Economic Recovery and Resilience Fund Application Questions

About the grant application

The grant application provides YOF staff and the Grant Review Committee with the information needed to assess your organization’s readiness to do your work, the alignment of your strategy to one outcome, and your project’s potential impact on selected children, youth and young adult beneficiaries. 

Key grant details

• Grant term length: Maximum of 24 months
• Amount awarded: Maximum of $125,000 annually

On this page

• General Information
• About the Organization
• About your Idea and Impact
• Beneficiaries and Location
• Describing the Impact
• Project Location
• Process
  • Project plan
  • Budget
• Declarations

General Information

Question 1: Organization Name

Question 2: For this project, please confirm the key contact’s information.

• Project contact name
• Project contact title/role
• Project contact phone number
• Project contact email

Question 3: Are you the signing authority for the organization? Select one.

• Yes
• No

If organization selects no, please provide contact information for the person with signing authority. 

• Signing authority's name
• Signing authority's title/role
• Signing authority's phone number
• Signing authority's email

Checkbox: We acknowledge that all project activities will take place in Ontario. 

Checkbox: If our project is approved for funding, our organization agrees to participate in an evaluation process and submit a final evaluation report. 

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

Question 4: Select the organization type that best describes your organization. Select one.

• We are a Black-led organization
• We are a Black-focused organization  

Note:

A Black-led organization is defined as:

• Black identity is at the centre of the organization's mandate and programming
• Majority of the governance structure is held by Black people
• Black staff are included at the executive and senior level, and in all decision-making and service delivery positions within the organization 

A Black-focused organization is defined as:

• Programming for Black communities is part of the organization’s commitment 
• Black people are represented within the governance structure 
• Black staff are involved in the delivery of culturally responsive programs and services 

Question 5: Based on your type of organization, tell us how you meet the definition of a Black-led organization or a Black-focused organization. 300 words max.

Question 6: What is the request term? (Check one only) 

• 1-year term 
• 2-year term

About the Organization

Question 7: Given the context of the community/city/region you work in, tell us about your organization’s experience in designing and delivering projects for the benefit of Black children, youth, and/or young adults.

Provide examples of successful programs that targeted or were designed for this population in the past 5 years. 300 words max.

Question 8: What is your organization’s history in demonstrating the following principles: promoting cultural safety, celebrating Black Excellence, challenging Anti-Black Racism, and/or removing financial barriers in your work in community?

Tell us how these guiding principles from the Black Youth Action Plan have been applied in your organization’s work. 300 words max  

About your Idea and Impact

Question 9: Name of the project.

Question 10: Select the outcome that most aligns with your project. Select one only.

• To ensure that Black children and youth have the skills, knowledge, and supports they need to succeed in education and the job market of today and in the future.
• To ensure that Black youth and young adults are supported to find and keep meaningful, safe, and dignified work in line with their skills, potential, and career aspirations.
• To ensure that Black youth and young adults in Ontario are supported to succeed in entrepreneurship/business building and create jobs. 

Question 11: Describe your project and how it will advance your selected outcome. 300 words max.

Tip: Provide details about your project and the work your organization will lead to advance your selected outcome.

Question 12: Describe your key project activities and how you will deliver each activity to meet the needs of your project beneficiaries. 350 words max.

Tip: Provide details about the key project activities your organization will deliver to meet the needs of your beneficiaries. Share what you will pay attention to in the design and delivery of these activities. How often will you deliver these activities? How many beneficiaries do you intend to engage in each activity?
 
Question 13: Complete the following sentence about your project. 50 words max. 

Our project will deliver a (name type of program) for (name selected beneficiaries) in (geographic area). We will (describe the change you want to make in the lives of selected beneficiaries)

Beneficiaries and Location 

Question 14: Describe the experiences and needs of the children, youth and/or young adults your project will serve in your community(ies). 350 words max. 

Tip: What are their lived experiences? What are their needs as they navigate their lives?  What are the young people and their families having to address? 

Question 15: Of the Black children, youth and/or young adults your project serves, identify additional intersecting identities/experiences of your primary beneficiaries. Select at least one.

• Girls, young women, non-binary
• Newcomer 
• Francophone 
• Two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual and additional sexual orientations and gender identities (2SLGBTQIA+) 
• Living with disabilities or special needs between the ages of 6 to 29 
• In conflict or at risk of being in conflict with the law
• In care or leaving care
• In low-income situations or from low-income families
• Who are homeless or at risk of being homeless
• At-risk of dropping out or have dropped out of school
• Living in rural or remote communities
• None of the above 

Question 16: What is the age range of the young people who will benefit from your project? Select at least one.

• 6 to 11 years 
• 12 to 14 years 
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 25 years
• 6 to 29 years for youth living with special needs

Describing the Impact

Question 17: Identify at least three changes that you expect to see in your beneficiaries as a result of your project. 250 words max. for each change.

Tip: Focus on sharing changes that can be achieved through the life of your project and that align with your selected outcome.

Project Location 

Question 18: Select the census divisions to indicate more specific regions where your project activities will take place. Select at least one. 

Drop down options will be available in the online application.

Tip: To find your census division, enter the postal code in OTF’s Find your Catchment tool where your program’s greatest impact will occur or where your program will be delivered.

Question 19: Select the community size that is the primary focus of your project. Select one.

• Rural or Small Communities (20,000 or less)
• Mid-size Communities (20,001 - 100,000)
• Urban Centres and Metropolitan Suburbs (100,001+)

Process

Project Plan

Question 20: Your Project Plan should demonstrate the steps you will take to achieve each project activity listed in your application. The project term is limited to two years.

Question 21: What is the project start date? Projects must start January 3, 2023.

Budget

Review eligible project costs and only include eligible items in the grant application budget. All costs need to be reasonable and directly attributable to the project.

Review ineligible costs and OTF’s Eligibility Policy.

The maximum request amount is $125,000 annually. Applications submitted with a request amount that exceeds the maximum will not be eligible for funding.

Applications where the Overhead and Administration and Capacity Building request amounts exceed the maximum allowable amount will not be eligible for funding.

Question 22: Use this worksheet to list all costs related to this project. This is the amount of money you are requesting from OTF. Please do NOT include requests from other funders in this amount. The Budget Worksheet should be consistent with the activities/resources listed in the Project Plan. 

Please avoid using quotation marks (“…”) in the Budget fields (including Notes) as the system will not save your work if these are detected.

Please note that 10% of the awarded funding will be held back, to be paid upon satisfactory review of the final report.

Question 23: How much funding are you requesting from OTF? This number auto-populates based on the information submitted in the Budget Worksheet.

Question 24:   List any additional supports you will receive (financial, partnerships, in-kind) as you deliver this project. 250 words max 

Tip: Share what additional support your organization will access as you implement your project. What are the community supports that you may access through donations, in-kind, partnerships and/or financial?

Declarations

I confirm: 

Checkbox: I have read the Budget Instructions. 

Checkbox: I have completed the Budget Worksheet.

Checkbox: I understand that two (2) written quotes are required for goods and/or services individually valued above $10,000. OTF may request these quotes at any time during the assessment or if approved for a grant.

Tip: When you are requesting OTF funds for goods and/or services individually valued above $10,000, OTF asks your organization to show that it sought the best value for money. The amount requested must be reasonable and supported by competitive bids. OTF requires two or more written quotes for purchases of individual goods and/or services individually valued above $10,000.

Checkbox: I understand that project activities that take place outside of Ontario are not eligible. I confirm that we have not requested funds to support any project activities that will take place outside of Ontario.

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