Black-led. Community-driven. Generationally focused.
Building leaders.
Expanding opportunity.
Empowering the next generation.
UpowerUp Canada develops Black leaders, strengthens entrepreneurship, and invests in youth through mentorship, education, training, community, and access to opportunity.
Three areas of impact
One mission. Three unmistakable pathways.
UpowerUp develops people and expands opportunity through leadership, enterprise, and youth development.
Build leaders
CLIMB
Christian Leadership Institute for Ministry & Business
Faith, personal growth, leadership, ministry, and business development that equips people to lead with purpose and impact.
Explore CLIMBBuild economic opportunity
Entrepreneurship
Economic Opportunity & Enterprise
Training, mentorship, and practical support that help entrepreneurs move from ideas to sustainable enterprises.
Explore EntrepreneurshipBuild the next generation
YES
Youth Empowerment & Education Support
Education, mentoring, leadership, career exposure, and entrepreneurship experiences that prepare young people for their future.
Explore YESCurrent opportunities
Find a pathway to participate, mentor, volunteer, or partner.
Programs and opportunities vary throughout the year. Explore current pathways or connect with UpowerUp to find the right next step.
Why UpowerUp
Development today. Opportunity tomorrow. Impact for generations.
Black-led
Programs are shaped by lived experience and community voice.
Development-focused
We build skills, leadership, confidence, and capacity.
Opportunity-driven
We connect people with education, mentorship, and pathways forward.
Generational
We invest beyond today's need toward lasting community impact.
Impact that lasts
Development people can use. Opportunity communities can sustain.
Our work strengthens leadership, business capability, mentorship, learning, and future readiness across three connected areas of impact.
Explore Our ImpactLeadership
Skills, confidence, mentorship, and opportunities to lead with purpose.
Economic opportunity
Business capability, stronger networks, and pathways toward sustainable enterprise.
Youth empowerment
Learning, mentoring, leadership exposure, and preparation for the future.
Featured initiative
Woman, U Power Up
One initiative. Multiple pathways to leadership, enterprise, faith, mentorship, and community.
Woman, U Power Up connects women with development opportunities across UpowerUp's wider ecosystem while preserving its distinct identity and history.
Explore the InitiativeStories of progress
CLIMB · Origin story
A Hard Chapter Is Not a Disqualification
Suffering does not develop you on its own. It leaves you with material. What turns material into wisdom is formation — and formation is teachable.
Read the storyEntrepreneurship · Origin story
Belief Was Never the Scarce Resource
Talent and hard work do not build a sustainable enterprise. Systems, strategy and access do — and access is the one nobody hands out evenly.
Read the storyYES · Origin story
No Shoes, No Bus Fare, No School
A school day that began at 3:30 a.m., a scholarship she could not afford to accept, and why our youth work is built on access rather than encouragement.
Read the storyA message from our founder
We power up potential by creating the conditions for people to lead, build, and thrive.
UpowerUp began with a conviction: when Black voices lead and communities have access to mentorship, education, and opportunity, transformation multiplies. We are building practical pathways that strengthen individuals today and create legacies for tomorrow.
Dr. Nicola McFadden-Marvin
Founder & Executive Director
Help power what is possible