OTF — Family Innovations Scale Grant

• Project Plan and Budget
• Organizational Mentor-Grassroots Group Collaborative Agreement
• Most recent completed financial statements
• Organization’s By-Laws

Who is eligible?

• Grassroots groups not registered as charities or incorporated not-for-profit organizations, including grassroots groups from a First Nation if no more than 50% of members are part of the band office or band council
• Organizations incorporated as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction, including Chartered Community Councils under the Métis Nation of Ontario and Inuit communities registered as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Canada

Who is not eligible

• Registered charities
• First Nations
• Religious entities established for the observation of religious beliefs, including churches, temples, mosques, and synagogues
• Municipalities, groups and projects based at existing organizations, and groups specifically designed to serve parents, guardians and caregivers through committees or clubs of municipalities, universities, schools, or hospitals
• For-profit organizations and businesses, individuals, and groups looking to design programming for children

Eligible expenses

• Staffing costs, including full-time and part-time staff, with livable wages and Mandatory Employee Required Costs considered
• Project transportation, honorarium, support services, project supplies and materials, project equipment, food, communications, and fees for experts or facilitators
• Hiring a consultant, community expert, and/or Elder to support learning in a specific topic area
• Learning conferences, training or event registration fees, travel, accommodations, tuition, software, online learning platforms, and online courses
• Core group team gathering expenses and participation in Youth Opportunities Fund gatherings or summits, including local travel, accommodations, meeting space, facilitators, lost wages, childcare, and local transportation

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Taxes such as GST and HST for which the Organizational Mentor is eligible for a tax rebate, and all other rebate-eligible costs
• Capital infrastructure costs, contingency costs, and general or ongoing operating costs unrelated to the project
• Political or religious activities
• Personal one-on-one professional services, including direct therapy, counselling, legal advice, and accounting advice
• Staff hired to perform project delivery roles, honoraria to volunteers, organizational infrastructure or equipment, individual wellness activities, in-person activities outside Ontario, participant groceries, household supplies, equipment, bursaries, scholarships, sponsorships, individual requests, regranting funds, and fundraising campaigns

• Proposed projects must respond to a systemic issue faced by parents, guardians and caregivers.
• Proposed projects must align with one of YOF’s Priority Outcomes.
• The core group must have the community knowledge and experience to address the systemic issues and community needs identified.
• YOF prioritizes grassroots groups addressing the experiences of Indigenous and Black parents, guardians and caregivers.
• YOF also prioritizes projects that positively impact parents, guardians and caregivers and/or their children who are in conflict or at risk of conflict with the law, at risk of contact or in contact with child welfare services, at risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school, living with disabilities or special needs, or who are 2SLGBTQIA+.

• Prepare the Expression of Interest as the first step and foundation of the Grant Application.
• Prepare the Project Plan and Budget as part of the Expression of Interest.
• If your Expression of Interest is shortlisted, your group will be invited to submit the Grant Application with an Organizational Mentor.

• The Expression of Interest is reviewed first to assess the project and the group’s eligibility.
• Only shortlisted groups are invited to submit the Grant Application with an Organizational Mentor.
• Applicants are notified of the final funding decision approximately 8 weeks after the grant application deadline.

• All supports and resources are complimentary.
• Applicants can register for webinars to learn about the YOF program and eligibility criteria, or book coaching calls for in-depth support.
• For immediate support, contact 1 800 263-2887 or yof@otf.ca.