Eligibility Policy

Type: Granting

Target audience: Applicants, Grantees

1.0 Introduction

As a public funder, the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has an Eligibility Policy to maintain transparency and accountability in its granting. This policy sets out the eligibility requirements for applicants and projects in alignment with OTF’s governing documents. In addition, applicants must meet grant specific requirements, outlined on the relevant grant page of the OTF website.

2.0 Purpose

The Eligibility Policy outlines who and what is eligible and ineligible for OTF funding. Applicants and projects that do not meet these requirements are not eligible for OTF grants.

3.0 Scope

This policy applies to:

Applicants for an OTF grant, who must
- Be one of the Applicant Types identified in section 4.0;
- Meet the conditions listed in section 4.1;
- Meet the grant-specific requirements outlined on the relevant grant page of the OTF website.
OTF grantees and OTF-funded projects which must:
- Support community-based programing and services that contribute to healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.

An applicant, including those that are the lead in a collaborative, can only submit one grant application per deadline.

4.0 Policy

4.1 Eligible Applicants - Types

An applicant must be one of the following legal entities:

A charitable organization or foundation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency for at least two years.
An organization incorporated for at least two years as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in Ontario or Federally:
- Provincially: Not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Ontario are incorporated under the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010 (ONCA)
- Federally: Not-for-profit corporations without share capital in Canada are incorporated under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (NFP Act)
A Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario Secretariat, must apply for a grant through the Métis Nation of Ontario Secretariat.
A First Nation
- A First Nation must apply on behalf of their libraries.
A municipality with a population of 20,000 or less is eligible to:
- apply for funding in the following OTF Funding Priorities:
  - Foster Physically Active Lifestyles, or
  - Enriching Lives Through Arts, Culture and Heritage.
- apply on behalf of its cultural or recreation agencies, including municipal libraries and museums.
County Library Boards and Local Services Boards serving populations of 20,000 or less are eligible to apply for funding in the following OTF Funding Priorities:
- Foster Physically Active Lifestyles or,
- Enriching Lives Through Arts, Culture and Heritage.

Collaboratives

Based on the grant type, a collaboration of two or more organizations may be eligible provided the lead organization meets OTF eligibility requirements and accepts responsibility for the application and administration of the grant, including financial and reporting accountability.
All organizations participating in the collaborative must not be engaged in political activity supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office.

Religious entities

Organizations which are religious entities or faith-based groups and are registered charities or not-for-profit corporations may be eligible for a grant if they deliver direct programs or services to the community at large that are non-religious in nature and do not require participation in any aspect of faith.

4.2 Eligible Applicants - Purpose & Capacity

An applicant must:

Have a purpose consistent with OTF’s mission, Grant Investment Framework and grant-specific requirements.
Primarily deliver programs or services in one or more of the following eligible sectors:
- Arts and culture,
- Sports and recreation,
- Environment, or
- Human and social services.
Have appropriate governance and accountability structures and policies in place to support strong organizational and fiscal management.
Demonstrate sufficient financial capacity, stability and diversified revenue to sustain their organization beyond the OTF grant.
Demonstrate a need for project funds based on the organization’s current financial position.
Have experience managing a budget that is comparable in size and complexity to the project budget being requested.
Be in good standing with OTF and the Government of Ontario.

4.3 Project Eligibility

OTF funding is:

Intended to supplement rather than duplicate or replace any existing sources of provincial government funds.
Intended to support specified costs to deliver time-limited, results-oriented projects.
Not intended to create a dependency on funding from OTF or the Province of Ontario.

OTF grants must be:

Delivered in Ontario and provide benefit to Ontarians; and
Aligned to OTF’s Grant Investment Framework and grant-specific requirements.

4.4 Ineligible Applicants

The following entities are not eligible for OTF funding:

Individuals;
For-profit organizations;
Private or corporate foundations and their affiliated agencies;
Organizations engaged in political activity supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office;
Organizations with a primary purpose of bringing about change in law or government policy;
Agencies of the municipal, provincial or federal government;
Universities, colleges, schools, hospitals and their affiliated agencies, including organizations whose principal purpose is primary healthcare or school-based curriculum; and
Organizations with a primary purpose to own or operate residences that provide long-term housing and/or care for individuals (long-term care homes, cooperative housing, group care residence).

4.5 Ineligible Activities and Costs

The following are not eligible for OTF funding:

Direct personal or individual material benefits intended for use outside of the funded project;
The duplication or replacement of existing government funding, government-mandated services, positions, or activities;
Delivering school or home-based curriculum, primary healthcare (including dental), or long-term housing;
Personal one-on-one professional services (including expenses related to direct therapy, counselling/ legal and/or accounting advice)
Political activities supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office;
Political activities (including research and development) for the purpose of bringing about a change in law or government policy;
Taxes (such as GST and HST), for which the recipient is eligible for a tax rebate, as well as any other costs eligible for rebates;
Overhead and Administration Costs that are not directly related to the project and that exceed 15% of the total project budget;
Core operational funding, which covers ongoing day-to-day costs that are not directly tied to the specific, funded, time-limited project;
Flow-through funding that will be reallocated to a third-party;
Activities completed, or costs incurred, before the start date specified in an OTF Grant Contract;
Activities that are religious in nature or include a requirement to participate in any aspect of faith or involve capital renovations or repairs of space used primarily for the purpose of religious observance or practice;
Gambling and gambling-related activities;
The purchase or sale of alcohol or cannabis, financing of related licenses or permits, or capital renovations or repairs to facilities or spaces used for the sale of alcohol or cannabis; and
The purchase of firearms or ammunition, or the financing of related licenses or permits.

4.6 Compliance and Legal Requirements

All applicants and grantees must comply with:

Applicable federal, provincial, and municipal laws;
The Ontario Human Rights Code;
OTF policies;
Grant-specific requirements; and
The Terms and Conditions outlined in OTF’s Grant Contract which include reporting, grant recognition, and other accountability requirements.