Grow Grant

Interested applicants must:

• Deliver programs and services in one of four sectors: sports and recreation, arts and culture, environment, and human and social services.
• 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.
• 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.
• Demonstrate that it is the appropriate organization or community to carry out the proposed project.

Read OTF's Eligibility Policy to learn more about eligibility criteria for applicants.

In addition to these requirements, applicants must be one of the following: 

Non-profit organizations

Organizations, including Métis and Inuit organizations, that have been registered or incorporated and actively operating for at least 12 months may be eligible for funding. This includes:

• A charitable organization or foundation registered with the Canada Revenue Agency.
• An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction.
• A Chartered Community Council, operating under the Métis Nation of Ontario.

First Nations

• All First Nations are eligible for funding.
• A First Nations seeking funding for their libraries must apply on behalf of the library.
   

Municipalities, libraries and local services boards

• A municipality with a population of 20,000 or less, county library boards and local services boards serving populations of 20,000 or less are only eligible to apply for funding in two of OTF’s Funding Priorities:
  • Foster physically active lifestyles; or
  • Enriching lives through arts, culture and heritage
• A municipality with a population of 20,000 or less must apply on behalf of its cultural or recreation agencies, including municipal libraries and museums.
• Municipalities with a population of over 20,000 are not eligible for funding. 

Collaboratives

A collaboration of two or more organizations may be eligible if the lead organization in the collaborative meet the requirements of OTF’s Eligibility Policy. The lead organization will be required to accept responsibility for the application and administration of the grant, including financial and reporting accountability.

Collaboratives are required to include a formal, signed collaborative agreement with their grant application. Learn about Collaborative Agreements.

Religious entities 
An organization that is a religious entity or a faith-based group and is a registered charity or not-for-profit corporation may be eligible for funding. The organization needs to provide direct programs and services to the community at large which are not religious activities and do not include a requirement to participate in any dimensions of faith. 

Learn more about eligibility criteria for religious entities.

Ineligible applicants and activities

OTF funding is available to applicants that meet specific requirements related to their mission and mandate, how they operate, their proposed projects and the community need. Find out who and what is not eligible for OTF funding.

Assessing and making recommendations

• OTF staff first review your application and information available on your organization’s website and social media accounts. 
• We verify that your group meets eligibility criteria. 
• If you are eligible, our experienced staff and local volunteers score your application against the project assessment criteria.
• Local Grant Review Team volunteers make funding recommendations to the OTF Board of Directors. 
• Learn more about how we make application decisions.

Notification of funding decision

• The final list of approved grants is sent to Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to give them an opportunity to congratulate successful applicants directly, when possible. 
• All applicants are then notified of the final decision, approximately 4-5 months from the deadline date. 
• All OTF decisions are final and there is no appeal process.

Orientation meeting

• Successful applicants take part in a mandatory orientation meeting with an OTF Program Manager.
• These meetings cover key expectations and requirements of the grant and need to be completed before grants can be activated.
• As part of the orientation, groups review the Grantee Requirements.

Activating a grant

• After the orientation meeting, the Signatory Contact for the grant receives the Grant Contract by email, along with electronic signing instructions. The contract is a legal agreement between the applicant and OTF.
• Once the contract has been received by the Signatory Contact, they must be review it, sign it , and submit it back to OTF  within 60 days of receipt to remain valid.
• Grants are activated once contracts are signed and returned electronically to OTF.
• Grant payments are made through electronic funds transfer (EFT) once a grant becomes active.

During your grant

• Reporting and monitoring
  • Grantee engagements will take place throughout the life of a grant.
  • Grantees submit a final report when the project is complete. The report covers the achievement of the project, metric, and learnings.
• Grant recognition
  • As outlined in the Grant Recognition Requirements, grantees are to publicly recognize OTF and its funder, the Government of Ontario, at an event and through other recognition activities. 
• Completion
  • After OTF staff approve the final report, grant hold-back funds are released and the grant is closed.
• Grantee compliance
  • A random sample of grants are subject to a Grantee Compliance Audit. 
  • Grants can be audited for compliance at any point within the grant’s life, or after the grant has been closed.

Applicant is not compliant with OTF policies

As part of the assessment process, OTF ensures that applicants comply with OTF’s granting policies:

• Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Eligibility Policy
• Financial Need and Health of Applicants Policy

When applicants do not meet these policies, the application will be declined.

Applicant does not fit with who we fund

Applicants are assessed according to OTF’s Eligibility Policy. When applicants do not meet these requirements, the application will not proceed to a full review.  

For example: An organization does not clearly explain that its mission and mandate is to directly deliver programs and services in Ontario. 

Responses do not include enough information

OTF receives a very high volume of grant applications. While we review and assess all submitted applications, applicants can forget to provide enough detail to give OTF a full, and clear picture of their project. This often includes:

• Answers that don’t provide relevant information about the project and organization.
• Missing information about how the project will be delivered.

Applications that don’t have all of the answers fully completed will be declined.

Documents are missing or incorrect

Various documentation is required as part of the application. Certain documents are commonly missed or incorrect. Here are some examples: 

• Quotes and estimates are not submitted, are missing dates or don’t clearly go with a budget item.
• Photos of equipment needed to deliver a project are not submitted.
• The wrong proof of ownership documents are uploaded. (Applicable for Grow and Capital grants)
• A lease agreement does not show a minimum of 5 years remaining at the time of application deadline. (Applicable for Grow and Capital grants)
• Collaborative applications that are missing a complete Collaborative Agreement. (Applicable for Grow and Seed grants)

Applications that are missing documents or have incorrect documentation will be declined.

Financial documents don’t meet requirements

Wrong type of financial statements

The size of your organization’s revenue determines who should be preparing your financial statements to submit with your grant application. Most common mistakes with this requirement are for:

• Organizations with revenues less than $99,999: Financial statements can be prepared by staff, internal bookkeeper, board member, or an accountant.
• Organizations with revenues $100,000 or more: Financial statements need to be prepared externally and with different criteria, depending on total revenues.

Applications that contain the wrong type of financial statements will not proceed to a full review.

Review the Financial Statement Requirements.

Missing surplus or deficit information

Organizations with an accumulated surplus or deficit need to include additional documentation with the application. This information provides further explanation for staff reviewing the application. Applications that do not provide this documentation will not proceed to a full review. 

Review the Financial Statement Requirements and use the Financial Position Calculator to determine if you have an accumulated surplus or deficit. 

Incomplete or inaccurate project budget

The project budget is a critical part of the application. It shows how grant funds will be used and ensures funds are used effectively. There are a number of common mistakes related to the project budget.

Ineligible costs

Budgets often include costs that are ineligible for funding.

Budget items are not aligned to the Project Plan and requested term

Applicants need to clearly explain how their budget items are connected to their project and Project Plan. Applicants often forget to include:

• Clear cost breakdowns for each budget item.
• Appropriate and reasonable costs for the activities outlined in the Project Plan.
• A Project Budget and Project Plan that correspond to their requested term.

When Project Budgets do not meet requirements, the application will be declined.

Applications do not explain the benefit to local community

The project is not at a community level

OTF has divided Ontario into 16 areas, called catchments, and applicants need to select one catchment area where the primary activities of the project will take place. Applications that indicate impact at a province-wide or national level will be declined. 

The community need is not clear

Ensure that you have created a link between your project and the benefit it will have in your community and/or for community members. For example, if you want to hire a volunteer coordinator or purchase equipment explain how these items will help you deliver your project to directly benefit community.