Contact the Michael "Pinball" Clemons Foundation

MPCF is a small registered Canadian charity with a focused staff. Inquiries are handled by program staff, not a general call centre. The timelines above are realistic, not aspirational. If your inquiry is time-sensitive — for example, a scholarship deadline is approaching or a publication deadline is firm — say so clearly in your first message.

Scholarship Inquiries — What to Know Before You Write

The scholarship application cycle opens in January and closes in March each year for the following academic year. Decisions are communicated by May or June, in time for recipients to confirm enrollment before institutional deadlines at U of T, TMU, York, Humber, Seneca, George Brown, Centennial, and Sheridan.

Outside the January–March window, the scholarship team can answer eligibility questions and help you prepare materials for the next cycle. Applications submitted outside the window are not reviewed.

Include in your scholarship inquiry:

• Your current grade level or year of post-secondary study
• The institution you plan to attend or are currently attending (university, college, or trades program)
• Whether this is a first-time application or a renewal inquiry
• Your Toronto or GTA neighbourhood (area only — not your full address)
• A one-sentence description of your financial situation

You do not need to attach documents at the inquiry stage. Full documentation — transcripts, reference letters, Notice of Assessment, personal statement of 500–800 words — is required only when submitting a formal application during the open window.

Eligibility at a glance:

MPCF does not require competitive athletic achievement. Participation in a community basketball league in Jane-Finch or a recreational soccer program in Malvern qualifies as sports involvement. The criterion is demonstrated values — consistency, showing up, working within a team — not athletic performance.

Award amounts range from $500 to $5,000 per year. Some awards are renewable for up to four years, provided the recipient maintains academic standing and community involvement.

Volunteer and Mentor Applications

MPCF's sports mentorship program runs on a cohort model. New mentor cohorts are recruited at specific points in the year, not on a rolling basis. Contact MPCF to find out when the next cohort intake opens before submitting a full application.

Mentors commit to a minimum of 6 months of structured engagement, typically 2–4 hours per week. The program includes a 2-day orientation covering youth development principles and trauma-informed communication, followed by supervised sessions before independent delivery.

What MPCF looks for in mentor candidates:

• A genuine connection to sport as a participant — recreational level is sufficient
• A background that reflects the communities MPCF serves; growing up in or having strong ties to Toronto's Neighbourhood Improvement Areas is a direct asset
• Experience navigating post-secondary education or early career development in the GTA
• Availability for the full 6-month commitment

Volunteer roles beyond mentoring:

Pro bono professional contributions carry significant practical value for a small non-profit. A lawyer who reviews contracts or an accountant who assists with CRA T3010 compliance frees up program budget that would otherwise go to professional fees. If you are a professional in one of these fields, note your area of expertise in your initial message.

All volunteer roles require a background check. MPCF initiates this process after an initial conversation, not before.

Community and Organizational Partnerships

Schools, community centres, faith organizations, and other non-profits can partner with MPCF to host or co-deliver programs. There is no cost to partner organizations for standard program delivery.

MPCF provides facilitators, materials, and program coordination. Partner organizations provide space, participant outreach, and local knowledge of the community being served.

Common partnership formats:

• A TDSB or TCDSB school hosts a single OSAP navigation workshop for Grade 12 students before the March application deadline
• A community centre in Flemingdon Park or Lawrence Heights co-delivers the full sports mentorship program over a school year
• A faith organization in Rexdale provides space for financial literacy or Canada Learning Bond workshops
• A Toronto Public Library branch hosts post-secondary pathways seminars for youth aged 15–18

When contacting MPCF about a partnership, include:

1. Your organization's name and type (school, community centre, faith organization, non-profit) 2. The neighbourhood or area you serve 3. The approximate number of youth or families you could reach through the program 4. Which program or workshop you are interested in hosting 5. Your preferred timing — school year, specific months, or flexible

The Canada Learning Bond workshop is in particularly high demand from organizations serving families with children under 15. The federal government deposits $500 into an RESP for children from low-income families, plus $100 per year up to age 15, with no personal contribution required. Uptake among eligible families in Toronto's NIA communities remains significantly below the national average — many families are entitled to funds they have not yet claimed.

Donors and Corporate Partners

Individual donors with questions about tax receipts, recurring giving, or donation history can contact MPCF directly. Tax receipts are issued for donations of $20 or more. As a registered Canadian charity, MPCF donations are eligible for the federal charitable tax credit and the Ontario provincial credit.

Tax credit reference for Ontario donors (approximate, based on current federal and provincial rates):

Credits above $200 in donations are calculated at the highest marginal rate — 29% federal, 11.16% Ontario. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.

Corporate partners can discuss sponsorship of fundraising events, employee matching gift programs, in-kind donations, and co-branded program materials. Corporate tables at MPCF gala events typically range from $2,500 to $10,000. Matching gift programs — where a corporation matches employee donations dollar-for-dollar — are among the most effective fundraising tools available to small charities and are actively encouraged. For companies with GTA operations looking to demonstrate local community commitment, alignment with MPCF's youth education and sports mentorship work is a direct fit.

When contacting about corporate partnership, include your company name, the type of partnership you are considering, and a contact name and title.

Media and Research Inquiries

Journalists, documentary filmmakers, academic researchers, and policy analysts can contact MPCF for interviews, program data, or background on the organization's work.

MPCF's financial information is publicly available through the CRA charity search database — searchable by charity name or registration number. Canada Helps also publishes financial summaries for registered charities that use its platform.

For media inquiries, include:

• Your publication or institution
• The nature of your story or research
• Your deadline
• Whether you are requesting an interview with Michael Clemons specifically or with program staff

MPCF does not have a dedicated communications department. Media requests are handled by senior staff. Allow 5–10 business days. If your deadline is shorter, state it clearly in the subject line.

What to Include in Any Message

A specific message gets a faster response. Avoid vague subject lines like "Question about MPCF."

Effective message structure:

• One sentence identifying who you are (youth applicant, volunteer, school administrator, donor, journalist)
• One sentence stating what you need
• Any relevant details — timeline, location, specific program, deadline
• Your preferred contact method (email or phone)

MPCF staff handle multiple program areas simultaneously. A message that requires three follow-up exchanges to establish basic context delays your response and theirs.

Questions

FAQ

01I missed the March scholarship deadline — can I still apply this year?

No. Applications submitted after the March deadline are not considered for that cycle. The selection committee reviews all applications together after the window closes; late submissions cannot be added to the review process. Contact MPCF to confirm the exact deadline for the next cycle — typically January through March of the following year — and to ask what you can prepare in advance. Useful preparation includes gathering reference letters, requesting official transcripts from your school, and drafting your personal statement. Most applicants underestimate how long these steps take. A reference letter from a community or sports organization, for example, requires giving the writer at least 3–4 weeks of lead time.

02I want to volunteer but I have no experience working with youth — does that disqualify me?

Prior experience working with youth is helpful but not required for most volunteer roles. MPCF's 2-day mentor orientation covers youth development principles and trauma-informed communication from the ground up. What matters more is your background — whether you have navigated the same systems that the youth MPCF serves are navigating now: TDSB schools, OSAP applications, Toronto's job market, post-secondary enrollment. A former community athlete from Rexdale or Scarborough who completed a college diploma and held a full-time job has directly relevant experience, regardless of whether they have formally worked with youth before. The selection process includes a community connection assessment, not an athletic performance evaluation.

03Our organization is in Mississauga, not Toronto — can we still partner with MPCF?

MPCF's primary focus is the City of Toronto, with program concentration in the 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. Community education workshops have been delivered in adjacent municipalities — Mississauga, Brampton, and Markham — when community partners have requested them and when MPCF has capacity. Contact MPCF to discuss your organization's situation directly. Organizations in Peel Region that serve significant populations from Toronto's NIA communities, or that have strong demographic overlap with MPCF's target population (youth 14–24 from lower-income households with limited post-secondary access), are more likely to be considered for partnership than those with a different profile.

04How do I get my tax receipt if I donated through Canada Helps?

If you donated through Canada Helps, your tax receipt is issued by Canada Helps on behalf of MPCF and sent to the email address you provided at the time of donation. Check your spam folder before contacting anyone — Canada Helps receipts are sometimes filtered. If you donated directly to MPCF and have not received a receipt within 10 business days, contact the organization with your donation date, amount, and the name or email address used for the transaction. MPCF's CRA registration number is publicly searchable through the CRA charity database if you need to verify the organization's registered status for your own records or for employer matching gift programs.