Community Enhancement Program — Rural Enhancement Funding Stream
ON, Canada
Money to improve community facilities in rural communities
grant_single_labels|summary
grant_single|eligibleFinancing
- grant_single|maxCount
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grant_single|deadlines
- grant_single|openingDateFebruary 11, 2021
- grant_single|grantStatusClosed
grant_single|financingType
Grant and Funding
grant_single|eligibleIndustries
- grant_single|allIndustries
grant_single|grantors
- Government of Ontario
- Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC)
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grant_card_status|open
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Get funding to improve community facilities — up to $200,000 to cover up to 90% of the costs in communities with less than 1,500 people, and up to $500,000 to cover 75% of the costs in communities with populations of 1,500 to 30,000 people.
grant_single_labels|projects
This grant is specifically targeted towards rural communities and Indigenous communities within Northern Ontario. The grant aims to support projects that align with the priorities for developing healthy and strong communities in these geographical regions.
- Rural municipalities in Northern Ontario with a population of less than 30,000.
- Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario.
- Local Services Boards serving populations under 30,000 in Northern Ontario.
grant_single|admissibleProjectsExample
$150,000
Upgrades to the community park including new playground equipment and better accessibility
$187,500
Renovation of the Maple Community Center's gym and installation of new HVAC system
$150,000
Expansion and repair of the public library's children's section
$300,000
Repair and energy-efficient upgrades to the historic town hall
$300,000
Repairs and modernization of the municipal water treatment plant
$225,000
Renovation and expansion of the seniors' recreation center
grant_single_labels|admissibility
To be eligible for the Rural Enhancement Funding Stream, applicants must meet specific criteria related to their organizational type and the populations they serve.
- The applicant must be a rural municipality, an Indigenous community, a not-for-profit organization, or a Local Services Board.
- The applicant must serve a population of less than 30,000.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_can_apply
Eligible applicants for the Rural Enhancement Funding Stream include rural municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations, and Local Services Boards that have or serve a population of less than 30,000.
grant_eligibility_criteria|who_cannot_apply
This grant excludes certain types of projects and entities based on their characteristics and activities that do not align with the program's focus. The restrictions are designed to ensure funding supports community enhancements in line with its strategic objectives.
- Entities seeking funding for core municipal infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, water, and sewer systems.
- Organizations or projects involving administrative office buildings or residential projects.
- Entities aiming to fund operating expenses, routine maintenance, or similar costs.
- Applications involving stand-alone purchases of equipment, furniture, or unrelated feasibility or engineering studies.
grant_eligibility_criteria|eligible_expenses
This grant supports projects that enhance the quality and longevity of community assets to build healthier and more vibrant rural areas. Eligible activities focus on making incremental improvements to existing facilities.
- Incremental improvements to social and recreational facilities.
- Repairs or renovations to extend the life of municipal assets.
- Upgrades to community halls that contribute to community vitality.
grant_eligibility_criteria|zone
The grant provides funding for incremental improvements, repairs, and renovations to extend the useful life of certain community assets.
- Incremental improvements to existing social or recreational facilities.
- Repairs to extend the useful life of municipal assets.
- Renovations of community halls that contribute to community health and vibrancy.
grant_single_labels|criteria
The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria to ensure alignment with the Rural Enhancement Funding Stream's objectives of contributing to healthy and strong rural communities.
- Identification and alignment with a planning process such as a community or organizational plan.
- How the project builds on and optimizes the capacity and efficiency of existing infrastructure.
- Strength of the project plan that identifies the technical, managerial, and financial capacity for implementing the project and sustaining the facility.
- Applicant should demonstrate how an NOHFC investment is necessary to make the project viable.
grant_single_labels|register
Here are the steps to submit an application for this grant:
- Step 1: Create My Ontario Account
- Visit the NOHFC portal and click on the link to create a My Ontario Account.
- Follow the instructions to set up your account, ensuring you provide all requested personal and organizational information.
- Step 2: Access the NOHFC Portal
- Log into the NOHFC portal using your newly created My Ontario Account credentials.
- Step 3: Prepare Application Materials
- Draft a comprehensive project proposal including objectives, expected outcomes, and how it aligns with community or organizational plans.
- Gather supporting documents such as budgets, timelines, technical, managerial, and financial capacity information.
- Ensure documentation demonstrates why NOHFC investment is crucial for the project's viability.
- Step 4: Complete Online Application Form
- Navigate to the application section in the NOHFC portal.
- Fill out the required fields in the application form, ensuring accuracy and completeness.
- Step 5: Submit Application
- Upload all necessary documents as per the application requirements on the NOHFC portal.
- Review the application thoroughly to confirm all details are correct.
- Submit the completed application via the portal before the submission deadline.
- Step 6: Receive Confirmation
- Wait for an automated confirmation email indicating the successful submission of your application.
- Keep this confirmation for your records, noting your application reference number if provided.
grant_single_labels|otherInfo
Here are additional relevant details for this grant:
- All buildings, facilities, or land improved with NOHFC funding must be owned by the applicant.
- Applicants may need to reimburse NOHFC if funded assets are sold within three years after project completion.
Apply to this program
Enhancing Rural Communities Through Strategic Investment
The Rural Enhancement Funding Stream is designed to fortify rural communities by supporting initiatives that enhance social and recreational infrastructure. This funding aims to maintain vibrant, healthy communities through calculated support of projects that increase infrastructure efficiency and capability.
Detailed Overview of the Rural Enhancement Funding Stream
The Rural Enhancement Funding Stream by NOHFC (Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation) offers crucial financial support to rural municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profit organizations, and Local Services Boards serving populations under 30,000. This initiative underscores a commitment to prolonging the vitality of community facilities, thereby paving the way for accelerated community and economic development in rural areas. The grant targets capital improvements that enhance the utility and longevity of existing social and recreational properties, encouraging projects that align with local development strategies.
This funding stream emphasizes incremental improvements, repairs, and renovations to community assets such as recreational centers, municipal buildings, and community halls. By improving these facilities, the program aims to inject life into local communities, making them more attractive places to live and work.
Applicants must present a comprehensive project plan demonstrating how the NOHFC investment is pivotal in making the undertaking viable. The plan must also highlight the alterations’ alignment with community or organizational development plans and explain how the project maximizes existing infrastructure's efficiency and capacity. This will be crucial during the evaluation process, ensuring that funded projects align with overarching community enhancement goals.
The financial assistance is provided as a conditional contribution, depending on community size and needs. For communities with fewer than 1,500 residents and Indigenous communities, funding can cover up to 90% of eligible costs, but not exceeding a total of $200,000. In places with populations exceeding 1,500, the assistance can go up to 75% of eligible expenses with a cap of $500,000. This staggered approach ensures equitable distribution of resources to meet varying community needs and encourages diverse project portfolios that provide tangible benefits.
These projects are subject to stringent criteria to ensure alignment with regional priorities and potential impact on community development. The NOHFC board reserves the right to make exceptions for projects which address priority needs specific to Northern Ontario, underpinning the flexibility of this funding stream to deliver where it’s most needed.
Ineligible projects under this fund include core municipal infrastructures like roads and bridges, administrative buildings, residential projects, and operational expenses. By focusing on physical enhancements, the Rural Enhancement Funding Stream ensures that investments are directly contributing to the visible revitalization of community spaces, which is both beneficial for local residents and compelling to potential new settlers.
Applications require ownership of the property or facility by the applicant, protecting the program's investments and ensuring that improved facilities remain public assets for the community's continual benefit. The strategic injection of funds to grow and enhance community infrastructure reaffirms the commitment of Ontario to rural prosperity, encouraging sustainable economic development that is community-led and locally beneficial.
