Local Leadership Grant

Local Leadership Grant is sponsored by City of Toronto. Grants for resident-led groups helping inspire neighborhoods and advance key themes in the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy.

Local Leadership Grant – City of Toronto The Local Leadership Grant is currently closed. The Local Leadership Grant program provides $5,000 for resident-led community groups to help them inspire their neighbourhoods with events and activities that support the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy .

As a part of the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS), the Local Leadership Grant supports resident-led projects that support local activation and focus on the five domains of TSNS – economic opportunities, healthy lives, participation in civic-decision making, physical surroundings and social development – across all neighbourhoods.

The Local Leadership Grant prioritizes the leadership and participation of Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving groups within Neighbourhood Improvement Areas, Emerging Neighbourhoods, and other communities of focus. Applicants must be a resident-led group consisting of at least 3 members who do not live in the same household. Groups with 3 or more members are eligible to apply.

Group members must be residents of Toronto. Group Leads must determine which TSNS Community Network they live in – visit the interactive map for TSNS Community Networks Ambassadors. What activities can be funded through the Local Leadership Grant?

The Local Leadership Grant (LLG) supports place-based, resident-led projects that focuses on the five domains of the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy. A funding amount of $5000 is available per group.

Projects must offer community-based activities related to at least one of the five domains of TSNS: Economic Opportunities (e.g. job skills workshop) Healthy Lives (e.g. wellness day) Participation in Civic Decision-Making (e.g. community speak out event) Physical Surroundings (e.g. community beautification event) Social Development (e.g. neighbourhood festival) New Changes to Local Leadership Grant Applicants must register for a Toronto Rebates, Incentives and Grants Portal (TGRIP) Account to apply for the Local Leadership Grant.

Submissions will only be accepted through TGRIP. Sports-related projects are eligible for the 2026 grant cycle in celebration of the World Cup coming to Toronto. Activities funded through the Local Leadership Grant will start in May 2026.

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria: To apply, you must be part of a resident-led group with at least three members who do not reside in the same household. All group members must live in different households and be residents of Toronto. The Group lead must be a resident of Toronto and must identify which Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy (TSNS) Community Network they live in.

To determine which TSNS Community Network you live in, visit the Local Leadership Grant Map . Group projects must offer community-based activities that demonstrate alignment with the five domains (i.e., economic opportunities, healthy lives, participation in decision making, physical surroundings, and social development) of the Toronto Strong Neighbourhood Strategy.

The project proposed cannot be an existing program or service your group is currently providing. Considerations will be taken if you are applying to enhance your existing project by adding a new element. This can include adding new activities or workshops and/or redesigning the project to reach a new demographic.

For example, redesigning a digital literacy workshop that was initially for youth but now updating it to be relevant and appliable to seniors. Expanding existing projects to new geographic areas are not eligible. If you are serving food, one group member must have a Food Handler Certificate OR participate in training to receive a Food Handler Certificate.

A free training session will be offered for groups recommended for funding on a first-come, first-serve basis. To be in good standing and eligible to receive a grant from the City of Toronto, all groups must comply with the Grants Policy . Your group must not be in debt with the City or be in default of terms and conditions of any agreement (including any previous grant agreement) with the City of Toronto.

In order to apply for the Local Leadership Grant, your group must have a Toronto Grants, Rebates and Incentives Portal (TGRIP) Account. Visit TGRIP to register or see additional information in the TGRIP section. Note: To be eligible for the 2026 Local Leadership Grant, previously funded groups must have completed their 2025 project activities, and all funds must have been fully utilized and reported in your Completion Report submission.

You are still able to submit an application however, it will not be considered until we have received your 2025 final report. The 2025 Local Leadership Completion Report must be submitted by January 31, 2026. Ineligible applicants include: Groups with all members living in the same household.

Groups with less than 3 members. Groups with less than 3 members who do not reside in Toronto. Non-profit organizations, self-employed Individuals, registered businesses, for-profit businesses, landlord/tenant and condominium boards, corporations, political parties, social enterprises (including BIAs), staff of the City of Toronto, members of City of Toronto Council.

Grant-making organizations, industry, or trade associations Sports Clubs, Provincial Sport Organizations (PSO) and Multi-Sport Organizations (MSO) and groups affiliated with a Recognized PSO or MSO Organizations with mandates and activities covered under provincial or federal legislation such as schools and universities, day-cares, group homes, hospitals.

Religious organizations with mandates that cannot show a clear separation between religious and community service functions. 2025 Local Leadership Grant funded resident-led groups that have not submitted their completion report for the 2025 Local Leadership Grant call. Local Leadership Grant groups can only submit one application.

The first application that is submitted will be the application that is reviewed.

Application budgets can include projects costs for: Project supplies and materials Project Coordination to support planning, organizing and implementing your project Compensation for the project team can be a maximum of $1,500 Compensation for Elders and honoraria for People with Lived/Living Experience and volunteers Developing and supporting partnerships Delivery materials and participant-related costs Interpretation and translation for events and communications Requests for the following purposes are not eligible for consideration: Subsidies for individuals (e.g., scholarships or educational bursaries) Donations to Charitable causes Debt repayment or deficit funding Political or religious activities Projects and activities outside of Toronto Unless specifically for Indigenous-based cultural activities outside of Toronto as per the City of Toronto Grants Policy Ongoing multi-year program funding Electronic equipment (e.g. computers, printers, phones, cameras) is not permitted Contact communityfunding@toronto.

ca about any capital cost items prior to submitting your budget request. Major capital costs are not eligible for funding. Minor capital expenses, such as equipment to support virtual activities or paint supplies for a beautification project, may be eligible with City approval and are conditional on an incorporated non-profit owning the equipment after the project is completed.

Grant Priorities & Activities Project events/activities must: Be held within the geographic area of your Group Lead’s TSNS Community Network Be a one-time event or series of events that are completed within a six-week period Be in person, free and open to Toronto Residents Occur in a public and accessible space Be held between May 1st, 2026 to December 31st, 2026 Tip: Space permits are not required to be booked in advance to be eligible to apply for the Local Leadership Grant.

Groups are encouraged to contact the relevant Community organization or City service to inquire about the Use of Space / Permit processing timeline. Understanding these details will help ensure your project timeline accounts for any necessary processing time. Trustees can work with successful groups to finalize event/activity locations.

For more information please visit Parks & Recreation Permit – No Fee Community Activations. Have a cost to participate and/or have a fundraising component. Be connected to a pre-existing agency or City-run or Not-For Profit program.

Be for sports clubs to train participants to compete at an elite level. Be a reoccurring, established or annual project. Be private or invitation only Toronto Grants, Rebates and Incentives Portal (TGRIP) Account If your group does not have a TGRIP account, you will need to sign-up / register your group on the Toronto Grants, Rebates and Incentives (TGRIP) Porta .

Review the instructions on How to Register for a TGRIP Account or watch the TGRIP video before you begin your applications. If your group is a grassroots group or unincorporated non-profit , please select “community group” when registering your account for the first time and select “resident led-group” when completing the organization profile.

How do I complete and submit the organization profile if we do not have documents to upload (i.e. we are a youth-led grassroots or unincorporated non-profit group)? When setting up your organization profile in TGRIP, answer “Yes” to the question, “Is your group a resident-led group leading a project in your neighbourhood?

” You do not need to sign and complete the Declaration of Compliance with Anti-Harassment/Discrimination Legislation & City Policy. This will need to be completed by groups once they are approved for funding. To bypass this step, click “Save”.

Then log out and then log back on. Finding the LLG application in TGRIP after I have registered an account and completed the organization profile Once you have completed registering and setting-up your organizational profile, log out and then log back in. Note: Only one application per group is permitted.

Only eligible and complete applications will be considered for funding.

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