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Field-of-Interest Call

Funding for this call will be through field-of-interest funds held by HCF. Field-of-interest funds are established by donors to support specific interest areas (e.g., the environment, children’s needs, the arts, etc.).

Hamilton Community Foundation invites applications for support in three areas: healthy child development, meeting basic needs, and community capacity building. Details are provided below; please note operating budget eligibility for each stream. Only one focus area section may be completed per application.

1. Healthy child development (for organizations with operating budgets less than $5 million)

This component will fund initiatives supporting healthy child development for children and youth.  Grants will range from $1,000 to $10,000 and will be for one year.   Focus areas are:

  • Learning enrichment/literacy
  • Mental health
  • Recreational activities including the arts

2. Meeting basic needs (for organizations with operating budgets less than $5 million)

This focus of funding is to support initiatives directed to relieving poverty for individuals and families experiencing marginalization (e.g., through food, transportation, shelter etc.). Maximum grant will be $5,000.  Please note that requests for gift cards are only funded when rt of a larger menu of services offered to recipients.

3. Community capacity building (for organizations with operating budgets less than $500,000)

HCF recognizes the important role played by informal support systems in meeting the needs of marginalized individuals and families in our community.  This focus area will provide grants up to $10,000 to those organizations to help them build their capacity to do this work.  Capacity building grants are only available to organizations serving equity deserving groups including: racialized communities, newcomers, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+, and the Indigenous community.  Examples of eligible capacity building activities would include (but are not limited to): providing volunteer worker honorariums, board development activities, leadership development, incorporation costs related to achieving non-profit or charitable status.

Note: For purposes of this funding stream, capacity building is considered to be whatever is needed to bring a non-profit to the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity, so it may more effectively and efficiently advance its mission. HCF is looking to fund continuous improvement strategies toward creating a sustainable and effective organization rather than one-time efforts to improve short-term effectiveness.

Available funding

Funding for this Call for Proposals, is made possible through HCF’s various field-of interest (FOI) funds.  FOI funds are established by donors to support a specific area of interest to them (e.g. the environment, children’s needs, the arts, etc.).

Eligibility

In alignment with the Foundation’s commitment to supporting equity, diversity and inclusion, special consideration will be given to organizations led by and serving equity-deserving groups[1]

  • HCF grants only to registered Canadian charities and other qualified donees 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 under a fiscal sponsorship. More information on fiscal sponsorships is available at: https://www.hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca/grants/charitable-sponsorship-rules/
  • Organization has an operating budget that is below the maximum defined for each stream.
  • Costs are not being covered by other grant sources
  • Workspace is in Hamilton and serves Hamilton residents

The following are NOT eligible for funding:

  • Applications from Individuals
  • Research
  • Major capital expenditures
  • Applications from Organizations whose primary focus is fundraising
  • Activities that promote political, religious, moral or ethical philosophies or which are for purposes which may be deemed discriminatory

 Application process

Please note, content in your Application and Requirement forms WILL NOT AUTOSAVE as you type. Please be sure click “SAVE” periodically so you don’t lose your work. We suggest you type your content in a Word document, then copy and paste it into the online form.

  • Grants will be made in accordance with the Canada Revenue Agency’s guidelines – please see our website at https://hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca/grants/ to confirm your eligibility
  • Complete and submit your online application form by August 19, 2022
  • ALL applicants will be contacted regarding the success of their application within six to eight weeks of the application due date

Questions may be directed to: Sharon Charters, Grants Manager, 905-523-5600 Ext. 242, s.charters@hamiltoncommunityfoundation.ca

 

[1] HCF defines equity-seeking/deserving groups are as communities that who face significant collective challenges in participating in society. This marginalization could be created by attitudinal, historic, social and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability, economic status, gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation and transgender status, etc. Equity-seeking groups are those that who identify barriers to equal access, opportunities and resources due to disadvantage and discrimination, and who actively seek social justice and reparation.