Deadline: 1-Dec-20
The Ottawa Community Foundation (OCF) has announced the 2021 Multi-Year round of the Community Grants Program (CGP) to support the evolution of an initiative over a period of two or three years.
During the first wave of the pandemic, through the Rapid Response Fund and the Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF), OCF supported hundreds of front-line agencies delivering critical services to those disproportionately affected. A second round of ESCF granting is now in progress, and we recognize that many organizations in the sector are still under enormous pressure trying to meet urgent needs. They also know that many organizations are wrestling with recovery in relation to their own futures and to the issues they seek to address.
Focus Areas
The CGP funds initiatives in the following broad areas:
- Social services;
- Arts and culture;
- Education;
- Environment;
- Health;
- Animal welfare.
Eligibility Criteria
- Typically, registration with Canada Revenue Agency as a charitable organization is required to be eligible to apply for a Community Grant. Incorporation as a not-for-profit is not sufficient to qualify. However, an organization that does not have charitable status can apply in a formal partnership with a charitable organization if, through the initiative in question, the non-charitable organization is helping the charity fulfill its mission and mandate. There are also a limited number of other categories of organizations that are eligible to apply directly.
- In addition:
- Applicants must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and have a committed volunteer board.
- The initiative for which the grant is being requested must benefit residents of Ottawa.
- Previous Community Grant recipients must file an Evaluation Report before applying for a new grant
Qualifying Initiatives
- Initiatives must do one or more of the following:
- Benefit the Ottawa community, improve the quality of life for its residents, and help to foster a strong, positive and caring community;
- Use a community development approach to build on the assets and strengths of the community in order to respond to evolving issues and emerging priorities;
- Address the root causes of identified local issues and work on long-term solutions in an effort to achieve systemic change;
- Cultivate collective action within the community (i.e. through a shared vision for change, coordinated activities, joint data collection and results measurement, the coordination of participating organizations, etc.);
- Take a creative or unique approach to tackling community issues (e.g. through the method of service delivery, engagement of community partners, role of community members, etc.);
- Help to build the capacity of individuals, organizations and communities.
For more information, visit https://www.ocf-fco.ca/multi-year-grants/