How We Work

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

How Our Funds Are Distributed

The Ontario Trillium Foundation distributes its funding to charities and not-for-profits through three granting programs: Community and Province-Wide programs and the Future Fund. Within those programs, funding is allocated in four sectors: Arts and Culture, Environment, Sports and Recreation, and Human and Social Services.

The Community Program is for activities that take place in one catchment area and have a local impact in one or more communities within that catchment area. Community grants account for 80% of the Ontario Trillium Foundation's funding.

Through the Community Program, the Foundation makes grants of up to $375,000 over five years. This can include up to $75,000 per year for operating or project expenses and up to $150,000 over one or more years for capital initiatives such as building renovations and/or equipment purchases. The decision to fund all or part of a request depends on how well an application fits with OTF's granting priorities and assessment criteria as well as the overall demand and granting budget in the catchment area.

The Province-Wide program is for activities that have a province-wide impact. At a minimum, the work must take place in three catchment areas or two catchment areas in the North. Province-Wide grants account for 20% of Trillium's funding.

Through the Province-Wide Program the Foundation makes grants of up to $1.25 million over five years. This can include up to $250,000 per year for five years for operating and project expenses and up to $150,000 over one or more years for capital initiatives such as building renovations and/or equipment purchases. The decision to fund all or part of a request depends on how well an application fits with OTF's granting priorities and assessment criteria as well as the overall demand and granting budget in the Province-Wide Program.

The Future Fund allocates $2 million each round to innovative projects that are focused on Ontario's futures. In 2007 and 2008, the Future Fund targeted leadership in the environment sector. In 2009, the fund focused on initiatives creating social and economic opportunities for Ontarians. The 2010 Future Fund grants support two kinds of initiatives: Those that build local or province-wide systems that encourage:

New approaches to skill development
Improved access to employment
New economic opportunities, through social purpose enterprises or community economic development initiatives
Increased access to financial capital for small scale entrepreneurs

And

Initiatives that prepare communities to take action - the support needed to take a germ of an idea, explore it, then collaborate with others to address tangible economic opportunities that leaders can see within in their own organization, professional network, or community.

Application deadlines apply; call your local office to find out about specific dates for your area.

How Our Grant Review Process Works

Potential grantees fill out an application. Once that application arrives at the Ontario Trillium Foundation, it goes through an extensive review process:

A Coordinator of Program Administration will check for basic eligibility and that an application has the required documents.
A volunteer Community Grant Review Team or the Province-Wide Grant Review Committee will decide if the proposed activity is the best use of Trillium funds and whether, in their view, the applicant is the best group to do the work. The team or committee will recommend approval for either the full amount or a reduced amount or decline the application.
The Board of Directors ratifies or declines grants as recommended by Community Grant Review Teams or the Province-Wide Grant Review Committee.
A Letter of Agreement or a Letter of Decline is sent to the applicant. Letters of Agreement include the amount granted, conditions attached to the grant, reporting requirements, and payment schedules. This letter forms a contract between the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the grantee. Once it has been signed and returned, funds are released.