Our Story
Over 40 years of funding positive change
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Our investments in communities across the province help build healthy and vibrant communities.
Our key funder, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming enables us to provide grants that can make the greatest impact. OTF also administers grants on behalf of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. Last year, $103 million was invested into more than 715 projects in communities across the province.
Read more about our story
Our story began in the early 1980s. It was a difficult economic time for the non-profit sector. Government funding and private sector donations had decreased. Charities of all sizes were worried about how to fund needed programs and meet essential community needs.
A group of leaders in Ontario's charitable and private sector had a vision for a foundation that could play an important role in fostering a healthy and vibrant Ontario.
“The leadership of Trillium has been a co-operative effort from the beginning, involving some of the finest minds in the province, who, together, shared a vision that they could make a difference.” — John Craig Eaton, founding chairman
The group lobbied the provincial government to support* charitable work, and the Trillium Foundation was finally established in 1982 to help fund social service organizations in Ontario.
A lot has happened since then. Take a look at our grants awarded over the years.
Looking back
We marked 30 years of granting by asking OTF to reflect on the history, accomplishments, and impact of the Foundation. Read the report.
Significant milestones
1982: A new funding agency
The Trillium Foundation—as OTF was originally called—was formed on November 17, 1982 to provide grants to social service organizations in Ontario communities and was funded through government lotteries.
1983: $15 million in grants
On April 7, 1983, the first deadline date, 15 applications were received. The first grants, totalling over $15 million, were approved two months later. All were in the social service sector.
1999: Increased funding and a broader mandate
The Ontario Government increased the Foundation's funding to $100 million annually, and expanded our mandate to cover arts and culture, sports and recreation, the environment, as well as social services. We also broadened our reach to support more rural communities, and connected with a growing number of volunteers to ensure a broad range of perspectives are represented in and inform grant-making decisions. Today, we work with over 300 volunteers.
2010: Community Capital Fund
On behalf of the Government of Ontario, we administered the Community Capital Fund. It was a $50 million fund that supported capital infrastructure projects to enable better program delivery for under-served communities.
2013: Youth Opportunities Fund
OTF began administering the Youth Opportunities Fund on behalf of the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The ongoing fund provides grants and capacity building supports to grassroots groups, community-based organizations, and collaboratives focused on improving the wellbeing of children, youth, and families facing systemic barriers.
2013-2014: A new Investment Strategy
Through our ReDesign2015 initiative, we developed new programs, services, and tools to help meet our goal of investing more than $1 billion over the next decade. Our new Investment Strategy invests for impact and includes:
- Six new Action Areas
- Three distinct, focused Investment Streams – Seed, Grow and Capital
2015: Start of a new era
Our new Investment Strategy allowed us to make strategic investments for impact in hundreds of projects annually that fit with our long term goals. New Seed, Grow, and Capital grants provided a streamlined approach to our funding to meet the needs of non-profits across Ontario. For the fiscal year 2015-2016, we supported 640 projects with over $100 million of funding.
2015: Collective Impact Stream
Over four years, our Collective Impact Stream supported collective strategy and transformative action which tackled complex community issues. Through this stream, we funded 83 projects with over $6.7 million.
2015: Local Poverty Reduction Fund
OTF partnered with the Treasury Board Secretariat (and ultimately moved to the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services) to administer the Local Poverty Reduction Fund. The six-year, $50 million fund supported 119 innovative, local, community-driven projects that measurably improved the lives of those most affected by poverty.
2016: Ontario150 Community Capital Program
On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, we administered the Ontario150 Community Capital Program and invested in 204 projects with close to $22.9 million. It marked the 150th anniversary of Canada and the province of Ontario by providing one-time funding to support the repair, renovation, or retrofit of existing community facilities.
2020-2021: Building Ontario's resiliency
Resilient Communities Fund
In the summer of 2020, we launched the Resilient Communities Fund to support eligible non-profit organization in their recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. The fund enabled us to invest in projects that focused on medium- to long-term recovery, organizational stabilization, and building resilience. Over the course of the program, we supported 3,299 projects with more than $294 million in funding. The final deadline for grant applications was in 2023.
Community Building Fund
In 2021, we administered the one-time Community Building Fund on behalf of the Ontario government. The fund supported the arts and culture, heritage, tourism, sport and recreation sectors which were impacted by COVID-19. 844 projects were funded with close to $96.9 million to support non-profits and Indigenous communities in these sectors that operate facilities and/or deliver experiences or programs for the public to help them remain viable. This initiative was part of the 2020 Budget, Ontario’s Action Plan: Protect, Support, Recover.
2022: 40 years of impact
On November 17, 2022, we marked our 40th anniversary of working with the non-profit sector to lead change that matters to communities. Grants awarded continue to support programs and services that directly benefit people across Ontario.
The Youth Opportunities Fund continues to invest in the well-being of youth and families facing systemic barriers. Since 2013, the Youth Opportunities Fund has approved 474 grants for grassroots groups and community collaboratives, with over $152 million in funding.
“This is an incredible milestone for OTF! From food security and mental health services to physical activity and cultural programs, and more, Ontario’s non-profit organizations help us stay connected and engaged in our communities. Thank you to the Ontario government for the ongoing support of our province’s non-profit sector and thanks to OTF volunteers and staff who have passionately committed to building stronger communities!” — Matt Bondy, OTF Board Chair (from 2021-2023)
2024: Return to Seed, Grow and Capital grants
With a refreshed Grant Investment Framework, we returned to offering Seed, Grow and Capital grants. By ensuring our granting continues to be relevant for the non-profit sector, we help organizations provide the programs and services that are essential to building communities that thrive.