Community Grants and Donations

Applicants may request different types of support through this program.

Cash contributions

Council will determine the amount of funding available to the Community Grants Program through the annual budget process.

• Applicants may request financial assistance up to $2,000 through the standard application process.
• Requests over $2,000 may be considered, however these requests require a presentation to Council to allow Council an opportunity to fully understand the request and its community benefit.

In-kind contribution

In-kind support may include things like:

• Use of Township property/facilities at reduced or no cost
• Waiving of permit fees
• Municipal staff support
• Use or loaning of municipally owned equipment/materials (e.g., photocopying)
• 2019-76

In-kind requests may be submitted with or without a cash request.

To be considered, applicants must meet the program’s eligibility requirements, including:

• Applicants (except local elementary and secondary schools) must be non-profit community groups/organizations; individuals are not eligible.
• Organizations whose primary focus is not within the Township may not be considered.
• Funding is intended to be supplementary (not the primary source of funding). Applicants should show they have explored other supports (fundraising, volunteer support, etc.).
• Retroactive funding is not considered.
• Grant recipients must have a bank account in the name of the organization/event (cheques are not issued to individuals).
• Under normal circumstances, only one request per organization per calendar year will be considered.
• Late applications may not be considered for cash contributions.
• Organizations that do not submit a satisfactory evaluation report by the required deadline may be ineligible for future funding.

Applications should fit within at least one of the program categories:

• Community Heritage
• Community Special Events
• Economic and Tourism Development
• Supporting Youth/Seniors
• Relief of Poverty/Health Advancement

All requests are considered with regard to the Township’s budget, and applications are reviewed for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with the policy. Incomplete applications may be returned with a request for additional information. 

Applications are assessed based on factors such as:

• Ability to carry out the proposal and achieve desired results
• Need for the project in the community
• Clear, measurable benefit to the Township and community
• Ability to sustain the initiative after the funding period
• Level of community involvement/response to the organization and/or event

If your application is successful:

• Funds must be used for the stated objectives/plans and are not transferable between projects/groups without prior Council approval.
• Financial statements and accounting may be requested by Council and/or the Clerk.
• Funded organizations are required to complete the program evaluation report by the required deadline to remain eligible for future funding.