OTF — Grow Grant

• Financial statements for the 2 most recent fiscal years and accumulated surplus or deficit documentation, if required, for all applicants except Municipalities and First Nations.
• A list of active board members, a list of current senior staff at Director level and above, and the organization’s by-laws, for all applicants except Municipalities and First Nations.
• A formal, signed Collaborative Agreement for collaborative applications.
• At least one quote or estimate for each good or service valued above $5,000, including cumulative sub-contracts with the same supplier.
• If capital is included, proof of ownership or a lease agreement with at least 5 years remaining, or for municipalities a signed letter from a senior administrator confirming ownership, plus photos or diagrams demonstrating the funding need.

Who is eligible?

• Charitable organizations or foundations registered with the Canada Revenue Agency that have been registered and actively operating for at least 12 months.
• Organizations incorporated as not-for-profit corporations without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction, including Métis and Inuit organizations, and Chartered Community Councils operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario, that have been registered or incorporated and actively operating for at least 12 months.
• All First Nations; First Nations seeking funding for their libraries must apply on behalf of the library.
• Municipalities with a population of 20,000 or less, county library boards, and local services boards serving populations of 20,000 or less, only for Foster physically active lifestyles or Enriching lives through arts, culture and heritage.
• Collaboratives of two or more organizations with an eligible lead organization, and religious entities or faith-based groups that are registered charities or not-for-profit corporations providing direct community programs and services that are not religious activities and do not require participation in faith.

Who is not eligible

• Municipalities with a population of over 20,000.

Eligible expenses

• Salaries, mandatory employment costs, and employee benefits for project staff
• Purchased services, workshops or meetings, supplies and materials, and travel
• Overhead and administration costs directly linked to the project
• Capital costs for equipment, renovations, repairs, retrofits, and related developmental costs

Ineligible Costs and Activities

• Rebatable taxes such as GST and HST
• Contingency or emergency reserve costs
• Costs incurred before grant approval
• General capital fundraising drives and capital campaigns

• Community benefit and relevance (30%)
• Project plan and feasibility (30%)
• Project budget (30%)
• Program participation for populations experiencing barriers (10%)

• Step 1: Create or sign in to an OTF account and access the Granting Portal
  • New users must create an account
  • Returning users sign in when the application opens
  • Complete the initial questionnaire
• Step 2: Prepare organization information
  • Gather organization details, financial statements, and governance information
  • Ensure all required information is up to date
• Step 3: Prepare project materials
  • Define the project objective
  • Prepare the project plan and budget
  • Collect quotes, estimates, and any required supporting documents
  • Prepare a collaborative agreement if applicable
• Step 4: Complete and submit the application
  • Fill out the application in the Granting Portal
  • Upload required documents
  • Submit before the deadline

• Applications that do not meet the initial organization, financial, or governance criteria will not advance to the second stage of the assessment process and will not be fully reviewed.
• All applicants are notified of the final decision approximately 4-5 months from the deadline date.
• All OTF decisions are final and there is no appeal process.
• Where OTF funding is part of a larger project, applicants must show that the OTF-funded components can be completed independently or that other funding sources have been secured before OTF releases funds.
• If funds to complete the project are not secured in full within one year of signing the Grant Contract, the grant will be rescinded.

• Applications that meet eligibility requirements are then scored for overall strength and clarity.
• All applicants are notified of the final decision approximately 4-5 months from the deadline date.
• All OTF decisions are final and there is no appeal process.
• Where feasible, OTF encourages the purchase of Ontario or Canadian goods and services.