MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — PATTISON Outdoor’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee is proud to once again call for submissions from not-for-profit organizations for the third year of the Elevating Voices Grant program. The program launched in 2022 and has since helped 10 charities and not-for-profit organizations with their community outreach through the use of out-of-home media. The annual grant program aims to provide up to a combined $1 million of media value to be awarded to selected charities and organizations with a mandate for diversity, equity and inclusion. The goal is to raise the profile and awareness of these initiatives amongst the communities they seek to serve. From the local to the national levels, any and all DEI-focused organizations are encouraged to apply.

Entering the third year of its operation, the Elevating Voices Grant has already seen immense success. In 2023, The Forum, a national charity that assists women entrepreneurs, received 1^st place during the Ad Club OOH Day Awards in the Client Direct category, proving the effectiveness of these campaigns. In 2024, three new organizations were selected through the application process and made significant connections with the communities in which these OOH campaigns served.

The Jays Foundation saw an 8% lift in overall awareness, its largest ever year-over-year bump so far; plus, a 4% lift in engagement with Jays Care. Additionally, their campaign has successfully broken a new record for fan favourability for the Blue Jays, a 6% lift brought the brand to a staggering 74% approval rating. Overall, the Jays Foundation delivered over 100 million impressions across Canada, marking new metrics for their organization.

Another recipient of the 2024 Elevating Voices Grant was Variety Village, an organization that operates regionally within Ontario. They provide children with disabilities with programming and opportunities to empower them through sport, recreation, wellness and more. As a regional partner, Variety Village’s campaign operated solely within Ontario and yet they delivered over 24 million impressions to the province.

The Maskwascis Tribal Council was another recipient of the 2024 Elevating Voices Grant and their campaign aimed to address gang violence involving Cree youth. Led by an entirely Indigenous team, the campaign ran in and around the Edmonton area, reaching as far south as Lacombe, employing vibrant visuals of a First Nations dancer and striking, stylized Cree syllabic to convey key Cree principles.

“This campaign reflects our commitment to our Maskwacis youth,” says Samson Chief, Vernon Saddleback, in a press release alongside the official launch of the campaign. “By connecting our young warriors with the power of their culture and community, we are offering them a brighter path forward —one filled with opportunities for growth and healing.”

The Elevating Voices program launched in 2022 with the intention to provide a platform to organizations dedicated to servicing and supporting ethno-cultural groups, Indigenous and First Nation Peoples, the 2SLGBTQI+ community, women’s equality, those with disabilities, and any other group focused on and for projects that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

PATTISON Outdoor is strongly committed to using its dominant presence in the Canadian OOH industry to promote and uplift communities through the power of Out-Of-Home advertising in key environments like Transit, Outdoor, Airports, Stadiums and Urban Pathways.

To apply, please see the following link for all media grant submission criteria and terms and conditions. Applications can be submitted through the online form through this link. The deadline to submit is at 5:00 p.m. EST on Friday, January 17th, 2025.

About PATTISON Outdoor

PATTISON Outdoor Advertising, a division of The Jim Pattison Group is Canada’s largest Out-of-Home advertising company. PATTISON Outdoor helps brands and businesses harness the power of Out-of-Home advertising by providing the most comprehensive range of products, markets, insights and customer support services. With its roots reaching back to 1908, PATTISON has been providing innovative solutions for Out-of-Home advertising opportunities with products ranging from traditional billboards to transit, digital, airport, residential, office, and street level formats. PATTISON is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario with over 25 sales offices across the country, providing advertisers unmatched reach and coverage with products available in over 200 markets coast to coast.