Volunteer Fundraising & Grants Lead: Executive Team (Across Canada) - Help Fund Free Art!

A box of paints, a stack of sketchbooks, a child’s first art workshop, help make it happen!

Hands & Canvas is a youth-founded, volunteer-led initiative based in Toronto that makes art more accessible through free workshops and community projects. Through Beyond the Studio, volunteers also create donated artwork, handmade gifts, colouring pages, and art kits.

We’re looking for a Volunteer Fundraising & Grants Lead to join our executive team and help bring these projects to life. If you enjoy finding opportunities, writing persuasive proposals, or bringing people together around a good cause, we’d love to hear from you.

You don’t need years of fundraising experience. Curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to follow through are a great place to start!

YOUR ROLE:

Working directly with the founder, you’ll identify funding opportunities, develop ideas, and turn them into practical support for our programs. That could mean drafting a grant application, approaching a business about donating supplies, or planning a creative fundraiser.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Find suitable grants and track eligibility requirements, deadlines, and next steps.
• Help write grant applications, project proposals, and simple budgets.
• Research potential sponsors and prepare outreach to businesses.
• Develop fundraising campaigns and art-supply drives with the team.
• Explore donations of materials, printing, and other useful goods or services.
• Track confirmed contributions, expenses, and fundraising progress.
• Thank supporters and share what their contributions made possible.
• Collaborate with communications and marketing leads as those roles are filled.

There’s room to bring your own ideas. Have a concept for an art-themed fundraiser or know a business that might help? We’ll work together to explore it.

HOW WE’LL SUPPORT YOU:

You’ll receive an introduction to our programs, needs, and priorities, along with available project information. We’ll develop ideas together, review proposals, and check in regularly.

You’ll take ownership of agreed projects with support from the team. Applications, budgets, and external commitments will be reviewed before submission or confirmation.

We’ll start with a few realistic opportunities and build from there. You won’t be expected to personally fund activities, hold donations in your own account, or authorize spending independently.

WHO WOULD ENJOY THIS ROLE?

This could be a great fit if you:
• Enjoy researching, writing, organizing, or pitching ideas.
• Are interested in business, fundraising, finance, or community work.
• Feel comfortable drafting professional emails and following up.
• Can organize deadlines and basic budgets in a spreadsheet.
• Want to help shape a growing initiative.
• Care about making creative opportunities available to more people.

Looking to build up volunteer hours while gaining experience and joining an executive team? You’re welcome here, too!

High school students, university students, and adults across Canada are welcome. Experience with clubs, events, sponsorships, fundraising, or budgeting is helpful, but not required. You do not need to have secured a grant before applying!

YOUR FIRST STEPS:

You’ll get to know Hands & Canvas, identify our immediate funding and supply needs, and build a shortlist of suitable opportunities. Then we’ll choose a first project together: a grant application, sponsorship proposal, fundraiser, or supply drive.

Fundraising takes patience. We value thoughtful ideas, reliable follow-through, and good communication alongside the funds or supplies secured.

LOCATION AND COMMITMENT:

This is an unpaid, remote volunteer opportunity open to applicants across Canada. Meetings take place online; any local fundraising activities would be arranged separately.

Expect approximately 2 to 4 hours per week, with some additional time around agreed deadlines. Scheduling is flexible around school or work, with reliable communication and follow-through expected.

A commitment of at least three months is preferred so you can take an idea from its first draft through outreach and follow-up.

READY TO HELP MAKE MORE ART POSSIBLE?

Apply through VolunteerConnector with a short introduction telling us:
• Why this role interests you.
• Your city or town and province or territory.
• Your availability and expected length of commitment.
• Any relevant experience or interests—school, club, and personal projects count!
• A fundraising or sponsorship idea you’d like to explore.

You don’t need a polished proposal to apply. We’d love to hear what you’d like to contribute!

Learn more at handsandcanvas.com or contact Founder & Operations Executive, Brian Lu, at brianlu086@gmail.com.

Have fun and be creative!