Community Grants Program
Our Community Grants Program focuses on finding ways to help individuals, families, organizations and communities prosper. While Niagara is facing many challenges, we also have an opportunity to seek new and sustainable ways of addressing community issues and creating a more collaborative approach to meeting the challenges facing organizations and our community.
Applications for the Community Grants must have a maximum ask of $25,000.
Grant Making Priorities
- Addressing the issues/indicators in the Living in Niagara Report 2023, or,
- Assisting with the development and implementation of tools and resources that would contribute to an organization’s success; including professional and organizational development and training
Minimum Governance Practices for Grant Applicants:
Charities applying for grants need to have 8 out of 14 of the following governance practices in place to be eligible to apply for a grant from NCF. This is our first step of any application, ensuring that the charities that we grant to have the capacity to manage and execute on grants received. If a minimum of 8 practices are not in place, a charity is allowed to apply once and the charity is directed to appropriate resources and support to address these gaps.
Eligibility Requirements
The items marked with an asterisk * are compulsory items.
- * The organization has written HR management policies that comply, at minimum, with employment, health and safety, and other applicable legislation.
- *Does the board approve an annual budget?
- Does the board review actual to budget at least twice a year?
- *Does the board meet a minimum of 3 times annually?
- Are board policies reviewed at least every 4 years?
- *Is there a policy that clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of board and officers?
- Are there fixed terms for board members?
- Has a strategic plan been developed in the last 4 years?
- Does the board annually review progress on achieving strategic plan goals and adjust plan to reflect progress and new opportunities?
- *Is ED/CEO performance reviewed annually?
- Is a board evaluation undertaken annually?
- Is there an interim succession plan in place or being developed in the unexpected changeover in organization leadership?
- Is there a conflict of interest policy?
- Is there a reserve policy?
All applicants must have a grant consultation with the Foundation prior to submitting an application. This must be done at least 7 days before the grant deadline. Further information is available by calling JoAnne Krick at the Foundation at 905-684-8688 x 23 or emailing to grants@niagaracommunityfoundation.org
NOTE: JoAnne Krick, Director of Grants, will be out of office Sept 1 to Sept 12. During this time, please review the eligibility and criteria above. If suitable, you can start your application and reach out to JoAnne after Sept 12 for project consult/questions.
For technical issues with the platform or logging in, please contact Suzanne at suzanne.veenstra@niagaracommunityfoundation.org
GRANT PORTAL
To begin your application process, click the button below to either create a New User Account or Login to an existing account. From your dashboard you will have access to all available grant applications.
Applicants cannot apply for a concurrent grant unless they are part of a collaborative and are in good standing with their open grants to the Foundation.
Please log in to NCF's Grant Portal and review and complete the report as part of your grant requirements. Follow these steps to complete the form:
- Log in with your username and password.
- Once logged in you will be on the Applicant Dashboard.
- Below your application, you will see that it reads Community Grant Final Report. Click on the blue "Edit" link to the right of the form to access the form.
- You can save the form as often as you need but remember to submit by the due date
For all questions or inquiries, please contact JoAnne Krick by email, grants@niagaracommunityfoundation.org .