The Community, Youth & Cultural Funding Program provides municipal funding every year to non-profit organizations in the social service, youth, and cultural sectors, as well as to individual artists undertaking projects in the community. These grants benefit the community and help to leverage other provincial and national funding sources.

Grant categories

The Funding Program has three categories. Select a category below to view the grant guidelines/criteria and application forms. Organizations can only receive funding in one category per funding term.

Note: If you open application forms in Google Chrome, please save a copy before editing.

Project grants

Project grants are one-time, short-term funding for special activities, training and development, or seed funding for new organizations.

Deadline for funding for Fall/Winter 2023 and Spring 2024 projects:

Spring intake: Friday, March 22, 2024

Fall intake: Friday, October 18, 2024

Maximum request: $10,000 (cannot be 100% of total project budget)

 

Guidelines and Application Forms

To apply, review the Guidelines & Criteria document and complete the Grant Application Form.

Applicants may choose to submit their own budget with all project revenues and expenditures listed, or fill out the Budget Statement template provided.

A limited amount of funding is available for project grants, and applications will be evaluated based on how well the application meets the evaluation criteria.

 

Applicants must connect with a program contact below prior to applying to discuss eligibility.  

 

Program Contacts

Please direct your inquiry to the appropriate representative based on the focus of your grant.

General inquiries: Callie Hemsworth (807) 632-2485 or grants@thunderbay.ca

Anti-Racism, Truth & Reconciliation: Alain Joseph (807) 630-8278 or alain.joseph@thunderbay.ca

Community Safety & Well-Being: Cynthia Olsen (807) 625-2942 or cynthia.olsen@thunderbay.ca

Youth: Amanda Prien (807) 629-7051 or amanda.prien@thunderbay.ca

Culture: Louisa Costanzo (807) 628-5250 or louisa.costanzo@thunderbay.ca

Sport: Paul Burke (807) 625-2305 or paul.burke@thunderbay.ca

 

Email completed applications to: grants@thunderbay.ca 

 

 Recent Grant Recipients
 2024 Spring/Summer Project Recipients

 For the spring intake of 2024, project funding has been awarded to the following recipients:

  • Autism Northwest - Autism Club Skateboard Program
  • Nokiiwin - Reconciliation training for community groups
  • Thunder Pride - Queer Coffee Nights
  • The Coalition for Waverley Park - 150th Anniversary of Waverley Park Celebration
  • Youth Climate Action Council - youth engagement 
 2023

In 2023, project grants were awarded to the following 8 groups and individuals:

 
  • DEK Addiction Recovery Foundation (basic living backpacks)
  • Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario (nightly drop-in program)
  • Our Kids Count (collaboration with Thunder Bay Police and Skate Coalition for youth skate camps)
  • Kamryn Asmunt (collaboration with RMYC to youth photography/mentorship program)
  • Damian Rivers-Moore/Tamarack Wind Quartet (Science and Athleticism of Music Making, in collaboration with Science North)
  • Mindful Makers Collective (collaboration with CréAction Collective for community artist workshops)
  • Northwestern Ontario Writers' Workshop (TBay Reads workshop and pilot project)
  • Thunder Bay Cricket Council (cricket camp for children and youth)

Feature grant: Dayna Elizabeth Karle (DEK) Foundation

With the help of a Community, Youth & Cultural Funding Program project grant, the DEK Foundation program delivered 62 backpacks filled with hygiene products, sleep clothes, hoodies, journals, hats, mitts, and more to people that are homeless, have addiction and mental health issues and heading into treatment residences.  


"DEK believes strongly in acts of kindness that show vulnerable people Thunder Bay cares about them and this City of Thunder Bay grant allowed DEK to continue to share kindness!" - Jan Thompson, DEK Foundation

 

Operating grants

Operating grants are for organizations that have an ongoing presence in Thunder Bay and a track record of providing quality programs or services. Organizations must show diverse funding sources.

Deadline for funding applications: Applications for 2024 funding are now closed.
2025 funding applications will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024. 2025 application forms, guidelines and criteria will be available in late April 2024.


Funding term: Up to 3 years

General Criteria for Operating Grants:

  • There is a demonstrated need in the community for the program/service; the organization does not represent duplication of programs/services in the community.
  • Enhances quality of life for City of Thunder Bay residents.
  • Demonstrates operational effectiveness, financial stability and appropriate level of self sufficiency, including involvement in fundraising and advocacy activities, to ensure financial support from the public.
  • Has an active, independent board and an appropriate volunteer base.
  • Demonstrated partnerships and collaborative efforts.
  • Consistent with the goals and objectives of the current City of Thunder Bay Strategic Plan.
Please note that there are also specific criteria depending on the focus area of the grant (Community Safety & Well-Being, Youth, or Culture).

Eligible Expenses
Eligible expenses include the costs incurred to deliver the organization’s programs and services, such as:

  • Employee compensation and development.
  • The space in which the organization operates (rent, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc.).
  • Non-capital program and office equipment and supplies necessary for the on-going operation and development of the organization.
  • Fees (legal, accounting, etc.).
  • Marketing.

 

Apply for an Operating Grant

Download guidelines and application documents below:

 

Multi-year Funding Term Report

If your organization has been approved for a multi-year term, you do not need to fill out a full new application.

Instead, multi-year grant recipients must submit the following mid-term report by June 21, 2024:

Email completed applications/reports and any attachments to: grants@thunderbay.ca

Sustaining grants

Sustaining grants are provided to organizations that the City has deemed as being integral to its identity, provided the organization has received at least 5 years of consecutive funding in the Operating category. These grants are operational and are often renewed from year to year, provided that the organization meets the criteria. These organizations fill a void for services or programming in the city and positively affect quality of life. Organizations must show diverse funding sources. City Council has final approval on any recommendations to move an organization to the Sustaining category.

 

Deadline for funding applications: Applications for 2024 funding are now closed.
2025 funding applications will close at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024. 2025 application forms, guidelines and criteria will be available in April 2024.

Funding term: Up to 5 years

General Criteria for Sustaining Grants:

To be eligible for a Sustaining Grant, the applicant must demonstrate:

  • Many years of demonstrated administrative competence.
  • Budget practices and financial statements in accordance with generally accepted Canadian accounting principles.
  • A track record of providing quality programming and/or services.
  • Employment practices that comply with applicable legislative requirements, as the case may be, such as the Employment Standards Act of Ontario, the Pay Equity Act of Ontario, and the Ontario Human Rights Code.
  • A Board of Directors which will assume full responsibility for the administration of the funds or an agent acceptable to City Council.
  • Evidence that funds are confirmed/projected from a variety of other sources clearly stated in the application.
  • At least five (5) years of successfully completed operating funding from the City.

Please note that there are also specific criteria depending on the focus area of the grant (Community Safety & Well-Being, Youth, or Culture).

Eligible Expenses
Eligible expenses include the costs incurred to deliver the organization’s programs and services, such as:

  • Employee compensation and development.
  • The space in which the organization operates (rent, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc.).
  • Non-capital program and office equipment and supplies necessary for the on-going operation and development of the organization.
  • Fees (legal, accounting, etc.).
  • Marketing.

Submitting your application

Download guidelines and application documents below:

 

Multi-year Funding Term Report

If your organization has been approved for a multi-year term, you do not need to fill out a full new application.

Instead, multi-year grant recipients must submit the following mid-term report by June 21, 2024:

Email completed applications/reports and any attachments to: grants@thunderbay.ca

Program Contacts

All Project applicants and first-time Operating/Sustaining applicants must contact a program supervisor to discuss eligibility. Please direct your inquiry to the appropriate representative based on the focus of your grant.

 

Anti-Racism, Truth & Reconciliation (Projects only): Alain Joseph (807) 630-8278 or alain.joseph@thunderbay.ca

Community Safety & Well-Being: Cynthia Olsen (807) 625-2942 or cynthia.olsen@thunderbay.ca

Youth: Nina Arcon (807) 629-7051 or nina.arcon@thunderbay.ca 

Culture: Louisa Costanzo (807) 628-5250 or louisa.costanzo@thunderbay.ca

General program inquiries: Callie Hemsworth (807) 632-2485 or grants@thunderbay.ca

Grant review team

The funding program has a Grant Review Team comprised of City staff and citizen members. If you are interested in learning more about how to become a member, please email grants@thunderbay.ca.

Evaluation

Applications are evaluated on based on the following:

  • Ability to meet grant criteria
  • Completeness of application (application is complete and properly filled out)
  • Community impact and support
  • Program/service enhances the quality of life for residents
  • Quality of activities and services
  • Organizational competence and level of self-sustainability
  • Financial stability
  • Evidence of a variety of funding sources*
  • Evidence of partnerships
  • Consistency with priorities in the City's Strategic Plan or other relevant plans (e.g. Inspire Thunder Bay Culture Plan, Youth Services Plan, Community safety and Well Being Plan)

* Evidence of other funding sources is often missing in applications that are not successful. When applying for funding, organizations should outline their own fundraising activities, as well as confirmed or potential grants from other funders.

Submitting applications

Please submit your grant application and supporting documentation via email to grants@thunderbay.ca. You may also mail a hard copy* to:

Community, Youth & Cultural Funding Program
c/o Community Services Department
Victoriaville Civic Centre - Main Floor
111 Syndicate Ave. S. Thunder Bay, ON P7E 6S4

* An electronic copy of your complete application and supporting documentation must be included with your hard copy submission. For example, a USB may be included with the hard copy package.

Funding acknowledgment 

Please use the City of Thunder Bay corporate logo when acknowledging the City of Thunder Bay's funding support.

Questions?

Email: grants@thunderbay.ca 

Phone: 807-632-2485

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