OTF — Seed Grant

Eligibility for this grant is determined by specific requirements related to the applicant's profile and proposed activities.

• The applicant must deliver programs and services in one of the following sectors: sports and recreation, arts and culture, environment, and human and social services.
• The applicant must have a primary purpose, presence, and reputation for delivering community-based programs and services with direct community benefit in one of OTF’s 16 geographic catchment areas in Ontario.
• The applicant must demonstrate the financial and organizational capacity to manage OTF funds, and deliver and complete the proposed project as per OTF’s Financial Need and Health of Applicants policy.
• The applicant must be one of the following: a registered charitable organization, an incorporated not-for-profit corporation without share capital, a First Nation, a Chartered Community Council under the Métis Nation of Ontario, an Inuit community, or a municipality with a population of 20,000 or less.
• Collaboratives must have a lead organization that meets OTF eligibility requirements and include a formal, signed collaborative agreement.
• For religious entities or faith-based groups, they must be a registered charity or not-for-profit corporation providing non-religious community services.
• Ineligible applicants include municipalities with populations over 20,000.

Who is eligible?

Eligible applicants for the Seed Grant include non-profit organizations, Indigenous communities, municipalities (under 20,000 population), libraries, local services boards, collaboratives, and religious entities in Ontario delivering community-based programs in sports and recreation, arts and culture, environment, and human and social services. They should have a reputation for delivering such programs with direct community benefits and demonstrate the capacity to manage funds effectively.

Who is not eligible

There are specific restrictions on the types of companies and industries eligible for this grant. The guidelines focus on ensuring that only organizations aligned with the community-focused objectives of the grant can apply.

• Municipalities with populations over 20,000.
• Organizations that do not operate as non-profit entities.
• Companies primarily engaged in religious activities that require participation in dimensions of faith.

Eligible expenses

The Seed Grant provides funding to help organizations build resilience and enhance their program delivery capacity. Eligible projects are focused on planning, innovation, and capacity-building to benefit Ontario communities.

• Creation or adaptation of organizational strategies to strengthen resilience and capacity for delivering services.
• Development or adaptation of digital technology to support future program and service delivery.
• Enhancement of staff and volunteer skills to improve program delivery.
• Designing and piloting innovative programs or services that address community needs.

Eligible geographic areas

This grant supports the work of eligible non-profit organizations delivering community-based programs in specific areas of Ontario. The following geographical areas are eligible for companies to apply for this grant.

• Organizations operating within one of Ontario Trillium Foundation's 16 geographic catchment areas.
• Non-profit groups with a primary presence in the specified regions of Ontario.
• Municipalities with a population of 20,000 or less within Ontario.

The evaluation and selection of projects for this grant are based on specific criteria with allocated point scores to ensure alignment with the grant’s objectives.

• Community benefit and relevance (30%): The application must clearly demonstrate how the project fits with the selected funding priority and objective, responds to a community need, and provides realistic and achievable local benefits.
• Project plan and feasibility (30%): The project plan should detail implementation steps, deliverables, key tasks, and timelines. It must be feasible, ready-to-go, and show a high likelihood of success. Collaboratives should have a suitable agreement in place.
• Project budget (30%): A clear and aligned budget to the project plan, deliverables, and key tasks. The costs should be appropriate, reasonable, and valid for the activities outlined.
• Program participation for populations experiencing barriers (10%): Projects should engage populations facing barriers like socio-economic, geographic, cultural, gender, abilities, or racial challenges to enhance program participation.

There are a few other miscellaneous details about the grant.

• Grant application period is closed, and decisions will be communicated to applicants.
• OTF reserves the right to ask successful applicants for updated organization information at any time throughout the life of the grant.