Sector Grant
Funding is available for projects that help strengthen the capacity of Ontario’s non-profit sector.
Grant application period
- Step 1 – Organization Information and High-level Project Information: September 23 to October 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET
- Only organizations that meet requirements for Sector grants will be invited to complete Step 2 of the application.
- Step 2 – Detailed Project Information: October 15 to December 2, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Amount awarded and grant term
$50,000 to $300,000 a year, for 1, 2, or 3 years
Grant purpose
The Sector grant stream aims to strengthen the capacity and resilience of Ontario’s non-profit sector by supporting projects that respond to shared needs and emerging opportunities across the sector.
Ontario's non-profit sector includes charitable and non-profit organizations, networks, and supporting organizations that strengthen communities and improve quality of life across Ontario. It also includes the systems, relationships, and infrastructure that enable the sector to deliver public benefit.
Grants are available for non-profit organizations with a demonstrated mandate, presence, and established reputation for supporting Ontario’s non-profit sector. Funding supports projects that develop and share strategies, tools, and approaches that help the broader sector build its capacity, operate more effectively, and adapt to changing conditions.
Organizations whose primary focus is delivering direct programs and services in their communities are not eligible for a Sector grant and are encouraged to visit the Seed, Grow, or Capital grant stream pages to learn about other funding opportunities.
Get started
The first step of the Sector grant application includes submitting the Organization Information and an overview of the project. After OTF completes the initial assessment, organizations that meet eligibility requirements will be invited to complete Step 2 of the grant application. Step 2 builds on the information already provided and requires the submission of more detailed project information.
Use the grant requirements outlined on this page to determine if your organization and project meet the eligibility requirements for Sector grants. Once you have reviewed this information, explore the preview of the Sector grant application questions to prepare your responses ahead of the application period.
Before you apply: Determine if your organization is eligible
Before applying for an OTF grant, organizations should review the eligibility criteria related to who they are, what they do, and their ability to administer a project funded by OTF. Organizations that do not meet these requirements are not eligible for OTF funding.
OTF accepts Sector grant applications from the following legal entities:
- A charitable organization or foundation registered for at least 2 years with the Canada Revenue Agency
- An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit for at least 2 years without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction
Ineligible applicants
- Individuals
- For-profit organizations
- Organizations with a primary purpose to deliver local programs and services
- Private or corporate foundations and their affiliated agencies
- Organizations primarily engaged in political activity
- Agencies of the municipal, provincial or federal government
- Universities, colleges, schools and hospitals and their affiliated agencies
- Organizations with a primary purpose to deliver health care or education
- 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)
Governance
- Organizations need to have a minimum of three active board members, with term end dates on or after the grant application deadline date.
- More than 50% of all board members need to maintain an arm's length relationship to each other. This is a common application mistake.
- To have an arm's length relationship between people means that your board members and organization executives are not married or related to each other, do not work as business partners or are not otherwise in a relationship where interests may be compromised.
- Organizations need to submit their most recent by-laws.
Financial capacity
Organizations that receive OTF funding need to have the financial capacity, stability and diversified revenue to sustain their operations beyond the OTF grant. Eligible organizations will have the experience managing funds comparable in size and complexity to the project budget being requested.
OTF assesses the financial capacity of all applicants using the submitted financial statements.
Primary purpose is to support Ontario’s non-profit sector
Organizations need to have a demonstrated mandate, presence, and established reputation for supporting Ontario’s non-profit sector. OTF will assess this requirement based on the organization’s mission or purpose statement, and public information available on the organization’s website and/or social media channels.
Minimum gross annual revenue
Organizations are required to have $500,000 or more in gross annual revenue in their last two fiscal years.
Collaborative projects
A collaboration of two or more organizations may be eligible if the lead organization in the collaboration meets OTF eligibility criteria. The lead organization will accept responsibility for the application and administration of the grant, including financial and reporting accountability.
A collaborative applying for a Sector grant is made up of two or more organizations that:
- Want to work toward and achieve a common goal of strengthening the capacity of the non-profit sector.
- Share decision-making and accountability in the delivery of the funded project.
A collaborative may include both eligible and ineligible organizations who are in good standing with OTF. All organizations participating in the collaborative cannot be engaged in political activity supporting or opposing any political party, elected representative, or candidate for public office.
Projects in this grant stream are designed to create broad, sector-wide benefits. The following types of projects are generally not eligible.
Limited reach or scope
Projects that primarily benefit a single organization, community, region, or defined group of partners are not eligible, including:
- Internal capacity-building initiatives for a single organization
- Projects serving only one community, region, or local network
- Projects benefitting only one sector or population
- Collaboratives where benefits are limited to named partner organizations
- Projects addressing regional or community-specific capacity needs
Program or service delivery
Projects focused on delivering or expanding programs and services rather than creating shared capacity across the sector are not eligible, including:
- Expansion or continuation of existing programs or services
- Ongoing service delivery, regardless of scale
- Training delivered to organizations without creating reusable tools, resources, or systems
- Projects that focus on developing strategies to address systemic issues
Applicant-dependent solutions
Projects that rely on the applicant's ongoing involvement to generate value are not eligible, including:
- Resources that are not designed for independent adoption or use by others
- Projects whose benefits end when funding ends
Projects focused on core operations
Activities focused on supporting core and ongoing operations are not eligible.
Check-in
Once you have reviewed the information above and established that your organization meets the eligibility requirements for the Sector grant stream, review what you will need to submit for Step 1 of the grant application below.
Step 1: Organization Information and High-level Project Information
The first step of the Sector grant application includes submitting the Organization Information and an overview of the project. After OTF completes the initial assessment, organizations that meet eligibility requirements will be invited to complete Step 2 of the grant application. Step 2 builds on the information already provided and requires the submission of more detailed project information.
Below is an overview of Step 1 of the Sector grant application.
Organizations need to have a mission and deliver on efforts that strengthen and/or support Ontario’s non-profit sector.
In the mission and activities section of the grant application, OTF aims to understand what the organization’s purpose is and what it does. The answers will help OTF determine whether the organization meets the eligibility requirements for Sector grants. OTF will consider the information provided in the application along with publicly available information, including what’s found on the organization’s website and social media channels.
Organizations are required to have gross annual revenue of $500,000 or more in each of the last two fiscal years. They also need to submit audited financial statements prepared by a licensed public accountant external to the organization.
- To find a licensed public accountant in Ontario, visit CPA Ontario Public Accounting Licence Directory.
- The licensed public accountant must be with a firm that is registered with CPA Ontario. To find or confirm a registered firm, visit CPA Ontario Firm Directory.
Audited financial statements need to include the organization’s most recent fiscal year and comparative information for the prior fiscal year.
These statements also need to be completed within six months of the most recent fiscal year-end.
Externally prepared audited financial statements need to include:
- Auditor’s Report
- Notes to the financial statements
- Balance Sheet (Statement of Financial Position)
- Revenues and Expenses (Statement of Operations)
- Statement of Changes in Net Assets
- Statement of Cash Flow
Prepare documents for accumulated surplus and deficit
OTF will assess an organization’s financial health and need, which includes determining if it has an accumulated surplus or deficit.
- A satisfactory explanation of the surplus is required for organizations with an accumulated surplus of greater than 12 months of their annual operating expenses.
- A satisfactory explanation of a deficit, as well as a deficit reduction plan are required for organizations with an accumulated deficit of greater than 10% of their annual operating expenses.
Use the Financial Position Calculator to help you determine if you have a surplus or deficit.
OTF asks organizations to submit their by-laws and a detailed list of board of directors and senior staff. All board members and senior staff must be at arm’s length from one another, meaning they are not married or related, do not work together as business partners, and are not in any other relationship that could create a conflict of interest.
Board of Directors
Organizations are required to have a minimum of three active board members, with term end dates on or after the grant application deadline date. More than 50% of all board members are to maintain an arm’s length relationship to each other. This is a common application mistake.
The following information is to be provided for each board member as part of the grant application:
- First and last name
- Term start date and end date
- Position
- Arm’s length (yes/no)
Senior staff
Organizations with paid staff are to provide the following information about each senior staff member:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Position Title
- Decision-Making (yes/no)
- Arm’s Length (yes/no)
In Step 1 of the Sector grant application, applicants need to select the objective they aim to achieve through the project and describe how the project will achieve the selected objective.
Project objective 1: Create or adapt tools and approaches that will strengthen the capacity of the non-profit sector to respond to changing community needs or opportunities
- This objective is intended for projects that create or adapt practical, reusable tools, approaches, frameworks, platforms, or training systems that can be taken up by many organizations across the non-profit sector. The output should strengthen how organizations are able to operate, collaborate, respond to emerging needs, or sustain their work, rather than deliver programs or services directly.
- Examples may include a sector-wide framework, standard, or toolkit designed for broad uptake; shared governance, risk, or compliance tools used by boards across the non-profit sector; a shared digital platform that supports common operational needs; or a centralized training or credentialing system that creates a reusable resource for multiple organizations.
Project objective 2: Improve how data is collected, shared and used to build capacity across the non-profit sector
- This objective supports projects that produce shared data and learning infrastructure for the non-profit sector. The output should help many organizations collect, share, interpret, and use information in consistent ways to improve outcomes, planning, evaluation, learning, and decision making.
- Examples may include a province-wide digital data platform adopted by organizations across the non-profit sector; a sector-wide data and learning system used to improve outcomes and decision making; a common evaluation or outcomes framework designed for broad sector uptake; shared indicators or reporting tools; or guidance that supports consistent, ethical data collection and sharing.
Project objective 3: Build understanding of diverse and non-traditional funding and strengthen the non-profit sector’s capacity to access it
- This objective is intended for projects that create shared funding readiness, sustainability, or financing resources for the non-profit sector. The output should help many organizations understand, assess, and prepare for diverse or non-traditional funding opportunities. Securing funding for a single organization or delivering an individual fundraising activity is not eligible.
- Examples may include a coordinated approach to funding readiness or sustainability for the non-profit sector; shared tools for assessing readiness for social finance, earned revenue, or partnership-based funding; sector-wide guidance on financial sustainability options; or practical resources that organizations can use independently after the grant ends.
Based on the objective of the project, describe the need or opportunity the project aims to address within Ontario’s non-profit sector.
Describe why it is important, why it is needed now, and how you know. Reference supporting data, research, or feedback from the sector to demonstrate the need for the project.
Organizations need to deliver one or more project output. These are tangible tools, resources, frameworks and other supports you plan to create or strengthen.
Outputs include:
- Shared tools or platforms
- Shared systems or infrastructure
- Sector-wide frameworks or standards
- Workforce or training systems
- Data, learning, or evaluation infrastructure
- Funding readiness or sustainability supports
- Other shared sector-level resources
Project beneficiaries and engaging stakeholders
In addition to selecting the project outputs, applicants need to answer the following questions to explain how the outputs will help build the capacity of Ontario’s non-profit sector beyond the funding period and will have a lasting impact:
- Describe who within the non-profit sector will benefit from the project. This can include organizations, networks, community groups, and others working for the public good.
- Engaging relevant stakeholders throughout implementation is key to delivering a successful project. How and when will you engage these stakeholders?
Organizations that are applying for a Sector grant as part of a collaborative are to identify all partner organizations involved.
- List the names of each participating organization in the collaborative in the designated table in the application.
- The list should reflect all members of the collaborative, not just the lead applicant.
- The information provided should align with the collaborative agreement that will be submitted in Step 2, if the applicant advances to the next stage.
Sector grants range from $50,000 to $900,000. You can request between $50,000 and $300,000 per year, for 1, 2 or 3 years.
Grant term
Select the grant term of the project:
- 1 year
- 2 years
- 3 years
Project Plan deliverables
In Step 1, applicants will identify one to three project deliverables. These are the major project milestones.
For Sector grants, applicants must also include the following two OTF deliverables as part of their Project Plan:
- Engage stakeholders relevant to the project
- Measure project success
In Step 2, the deliverables submitted in Step 1 will be carried forward, and applicants will complete the full Project Plan by providing detailed key tasks, timelines, and resources required.
Total request amount per Budget category
In Step 1, applicants will complete a preliminary budget by entering the total requested amount for each budget category.
- These amounts will be used to calculate the total amount of funding requested and will be rounded up to the nearest hundred.
In Step 2, applicants will build on their Step 1 budget by providing detailed budget line items for each category and explaining the rationale for the requested costs.
Eligible budget categories
Apply for funding to cover project costs across the following categories. You can have up to 5 budget items for each Direct Personnel Costs and Direct Non-Personnel Costs.
- Direct Personnel Costs
- OTF will support salaries, mandatory employment-related costs and employee benefits for staff positions funded specifically to carry out the project.
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Purchased Service
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Workshops/Meetings
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Supplies and Materials
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Non-fixed Equipment
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Travel
- Overhead and Administration Costs
- OTF will support Overhead and Administration Costs directly associated with the project of up to 15% of the Budget. These costs can include a portion of regular operational expenses that can be attributed specifically to this project.
Ineligible activities and costsThe following are not eligible for funding through the Sector grant stream. If any of the following items are included in the grant application, the application will be declined:
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Using the following criteria, OTF reviews and assesses submitted grant applications:
- The project meets OTF’s Eligibility Policy.
- The application clearly explains the sector-wide need or opportunity and how the project will help build capacity of Ontario’s non-profit sector.
- The application clearly explains the project’s output(s), the relevant stakeholders, and how the outputs will benefit Ontario’s non-profit sector.
- The project scope is aligned with the requested amount and grant term.
- The application clearly explains how the project will achieve the selected project objective for Sector grants.
- The organization or collaborative demonstrates it has an established reputation and the reach within Ontario’s non-profit sector to deliver the project as outlined.
OTF notifies all applicants when a funding decision has been made. All decisions are final and there is no appeal proceed.
- Successful organizations will be invited to proceed in the application process and submit Step 2 of the Sector grant application.
- Don’t meet the criteria? If criteria are not met, the grant application will be declined and will not proceed to step 2.
Completion of Step 1
OTF will review Step 1 submissions to confirm if the eligibility requirements for Sector grants have been met. If the organization and its project are eligible, the applicant will be invited to submit Step 2 of the Sector grant application.
Step 2: Detailed Project Information
This section builds on the information submitted in Step 1 and will be assessed using criteria specific to the Sector grant stream. Applicants are asked to expand on the information already provided; however, Step 1 information cannot be changed.
To help OTF better understand how the project will strengthen the capacity of Ontario’s non-profit sector, applicants will have the following questions to elaborate on their proposed work:
- Provide additional information that you want to share related to your project objective.
- Based on the need or opportunity the project addresses, what sector-level change do you aim to achieve, and how will this benefit the non-profit sector in Ontario?
- Based on the sector-level change you aim to achieve, how will the project strengthen the capacity of non-profits to improve how they deliver their programs and services? Explain the pathway from sector-level change to community-level benefit.
Project impact
To help OTF better understand the anticipated impact of the project, applicants are asked to select one metric that best represents the project's primary intended outcome. For the selected metric, provide a numerical estimate and a brief explanation of how the estimate was determined.
- Number of organizations expected to use the project outputs
- Number of networks expected to use the project outputs
- Number of people expected to use the project outputs
- A custom metric that reflects a key outcome or impact of the project
Measure project success
Sector grant stream recipients will be asked to measure the progress and success of the project. Drawing on the key tasks from the project plan, applicants are also asked to include:
- Indicators or data that will be collected, and
- Anticipated targets.
Applicants will also need to explain how the project outputs, such as tools, resources, frameworks and other supports, will continue to benefit the non-profit sector beyond the term of the grant.
As part of Step 2 of the grant application, applicants that indicated they were submitting a collaborative application will need to provide a formal, signed collaborative agreement.
It should include a brief explanation of why the collaborative was formed, who will benefit and how collectively the collaborative will achieve the OTF funded project’s outcomes. It should also include the names, roles and responsibilities of all collaborative members, including the Collaborative Lead.
Building on the deliverables identified in Step 1, applicants will complete the Project Plan by outlining how the project will be delivered, including the key steps, timing, and resources required.
All listed deliverables need to be addressed, including the two mandatory OTF deliverables for Sector stream grants:
- Engage stakeholders relevant to the project
- Measure project success
The Project Plan includes the following information:
- Project Deliverables
- The deliverables identified in Step 1 are pre-populated and serve as the foundation of the project plan.
- Key Tasks
- For each deliverable, identify up to three key tasks required to complete it.
- Timing
- Indicate when each task will take place over the course of the project.
- Human and Financial Resources
- Describe the resources needed to carry out each task and explain how they align with the Project
Complete the full Project Budget by outlining all project-related costs required to deliver the project, including a detailed breakdown of the cost for each budget item.
- Budget items
- You can have up to 5 budget items for each Direct Personnel Costs and Direct Non-Personnel Costs. Budget items can be up to 10 words.
- Cost breakdowns
- Provide a detailed breakdown of the cost for each budget item, up to 25 words.
- Total requested amount
- The total amount requested in Step 1 can be modified up to 10% higher or 10% lower when submitting the full Budget in Step 2. Amounts will be rounded up to the nearest hundred.
Eligible budget categories
Apply for funding to cover project costs across the following categories.
- Direct Personnel Costs
- OTF will support salaries, mandatory employment-related costs and employee benefits for staff positions funded specifically to carry out the project.
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Purchased Service
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Workshops/Meetings
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Supplies and Materials
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Non-fixed Equipment
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs – Travel
- Overhead and Administration Costs
- OTF will support Overhead and Administration Costs directly associated with the project of up to 15% of the Budget. These costs can include a portion of regular operational expenses that can be attributed specifically to this project.
Where feasible, OTF encourages the purchase of Ontario or Canadian goods and services and recognizes the role local procurement plays in strengthening Ontario communities.
Purchasing single goods and services over $5,000
- If you plan to purchase an individual good or service for your project that costs more than $5,000, submit at least one quote or estimate with your grant application.
Purchasing multiple goods and services from a single supplier
All purchases from a single supplier – whether a store, contractor, or consultant – need to be combined and treated as one.
- If the combined amount exceeds $5,000 over the grant term, submit an itemized quote or estimate, showing the cost of each good or service as separate line items.
- Do not split the purchases across multiple subcontracts or receipts as they will still be treated as a single total exceeding $5,000.
Acceptable documentation
- A PDF quote or estimate prepared by a third-party vendor or supplier.
- A screenshot of an online shopping cart from a third-party vendor or supplier site.
All documents need to be:
- Dated and obtained within 6 months prior to the application deadline.
- Completed with information about the vendor or supplier.
Explore examples to better understand when quotes or estimates are required.
Project Assessment
The following criteria are used to assess a project:
- The project is compliant with OTF policies.
- The project fits with OTF Stream Purpose & Objectives.
- The application contains necessary attachments that meet requirements.
- The organization has the capacity to deliver the project as outlined.
Only projects that meet the criteria above and are confirmed as eligible will advance to the scoring stage.
Project Scoring
Projects are evaluated and scored based on the following criteria:
Benefit and Relevance 35%
- The application clearly explains:
- The need or opportunity and how the project will benefit Ontario’s non-profit sector.
- Why the need or opportunity is relevant and current in Ontario’s non-profit sector.
- The project is a new response or continued work on a phased response. It is not a duplication of work already underway.
- The project’s output(s) will help build capacity of Ontario non-profit sector beyond the funding period and will have a lasting impact.
- The project will have appropriate stakeholder engagement and feedback to deliver a successful project.
- The Project Budget is appropriate to achieve the anticipated benefit.
- The size and scope of the Project Plan, Project Budget and success measures are realistic, clear, and aligned.
Project plan and feasibility 35%
- The Project Plan is clear and provides details about how the project will be implemented, including the deliverables, key tasks, and timelines for the project.
- The Project Plan clearly outlines how the benefits of the project will build capacity of Ontario’s non-profit sector and how the benefits will roll out at the regional and/or community level.
- The potential risks are well thought out with suitable mitigation strategies identified.
- The metrics are clear and feasible.
- The evaluation expectations, plan and timelines address project deliverables and expected benefit, and are aligned with project scope and budget.
- The Project Plan is:
- comprehensive enough to fully understand the key steps of the intended work
- feasible in its scope and timelines
- ready-to-go
- If it is a collaborative project, the collaborative is suitable to support the project’s success, and the collaborative agreement clearly outlines all necessary details.
Project budget 30%
- The Project Budget is clear and the identified costs correspond with the deliverables and key tasks listed in the Project Plan.
- The costs are appropriate, reasonable and valid for the activities outlined in the Project Plan.
- All funds needed for the project are secured or there is a reasonable plan to secure the remaining funds.
Step 3: Apply online
All grant applications are submitted online, using OTF’s Granting Portal. This online system is designed to make the application process more efficient by collecting all required information in a single location. The portal also serves as the primary tool for managing active grants.
Applications will only be available during the application period.
Create an OTF account to access OTF's Granting Portal.
Meet all requirements and submit all documents
Use the assessment criteria and the requirements outlined for this grant to prepare your application and have everything ready before you submit your application. Applications often get declined because they are missing required documentation or they do not meet the criteria.
Avoid submitting on the last day
Give yourself plenty of time to review and finalize your responses before the grant application deadline.
Make the most of our application resources
All the tools and information you need to apply are available up front from OTF. For extra support, applicants can attend a webinar or book a coaching call with our team.
- Applications submitted after the deadline date and time will not be accepted.
- Once submitted, an application is final and cannot be changed.
- All OTF decisions are final and there is no appeal process
Learn more about what happens after you submit your application.
Get support
All our supports and resources are complimentary – and designed so applicants can access the most up-to-date, comprehensive information that enables them to initiate, write and submit grant applications directly to OTF.
Webinars
Register for a webinar to get an overview of the Sector grant requirements outlined on this page, presented live by OTF program staff.
Project-specific coaching calls
Once you’ve read the eligibility requirements for Sector grants, schedule a 20-minute coaching call with an OTF Program Manager to discuss your project and its fit with this grant stream. Coaching topics can also include application questions, eligibility requirements, assessment criteria, and OTF policies.
Support Centre
For general inquiries about our grants or if you need technical assistance, contact our team.
