Community Initiative Grants is sponsored by Ottawa Community Foundation. The Community Initiative Grants (CIGs) support projects in social services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, heritage, and animal welfare in Ottawa. Funding may prioritize systemic and collaborative approaches, including capacity-building, research, and seed funding.

Application Guidelines - Community Initiatives Grants - Ottawa Community Foundation Application Guidelines – Community Initiatives Grants Barry 2026-01-22T09:41:52-05:00 Community Initiative Grants (CIGs) The CIGs fund initiatives in the following broad areas: social services, arts and culture, education, environment, health, heritage, and animal welfare .

In addition to program and project funding, the OCF encourages, and may prioritize applications that advance more systemic and collaborative approaches to issues of concern, such as: Organizational capacity-building Research, planning, and collaboration between organizations and sectors “Seed funding” to further develop emerging initiatives/proposals and boost the likelihood of obtaining significant support from other funders.

The program or project must primarily serve or benefit Ottawa residents. Applicants can request up to $25,000 ; however, the average grant is between $15,000 and $20,000 . The CIGs do not typically provide partial funding.

If you request $25,000, you will likely either receive the full amount or be declined. Carefully consider the needs of your initiative before determining how much to apply for. We accept only one application at a time from an organization.

However, a charitable organization may: Serve as the charitable partner for another organization’s application in the same grant round. Grant decisions will be communicated by the end of May. While initiatives may begin before then, costs that the OCF is being asked to cover should not be incurred before the grant decision is communicated.

The reviewers receive only the information in the application. If you wish to include letters of support, client comments, or past outcomes, reference or quote them within the application itself. All applications must be submitted through the online system.

Review our Applicant Portal Tutorial for a step-by-step guide to help you get started. The OCF is happy to accept applications in English or in French. Please note that French applications may be translated for some reviewers.

To receive OCF funding, an organization must be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a charitable organization or other Qualified Donee. Incorporation as a not-for-profit is not sufficient. However, non-charitable organizations can apply in partnership with a registered charity, provided that the funding supports the charity’s mission.

If submitting as a charitable partnership, applications must complete the Charitable Partnership portion of the application, including questions that must be completed directly by the charitable organization. Please follow the prompts in the application form to complete this section.

Charitable organizations participating in such partnerships can still apply for an initiative they intend to directly deliver themselves, as well as serve as a charitable partner in the same grant round. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact us .

Faith-Based Organizations Faith-based organizations are welcome to apply if their application ensures that: The benefit goes beyond their congregation(s) or faith-based community Faith is not a requirement of participation No grant funds are used for proselytizing or related activities The CIGs do not fund the following activities. If you are unsure whether your application falls into one of these categories, please contact us .

Core operations (see note below) Fundraising events or campaigns Partisan political activities Note: Applications cannot be submitted for the general operations of an organization. They must focus on one or more programs, activities, initiatives, or services. However, these need not be new initiatives and may form part of the ongoing operations of the organization.

What to expect after you submit Once submitted, grant applications go through a three-step process : They are evaluated for eligibility by OCF staff. They are reviewed by the Community Initiative Grants Review Panel. Applications recommended by the Panel are matched with funding.

You will receive an email indicating the result of the review process and directing you to next steps if required. If you have any questions about completing the application form, about the eligibility of your project, or about the process, please contact a member of the Grants team: