Hamilton Community Foundation grants to the widest range of charitable organizations and initiatives. Grants are made in two ways:

• Through open calls where organizations can apply based on specific fund priorities.  The open call funds are listed below.
• Through matching donor interests and community needs.  If you have a funding need that meets HCF priorities but does not necessarily meet the criteria of the open calls, there may be opportunities to link you to appropriate grants. Please contact us at grants@hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca.

Who qualifies?

HCF provides grants for projects that benefit the citizens of Hamilton and by law, grants only to registered Canadian charities and others qualified as described in Section 110 of the Income Tax Act.  On occasion, not-for-profit organizations without charitable status may be sponsored by a registered charity. We also offer community loans to charities, not profits and social enterprises.

Online portal

Log in to the online portal here.

Reporting

For organizations reporting via HCF’s online grants management system, a link to complete the report will be sent automatically to the original applicant. Before working on the report please be sure to read the following guide.

For reporting on grants other than those from the funds listed below, our correspondence advising you of the grant will indicate which one of these two reports you should complete:
Final report – Abbreviated
Final report – General

Recognition guidelines

This link provides direction on recognizing your HCF grant. Please contact us at grants@hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca if you have questions.

Open call grants

Hamilton Community Foundation provides grants to local programs and organizations that improve the quality of life in our city. Many grants are available through an open-call process for which any qualifying organization may apply. The chart below summarizes the areas of focus for these open-call grants; for detailed criteria, deadlines and application form and report forms process, follow the links.

ABACUS Phase II: Equity, wellness, academic achievement

The goal of ABACUS is to increase the likelihood that young people facing multiple barriers graduate high school and access postsecondary education, by focusing on the pivotal middle-school years.

Two new granting calls will close May 2, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. for programs that run in the 2022-23 school year. Watch a video of our March 10, 2022 information session for organizations to learn more about the programs and applying to them.

Two new granting streams reflect a refocusing of ABACUS with refinements that include an increased focus on the transition to high school, reading and numeracy in the earlier years, overall social and emotional wellness, and addressing the needs of students historically underserved in the education system.

ABACUS +: Supports youth in the middle school years, and the transition through Grade 9 and into Grade 10. Click here for more info and granting guidelines.

ABACUS Liftoff!: This new program supports children in Grades 4 and 5 with a focus on reading and numeracy. Click here for more info and granting guidelines.