Community Grants | City of Peterborough

The City's Community Grants are contingent on Council's budget approval.

If you have any questions, please reach out to communitygrants@peterborough.ca

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Community Grants program

On this page

Overview
Community Project Grants
Community Investment Grants
Advice for Applicants
Frequently Asked Questions
Community Grant Reports

The City of Peterborough's Community Grants provide funding to non-profit, community-based organizations that deliver direct programs, services, or activities that improve the quality of life for our residents. The grants support activities in the areas of social services and health, arts, culture, heritage, recreation, and the environment.

To apply for a Community Grant, you must fill out the online application when the call for applications is open. We call for applications each year.

The two Community Grants streams are:

Community Project Grants – support for specified project for which the requested amount is $250 to $1,000
Community Investment Grants – support for projects and special events, specific programs or operating budgets for which the requested amount is $1,000 to $15,000

Have a question?

You can contact the Community Services department at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca if you have any questions.

Community Project Grants

It is a competitive process. The requests for funding may be more than the available funding. Applicants are not guaranteed funding. City staff review the applications and make recommendations to City Council for approval.

The intent is that the grant is seed money for a project or special event. The funding is available once a year.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

Be new or existing, incorporated or unincorporated not-for-profit organizations or neighbourhood associations; and
Be located and conduct the majority of activities within the geographic boundaries of the City of Peterborough.

First-time applicants must apply for and receive a grant in the Project Grant category for at least two years (in the last five years) before they can apply for an Investment Grant.

Allocated funding for 2025 must be used by March 31, 2026.

Not eligible for a Community Project Grant

The following are not eligible for a Community Project Grant:

Organizations receiving a Community Investment Grant or have a Community Service Agreement
Individuals
For-profit businesses
Organizations with political affiliations
Organizations serving as funding sources for others, e.g. Service Clubs
Faith organizations where services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith
Hospitals, clinic-based services or medical treatment programs
Fundraising events
School boards, primary and secondary schools, post-secondary institutions
Programs within legislated mandates of other government or city departments
Provincial/national organizations, unless a local chapter exists to service the residents of Peterborough
Organizations receiving 80% or more of funding from senior levels of government
Organizations that conduct the majority of their activities outside of the City
Costs for major capital equipment/renovations, minor renovations, and financing of deficits

Applications for either funding program will be adjudicated on the following criteria and weighted as follows:

Community Need: Organization demonstrates its understanding of current community needs and addresses these through its activities and partnerships in the application in a diverse, equitable and inclusive manner – 25%
Financial Viability: Demonstrated sound financial management and revenue generation (accurate records, responsible budget, various sources of income; if deficit, then reduction plan); Operating surpluses or reserve accounts should not exceed 25% of total operating without acceptable explanation, e.g., capital campaign); Board and staff skills are appropriate for this size and scope of organization and ensuring the success of the application – 25%
City Priorities, Feasibility and Evaluation: The application meets one or more City priorities and participant priorities within target sectors (as outlined on the application forms), the organization has the feasibility to complete the proposed activity or service, and has identified accountability/mechanism for evaluation (identification of key performance measures and outcomes) – 20%
Strategic Direction and Previous Funding: Organization identifies benchmarks and goals for organizational development. The organization has plans to sustain and develop its audience, service and or participants (specific to Investment Grants) The application has adequately demonstrated the impact of previous year’s funding support. – 15%
Other Funding/Community Support: Funding from various levels of government, foundations, support or sponsorship from other organizations, local businesses, industry, service clubs; and evidence and impact of community collaboration, partnerships – 15%

Community Investment Grants

It is a competitive process. Requests for funding each year are for much more than the available funding. Applicants are not guaranteed funding. The Community Investment Grant Advisory Committee reviews the applications. City Council appoints community members, representatives from the arts, culture, heritage, social services, health, environment and recreation sectors, and a community member with a financial background to serve on the committee. City staff prepare the final recommendations for Council’s consideration.

The intent is that the City investment supports larger projects or special events, specific programs of larger organizations, or operating budgets.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for funding, applicants must:

be incorporated as a not-for-profit organization with a local Board of Directors;
be not-for-profits that are located, and conduct the majority of their activities, within the geographic boundaries of the City;
have sustained a history of activity over two years prior, normally achieved as past recipient of at least two Community Project grants (within the last five years);
have demonstrated sound financial management, good standing with the City, and submit one the following financial documents; Audited financial statement, a Notice to Reader or a profit and loss statement;
be able to demonstrate that they provide those services and programs in an effective, accessible, open, and inclusive manner
not receiving more than one additional source of City funding/support

Allocated funding for 2025 must be used by March 31, 2026

Not eligible for a Community Investment Grant

The following are not eligible for a Community Investment Grant:

New unincorporated not-for-profit organizations or not-for-profits receiving a Community Project Grant or have a Community Service Agreement
Individuals
For-profit businesses
Organizations with political affiliations
Organizations serving as funding sources for others, e.g. service clubs
Faith organizations where services/activities include the promotion and/or required adherence to a faith
Hospitals, clinic-based services or medical treatment programs
Fundraising events
School boards, primary and secondary schools, post-secondary institutions
Programs within legislated mandates of other government or city departments
Provincial/national organizations unless a local chapter exists to service the residents of Peterborough
Organizations receiving 80% or more of funding from senior levels of government
Organizations that conduct the majority of their activities outside of the City
Costs for major capital equipment/renovations, minor renovations, and financing of deficits

Applications for either funding program will be adjudicated on the following criteria and weighted as follows:

Community Need: Organization demonstrates its understanding of current community needs and addresses these through its activities and partnerships in the application in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive manner – 25%
Financial Viability: Demonstrated sound financial management and revenue generation (accurate records, responsible budget, various sources of income; if deficit, then reduction plan); Operating surpluses or reserve accounts should not exceed 25% of total operating without acceptable explanation, e.g., capital campaign); Board and staff skills are appropriate for this size and scope of organization and ensuring the success of the application – 25%
City Priorities, Feasibility and Evaluation: The application meets one or more City priorities and participant priorities within target sectors (as outlined on the application forms), the organization has the feasibility to complete the proposed activity or service, and has identified accountability/mechanism for evaluation (identification of key performance measures and outcomes) – 20%
Strategic Direction and Previous Funding: Organization identifies benchmarks and goals for organizational development. The organization has plans to sustain and develop its audience, service and or participants (specific to Investment Grants) The application has adequately demonstrated the impact of previous year’s funding support. – 15%
Other Funding/Community Support: Funding from various levels of government, foundations, support or sponsorship from other organizations, local businesses, industry, service clubs; and evidence and impact of community collaboration, partnerships – 15%

Please review the full Community Grants Information and Guidelines document. You can contact the Community Services department at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca if you have any questions.

Advice for Applicants

Look at eligibility and fit
Review the Community Grants Guidelines
Review the Criteria applications are adjudicated on (on this website and in the Community grants guidelines)
Talk to City staff to ask for advice and direction
When entering data, save often!
The way you complete the application reflects on the organization
Don’t cut and paste from last year’s application
Be realistic with your request
Explain and justify increases
Balanced budget or explain a deficit or surplus
Decision is based on the information you provide
When in doubt, call Community Services at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca
Give specific information
Don’t leave it until the last minute - as applications cannot be accepted after the deadline
If unsuccessful with your application, get feedback and keep trying

Frequently Asked Questions

Will you contact me if I have not fully completed the application or sufficiently answered a question?

The online version of the application is designed to prevent omissions. The format of the application will now require applicants to be succinct. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the information is accurate and provides sufficient response. City staff review applications for eligibility.

Do we have to be incorporated to apply for an Investment Grant?

Yes.

I am getting an error message once the application times out and I can't seem to enter new information. What should I do?

Please log out and login again. Information can not be added after the application times out. Also, remember to save your application often as any information entered that was not saved, will also be lost.

I am having difficulty uploading documents. When I try and attach a document, nothing happens.

Please ensure that you click on the Choose File button, then choose your file, and then click on the Attach button. Files should then be uploaded.

Is it OK to hand-write applications?

No, the online application process must be used. If you are experiencing any difficulties with the process, please contact staff for assistance.

We have been saving money for a new building. Do we have to include that in our financial information?

Yes, include it as a surplus or as a reserve fund, but explain.

If we do not apply for a couple of years, but were funded at least twice previously, can we re-apply for an investment grant?

Applicants must have received two years funding within the last five years.

If our funding is for one program within our organization, do we need to include budget information for the entire organization?

Yes, we need to review the entire budget and sources of the organization’s funding to determine eligibility.

Can we be assured that we will be granted funding in the amount we require?

No. This is a competitive process and all funding decisions are made at the same time by the evaluation committee. No one is guaranteed an amount of funding in advance.

If the program or event we need funding for is held in January or March of the next year, is that OK?

As long as you are consistent in the timing of the expenditure of funds from year to year, there is no problem. At no time will you be allowed to use City funding twice in a 12-month period.

If we have applied for a project grant two years in a row, but were not approved, can we apply for an Investment Grant the next year?

No, an organization that is new to the Community Investment Grant stream must have completed two successful years in the Project Grant category (within the last five years) and then meet all of the Investment Grant eligibility criteria before applying for an Investment Grant.

Have a question?

You can also contact the Community Services Department at 705-742-7777 ext. 1822 or email communitygrants@peterborough.ca if you have further questions

Community Grant Reports

CSD25-002 - 2025 Community Project and Investment Grants approved at General Committee meeting on April 7, 2025.

CSD20-001 - 2020 Community Investment and Project Grants as approved at City Council meeting on March 30, 2020

CSD21-001 - 2021 Community Investment and Project Grants as approved at City Council meeting on March 22, 2021

CSD22-002 - 2022 Community Project and Investment Grants as approved at City Council meeting on March 28, 2022

CSD23-004 - 2023 Community Project and Investment Grants as approved at City Council Meeting on March 27, 2023

CSD24-002 - 2024 Community Project and Investment Grants as approved at City Council Meeting on March 18, 2024