FAQs
What if I am not available to attend the scheduled Grantee Orientation webinars for grantees?
Answer
As a condition of the Grant Contract, all grantees must register and participate in a grantee orientation webinar before the Grant Contract is signed back. Grantees will be advised of scheduled webinars in due course.
We applied for a GROW grant. The Grant Result we selected has a metric that involves conducting a pre- /post survey. What is a pre-/ post-survey?
Answer
OTF asks all Grow grantees that have selected one of 13 Grant Results to measure progress toward achieving the Grant Result, using a preselected survey instrument. The surveys are standardized and peer-reviewed. They were selected by OTF to measure the aggregate impact of all OTF-funded projects for a given Grant Result. For this reason, all grantees that select the same Grant Result will be required to administer the same OTF survey to program participants.
The surveys are designed to measure change over time. In order to see change within a project, surveys may need to be administered more than once over the course of the grant. A survey taken at the beginning of the project will create a “baseline”; it will help you to know what knowledge, skills, attitudes or behaviours the people in your project have when they arrive. At the end of the program, or every few months in the case of ongoing initiatives, you will again survey the people impacted by your grant. When compared to the “baseline” data, you will be able to see if anything has changed over the course of the program. Over time, and aggregated across grants, these surveys will help OTF understand the impact we’re having in communities across Ontario.
As a grantee, you will be asked to set up for the survey upon your project start date. Once your grant contract is signed, you will receive an email from a third party research firm conducting these surveys. This email will give you an overview of surveys, the user manuals for an online portal for managing the surveys, username and temporary password for the portal, and details for an orientation webinar to get you started.
Can I meet or talk with someone to receive advice on my proposal?
Answer
OTF offers applicant one-on-one coaching calls with a Program Manager to discuss project proposal ideas and their potential fit with one of the OTF Investment Streams and with one of OTF’s Action Areas, Priority Outcomes, and Grant Results. However, in fairness to all applicants, OTF staff will not review full or partial applications in draft form. Contact the OTF Support Centre to book a coaching call. OTF also provides general information on its strategy, granting streams, priority outcomes, assessment criteria and grant application process through its Support Centre, webinars and in-person outreach sessions. To register for an in-person information session in your area or participate in an online webinar, please visit our Events Calendar to see a list of events.
What does OTF mean by “serve the broader community”?
Answer
In all cases of grants to faith-based organizations, the proposed benefit to the broader community must be clearly demonstrated. The benefit must be broader than the immediate community of faith. The activities need to be accessible to anyone, without having to participate in dimensions of the faith, including prayer, proselytizing, devotions, and dress traditions (including removing items of clothing or wearing items specific to a faith).
Our project or idea does not fall under any of your investment strategies. Can I still apply?
Answer
To be considered, all applications must align with the OTF Investment Strategy.
Can I see the application questions while we wait for our registration to be approved?
Answer
Yes. View and print the application questions in advance by clicking on Apply for a Grant. Click on the investment stream you are applying for under #6 – “Review Application Questions and Assessment Criteria.” You can start working on answering the application questions while you wait for your registration to be verified. Save your answers in a Word document, then cut and paste them into the application once you have access to OTF’s online portal.
What if, for reasons beyond our control, our organization does not achieve the grant metrics that have been selected?
Answer
Grant result metrics are necessary for grantees to achieve. They are part of the Grant Contract obligations. To help support our grantees, OTF staff stay in frequent touch with our grantees. Grantees who are not successful at achieving grant results may have their grant, or a portion of the grant, rescinded.
Why are there word count limits on some application questions?
Answer
Word counts help simplify and ensure equity of content across OTF applications, and are to encourage clear and concise responses.
How would we know if our organization passes OTF’s Anti-Discrimination Policy?
Answer
OTF will not fund organizations that discriminate, or that seek to limit the legal rights and activities of people.
Your organization is not aligned with this policy if:
- Your organization treats people differently based on age, gender, sexual orientation, family status or religious belief. For example, if women are treated differently from men, if your group won’t rent its community hall to a gay organization, or if only members of your religion can participate in activities and events.
- Your organizational publications and website promote or communicate discriminatory practices.
- You seek to limit the legal rights and activities of people — for example, campaigning against same-sex marriage or organizing interventions to prevent women from seeking abortion information.
- You restrict staffing, program content, or who can participate in programs based on any of the protected grounds cited in the OTF Anti-Discrimination Policy.
Pages
Welcome / Bienvenue
Choose your language / Choisissez votre langue