Resilient Communities Fund
This fund supports the non-profit sector recover and rebuild from the impacts emerging from COVID-19 so they can effectively meet the needs of communities across Ontario.
Next deadline
December 8, 2021 at 5 PM ET
Term length
Maximum 12 months
Amount awarded (per year)
Minimum $5,000
Maximum $150,000
OTF is investing in projects of eligible non-profit organizations to aid their medium to longer-term recovery efforts, help with their stabilization and build their capacity and resiliency in the aftermath of COVID-19.
This fund is providing a flexible range of activities to address the diverse needs of organizations and to support them where they are at in their recovery and rebuilding.
Why has OTF created the Resilient Communities Fund?
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the non-profit sector and its ability to support and serve communities across Ontario.
We recognize that post COVID-19 recovery support will be essential to ready non-profit organizations to deal with new and emerging needs for both them and their communities by building their organizational capacity and their ability to deliver programs and services.
OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund investments to the non-profit sector will work to complement existing emergency response funding already in place by local, provincial, and federal funders by addressing medium to longer-term impacts to organizations.
This fund aligns with OTF’s mandate to support the capacity of non-profit organizations and build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario.
Plan your application
Provide a clear plan that outlines the work you will undertake to recover and rebuild. Your application needs to clearly demonstrate how your organization will address its recovery needs. Ensure there is alignment between your organization’s needs, your proposed project and the project activities.
- Are the activities aligned with your organization’s recovery plan?
- Is it feasible to carry out the activities in the stated timelines?
- Is the budget appropriate to carry out the activities in the recovery plan?
Eligibility
An applying organization needs to a community-based or provincial non-profit delivering services and programs in Ontario that is looking ahead to recovery planning with the aim of rebuilding their capacity.
Board of directors requirements
All organizations, with the exception of First Nations, must meet OTF’s Board of Director’s requirements.
Please ensure your organization meets all of the following criteria:
- Your organization has a minimum of three board members with active terms. Their terms need to be active as of the application deadline date.
- At least 50% of the board must maintain an arm’s length relationship to each other. This means that board members and executives are not married or related to each other and do not work as business partners or are in another relationship where interests may be compromised.
Financial statement requirements
All organizations, with the exception of First Nations, must meet OTF’s financial statement requirements.
- Organizations must upload their most recent completed financial statements based on their fiscal year-end date and total revenues.
- Financial statements must be completed within 12 months of the organization’s most recent fiscal year-end.
- For the December 8, 2021 deadline:
- 2019 financial statements are required (including 2018 comparative details) if your organization’s fiscal year end date falls between December 1 and December 31.
- 2020 financial statements are required (including 2019 comparative details) if your organization’s fiscal year end date falls between January 1 and November 30.
- Additional information pertaining to a surplus or deficit will need to be uploaded along with the financial statements, if applicable.
- Organizations must have at least one year of financial history from their incorporation or charitable registration date based on their organization's fiscal year-end date.
- Financial statements must be Board approved (draft statements are not accepted).
Collaboratives eligibility
We recognize and support collaborative arrangements that will achieve positive community impact.
Read more about collaborative agreementsProject eligibility
Please ensure your project meets all of the following criteria:
- The project information is complete and includes all of the attachments
- The project complies with OTF policies, specifically:
- The project aligns with the Resilient Communities Fund:
- It is clearly demonstrated how the impacts on the organization are related to COVID-19
- It is clearly demonstrated how the project aligns with the Resilient Communities Fund outcome(s) selected
Policy requirements
Our policies define eligibility for OTF funding and outline exclusions. Funds are granted to eligible applicants delivering eligible project activities that directly align with OTF's Resilient Communities Fund outcomes.
View our policiesOrganization requirements
Eligible organizations need to be a community-based or provincial non-profits delivering services and programs in Ontario that are looking ahead to recovery planning with the aim of rebuilding their capacity. Organizations need to have:
- a presence and reputation in Ontario with a primary purpose of delivering community programs and services to benefit people in Ontario and
- experienced disruptions to their operations and program and service delivery due to the impacts of COVID-19.
Please ensure your organization also meets all of the following criteria:
- Adheres to OTF’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, Eligibility Policy, and Financial Need and Health Applicants Policy
- Provides appropriate financial statements based on your organization’s total revenues and fiscal year end date, according to the financial statement requirements
- Has a surplus/deficit and has submitted an explanation, if applicable
- Board of Directors meets OTF requirements
- OTF has no concerns with your organization's OTF granting history, for all past applications, either approved or declined
OTF invests in six Action Areas and applicants are required to identify one that their organization’s mission/mandate is most aligned with:
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- Active People: Fostering more active lifestyles
- Connected People: Building inclusive and engaged communities together
- Green People: Encouraging people to support a healthy and sustainable environment
- Inspired People: Enriching people’s lives through arts, culture and heritage
- Promising Young People: Supporting the positive development of children and youth
- Prosperous People: Enhancing people’s economic wellbeing
Application process
OTF's application process involves various steps for organizations.
Visit the grant application deadline page. Once the online application portal opens, you can begin the application.
OTF staff will first review your application as well as information available on your organization’s website and social media accounts, to make sure you are eligible to apply, that your application is complete, and is a fit with the grant requirements. Our experienced staff and local volunteers score your application against the grant assessment criteria.
Local Grant Review Team volunteers make funding recommendations. OTF’s Board of Directors approve these recommendations.
The final list of approved grants is sent to Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) to give them the opportunity to congratulate successful recipients directly, when possible. OTF then notifies all applicants of the final decision.
Successful applicants take part in a mandatory orientation session with their OTF Program Manager.
Successful applicants are sent an email with their OTF Contract.
- Grants are activated once OTF contracts are signed and returned electronically.
- Next, in order for OTF to release the first grant payment through electronic funds transfer (EFT), the organization’s banking information needs to be confirmed in OTF’s online portal.
- Reporting & monitoring: In addition to touch points as needed, grantees submit a final report when the project is completed. This covers the achievement of the project and learnings.
- Completion: After OTF staff approve a final report, the 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 grants life, or after the grant has been closed.
Choose a project outcome
OTF is funding community-based projects and activities that will support rebuilding the capacity of eligible non-profit organizations that have been impacted by COVID-19. Projects and programs/services funded need to take place in Ontario and benefit people in Ontario communities.
For example, organizational training and coaching, strategic planning and implementation, research & development; mental and physical health and wellbeing supports.
For example, develop fundraising plans, identify fundraising and financial technology resources, seek opportunities for public-private partnerships and social finance.
For example, identify new health and safety processes and required personal protective equipment; technology supports; staffing and volunteer recruitment and training.
For example, equipment and/or renovations to meet changing technology, health and safety, and service delivery requirements
For example, peer learning, professional development, networking, resource, knowledge and data sharing
Eligible expenses
You can request funding for direct personnel, direct non-personnel, and overhead and administration costs. The amount requested must be reasonable to carry out your project.All costs, capital and non-capital, included in your application’s Financial Workbook, must be necessary and reasonable to carry out your project. The types of costs you request need to fit within the following eligible categories:
- Direct Personnel Costs:
- Project Salaries, mandatory employment-related costs and employee benefits for staff positions funded specifically to carry out the project.
- Direct Non-Personnel Costs: All non-personnel costs directly related to project delivery.
- Overhead and Administration costs
- OTF will support overhead and administrative costs directly associated with the funded project, to a maximum of 15% of the total OTF Grant Budget. These do not include the direct costs to run or deliver the project, including the staff or equipment associated with the project but include a portion of regular operational expenses that can be attributed specifically to this project. Please refer to the Overhead and Administrative Costs Policy for further details.
Read the Financial Workbook Instructions for more requirements, examples, and information pertaining to quotes.
- Core Funding: OTF cannot provide core funding or operating grants for current operations. However, you can ask for funds to support overhead and administrative costs that are directly associated with your project (to a maximum of 15% of the total OTF Grant Budget).
- Costs or activities already incurred:
- If your project activities have been delivered or
- If your project activities are currently being delivered
Please note that 10% of the funding will be held back, to be paid upon satisfactory review of the final report.
Application assessment
Projects are scored by experienced staff and local volunteers based on the information submitted in the Project information section of the application. Projects are scored based on three assessment areas: Impact on Organization, Strategy and Process. Each area is given a score between -2 to +2.
Impact on organization
Ensure that you have clearly articulated how COVID-19 has impacted your work.
Scoring weight: 10%
Key areas of your application to focus on:
• Elaborate on how your organization’s ability to deliver programs and services has been impacted
Strategy
The strategy is well thought out and explains how the organization plans to rebuild and recover from the noted impacts.
Scoring weight: 50%
Key areas of your application to focus on:
• The project presented is clearly articulated and reasonable for addressing the noted impacts
• Alignment with OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund outcome(s) is clear
• If applicable, the capital components are appropriate to address the noted impacts
Process
The process is well thought out and identifies the steps needed for recovery.
Scoring weight: 40%
Key areas of your application to focus on:
• Key project activities are strongly aligned with organization’s recovery strategy
• It is feasible to carry out the key project activities in the stated timeline
• The budget is reasonable and aligned to key project activities
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