Community grants

Giving back to communities

RTOERO Districts can apply for grants of up to $4,000 to fund local projects. Over three decades, we’ve donated nearly $2 million for hundreds of projects across the country.

Purpose of the community grants program  

Our community grants program is designed to encourage all districts to support and partner with local organizations that are making a meaningful difference in communities and whose work aligns with our strategic goals.

Who can apply for community grants

All districts can apply for a community grant. Those interested will serve as the project sponsor and will submit the application either in partnership with a community organization or on behalf of the district.

Community organizations are not eligible to apply independently for these grants; they must partner with a district.

Application timelines

Applications open in February each year and are due at the end of May. Districts are informed of all decisions by the last week of August.

2025 deadline: Friday, May 30.

Criteria and rubric

Review our rubric for a detailed breakdown of the application evaluation criteria. Please use the rubric as a guide when developing your grant application

Download rubric

  • If a grant supports a larger project or fundraising initiative, your application must make clear (a) how the project aligns with the strategic goals and values (see question 3 in application) and (b) how RTOERO will receive recognition for the donation (see question 7 in application).
  • Multiple districts may submit a single joint application for a shared project, which they will work on together, making them eligible for funding up to $4,000 per district involved.
  • Community grants are only awarded to a specific project once within a district. Similar projects submitted by different districts are still eligible.
  • RTOERO members cannot monetarily benefit from a project.
How to apply

Applications can be submitted on SurveyMonkey Apply. If you already have an account, you’ll be prompted to log in; otherwise, you will register a new account.

Start your application

  • Once logged in, select ‘RTOERO Community Grants program’ to find the application.
  • When you begin your application, you will be prompted to complete the ‘Eligibility’ section. Once this section has been successfully completed, the remainder of the application sections will appear.
  • Submit your application once complete. You can save your progress and return later if you wish.
  • Applications must be submitted by May 30, 2025.
Application process

The Community Grants and Scholarships Committee (CGSC) will review every application to ensure they meet all criteria. Applications that meet the criteria outlined within the evaluation rubric (see the criteria and rubric section to download) will be recommended to the RTOERO Board of Directors for approval.

Applications that do not meet the criteria outlined in the rubric will not be forwarded to the RTOERO Board of Directors. In this circumstance, the CGSC will provide the district with feedback about how the application could be strengthened for the next granting cycle.

Final reports

All funded projects require a final report.

  • Districts will be contacted in late winter with a link to the final report form.
  • Final reports for 2024 projects must be received by May 9, 2025 in order for a district to be eligible for funding in 2025.
  • Final reports for 2025 projects are due May 8, 2026.
  • If a 2024 project is not complete, that district cannot apply for a new grant in 2025.

Resources for applicants

Please see criteria and rubric section above to download a rubric which details the criteria used to evaluate applications.

Sample application

The Community Grants and Scholarships Committee has provided some examples of high-quality answers from past applications.

Download sample application

Examples of how to publicize your project

Question 7 of the application asks how your district and community partner will publicize this project. Some ways this can be done include:

Community relations

  • Cheque presentation at district or partner organization event
  • Guest speaker from your district at recipient organization event
  • Unveiling of funded initiative

Donor recognition

  • Co-branded materials
  • Recognition of the donation in recipient newsletter
  • Recognition in recipient organization annual report

Media relations

  • Recipient organization issues news release to local media highlighting the donation
  • Your district will receive a news release, which will be sent to local media and you can post the news release on your district website
  • Send pictures and follow-up stories about the project to local media

Digital and social media

  • Video (1-2 minutes) for use at events and on social media
  • Recipient organization posts information on its website and/or social media accounts, recognizing the donation

Member communication

  • You will receive a template newsletter article you can adapt for your district newsletter
  • Feature the donation on your district social media accounts
  • Guest speaker from recipient organization at district event
  • Write a story for the district newsletter and/or website about the results/impact of the funded project
Examples of how to evaluate the success of your project

Question 8 of the application asks how you will evaluate the impact and success of this project. Some ways this can be done include:

  • Surveys
  • Interviews
  • Testimonials
  • Focus groups
  • Summary of media coverage
  • Collection of social media output
  • Measuring implementation and utilization rates (e.g. number of participants reached)
  • Assess final project costs
  • Exit interview with partner organization
  • Analysis of whether project goals were met

Past projects

2024 projects

District Project Amount
Algoma Friends of the SSM Public Library Bookstore Outreach $4,000.00
Atlantic Support for transitional rooms $4,000.00
Brant Brant 40 Nature-ally $4,000.00
Bruce Grey & Dufferin Special Olympics — Upper Grand DSB $4,000.00
City of Toronto Expanding Connections $4,000.00
Cochrane & Temiskaming Temiskaming Shores Seniors Housing $3,927.00
Dryden Age Friendly Wellness $4,000.00
Etobicoke and York RTOERODistrict 22 MeasuresUP $3,975.00
Franco-Nipissing Passepart Bien-être / Wellness Passport $4,000.00
Frontenac Lennox & Addington SALT Workshop Series for Seniors $4,000.00
Halton Cycling without Age – Hamilton and Burlington Chapter Expansion $4,000.00
Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand Bringing the Theatre to Patients at St. Peter's Hospital $4,000.00
Hastings & Prince Edward Benches for Seniors in Prince Edward County Public Space $3,100.00
Huron-Perth Kitchen Skills Program $4,000.00
Lambton Lambton Elderly Outreach Series of Events $4,000.00
Leeds and Grenville The Weekender Program for Kids (WP4K) $4,000.00
London Middlesex Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of London Ontario $4,000.00
Mainland British Columbia Choir Chimes for RPC Seniors Chime Choir $4,000.00
Norfolk Norfolk Musical Arts Festival $4,000.00
North York Rooted in Nature:Cultivating Native Plants for a Sustainable Garden $4,000.00
Northumberland Wind Phone Garden at Local Community Hospice $4,000.00
Ottawa - Carleton Educational Awareness of General Challenges of Aging Using Puppetry $4,000.00
Parry Sound Almaguin Community Trails $4,000.00
Peterborough Volunteer Peterborough Welcome Brochure and Launch event $3,250.00
Prescott - Russell Lift Me Up- Safe Support for Seniors and their Caregivers $4,000.00
Rainy River Reopening of the Rainy River Public Library $4,000.00
Renfrew Community Paramedic Aging In Place Support Program $4,000.00
Stormont Dundas Glengarry Glen Cairn Lodge -Warming Centre $4,000.00
Sudbury & Manitoulin Memory Mapping: Sharing Life Expériences for Education Community Retirees $4,000.00
Vancouver Island "Stewardship in Place" - Seed Project $4,000.00
Wellington Special Olympics — Upper Grand DSB $4,000.00

2023 projects

District Project Amount
Algoma The Kensington Conservancy $4,000.00
Bruce Grey & Dufferin Bruce Grey Dufferin Men's Shed $4,000.00
EstaRiO Reconnaissance de la Francophonie d'hier, d'aujourd'hui et de demain / Recognition of the Francophonie of yesterday, today and tomorrow $4,000.00
Etobicoke and York Health and Wellness Coordinator for Etobicoke Senior Services $4,000.00
Halton ONE Little Free Library for Book & Social Clubs $1,270.00
Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand Blood Pressure Monitoring and Physical Activity for Seniors at PACE $4,000.00
Huron-Perth Welcoming Ukrainian Immigrants to RTOERO, District 9 $4,000.00
Kenora Kenora Community Hospice Beds $4,000.00
Leeds and Grenville Brockville Sunday Suppers $4,000.00
London Middlesex London Valley Consistory Club (Equipment) $4,000.00
Mainland British Columbia Aging in Place $4,000.00
Nipissing Play Readings With and For Seniors $4,000.00
North York 2Choirs! Seniors and Music $4,000.00
Northumberland YMCA Northumberland Breaking Bread Program $4,000.00
Oxford Making Trillium Trail Fully Accessible and Entice Birdwatching $4,000.00
Peterborough Trivia Pub Nights $4,000.00
Rainy River Enhancing Library Access for Atikokan Seniors $4,000.00
Scarborough & East York Commemorative Bench and Commemorative Plaque $4,000.00
Vancouver Island Sharing with Youth and Seniors "Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults" by Monique Gray Smith promoting Environmental Stewardship $4,000.00
Waterloo Region Gather at the Gallery for 55+ - come for the arts and stay to mingle $4,000.00
Wellington Storytime Trail $4,000.00
York Region Lighting Up BackStage $4,000.00

2022 projects

District Project Amount
Algoma Get Moving $4,000.00
Brant Brantford-Brant Men’s Shed Community Research Summit $4,000.00
Bruce Grey & Dufferin Owen Sound Hunger and Relief Effort - OSHaRE - Christmas Dinner $4,000.00
Cochrane & Temiskaming Funding to increase the Montesssori based cognitive learning materials already in use at Golden Manor Home for the Aged. $3,901.00
Dryden Dryden Public Library - Large Print Book Collection and Lending Library $4,000.00
EstaRiO Pet therapy sports workshops music therapy and outings $4,000.00
Etobicoke and York Music Therapy for Developmentally Delayed Seniors $4,000.00
Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand Cycling without Age Hamilton & Burlington (CWA) $4,000.00
Hastings & Prince Edward Benches for Seniors along the East Zwick’s Park Walking Trail in Belleville ON $3,710.00
Leeds and Grenville The Farm at Glen Elbe Connect with Nature Program $4,000.00
London Middlesex Dorchester Accessible "Dream" Park $4,000.00
Niagara Clarice West-Hobbs Contemplative Garden $4,000.00
North York Supporting One Voice: Responding to Domestic Violence in Our Community $4,000.00
Northumberland YMCA Northumberland Empowerment Series $4,000.00
Ottawa - Carleton Canadian Martyrs Parish - Centre 507 Sandwich Club $4,000.00
Peterborough Can You Hear Me Now? Enriching the listening experience for all at the Showplace Performance Centre. $4,000.00
Prescott - Russell Drum Circles for Seniors $3,860.00
Renfrew Chasing a Healthy Ottawa River Watershed $4,000.00
Simcoe County Friendship Dinners $4,000.00
Stormont Dundas Glengarry Just For Seniors: LOL-Laugh Out Loud $4,000.00
Vancouver Island RTOERO District 47 "Connecting with the Homeless" $4,000.00
Wellington Connecting Kids to Nature $4,000.00

2021 projects

District Project Amount
Brant Buzz Me Bears $2,500.00
Bruce Grey & Dufferin Bruce Grey Seniors' Centre Without Walls $2,500.00
Chatham - Kent Imagine McGregor : A Watershed Tree Planting Project $2,500.00
Cochrane & Temiskaming South Centennial Manor: Promote Enjoyment and Engagement in a meaningful outdoor activity for seniors with Alzheimers or cognitive impairments. $2,500.00
Dryden Dryden Seniors Activity Centre - The Go Getters:) $2,500.00
Franco-Nipissing Assessing the impact of companion robots on social inclusion and participation of older adults: A Northern Ontario pilot $2,500.00
Halton LM Montgomery in Norval $2,500.00
Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand Art Therapy $2,500.00
Hastings & Prince Edward Dementia Friendly Communities HPE $2,500.00
Huron-Perth Let's Play Together $2,500.00
Kenora The Borrowing Cupboard $2,500.00
Lambton LEO Christmas Gift Campaign to Isolated Seniors in Jeopardy $2,500.00
Lanark Connect Protect Program $2,500.00
Leeds and Grenville Brockville Cardiac Rehabilitation Program $2,500.00
London Middlesex Childcan's Early Literacy Project $2,500.00
Muskoka Promoting awareness of and participation in the Community Carbon Challenge $2,500.00
Niagara Port Cares Reach Out Centre $2,500.00
Nipissing Assessing the impact of companion robots on social inclusion and participation of older adults: A Northern Ontario pilot (two districts combined project) $2,500.00
Norfolk Commercial Cooler/Freezer for Riversyde 83 Community Kitchen $2,500.00
North York Respecting Urban Wildlife Challenges and Environmental Stewardship $2,500.00
Northumberland Cornerstone’s COVID-19 Recovery $2,485.00
Oxford Oxford Thames River Trail East End Wetlands Viewing Platform $2,500.00
Parry Sound The Children's Garden at Tower Hill $2,500.00
Region of Durham Looking for "Signs of Nature" - A project to bring interpretive signs to the Nonquon Provincial Wildlife Area $2,500.00
Renfrew Arnprior Regional Health Foundation - Construction of Memory Boxes $2,500.00
Simcoe County Seniors' DIY Crafting Program - Bradford $2,500.00
Stormont Dundas Glengarry New Long Term Care Home Fundraiser $2,500.00
Sudbury & Manitoulin Keeping Seniors Warm $2,400.00
Vancouver Island CanAssist CanConnect $2,500.00
Waterloo Region Delivering the Goods $2,500.00
Wellington Food & Friends $2,500.00
York Region Power Wheelchair $2,500.00

2020 projects

District Project Amount
Algoma Audio books and large print for seniors at the Ontario Finnish Rest Home $4,000.00
Bruce Grey & Dufferin 72 Hour Family Emergency Kit $4,000.00
Cochrane & Temiskaming Villa Minto Long Term Care: Promote engagement in meaningful activities for seniors with Alzheimer’s or cognitive impairment $4,000.00
Dryden Cycling Without Age: Ami Trishaw Bike for Seniors $4,000.00
Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Combat Climate Crisis Poster Contest $2,000.00
Halton Burlington Able Sail - Volunteering in the Summer Program $4,000.00
Hamilton-Wentworth & Haldimand Good Shepherd’s Jeanne Scott Parent & Child Resource Centre $2,000.00
Huron-Perth Camp Klahanie- (Youth Camp) $2,000.00
Kenora N.O.W. (Nutrition on Weekends) $4,000.00
Leeds and Grenville Days for Girls - Hybrid Kits $4,000.00
Nipissing Reducing Barriers to Education in Cameroon Africa $1,500.00
Norfolk Quilts for Those in Need $4,000.00
North York Stronger Minds Make for Stronger Kids $4,000.00
Ottawa - Carleton Kids Today! | Les Enfants d’aujourd’hui $4,000.00
Parry Sound Community Oven Project $4,000.00
Prescott - Russell Courtepointes Victoria's Quilts $4,000.00
Simcoe County Days for Girls Barrie $4,000.00
Vancouver Island Makeover of Intake Transition Room $4,000.00
Wellington COVID-19 Survival Lifebags $4,000.00
Windsor Essex Survive the Cold - Sleep Warm $4,000.00