Grow Grant

OTF invests in projects that help build healthy and vibrant communities. OTF’s funding priorities focus on areas that identify the types of change OTF invests in. Select the funding priority that best meets the goal of your project:   

• Foster physically active lifestyles
• Help people build stronger connections and a deeper sense of belonging in their community
• Enrich lives through arts, culture and heritage
• Support youth to develop stronger social, emotional and leadership skills
• Support participation in the conservation and restoration of the environment
• Enable economically vulnerable people to meet their basic needs and/or strengthen their financial stability

Explore these priorities as part of OTF’s Grant Investment Framework. If projects do not fit with the Funding Priority selected in the grant application, the application will be declined.

As you plan your application, choose the main objective for your project:

• Expand an existing program or service  
• Improve an existing program or service
• Adapt an existing program or service 

When selecting your objective, think about what you want to achieve with your project and how it will directly impact your community.

Grow grants range from $100,000 to $600,000. You can request between $50,000 and $200,000 per year, for 2 or 3 years.

Prepare a clear Project Budget and ensure that the identified costs correspond with the deliverables and key tasks of your Project Plan. The costs must also be appropriate, reasonable and valid for the activities outlined in the Project Plan. All funds needed for the project need to be secured, or there must be a reasonable plan to secure the remaining funds.

Eligible Budget Categories

You can 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 – Travel
• Overhead and Administration Costs:
  • OTF will support Overhead and Administration Costs directly associated with the project up to  15% of the Budget before applicable Capital costs.
  • These do not include the direct costs to run or deliver the project, including the staff or equipment associated with the project. It does include a portion of regular operational expenses that can be attributed specifically to this project. For more information, refer to the Eligibility Policy.

You can have up to 5 budget items for each Direct Personnel Costs and Direct Non-Personnel Costs.

Eligible capital costs (if applicable) 

Up to 20% of your Budget can include capital-related costs that directly relate to your project objective. This can include the purchase of equipment (fixed and non-fixed) and/or the completion of renovations, repairs or retrofits. Eligible Capital Costs include:

• Construction and Renovation Costs: This includes materials and/or contractor costs.
• Developmental Costs: If you have Developmental Costs, they cannot exceed 20% of your total Construction and Renovation Costs. Costs can include the development of engineering plans, legal fees, or survey costs.
• Equipment Costs: This includes fixed and non-fixed equipment.

Ineligible costs

Certain activities and items are not eligible for funding. These include:    

• Taxes, such as GST and HST, for which the recipient is eligible for a tax rebate, and all other costs eligible for rebates.
• Contingency costs: Funds that are reserved or set aside for an emergency
• Costs incurred before the approval of the OTF grant   
• General capital fundraising drives and/or capital campaigns
  • Where OTF funding represents a component of a larger project, applicants must demonstrate either that the OTF funded components can be completed independently or that other funding sources have been secured, before OTF releases any funds to the grantee. If the funds to complete the project are not secured in full within one year of the signing of the Grant Contract, the grant will be rescinded.

Read the full list of what is not eligible for funding.

Where feasible, OTF encourages the purchase of Ontario or Canadian goods and services and recognizes the role local procurement plays in strengthening communities.

Quotes and estimates

For each goods and services valued above $5,000, a minimum of one quote or estimate is required. However, OTF prefers to receive two or more quotes or estimates from different suppliers to help your organization establish accurate budget amounts and demonstrate the best value for money.

Multiple sub-contracts with a supplier on the same project

Multiple sub-contracts with a supplier on the same project will be considered as a cumulative total.

This means if the total of these goods and/or services exceeds $5,000, a minimum of one itemized quote or estimate needs to be uploaded. An itemized quote or estimate breaks down the cost of each good and service into line items.

Acceptable documentation

• A PDF quote or estimate prepared by a third-party vendor or supplier.
  • For municipalities, documentation can be prepared by a specialized department within the municipality.
• 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 as part of your grant application.

Stage 1: Organization Eligibility Review

Once submitted, an application is reviewed by OTF staff to ensure the applicant is eligible for funding. Applicants who do not meet the criteria outlined below will not advance to the second stage of the assessment process, and their grant applications will not be fully reviewed.

• Align with who we fund.
• A primary purpose, presence and reputation for delivering community-based programs and services in Ontario.
• Compliance with political activity guidelines.
• Appropriate financial statements and documentation for surplus and deficit (if applicable).
• A minimum of three active board members at the application deadline date, with 50% of members at arm’s length relationship to each other (if applicable).
• Transparent governance and organizational structures outlined in the board of directors table and the senior staff table (to demonstrate effective management of conflict of interest and accountability).
• Demonstrate financial capacity to manage a grant (based on past OTF grants, if applicable).

OTF reserves the right to ask successful applicants for updated organization information at any time throughout the life of the grant.

Stage 2: Project Eligibility Review

If a grant application successfully advances past the first stage of the assessment process, OTF staff will evaluate whether the proposed project aligns with OTF’s project requirements.

The project eligibility criteria include:

• Comply with eligibility requirements outlined in OTF policies and on the grant page.
• Align with the funding priority selected.
• Align with the purpose of the grant and the selected project objective.
• Provide necessary documentation that meets requirements.
• Demonstrate capacity to deliver the project as outlined.

Stage 3: Project Clarity and Impact Assessment

In the last assessment stage, eligible projects are then evaluated and scored by OTF staff and local volunteers based on four key areas:

1. Community benefit and relevance (30%)

• The application clearly explains the fit with the selected funding priority and the selected project objective.
• The project responds to a community need or opportunity.
• The anticipated local benefits are realistic and achievable.
• The project budget is appropriate to achieve the anticipated impact.
• The size and scope of the Project Plan, Project Budget and success measures are realistic, clear, and aligned.

2. Project plan and feasibility (30%)

• 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 is feasible, ready-to-go, can be completed within reasonable timelines and it demonstrates a high likelihood of success.
• 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.
• The project has a proven track record of success.
• If the project includes a capital component, there is a clear link to the overall project, programs and services.

3. Project Budget (30%)

• The Project Budget is clear and the identified costs correspond with the Project Plan, deliverables and key tasks.
• 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.

4. Program participation for populations experiencing barriers (10%)

• The project will help populations experiencing barriers (e.g., socio-economic, geographic, cultural, gender, abilities and/or racial) to participate in the program.

All applicants are notified of the final decision. All decisions are final and there is no appeal process.

Learn more about how we make application decisions.