Open
Source verified October 29, 2026
City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants
Local community support for nonprofit initiatives
Funding available
$ 20,000
Deadline
Open continuously
Location
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Overview
City of Guelph Community Priorities Grants provide multi-year operational funding of up to $20,000 per year for local not-for-profits, charities, and grassroots groups in Guelph that advance community priorities. The program supports core expenses and initiatives that strengthen equity, connection and belonging, and community resilience, including rent, staff wages, and projects that improve health, housing, food access, and neighbourhood engagement.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Increase social or community impact
- Strengthen organizational capacity
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 20,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Guelph
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- All groups
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- All industries
Target groups
- All the groups
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Local
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Activities funded
- Initiatives advancing at least one Community Investment Strategy priority.
- Work that reduces systemic inequities, discrimination, and hate, and advances Indigenous rights, reconciliation, and cultural safety.
- Activities focused on social connection, belonging, participation, creative expression, neighbourhood activation, dialogue, and storytelling.
- Initiatives that strengthen health, climate, safety, and access to basic needs, including income, food, housing, supports and services, upstream and prevention, and collaborative initiatives.
Documents Needed
- Community Priorities Grant Acknowledgement Letter
- Community Priorities Grant Budget Template_ORG Name
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Incorporated not-for-profit organizations.
- Registered charities.
- Grassroots groups applying through an incorporated not-for-profit organization or registered charity fiscal sponsor.
Who is not eligible
- For-profit organizations and initiatives.
- Individuals.
- Organizations and initiatives that overlap or duplicate work under a current signed agreement with the City, including Community Benefit Agreements.
- Government bodies, including boards of those governments such as school boards and local boards of municipalities.
- Political organizations.
Eligible expenses
- Core operational expenses, including rent and staff wages.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Programs that other levels of government have legislated responsibility to fund, including top-ups for government-mandated programs.
- Health care services that involve performing a controlled act under section 27(2) of the Regulated Health Professional Act, 1991.
- Advocacy, lobbying, advertising, or public awareness campaigns whose primary purpose is to influence public opinion, legislation, or government policy.
- Debt retirement, deficit reduction, depreciation, and financing charges.
- Retroactive payments, 100% of the budget of an activity, and secondary allocation activities or fundraising for a secondary allocation process.
Eligible geographic areas
- Guelph
Selection criteria
- Community impact and alignment with Community Investment priorities and desired outcomes for Guelph residents.
- Organizational effectiveness and capacity, including leadership, governance, staffing, volunteer capacity, and operational readiness.
- Community support and responsiveness, including understanding community needs and engaging residents with relevant lived experience.
- Equity, anti-racism, reconciliation, accessibility, and inclusion.
- Collaboration and partnerships; financial stewardship and sustainability; learning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
How to apply
- Read the Community Investment Strategy, the Community Priorities Grant Policy, and the Community Priorities Grant Measurement Framework.
- Set up a DecisionHub account.
- Choose the correct application and complete it.
- Attach the Community Priorities Grant Acknowledgement Letter and the Community Priorities Grant Budget Template_ORG Name when prompted.
- Submit the completed application by Monday, November 9 at 4 p.m.
Processing and Agreement
- Applications are screened for eligibility and completeness by staff before being sent for review.
- The Community Priorities Grant Working Group reviews eligible applications and recommends funding allocations.
- Final funding decisions are made by the General Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Intergovernmental Services, or their designate, subject to Council approving sufficient funds in the City’s budget.
- After annual Council budget approval, the Finance Department issues grant payments by cheque or electronic fund transfer.
- Successful applicants must sign a Grant Acknowledgment before funds are released, and recipients must submit one report for each year of funding by December 15 of the same year.
Additional information
- The program is guided by the Community Investment Strategy.
- The priorities are aligned with the Community Plan, the Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan, and the Anti-Racism and Equity Action Plan.
Frequently Asked Questions about the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants Program
What is the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants?
City of Guelph Community Priorities Grants provide multi-year operational funding of up to $20,000 per year for local not-for-profits, charities, and grassroots groups in Guelph that advance community priorities. The program supports core expenses and initiatives that strengthen equity, connection and belonging, and community resilience, including rent, staff wages, and projects that improve health, housing, food access, and neighbourhood engagement.
How much funding can be received?
City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants Funds up to $20,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants program?
To be eligible for the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants program, you must:
The organization must benefit Guelph residents and have either a location in Guelph or at least 50% of participants from Guelph.
The organization must be an incorporated not-for-profit, a registered charity, or a fiscal sponsor for a grassroots group.
The organization must have a volunteer board, have operated for at least one year, and be in good standing with the City while complying with the Ontario Human Rights Code.
What expenses are eligible under City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants?
Initiatives advancing at least one Community Investment Strategy priority.
Work that reduces systemic inequities, discrimination, and hate, and advances Indigenous rights, reconciliation, and cultural safety.
Activities focused on social connection, belonging, participation, creative expression, neighbourhood activation, dialogue, and storytelling.
Initiatives that strengthen health, climate, safety, and access to basic needs, including income, food, housing, supports and services, upstream and prevention, and collaborative initiatives.
Where is the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants available?
The City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants a grant, loan, or tax credit?
City of Guelph — Community Priorities Grants is a Grant and Funding