Grant Opportunities

Applications are due by midnight on September 18th, 2023.

On January 30 2023, Council approved a new Community Impact Grant with three streams: Capital, Projects and Programming and lastly Annual Specific.   

Capital stream requests will improve the infrastructure that organizations need to thrive. Whether it’s purchasing equipment, building a new space, or completing renovations, retrofits or repairs, Capital grants support projects that will have a positive impact for the community. The Township supports projects that improve access to community spaces, facilities, programs, activities and services, and facilitate community members’ full participation in the life of the community; improve and build community spaces; make programs and services better and more efficient; and make better use of technology.

Community Impact Grant By-law

Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants must:

• be operating as a not for profit or charity for at least one year with a volunteer board of directors. Individuals are ineligible for consideration
• meet one of the following:

a) be based in the Township of Centre Wellington, with at least a majority of members being Township residents. Membership and programs must be open to all Township citizens, and services, programs and activities must be of benefit primarily to Township citizens, or

b) an urban off-reserve Indigenous-led organization located in the Township of Centre Wellington which may also provide culturally based programming outside the boundaries of the Township of Centre Wellington.

• Organizations seeking new capital funding, who are currently working to complete capital projects previously funded from any Township of Centre Wellington grant are required to submit a Letter of Intent at least two weeks prior to the application deadline. If a Letter of Intent is not received, the Organization will be deemed ineligible. Organizations could be deemed ineligible if sufficient progress with the initial outstanding capital project(s) has not been met. 
• serving clearly identified community needs not already adequately addressed by another organization, be it government, corporate or another not-for-profit organization.
• able to provide evidence that the community has shown a commitment to their programs through participation in the organization or attendance at functions sponsored by the organization.
• able to demonstrate support from some other source of funds, than government funds. Other sources of income should include substantial financial support from private donations, audiences through ticket sponsorships or membership sales, where the functions of the organization are such as to serve audiences.
• be able to demonstrate financial responsibility through the preparation and submission of operating budgets and complete financial statements. Complete financial statements include both a balance sheet and income statement, prepared by a licensed accountant operating independently of the applicant, for organizations with annual gross revenues in excess of $50,000. The Township recognizes that financial statement preparation costs can be prohibitive to smaller organizations, and therefore will accept a current, internally prepared, balance sheet and income statement for entities with annual gross revenues less than $50,000.
• in good standing with the Township. The organization must be current on accounts receivable and not in litigation with the Township.

Ineligible Organizations

• Projects or programs organized by organizations that are profit-oriented, schools, groups or organization with a primary focus other than community service, for example, parent and student councils.
• Organizations with mandates from other levels of government, for example, schools, hospitals and Business Improvement Areas (BIAs).
• Organizations who have failed to provide satisfactory reports, including financial statements, as to the success of the previous year and specifically with respect to the allocation of grant funds.
• Requests for grants to an individual, or to an individual group that is controlled by a parent organization (in this case the parent organization should apply for the grant).
• Stacking of Township funding is not permitted. This includes additional but is not limited to:

a) capital funding for the same project

b) projects and programs funded in the same year.

c) initiatives that have already received subsides from the Township of Centre Wellington 

Eligible Applications

• Requests for the Community Impact - Capital stream should not exceed $20,000 per application and is required to be completed by December 31 of the year following grant approval. If there is a unique situation that warrants an ask more than $20,000, the eligible organization must submit a Letter of Intent (more information in section 2.7 of the policy) by the given deadline to be considered.
• If the property is not owned by the applicant, a letter of support and permission for the project from the property owner is required.

Ineligible Expenses

• Travel or accommodation, uniforms, personal equipment, banquets, trophies or entertainment.
• Rent of office space or space required for the operating of business, utilities or debt repayment (i.e. mortgages). A short-term Township facility rental to support a program would be an example of something that would be eligible.
• Attendance at conferences, workshops or seminars.
• Request for contributions to fund prior year deficits incurred by the organization.
• Payroll related costs.
• Funds cannot be used to host an event that is fundraising focused.
• Council may grant special consideration to entities that do not meet all the above criteria but are unique in nature and fulfill a specific need in the community. The organization’s interest in special consideration will be determined at the Letter of Intent stage. 

Post Report

If a grant is awarded, within two months post event, project, or service, a post report must be completed.

Community Impact Grant Capital Stream - Post Report

If you need assistance completing your online application, please contact 

Community Development  c/o Kristen Drexler
1 MacDonald Square
Elora, ON N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-9691 ext. 322

Applications are due by midnight on September 18th, 2023.

On January 30 2023, Council approved a new Community Impact Grant with three streams: Capital, Projects and Programming and lastly Annual Specific. 

Support community-based organizations that deliver programs and services in Centre Wellington and need funding to build capacity, resilience and sustainability. A request to this stream can be for a project or programming already making a proven impact in the community but funds are required to grow and develop it as the need has changed or grown. The request can also be for a new idea that has been identified to fill a gap in the community and seed money is required to initiate or pilot an innovative approach.

Community Impact Grant By-law

Eligible Applicants

Eligible Applicants must:

• be operating as a not for profit or charity for at least one year with a volunteer board of directors. Individuals are ineligible for consideration, or
• be comprised of an independent volunteer committee and must meet regularly and maintain appropriate minutes and records of proceedings.
• Organizations must meet one of the following:

a) be based in the Township of Centre Wellington, with at least a majority of members being Township residents. Membership and programs must be open to all Township citizens, and services, programs and activities must be of benefit primarily to Township citizens, or

b) an urban off-reserve Indigenous-led organization located in the Township of Centre Wellington which may also provide culturally based programming outside the boundaries of the Township of Centre Wellington.

• serving clearly identified community needs not already adequately addressed by another organization, be it government, corporate or another not-for-profit organization.
• able to provide evidence that the community has shown a commitment to their programs through participation in the organization or attendance at functions sponsored by the organization.
• able to demonstrate support from some other source of funds, than government funds. Other sources of income should include substantial financial support from private donations, audiences through ticket sponsorships or membership sales, where the functions of the organization are such as to serve audiences.
• be able to demonstrate financial responsibility through the preparation and submission of operating budgets and complete financial statements. Complete financial statements include both a balance sheet and income statement, prepared by a licensed accountant operating independently of the applicant, for organizations with annual gross revenues in excess of $50,000. The Township recognizes that financial statement preparation costs can be prohibitive to smaller organizations, and therefore will accept a current, internally prepared, balance sheet and income statement for entities with annual gross revenues less than $50,000.
• in good standing with the Township. The organization must be current on accounts receivable and not in litigation with the Township.

Ineligible Organizations

• Projects or programs organized by organizations that are profit-oriented, schools, groups or organization with a primary focus other than community service, for example, parent and student councils.
• Organizations with mandates from other levels of government, for example, schools, hospitals and Business Improvement Areas (BIAs).
• Organizations who have failed to provide satisfactory reports, including financial statements, as to the success of the previous year and specifically with respect to the allocation of grant funds.
• Requests for grants to an individual, or to an individual group that is controlled by a parent organization (in this case the parent organization should apply for the grant). 

Eligible Applications

• Requests for the Community Impact - Projects and Programming stream should not exceed $5,000 per application and is required to be completed by December 31 of the year the grant was approved. If there is a unique situation that warrants an ask more than $5,000, the eligible organization needs to submit a Letter of Intent (more information in section 2.7) by the given deadline to be considered.

Ineligible Expenses

• Travel or accommodation, uniforms, personal equipment, banquets, trophies or entertainment.
• Rent of office space or space required for the operating of business, utilities or debt repayment (i.e. mortgages). A short-term Township facility rental to support a program would be an example of something that would be eligible.
• Attendance at conferences, workshops or seminars.
• Request for contributions to fund prior year deficits incurred by the organization.
• Payroll related costs.
• Funds cannot be used to host an event that is fundraising focused.
• Council may grant special consideration to entities that do not meet all the above criteria but are unique in nature and fulfill a specific need in the community. The organization’s interest in special consideration will be determined at the Letter of Intent stage. 

Post Report

If a grant is awarded, within two months post event, project, or service, a post report must be completed.

Community Impact Grant Projects and Programming Stream - Post Report

If you need assistance completing your online application, please contact 

Community Development  c/o Kristen Drexler
1 MacDonald Square
Elora, ON N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-9691 ext. 322

On January 30 2023, Council approved a new Community Impact Grant with three streams: Capital, Projects and Programming and lastly Annual Specific. A virtual information session on the new Community Impact Grant was held February 2023. A recording of the presentation is here.

The intent of the program is to provide financial assistance to enhance the quality of life in the Township of Centre Wellington by fostering, strengthening and stimulating wider community appreciation and participation in the community. This funding is awarded automatically annually once the organization is approved by Council as an Annual Specific Grant recipient for a specific initiative. In place of an application, recipients are required to submit a letter of intention restating the initiative and funding requested. A post-event or post-program letter to review the success of the initiative, is also required. The maximum limit for this type of grant is $5,000.

To be considered for Annual Specific stream funding, interested organizations need to send a Letter of Consideration to Kristen Drexler at email by July 31, 2023. 

The Letter of Consideration should include: 

• Organization name and mission
• How much funding they are requesting (limit is $5000)
• How the funds would be used (cannot be anything that is also receiving Capital or Projects and Programming stream funds)
• Confirmation that the organization has applied for funding from the Township for at least the last 5 years and has been successful

Community Impact Grant By-law

Annual Specific Stream recipients for 2023 have been reviewed and approved by Council at the January 30 Council Meeting. 

Once you start the application, you won't be able to stop and could lose your work. Please read through and prepare for the following questions before you start the application. 

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Organization Name (if successful, this name will be used for the cheque):

Mailing Address (include address, city, and postal code):

Is this the same as the physical address?

Telephone Number:

Website:

Name of Contact Person:

Position:

Email Address:

Is this initiative being requested by an organization that is:

• A registered Not for Profit (please provide #)
• A community group
• A for profit organization
• An organized Service Group
• Other

Has your organization been successful in obtaining a grant from the Township of Centre Wellington in a prior year?

If you answered yes, please indicate a) the year of the most recent successful application, b) the amount received, c) a brief description of the approved project, and d) if the organization completed a post initiative report.

Please tell us how long your organization/group has been in operation:

Provide a brief history of your organization (500 character limit):

What are the general objectives and purpose of your organization and how does the organization benefit the community (i.e. economically, arts and culture, socially, environmentally, etc.)?

Is there a local organization that provides similar services to those provided by your organization?

If yes, how are the services different from this other organization and how do you work together?

Describe how the community has supported your organization in previous years (check all that apply):

• Participation
• Attendance
• Sponsorship
• Other (please describe)

On average, how many volunteers did your organization have over the last 12 months, regardless of the number of hours volunteered?

Does your organization have three or more active board members (active terms as of grant application deadline date), with at least 50% of board members at an arm’s length relationship to each other?

Does your organization donate funds to any other groups or organizations?

If yes, please indicate the recipient(s) and the nature of the donation(s):

INITIATIVE (please remember to fill out one application per initiative)

Amount of grant requested: $

What Community Impact Grant stream is your organization applying for?

• Capital Projects (max of $20,000)
• Projects and Programming (max of $5,000)

Briefly describe the proposed event, project or service that will be funded by this grant. Please ensure that items identified as Ineligible for Funding of the Grant Application Policy are not listed.

What is the timeline or key project activities identified to complete this initiative?

Please include up to 3 drawings you have to support your application:

What percentage of readiness is the organization in the following areas:

• Design Detail (architectural drawings, permits required, by-laws, etc.)
• Funding (what percent of funding has been secured)
• Construction completed (is project shovel ready or has the project even started construction already?)

Provide examples of other capital projects that you have completed over the last 5 years (500 characters limit):

IMPACT AND EQUITY

Explain how the initiative meets a need in the community:

What sector does your initiative impact (select all that apply):

• Arts and Culture
• Environment
• Human and Social Services
• Recreation
• Agriculture
• Volunteerism
• Other (please explain)

The Township of Centre Wellington’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Committee encourages applicants to apply for initiatives that serve all people in our community. The proposed event, project or service will engage the following demographics:

• Children
• Youth
• Persons with Disabilities
• Women
• Newcomers
• Indigenous People
• Volunteers
• Seniors
• Visible Minority Groups
• LGBTQIA+
• Other (please describe)

Have the people this initiative serves, been a part of designing the initiative? Please explain:

FINANCIAL

Please attach a budget for the proposed event, service, or project:

If your organization is unsuccessful in receiving full or partial funding from this Community Impact Grant, what will be the impact on the proposed event/service/project be?

Did you organization have gross revenue in excess of $50,000 during the most recent fiscal year?

If yes, please attach the organization’s most recent year-end financial statements (including balance sheet, income statement and comparative information for the previous year) prepared by a licensed accountant operating independently of the organization.

If no, please attach the organization’s most recent year-end financial statements (including balance sheet and income statement) prepared by a licensed accountant operating independently of the organization. If unavailable, a current one is acceptable.

Please provide a copy of your organization’s current year budget.

Have funds for this initiative been requested from other levels of government or organizations?

If yes, please indicate which organizations, or to which level of government, and the current status of the request.

Is your organization current in arrears with the Township of Centre Wellington?

If yes, please indicate the amount and nature of the arrears:

What steps is your organization taking to reduce dependence on grants such as the Community Impact Grant?

CW Neighbourhood Grants is a simple yet powerful idea – support resident-led community building, encourage neighbours to connect and create a sense of belonging in our community.

The grant program will make available 5 small grants (up to $1,000) per grant request, to resident-led groups to help them inspire their neighbourhoods with events held before December 31, 2023.

The goal of CW Neighbourhood Grants are to:

• Connect and engage neighbourhood residents
• Build a sense of ownership and pride

Eligibility Information 

Who is eligible to apply for a CW Neighbourhood Grant?

Apply if you answer yes to the following questions below

Is your group:

• A resident-led community group (your group is NOT a business, a social enterprise, or an incorporated non-profit group)
• A resident group that resides in Centre Wellington

Your event or activity must:

• Take place in Centre Wellington
• Be free and open to residents in your neighbourhood
• Cannot be a fundraiser
• An event that benefits township citizens
• Must be held in 2023.
• A one-time event
• Be held in a public space (a neighbourhood park etc.)  Events held on private property (i.e. someone's backyard) will not be approved.

View all Eligible and Ineligible Expenses here.

*Please note, preference will be given to applications that did not host a neighbourhood event in 2022.

If your grant application is successful, funded projects are required to share the experience and lessons learned upon project completion. 

Project Costs

What do you need to think about when you are estimating your project costs?

• Grant requests for events/activity are expected to be under $1,000.
• You may not profit financially from your project.

You will be required to provide a budget as part of the online application process.  List as many details as possible.  Give us a picture of what the money will be used for before, during and if needed after your event/activity.  Remember to include in your budget the amount needed for Township permit costs or insurance costs.

CW Neighbourhood Grant Budget example

Neighbourhood events must be free to attend and participate in.

Insurance & Permit Requirements

You will need to get insurance and/or permits for Township owned space and that may take a few weeks, and any additional costs must be included in your budget request.  

Event organizers are welcome to purchase Insurance through their own provider, or through the Township. 

The cost of the Insurance that would be required for the event is dependant on the number of guests that will be attending.

1-100 person event - $54.00

101-250 person event - $108.00

251-500 person event - $162.00

Examples for permits include - street closures, community park use etc.

Important Dates

Wednesday, March 22, Neighbourhood Grant is open
Friday, April 28, Neighbourhood Grant closes
Monday, May 29, Council to approve final grant recipients (5) total.

How do I apply?

The application process closed on Friday, April 28.  Thank you to everyone who applied.

If you need assistance completing your online application, please contact 

Communications Department c/o Kendra Martin
1 MacDonald Square
Elora, ON N0B 1S0
Telephone: 519-846-9691 ext. 220