City of Peterborough’s Community Grants Program in Canada

Deadline: 2-Dec-22

The City of Peterborough is seeking applications for its Community Grants Program to provide funding to non-profit, community-based organizations that deliver direct programs, services, or activities that improve the quality of life for their residents.

The purpose of the Community Grants program is to provide financial assistance to non-profit, community-based organizations that provide direct programs, services, or activities that enhance the quality of life for Peterborough residents in the areas of social services and health, arts, culture, heritage, recreation, or the environment.

These funding streams are further defined as projects/events, activities, or programs that support/sustain, promote, inform/educate, celebrate, preserve and/or provide access to:

Arts: creative activity by professionals or non-professionals in various fine and applied art forms including but not limited to: visual, performing and performance, literary, media, and decorative arts;
Culture: beliefs, customs and traditions of certain communities, societies, or cultural groups relating to language, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual identity, disability, religion, class, and diversity;
Environment: beautification, conservation, documentation, interpretation, preservation, restoration, and research of the environment/natural heritage (air, water, flora, fauna, and natural landscape);
Heritage: identification, documentation, interpretation, or preservation of built heritage (structure, building or group of buildings, landscape), cultural heritage (archaeology, archives, genealogy, monuments, museums and galleries/collections), historic people and events, and traditions (customs and beliefs);
Recreation: activities contributing to physical health and well-being including: participation in sports leagues, instructional sports, fitness and wellness activities, leisure and hobby activities;
Social Services & Health: programs and services supportive to the social determinants of health (state of complete physical, mental and social well-being with a focus on prevention; access to housing, food and clothing, freedom from violence)

Funding Streams

The three Community Grants streams are:

Community Project Grants – support for specified project for which the requested amount is $250 to $1,000
Community Investment Grants – support for projects and special events, specific programs or operating budgets for which the requested amount is $1,000 to $15,000
Community Service Grants – support for municipally mandated services for which the requested amount is more than $15,000 (Community Service Grants are not available through the application process as the City initiates agreements for this funding)

Eligibility Criteria

Community Project Grants

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:
- Be new or existing, incorporated or unincorporated not-for-profit organizations (NFPs), or Neighbourhood Associations, and
- Be located and conduct the majority of activities within the geographic boundaries of the City of Peterborough.
- First-time applicants must apply for and receive a grant in the Project Grant category for at least two years (within the last 5 years) before they can apply for an Investment Grant.

Community Investment Grants

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:
- Be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization with a local Board of Directors
- Be NFPs that are located, and conduct the majority of their activities, within the geographic boundaries of the City of Peterborough;
- Have sustained a history of activity over 2 years, normally achieved as past recipient of at least 2 Community Project grants;
- Have been in existence for 5 years if requesting multi-year funding;
- Have demonstrated sound financial management and good standing with the City, and must submit one of the following documents; Audited Financial Statement, or a Notice to Reader;
- Be able to demonstrate that they provide those services and programs in an effective, accessible, open, and inclusive manner.
Applicants for either funding program should demonstrate:
- One or more City priorities and participant priorities within target sectors (as outlined on the application forms);
- Community need for proposed activity or service;
- Community support (funding support or sponsorship from other organizations, local businesses, industry, service clubs);
- Community benefit/impact;
- Financial need (operating surpluses or reserve accounts should not exceed 25%of total operating without acceptable explanation, e.g., capital campaign);
- Sound financial management and revenue generation (accurate records, responsible budget, various sources of income; if deficit, then reduction plan);
- Accountability/mechanism for evaluation (identification of key performance measures and outcomes);
- Feasibility (organization’s ability to complete the proposed activity or service);
- Evidence of community collaboration, partnerships;
- Impact of previous year’s funding support.

Community Service Grant

This grant program is intended for:
- NFP organizations currently receiving transfers, operating grant from the City or managing Municipal Capital Facilities for the City
- Organizations identified by City that provide a specific service that the City should be providing but the NFPs can do so more effectively and efficiently
- Transfer of funds from senior government through the municipality to a community agency to achieve very specific outcomes/ deliverables
- Funding the core program of an agency or service that is supportive to the attainment of municipal or community objectives that are not within the parameters of the municipal corporate mandate

Ineligible

Community Project Grant:
- Allocated funding MUST be used within the year it is granted.
- Organizations receiving a Community Investment Grants or Community Service Grant
- Individuals
- For-profit businesses
- Organizations demonstrating any political affiliations within the previous 5 years
- Organizations serving as funding sources for others, e.g. Service Clubs
- Faith organizations where funding is directly supporting services/activities that include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith
- Hospitals, clinic-based services or medical treatment programs
- Fund-raising events
- School boards, primary and secondary schools, post secondary institutions
- Programs within legislated mandates of other government or city departments Provincial/national organizations, unless a local chapter exists to service the residents of Peterborough
- Organizations receiving 80% or more of funding from senior levels of government
- Organizations that conduct the majority of their activities outside of the City
- Costs for major capital equipment/renovations and minor renovations; and financing of deficits.
Community Investment Grant:
- The following are not eligible for a Community Investment Grant:
- New unincorporated not-for-profit organizations or NFPs receiving a Community Project Grant or incorporated NFPs receiving a Community Service Grant
- Individuals
- For-profit businesses
- Organizations demonstrating any political affiliations within the previous 5 years
- Organizations serving as funding sources for others, e.g. Service Clubs
- Faith organizations where funding is directly supporting services/activities that include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith
- Hospitals, clinic-based services or medical treatment programs
- Fundraising events
- School boards, primary and secondary schools, post secondary institutions
- Programs within legislated mandates of other government or city departments
- Provincial/national organizations unless a local chapter exists to service the residents of Peterborough
- Organizations receiving 80% or more of funding from senior levels of government
- Organizations that conduct the majority of their activities outside of the City
- Costs for major capital equipment/renovations and minor renovations; and financing of deficits