Community Grants Program - 2024 Application

The City of Cambridge recognizes the value community organizations provide in improving the health, lifestyle and community wellbeing of Cambridge residents. Funding through this program will be aligned with the City of Cambridge Strategic Plan and will provide support to not-for-profit organizations to deliver programs or services that benefit the quality of life of Cambridge residents.

Conditions

1. Applicants must be a volunteer group and/or non-profit organization
2. The organization shall have a location and/ or physical presence in Cambridge and the majority of participants in the program/service must be residents of the City of Cambridge. The organization must extend its services to the general public in Cambridge as described in the Ontario Human Rights Code.
3. The organization must carry valid public liability insurance in the amount of $2 million with the City named as an additional insured and provide proof of insurance as requested.
4. Organizations must be in compliance with all applicable legislation, regulations and bylaws for the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the City of Cambridge. (e.g. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), Ontario Human Rights Code, Occupational Health & Safety Act).
5. Successful applicants who receive funding from the Community Grants Program are requested to report on how funding was spent and what impact the funding achieved (Form D). This report must be submitted to the City of Cambridge in November of the year grant funding is received. Please complete as much of the form as possible.
6. Organizations must be in good standing with the City and submit all documentation required as noted in page 3 of the application; incomplete or late applications may not be considered.
7. Applicant organizations must have an active Board of Directors that is independent from Senior Staff. Applications will only be considered from the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee of an organization.
8. Organizations are required to keep accurate volunteer and participant records and the organization must carry out volunteer screening and other risk management measures to help ensure volunteer and public safety.

Guidelines

1. In accordance with the City of Cambridge Community Grants Policy # A09 FIN 004, all information should be completed in the space provided. Additional pages can be added if space is required.
2. Priority will be given to applications that address identified current needs that strengthen the City of Cambridge community and enhance the quality of life of residents.
3. Grants will not be eligible for the following as outlined in the Policy:

• Operating or capital deficits
• Programs/services not aligned with the City of Cambridge’s Strategic Plan
• Programs/services that are the same as those provided by the City of Cambridge
• Invitational or discretionary travel
• Travel or training associated with team tryouts
• Uniforms for sport teams
• Beautification projects (with the exception of Horticultural Societies)
• Flow-through funding (where the intent is to directly redistribute funds to others, for example, bursaries or scholarships)
• Debt retirement, depreciation or deficit funding
• Retroactive funding (activities or costs incurred before grant approval)
• Duplication of funding received or requested from another funding organization or level of government
• Activities that could be deemed discriminatory as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code
• Activities whose purpose is to promote religious doctrine or are being led by a person whose mandate includes the promotion of religious doctrine
• Political and/or advocacy activities

4. Approval of a grant in one year does not guarantee funding for future year(s), applications are required annually.
5. Application must be signed by two (2) authorized signing officers of the organization.
6. The contact person noted on the application will be the person the City of Cambridge staff communicate with to address questions and outcome of application.

Application Time Frame

Collection of Personal Information

Personal information, as defined by the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, and in accordance with the provisions of MFIPPA. Personal information on this form will be used for the purpose of making decisions about grant allocations, reporting on statistics about the grant program and evaluating the grant program. If you have questions about the collection, use and disclosure of this information, please contact the City of Cambridge Clerks department.

Grant Application Checklist:

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