publication support for a series of sex education articles.
On the Edge par Guilien Skorny
A short film production and discussion group raising awareness about the severe harms stemming from conversion therapy. The film explores religiosity, pseudo-medical research and their associated dangers.
Partages par Éric Noël
Development funding for a play exploring substance addiction among LGBTQ+ individuals.
Application Process & Project Selection
Funding upwards of five projects annually, RÉZO identifies community-driven interventions with merit by leveraging a two-pronged approach:
By soliciting online applications through social media promotions
Approaching individuals within RÉZO’s network and the broader MSM community
Notably, each approach accounts for approximately half of Champions Communitaires projects that have come to fruition.
Training, Resources & Support
RÉZO’s approach to micro-grants empowers recipients by directing most funding to the project leaders themselves. While this results in a certain degree of risk (partially mitigated by detailed budgets), few problems related to misallocated funding have been identified thus far.
In a similar vein, RÉZO often supports projects by taking a hands-off approach centered on relationships with micro-grant recipients. Although the occasional project requires more support, RÉZO’s coordinator relies largely on bi-weekly check-in meetings and little in the way of formal training.
The organization granted a total of $17,500 in Projet Champions Communautaires funding in the most recent year, with each of five projects receiving a minimum of $2,000.
One-Time vs Long-Term Intervention
While the scope of these micro-grants are intended to support one-time interventions, applicants are able to request ongoing annual support. RÉZO is thus far able to support Hugo Vaillancourt’s ongoing work - making sexual education materials centring bisexual MSM available to French-speaking audiences.
Program Materials
For more information, please contact:
Gabriel Daunais-Laurin
Coordonnateur au développement de l’intervention, RÉZO
gabriel.dl@rezosante.org
438-874-4296
2075, Rue Plessis, Bureau 207
Montréal, QC
H2L 2Y4