“Equity work is not charity. It is justice. And justice requires courage, persistence, and community” Dr. Christopher Stuart Taylor, AVP, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism
Equity, inclusion, and anti-racism are not abstract commitments. They are built through everyday actions, relationships, and choices, often led quietly by members of our community who are doing the work because it needs to be done.
As Dr. Christopher Stuart Taylor shared in his recent message to campus, this work is collective. It does not belong to one office, one role, or one group. It belongs to all of us.
In that spirit, the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDI-R) is sharing two new supports for community-led work across campus and in the broader Waterloo community: Community Resources and Community Microgrants. Both initiatives reflect a belief in the care, leadership, and knowledge that already exist within our communities, and a commitment to supporting that work in practical ways.
Community Resources
The Community Resources page brings together supports that communities often ask for when they are organizing, gathering, or responding to collective needs. This includes access to space, equipment, promotion, and other forms of practical support offered.
These resources are intended to reduce barriers to community building. They recognize that community-led work is already happening, often without adequate resourcing. Institutional support should make that work easier.
Whether you are hosting a small gathering, sharing a story, or building connections, these resources are here to support you.
Community Microgrants
This winter term, EDI-R is launching Community Microgrants, a one-year pilot offering modest funding to support community-led initiatives.
Microgrants of up to $1,500 per project, with $5,000 available per term, are available to support projects that foster connection, belonging, care, and equity. These may include gatherings, creative projects, dialogue spaces, cultural celebrations, or other initiatives shaped by community needs and lived experiences.
The intention is simple. To place trust and resources directly with community members, recognizing that meaningful change often begins small, local, and relational.
Why This Matters
Our collective work matters because the impacts of inequity are real, and so is our responsibility to respond. Supporting community-led work is one way we live that responsibility through sustained care, shared effort, and trust in one another.
We invite you to explore these resources, share them with your communities, and consider how they might support the work you are already doing, or the work you have been waiting to begin.