Community Building Fund – Capital stream application questions

On this page

• Organization information
• Financial statements
• Board of Directors
• Project information
• Assessment consideration: Community significance
• Assessment consideration: Organization supports diverse, underrepresented, and/or vulnerable populations
• Assessment consideration: Strategy
• Capital stream outcomes
• Assessment consideration: Process

Want to learn more about this fund? Visit the Capital stream page. 

Organization information

You must have authorization from your organization to complete this application. Please obtain authorization before moving forward. If you have any questions, please contact the OTF Support Centre or call 1 800 263-2887.

Checkbox: I confirm a representative with designated signing/decision-making authority is identified as the Signatory Contact in the Organization Information and has authorized this application.

Signatory contact

Your organization's signatory contact is the person who has signing authority to legally bind your organization, has authorized this application and will be responsible for signing an OTF Grant Contract.

Question: Please enter your organization's Signatory Contact details:

• Name
• Position
• Email
• Phone

Organization contact

Your organization contact is the designated person who has the authority to submit this application.

Question: Please enter your organization contact's details:

• Name
• Position
• Email
• Phone

Checkbox: I have read and agree that this organization will comply with the Ontario Trillium Foundation's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

Checkbox: I understand and agree that data provided throughout the application may be shared with other funders and/or may become public. Please review our Open Data Policy.

Organization type

Question: Please select your organization type.

Organizations applying to the Community Building Fund – Capital stream need to operate or manage sport and recreation facilities in Ontario that serve the public at-large, and must be one of the following:

• A charitable organization or public foundation registered as a charity by the Canada Revenue Agency
• An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a Canadian jurisdiction
• A First Nation / Métis / Inuit or other Indigenous community
• A Municipality

Ineligible organizations include:

• An agency of the provincial or Federal government
• Organizations that are receiving funding from other sources for the same component of a capital project
• Colleges and universities operating sport and recreation facilities
• Primary and secondary schools operating sport and recreation facilities
• For-profit organizations

Question: Your organization's legal name.

Question: Your organization's charitable or incorporation number, and year of registration.

Question: Your organization's operating name.

Question: Your organization's address:

• Street Address/RR or PO Box #
• City, Province, Postal Code (format X1X 1X1)
• Phone
• Website (If none enter N/A)

Question: If your organization is active on social media, please provide the handles you operate under. For example, @ONTrillium is OTF's Twitter handle.

Question: Your organization's mission statement. Max. 200 words.

Question: Your organization's typical activities, services or programs and number of people served annually. Max. 200 words.​​​​​​

Question: Does your organization offer bilingual programs and/or services? Yes or No

• If organization selects yes, how is your organization mandated to offer bilingual programs and/or services? Choose one of the following:
  • Agency designated under the French Language Services Act  
  • Area designated under the French Language Services Act
  • Mandated by Board of Directors and/or Funder
  • Non-mandated but serving Francophone population

Question: On average, how many paid staff did your organization have over the last 12 months, regardless of full-time or part-time status?

Question: On average, how many volunteers did your organization have over the last 12 months, regardless of the number of hours volunteered?

Financial statements

File upload: Upload your organization's most recent completed financial statements, per below requirements. If you have a surplus or deficit, include your surplus explanation or deficit reduction plan. Please ensure you are submitting the required financial statements based on your organization's fiscal year-end date and total revenues.

Please note: While all organizations must meet OTF’s Financial Statement requirements, Municipalities, First Nation, Metis Inuit or other Indigenous communities are not required to submit financial statements in their grant application.

Board of Directors

Question: Does your organization have three or more active board members (active terms as of grant application deadline date), with at least 50% of board members at an arm's length relationship to each other? Yes/N

• Answer yes if: board members and organization executives are not married or related to each other, do not work as business partners or are otherwise in a relationship where interests may be compromised.
• Answer no if: board members and organization executives are married or related to each other, do work as business partners or are otherwise in a relationship where interests may be compromised.

Question: List your organization's Board of Directors information:

• First name
• Last name
• Term start date
• Term end date
• Position
• Arm’s Length (yes/no)

Please note: All organizations must meet OTF’s Board of Directors requirements, however, Municipalities, First Nations, Metis, Inuit or other Indigenous communities are not required to submit Board of Director information in their grant application.

Your organization must have a minimum of three active board members. Term end dates must be on or after the grant application deadline date.

To be eligible for funding, at least 50% must maintain an arm’s length relationship to each other.

Checkbox: I confirm that all the organization information provided is correct, up-to-date and complete (including most recent completed financial statements and surplus/deficit information, if required)

Checkbox: I confirm the Board of Directors information provided is complete: a minimum of three board directors’ term dates end on or after the application deadline, and at least 50% of the board is arms-length to each other.

Project information

Question: Only expenses that are incurred in Ontario are eligible for OTF funding. Will the expenses you are requesting be incurred in Ontario? Yes/No

Question: Select the population that your organization serves:

• Lived-experience of population served: 
  • General population
  • In care/leaving care
  • Low income
  • Newcomers/refugees
  • People with disabilities
  • People living with mental health/addiction
  • Underhoused/homeless
     
• Identity of population served:
  • Black
  • Francophone 
  • General population
  • Indigenous or Aboriginal
  • LGBTTQ+
  • Other racialized groups 
  • Women 

Question: Is a percentage of the selected population your organization serves Francophone?  Yes/ No

Question: If organization selects yes, the following populates:

• Question: What % of people served by your organization are Francophone? (100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)
• Question: What % of your organization’s programs and/or services are offered in French? (100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%)

Question: Does your organization’s leadership and/or decision-making entities (Board, executive team, senior leadership etc.) reflect the lived-experience or cultural identities of the communities served by your organization?

• Yes
• Somewhat
• No
• Unsure

Question: Select the community size primarily served by your organization: 

• Rural or small
• Mid-size
• Urban centres

Question: Select the age group primarily served by your organization:

• Children (0-12)
• Youth (13-24)
• Adults (25-64)
• Seniors (65+)
• All ages

Question: Where is your organization located? Pick one of OTF’s catchment areas. 

Question: Select the census division. 

Question: What capacity is your organization currently operating at (as a percentage)? 

• 100%
• 90%
• 80%
• 70%
• 60%
• 50%
• 40%
• 30%
• 20%
• 10% or less

Question: What is your requested term? Select one:

• 6 months
• 12 months

Assessment consideration #1: Community significance

The sports or recreation facilities: 

• are important to the community  
• serve the public at-large and demonstrate community benefit
• contribute to the social and economic well-being of the community

Scoring weight: 30%

For the purposes of the Community Building Fund - Capital stream, sport and recreation are defined as follows: 

• Recreation is defined as physical activities engaged in for the purpose of health, and wellbeing or enjoyment with the primary focus on human activity.
• Sport is defined as a regulated and organized form of physical activity between two or more participants. Such activity may be in the form of a game, match, race, or other form of event.

Question: Do your sports or recreation facilities serve the public at-large (not exclusive to members only)? Yes/no

Question: How many facilities are you requesting funding for?  

Question: How many people typically use these sports or recreation facilities annually?

Question: Describe how these sports or recreation facilities contribute to the health and well-being of your community members. Max. 100 words

Question: Describe how these sports or recreation facilities contribute to the economic well-being of your community (e.g. employment, visitor spending, hosting events). Max. 100 words

Assessment consideration #2: Organization supports diverse, underrepresented, and/or vulnerable populations 

Organization has clearly demonstrated that its facilities positively impact populations experiencing socio-economic, geographic, cultural and/or racial barriers.

Scoring weight: 10%

Question: The Community Building Fund seeks to support diverse communities and underrepresented populations in sport and recreation. Tell us how your facilities positively impact populations experiencing socio-economic, geographic, cultural and/or racial barriers? Max. 75 words

Assessment consideration #3: Strategy

• Project is clearly described
• Project will address a community need or address public health requirements
• Project is clearly aligned with the Community Building Fund - Capital stream outcome(s) selected

Scoring weight: 35%

Please note: Your organization can request multiple capital improvements within one facility (e.g., touchless entry and widening of doorways at local community centre) OR you can request the same capital improvements at multiple facilities (e.g., HVAC retrofits at 3 municipal arenas).

Question: Please describe your project. Max. 100 words

Question: Your project will address (Select one):  

• a local community need
  • Please describe how your project addresses a community need. Max 100 words. 

or

• public health requirements identified through COVID-19
  • Please describe how your project will help you address COVID-19 related public health requirements now and support your future preparedness. Max 100 words. 

Question: What activities will these funds be used for? Select all that apply:

• Repair: fixing or restoring a facility to increase its useful life
• Renovate: updating the functionality of a facility to improve its usefulness
• Retrofit: adding new features or parts to improve the functionality or efficiency of a facility

Question: Please identify each location where a capital improvement will take place. Provide the full street address (street number, street name, postal code, city/municipality) and commonly used name of each location.

Capital stream outcomes

Question: Please select the outcome(s) that will help your organization address local community need or public health requirements (select only those that apply to this project):

• Local community need outcomes:

  • Maximize use of facility – utilization of the space is maximized by increasing hours, use, and/or participation rates (e.g. outdoor field lighting, accordion style wall partition

  • Extend life of facility – extend operational lifespan of facility (e.g. roof, HVAC, seating, windows and doors, electrical upgrades)

  • Improve accessibility of facility – increase accessibility of facilities to benefit everyone (e.g. ramps, washrooms, automated door openers, elevators)

or

• Public health requirements outcomes:

  • Increase Physical Distancing - enable safe spacing between occupants (e.g. larger common spaces – hallways, bathrooms etc., plexiglass partitions, widening entrance/exit points)
  • Improve Air Quality - enhance the quality of air in common and workspaces (e.g. HVAC, air filtration, windows/insulation to improve HVAC efficiency, ventilation upgrade)
  • Reduce Physical Contact (touchless/automated) –reduce physical contact with shared surfaces (e.g. handwashing stations, touchless doors, bottle refilling)

Question: Based on the outcome(s) selected, please describe how your capital project will achieve each outcome. Max. 100 words per outcome.

Photos 

File upload: Please upload photos or diagrams demonstrating your funding needs. (Maximum of 5)  

Provide at least one ‘before’ photo for each space to be renovated, repaired or retrofitted. Include a short description for each uploaded file.

Assessment consideration #4: Process

• Planning to date supports project implementation 
• Activities are appropriate to successfully implement the project 
• Quotes or estimates are appropriate
• Financial Workbook is reasonable and aligns with the Community Building Fund - Capital stream outcome(s) selected

Scoring weight: 25%

Question: What planning have you completed to support project implementation upon OTF approval? Max. 75 words.

Question: What activities will you undertake to successfully implement this project? Max. 75 words.

Quotes or estimates 

File upload: Please upload quotes or estimates for your project.

Quotes or estimates prepared by a professional or third party are required documentation. They enable organizations to establish accurate budget amounts and demonstrates the best value for money. OTF therefore requires a minimum of one and prefers to receive two or more sets of quotes or estimates.  Upload your quotes or estimates. 

Lease/proof of ownership

File upload: Upload your proof of ownership or lease agreement for each facility you are requesting funding for.

Proof of ownership or a minimum five-year lease agreement is required for all renovations or improvements to land or property.

If you are a First Nation or Municipality, please provide a signed letter from a senior administrator confirming ownership, instead of ownership documents.

Financial workbook

Please read these financial workbook instructions prior to completing the workbook.

Organizations can apply for up to 100% of their total project cost up to a maximum of $500,000, with the exception of Municipalities with a population over 20,000 that can only apply for up to 80% of their total project cost.

Request amount must be a minimum of $10,000. 

Question: How much funding are you requesting from OTF?

This number auto-populates based on the information submitted in the financial workbook.

Question: Are you a Municipality with population over 20,000? Yes/No 

Question: If yes, please enter the total cost of capital improvements at all facilities identified in this project.

Project description

Question: This description will be used on the OTF website and grant contract if the grant application is approved. Please describe your project using up to 20 words:

Our (organization/Municipality/First Nation/Inuit community/Métis community/Indigenous community) with a $xx,xxx Community Building Fund – Capital Stream grant will address (public health requirements related to COVID-19/a community need) by <Describe your project using up to 20 words>.

Acknowledgements

Checkbox: I have read the Financial Workbook Instructions and confirm that the budget request complies with OTF policies and requirements. 

Checkbox: I understand the importance of avoiding any conflicts of interest (or the appearance thereof) when obtaining goods and/or services. 

Checkbox: I understand that should this application be approved, our organization will be required to enter into a formal, legally binding agreement with the Ontario Trillium Foundation that is based on the information in this application and includes the terms and conditions of the grant.

Checkbox: I have reviewed the Recognition Policy and agree, that if our project is approved for OTF funding, we will publicly recognize the Government of Ontario and OTF. 

Checkbox: OTF will not fund expenses that are covered by other sources. I understand that if we receive funds from other funding sources for the same expenses, we must notify OTF immediately.  

Checkbox: I understand that Ontario Trillium Foundation will not reimburse any expenses incurred prior to being notified of grant approval.

Checkbox: The information contained in this application and in the accompanying documents is true, accurate and complete.