Collaborative Applicants Policy

1.0 Rationale

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) supports and encourages the efforts of community organizations and groups to work together on projects that will achieve positive community impact.

OTF recognizes and supports collaborative arrangements that meet OTF eligibility criteria and funding requirements and through common purpose and shared responsibilities will produce good community outcomes.

OTF will fund collaborative projects that are administered by an OTF eligible organization and where all collaborative members directly contribute to achieving the project outcomes.

2.0 Purpose

OTF has outlined its position to support effective collaboration in accordance with our eligibility criteria.

3.0 Policy

3.1 Eligibility

OTF supports collaboration in the non-profit sector and accepts collaborative applications submitted and managed by an eligible organization known as the Collaborative Lead. The Collaborative Lead assumes legal and financial responsibility for the OTF grant which includes the grant being in their name and ensure the expectations outlined in the OTF grant contract are met. 

Collaborative applications include a collaborative agreement, which details the collaborative members, the project purpose, the working arrangement of the collaborative, and the roles and responsibilities of each collaborative member.

Please refer to OTF’s required Collaborative Agreement Template, located on the OTF website.

4.0 Definitions

Collaborative Application:
Two or more organizations with a well-defined relationship working jointly to achieve a common goal. Characteristics include mutual benefit, shared decision making and accountability to each other and to the communities they serve.

A collaborative may include both eligible and ineligible organizations who are in good standing and do not engage in discriminatory or political/advocacy activities. The lead organization (Collaborative Lead) must be eligible as per OTF policies.

Collaborative Lead:
The Collaborative Lead is the OTF applicant and becomes the OTF grantee. The Collaborative Lead meets OTF eligibility requirements and criteria and demonstrates strong capacity to administer fiscal and project oversight that will result in successful achievement of the expected grant outcomes.

Collaborative Agreement:
The written agreement, detailing the purpose and nature of the collaborative, including roles and responsibilities, purpose of the collaborative, working arrangements that include decision-making and conflict resolution. The agreement is signed by all members of the collaborative making application for OTF funding.

Grant Contract:
The legal agreement between the OTF and the grantee, including any subsequent amendments.