Apply for Project Funding

Review all the information tabs carefully before you submit your application  

Applicants can apply only once for the Project funding category and once for the Programming funding category, except for organizations that sponsor another organization. Sponsoring organizations can apply for themselves as well as other organizations they are sponsoring.  

Supporting documents must be in the same legal name of organization applying for funding 

Applications are open from October 3 to October 31  

Applicants must meet all of the conditions for funding:  

• Be either: 
  • A not-for-profit corporation or a registered charity that has been in existence for at least 2 years; OR 
  • If the registered charity is not incorporated under federal or provincial legislation, each director of the registered charity shall sign the contribution agreement and is personally liable for the use of the contribution in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contribution agreement because a registered charity that is not incorporated is not a legal entity and therefore not capable of entering into a legally binding agreement or contract, OR
  • Sponsored by a not-for-profit corporation or a registered charity that has been in existence for more than five years 
• Mandate of organization aligns to the Community Funding Framework priorities 
• Demonstrate financial viability and organization sustainability 
• Operate in a non-discriminatory manner as set out by the Ontario Human Rights Code  
• Be governed by a democratically elected Board of Directors  
• Be in Good Standing with the City of Ottawa  
• Be located in and serve residents of Ottawa 

Ineligibility  

Applicants cannot be:  

• Faith-based organizations whose services/activities include the direct promotion and/or required adherence to a faith or religious practice  
• For-profit organizations or ventures  
• Organizations which act primarily as a funding source for other groups 
• Hospitals, clinic-based services, or medical treatment programs  
• Organizations of political affiliation or which have a mandate to conduct political activities 
• Other levels of government or organizations proposing programs within the legislated mandate of other governments  
• Provincial/national organizations, unless a local chapter/branch exists to explicitly serve the residents of the city of Ottawa  
• School boards, primary and secondary schools, or post-secondary institutions  
• Sports clubs 

Allowable Costs  

Allowable expenses may include:  

• Staffing 
• Insurance  
• Occupancy  
• Office administration  
• Supplies and equipment  
• Transportation  
• Other expenses to be reviewed on a case by case basis  

Ineligible Costs  

Ineligible costs may include: 

• Conferences, sponsorships, special events and beautification initiatives  
• Costs for major capital equipment/renovations, minor renovations to existing buildings, construction or development of new facilities, land maintenance 
• Financing of deficits and/or debts 
• For-profit ventures  

Definitions

For the purpose of the administration of the eligibility criteria and funding process, “Board of Directors,” “Good Standing” and “Not-for-profit” will have the following meanings:

Board of Directors

A democratically elected board of a minimum of three (3) persons who are responsible for the management and operations of the organization, each is eighteen or more years of age and is a member of the organization. The majority of the directors must be residents of the City of Ottawa and shall not be related. The board shall have a constitution that clearly outlines responsibility in relation to the delivery of activities, events, programs, projects, and services; holds regular meetings with a minimum of four per year or two per operating season; holds an annual general meeting which is open to the public and has an election component; and provides annual financial statements that are available to the public and the City.

Good Standing

The applicant has fulfilled all the terms and conditions of all previous and current agreements with the City and is in good financial standing with the City (i.e., no arrears).

Not-for-profit

The organization is operated for a collective, public, or social benefit and not as a business aiming to generate profits.

The application must include: 

• Details of the project or program including a clear description of all proposed activities, actions, and timelines 
•  Project or Program budget 
• Expected number of clients served   
• A copy of your organization’s most recent year-end financial statements 

Start your application for Project Funding

Any information added to the form, prior to saving it to your computer, through a web browser will be lost when the form is downloaded, printed, or saved.   

Stage 1: Screening for completeness and eligibility  

The City will review all applications to ensure that they:  

• Meet all requirements for submission 
• All application are complete  
• Provide all information and documents, or a reason for not providing it that is acceptable to the City 
• Meet all eligibility criteria 

Stage 2: Allocation Committee Review   

All eligible applications are assessed by an allocation committee process. The Allocation Committee members, comprised of City staff, and community experts including youth, will review all proposals and score them in according to the evaluation criteria. As part of the evaluation, applicants may be asked to provide clarification on certain aspects of the proposal. Clarifications and information given by applicants may be included and scored with the criteria above. The Allocation Committee will discuss and rank each application and has the right to adjust the scoring based upon the discussion.  They will recommend an amount of funding to be awarded to each successful applicant.   

Stage 3: Management Allocation Review and Approval  

Community and Social Services management team will review the recommendations from the Allocation Committee. They will ensure there is an equitable distribution of funding based on priority populations and that the funding aligns to areas of the city facing the greatest need. The management team can adjust funding amounts based on this review. They will provide final approval of the applicants for a CPF allocation and allocation amounts.  

Decisions cannot be appealed. 

For questions email communityfunding@ottawa.ca